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Photos-US:Triple-Digit Temps Bake The SW-Some Deaths
Updated 6:55 AM EDT, Sat June 29, 2013
If you think a place called Furnace Creek would be hot in the summer, you're right. The town in California's Death Valley is expected to hit 128 degrees Saturday. And the heat will stay on full blast through Tuesday, at least. At night, the mercury will drop to a refreshingly cool 96 degrees. Fun aside, the heat wave scorching the Southwest is dangerous, as 170 concert goers found out Friday evening in Las Vegas, according to the fire department. Ambulances plucked them out of 110 degree heat in an open air musical venue and drove them to a shady spot, where they could sit down and drink water. An additional 30 people were treated for heat ailments in local hospitals. The temperature in Las Vegas hit 113 degrees Friday, just shy of the city's heat record of 115, CNN affiliate KLAS reported. "I'm not worried as much about the people who have lived here a while," said Sgt. Troy Stirling, police spokesman in the Lake Havasu, Arizona, near the California state line. "It's more the tourists coming into the area, even from Southern California, who aren't used to this kind of heat." Civic and emergency officials throughout the Southwest say that if there was ever a time to worry, this would be it. The reason isn't just the oppressive heat that is plaguing the region: It's the fact it is expected to hang around, and possibly even get worse, over the next few days. Extended heat warnings Many of the excessive heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service extend through Tuesday night, with advisories from northern California, including Sacramento, all the way to southern Arizona. Forecasters say temperatures through the weekend could rival a 2005 heat wave that killed 17 people in the Las Vegas area. The culprit is a high pressure dome that's blocking cooler air coming down from the Pacific Northwest, CNN meteorologist Indra Petersons said. That system won't begin to break up until early next week, she said. As a result, Phoenix residents should see a high of 119 degrees on Saturday. It should max out at 113 in the coming days in Palm Springs, California. It's not like sunset will provide much respite, as temperatures may not drop below 90 degrees in many places, even in the middle of the night. The high temps come just a couple weeks before the 100th anniversary of what the National Weather Service calls the "highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth" -- 134 degrees on July 10, 1913, in Death Valley's Greenland Ranch. |
re: Photos-US:Triple-Digit Temps Bake The SW-Some Deaths
Record-Setting Heat Wave Turns Fatal in Southwest
Update Sunday June 30 1:30PM EDT Death Valley, California (CNN) -- Death Valley resident Mike Wood says he's used to the heat. But when his running shoes begin to melt, he starts to pay attention. "The ground temperatures here can approach a hundred degrees so you're talking about pretty much boiling the shoes ... everything that kind of holds the shoe together kind of comes apart," Wood said. Wood hit the pavement running despite temperatures that hit 127 degrees on Saturday -- the hottest point on Earth for the day. The National Weather Service is predicting another high near 127 (53 degrees C) for Sunday as a record-setting heat wave bakes the Southwest into the work week. Already, the hot spell has set records in cities such as Phoenix (119 degrees) and Lancaster, California (111 degrees). Las Vegas tied its record high of 115 degrees Saturday. Civic and emergency officials throughout the Southwest say if there was ever a time to worry, this would be it. The reason isn't just the oppressive heat that is plaguing the region: It's the fact it is expected to hang around, and possibly even get worse, over the next few days. The heat may have led to the death of an elderly man in Las Vegas. Paramedics found the man dead in his home, which did not have air conditioning, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said. He died of cardiac arrest and the heat may have contributed to his death, although the coroner will make the final determination, Szymanski said. Paramedics also responded to two "very serious heat related medical calls" on Saturday, even though the victims had air conditioning in the home or car, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue tweeted. The heat wave comes just a couple weeks before the 100th anniversary of what the National Weather Service calls the "highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth" -- 134 degrees on July 10, 1913, in Death Valley's Greenland Ranch. The valley is consistently deemed the hottest location in the world because of its depth and shape. It has one of the world's lowest elevations and also serves as one of the driest locations in North America. Its 11,000 foot surrounding mountain range traps and radiates heat down into it. Despite the extreme heat, Death Valley's National Park Service says several animal species thrive in the severe climate because of its great range in elevations. Coyotes, bats, and bobcats are among the 51 species of native mammals there. The valley also has more 30 species of reptiles, such as the desert turtle and lizards. At the aptly named Furnace Creek, in Death Valley National Park, the heat will stay on full blast through Tuesday at the earliest. Nighttime lows will drop to about 96 degrees. "We have more work than we can handle," said Max Ghaly of Cathedral City Air Conditioning and Heating in Palm Springs, California. "We're running all over the place trying to do what we can." "I'm not worried as much about the people who have lived here a while," said Sgt. Troy Stirling, police spokesman in the Lake Havasu, Arizona, near the California state line. "It's more the tourists coming into the area, even from Southern California, who aren't used to this kind of heat." US Airways had to cancel 18 flights Saturday due to the heat, spokesman Todd Lehmacher said. He said planes are certified for takeoff up to 118 degrees, but the temperature crept up to 119 degrees in Phoenix. Extended heat warnings The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for large parts of California, Nevada and Arizona, and a heat advisory for other parts of Nevada. Many of the excessive heat warnings extend through Tuesday night. Starting Wednesday, temperatures will drop by a couple of degrees, moving closer to normal temperatures. "It'll still be hot, but not as intense as we're seeing now," said Chris Stachelski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. Forecasters say temperatures through the weekend could rival a 2005 heat wave that killed 17 people in the Las Vegas area. Heat wave bakes the West The culprit is a high pressure dome that's blocking cooler air coming down from the Pacific Northwest, CNN meteorologist Indra Petersons said. Even dusk won't provide much respite, as temperatures might not drop below 90 degrees in many places, even in the middle of the night. Some heat wave advice "The No. 1 thing is to absolutely know your limitations and to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water," Stachelski advised those coping with the high temperatures. He recommended limiting time outdoors. For those who have to do any strenuous activity outside, he advises doing it in the early morning, evening or simply putting it off until the end of the week when the temperatures are lower. Heat stroke symptoms include hallucinations, chills, confusion and dizziness, along with slurred speech. To protect against heat stress, the CDC advises spending time in air-conditioned places, staying informed of heat warning and drinking lots of fluids. |
Re: Photos-US:Triple-Digit Temps Bake The SW-Some Deaths
California Town Forecast to be the Hottest Place in the World EVER Today: Temperatures Soar in West again as Heat Wave Intensifies
Broiling heat is blasting the West again today in a deadly heatwave across Southern California, Arizona and Nevada that has a chance to break records. Forecasters have their eye on Palm Springs, California, which they say could break the world record highest temperature, reaching in excess of 134 degrees Fahrenheit today. The heat has already claimed one life and some more are being investigated. Paramedics responded to a Las Vegas home without air conditioning on Saturday and found an elderly man dead. The man had medical issues and paramedics thought the heat worsened his condition. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...63_634x423.jpg Keeping cool: Students at Arizona State University played in a cooling pool on Saturday in an attempt beat the oppressive heat that has descended on the West http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...43_634x431.jpg Natalie Pfeiffer walks her bike out of a pool area at an apartment complex in Tempe, Arizona, during the Tempe Bicycle Action Group swimsuit ride on Saturday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...-0_634x475.jpg Done! National Weather Service meteorologists baked a tray of chocolate chip cookies in their 200-degree weather van on Saturday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...46_634x442.jpg Hot: Craig Blanchard, a Park Service employee, poses in front of an unofficial temperature gauge at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center in Death Valley National Park in California June 29, 2013 Highs in Las Vegas reached 115 on Saturday, the fourth-hotted temperature ever recorded in the city. In Death Valley, California, an unofficial thermometer recorded a reading of 130 degrees - just short of the 134-degree reading from a century ago that stands as the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth. Official readings from Saturday placed the temperature at a balmy 125 degrees. The National Weather Service shifted its focus on Sunday to Palm Springs, in the Inland Empire, where they said the mercury could climb above the 134 mark. Temperatures topped out there at 122 on Saturday. The city of 44,000 107 miles east of Los Angeles sits in a valley and is known for its extreme heat. It is just 440 feet above sea level. Paramedics said another elderly man suffered a heat stroke when the air conditioner in his car went out for several hours while he was on a long road trip. He stopped in Las Vegas, called 911 and was taken to the hospital in serious condition. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...50_290x163.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...04_634x441.jpg Shady character: A Mr. T impersonator shades himself from the sun with an umbrella while waiting for requests for photos along The Strip http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...25_306x423.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...35_306x423.jpg Hot and wet: Nikolaas Vermart, of Belgium, takes a picture of the sand dunes in Death Vally National Park, while Ernest Rivera, 10, runs from the gallons of water pouring down on him and other children trying to beat the heat at the Texas State Aquariumís HEB Splash Park in Corpus Christi http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...05_634x432.jpg Students at Arizona State were hard-pressed to stay cool in temperatures that reached record highs on Saturday The heat wave has sent more than 40 other people to hospitals in Las Vegas since it arrived Friday. 'We will probably start to see a rise in calls Sunday and Monday as the event prolongs,' the fire department said in a statement. 'People's bodies will be more agitated the longer the event lasts and people may require medical assistance.' In Phoenix, the mercury soared to 119 degrees - the fourth-highest temperature ever recorded for the Arizona city. At Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, U.S. Airways canceled 18 flights because the company's smaller planes could not handle the extreme heat. The larger Boeing and Airbus jetliners were not effected. National Weather Service meteorologists in Phoenix baked cooking in their government-issued van - which reached temperatures of an estimated 200 degrees Saturday. The cookies took four hours to cook and reportedly tasted 'just like they came out of the oven.' The heat was so punishing that rangers took up positions at trailheads at Lake Mead in Nevada to persuade people not to hike. Zookeepers in Phoenix hosed down the elephants and fed tigers frozen fish snacks. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...91_634x427.jpg Scorching: Triple-digit temperatures are expected today across the West and Southwest United States http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...79_634x365.jpg Hot: Palm Springs, California, could break a world record temperature today, the National Weather Service says http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...27_634x461.jpg Welcome relief: Troy Tisdale, 11, of Houston joins other children playing in Discovery Green's Gateway Fountain http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...11_634x286.jpg Hazy: A jet looks like it is melting into the runway as it is distorted by the heat waves rising up from the north runway at Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...14_634x438.jpg Beat the heat: Kayla Holdridge, 6, of Eagle, is sprayed with water at Settlers Park Friday, June 28, 2013 in Meridian, Idaho http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...07_634x452.jpg Refreshing: Jamie Aguirre, center right, from Case South Elementary School, plays in the water at the Downtown Houston Aquarium 'This is the hottest time of the year, but the temperatures that we'll be looking at for Friday through Sunday, they'll be toward the top,’ said National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O'Malley. 'It's going to be baking hot across much of the entire West.' Death Valley, which is listed as a national park, is dotted with locations such as Furnace Creek and Dante's View, and officials are urging people to exercise extreme caution during the heat wave. But sweltering heat is often a big draw for visitors - especially tourists from Germany and France - with hotels already booked solid during the hotter months of July and August. The heat is the result of a high-pressure system brought on by a shift in the jet stream, the high-altitude air current that dictates weather patterns. The jet stream has been more erratic in the past few years. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...17_634x380.jpg Death Valley: Tourists- like Maria Wieser of Italy- are still flocking to California's famed desert where temperatures are expected to reach 130 degrees by the end of the weekend http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...52_634x372.jpg Dangerous: Steve Howard from Louisiana decided to still go on a 30 mile run in Death Valley in spite of the fact that it will get near the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth - :confused: DUH! http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...65_634x552.jpg Beating the heat: 4-year-old Betty Lu Guapo finds a way to cool off in Los Angeles as the West coast is among the hottest spots due to the high pressure system hanging over that part of the country this weekend http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...04_634x286.jpg Creature comforts: The heat wave hurt more than just the elephants as they had to take new measures to cool the animals at the zoo in Salt Lake City, where a heat advisory is in effect http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...88_634x413.jpg Keeping the animals comfortable: The elephants at the Hogle Zoo in Utah got a cool spray bath on Friday In Las Vegas, some 200 people attending an outdoor concert at Silverton Casino learned the hard way the dangers of extreme heat when they had to be treated for weather-related nausea, vomiting and fatigue. As many as 30 of the unfortunate concertgoers were taken to area hospitals for further treatment, according to the local fire department. Meanwhile, in Arizona at least seven people have been found dead over the past week after falling victim to the brutal heat. Air travellers have to deal with other problems, as bigger jetliners can handle temperatures around 126 and 127 degrees, but smaller planes may have flights delayed. If the temperature tops 118, the air becomes less dense and changes liftoff conditions. Since the start of the extreme temperatures, officials have expressed concern about immigrants who cross the desert border between Mexico and Arizona, because many succumb to exhaustion and dehydration in more mild temperatures. At least seven bodies of immigrants have been found in the last week in Arizona, and agents in the Tucson sector rescued more than 170 people from the desert during a 30-day stretch in May and June when temperatures were even lower than expected in the coming days. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...75_634x420.jpg Game over: David Reyes, left, and Shavaar Hanes take a break from posing for photos with tourists as the Mario Brothers along The Strip, in Las Vegas, where mercury hit 117 degrees http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...84_634x461.jpg Keeping it cool: Parker & Sons Air Conditioning warranty supervisor Michael Hawks cools off after inspecting an A/C unit, in Phoenix http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...41_634x421.jpg Outdoor options: Paddleboarding was a popular choice in Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on Thursday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...69_634x419.jpg Holding on tight: Families flocked to Santa Monica in California on Friday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...86_634x423.jpg No worries: Celeste Hitaldo (right) and Alana Griego (left) cool off in Santa Monica where it will go past 110 and maybe even 120 on Friday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...78_634x457.jpg Stepping in the zone: Easton Martin, 10, cools off in front of a misting fan in Las Vegas on Friday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...67_634x423.jpg Topping the charts: Las Vegas is expected to reach 117 on Sunday - a mark reached only twice in Sin City http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...40_634x409.jpg Steamy: Sidewalk misters in Las Vegas cool crowds of tourists on Thursday as the city reached it's record high http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...63_634x439.jpg No break for the king: Elvis impersonators decided the show must go on and they wore their hot jumpsuits on Thursday http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...13_634x418.jpg All shook up: Elvis impersonator Cristian Morales wipes away some sweat while working on the Las Vegas Strip http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...64_634x426.jpg Keeping them cool: Sidewalk misters earned their worth in Las Vegas on Thursday as temperatures in Sin City are headed for record-breaking territory http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...87_306x508.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...37_306x508.jpg Water babies: 6-month-old Matthew Dayton attends a Mommy and Me class in Brea, California while Mckayla Iglesias gets a toss by mom Gabby in Los Angeles' Grand Park http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...95_634x422.jpg Crowded: Zuma Beach in California had a misty cloud of marine fog over covering the visitors on Thursday |
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