Record heat ravages much of the western United States

Millions of people in the western United States suffered record heat Saturday, with little relief in sight in the coming days, forecasters said.

From Oregon to California to the deserts of Arizona, several cities have experienced sweltering temperatures in recent days. Jacob Asherman, a forecaster with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, said the scorching temperatures were fueled by a ridge of high pressure that had stalled over much of the West, preventing warm air near the surface from rising higher into the atmosphere.

While many cities like Las Vegas, where temperatures are expected to reach 117 degrees over the weekend, expect triple-digit temperatures every summer, some residents in other areas were caught off guard by what was expected to be a long stretch of scorching days.

In Portland, Oregon, temperatures were expected to hover around 100 degrees for five straight days starting Friday, conditions that might have been considered unusual for a region where summers are so mild that people rarely need air conditioning. The sweltering temperatures prompted Gov. Tina Kotek to declare a statewide heat emergency, warning that extreme heat represented the new normal in a changing climate.

The record temperatures and duration of the heat pose a clear and present danger, particularly to children, the elderly, people with disabilities and people who work outdoors, Kotek said in a statement.

In recent years, the Pacific Northwest has been hit by deadly heat waves that have killed hundreds. In the summer of 2021, temperatures soared as much as 30 degrees above normal and there were about 600 more deaths than usual in Washington state and Oregon.

This weekend, Portland city workers opened cooling centers that let people rest in air-conditioned buildings, and they set up outdoor misting stations in parks. Parts of southern Oregon are expected to see even higher temperatures, with temperatures in Medford expected to reach 43 degrees on Saturday.

On Saturday, the streets and light rail in downtown Portland were nearly deserted as temperatures reached 90 degrees. But Interstate 26 connecting Portland to the cooler coast was clogged with traffic.

In the mountain town of Ashland in southern Oregon, where temperatures reached 111 degrees Saturday afternoon, the owner of a crepe restaurant planned to give in to the heat by closing early.

About 20 homeless people, particularly vulnerable during the heatwave, went to the city's only designated cooling center, where there was cold water, slices of watermelon, potato salad and other snacks, as well as yoga mats for people who wanted to lie down.

Avram Sacks, a volunteer coordinator at the cooling center, picked people up from the Night Lawn, a designated campsite near the police station, and brought them to the cooling center Saturday. “I would like someone to do it for me if I was living outside in this heat,” Sacks said. “It’s pretty unbearable.”

Sacks estimated that half of Ashland residents do not have air conditioning in their homes and that more would likely need help if the heat persists.

Grizzly Battaglia and his wife, who are homeless, sat in the shade outside the cooling center. “I’m grateful,” Battaglia said, adding that they have few other ways to escape the heat. If it weren’t there, it would be difficult.

They planned to stay near the cooling center Saturday until at least 8 p.m., when it closes for the night and they return to their campsite on the night lawn.

In the American West, even cities accustomed to sweating in triple-digit temperatures have had to battle the heat this week. The desert oasis of Palm Springs, California, recorded a record high of 50 degrees on Friday. Phoenix also set a daily record Friday, with 47 degrees under a cloudless sky, and forecasters said there was little chance of monsoon storms bringing relief to the city during the summer months.

In Northern California, the city of Redding saw temperatures soar to 47 degrees, leading county officials to extend the hours of cooling centers at libraries and community centers. Meteorologists predicted Redding could reach 49 degrees on Saturday.

“I didn't think Redding was this hot,” Asherman said. “It's even hotter.”

Officials in Western states have warned that extreme heat and winds could ignite new wildfires in the coming days.

Scorching temperatures in and around Yosemite National Park, reaching 103 degrees in Yosemite Valley on Saturday, added to the challenges for firefighters working to contain a 800-acre wildfire that started near Mariposa, California, on Thursday. The blaze, called the French Fire, was about 25 percent contained as of Saturday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Parts of the eastern part of the country were also in the grip of a lingering heat wave, weeks after many people were caught in a prolonged heatwave. For millions of people from Texas to New Jersey, a blanket of heat and humidity was creating dangerous conditions. In Raleigh, North Carolina, temperatures soared to 105 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, setting a record for that region.

Mr Asherman said triple-digit temperatures would continue to rise through next week and gradually spread misery to the Plains states.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” he said. “The trend is so stagnant.”

Allan Parachini contributed reporting.

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