A record breaking deadly heat wave is set to continue triple-digit temperatures forecasted for large swathes of the East Coast.
An excessive heat warning, the highest alert from the National Weather Service, was in effect for approximately 36 million people, or about 10 per cent of the population, said weather service meteorologist Bryan Jackson. Numerous locations in the West and Pacific Northwest either tied or surpassed previous heat records.
A scorching temperature of 128 F (53.3 C) was recorded on both Saturday and Sunday at Death Valley National Park in eastern California, where one visitor succumbed to heat exposure on Saturday and another was hospitalized, officials reported. The extreme heat resulted in the death of a motorcyclist in Death Valley.
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The two affected individuals were part of a group of six motorcyclists traversing the Badwater Basin area amid the blistering weather, according to a statement from the park. The person who died was not identified. The other motorcyclist was transported to a Las Vegas hospital for "severe heat illness," the statement said.
Due to the high temperatures, emergency medical helicopters were unable to respond, because aircraft are generally unable to fly safely over 120 F (48.8 C), officials said. The other four members of the party were treated at the scene.
June's global temperature was record-breaking for the 13th consecutive month, marking the 12th month in a row that the world was 1.5C (2.7F) warmer than pre-industrial times, according to an early Monday announcement by the European climate service Copernicus.
"While this is a very exciting time to experience potential world record setting temperatures in Death Valley, we encourage visitors to choose their activities carefully, avoiding prolonged periods of time outside of an air-conditioned vehicle or building when temperatures are this high," park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said.
Officials warned that heat illness and injury are cumulative and can build over the course of a day or days. "Besides not being able to cool down while riding due to high ambient air temperatures, experiencing Death Valley by motorcycle when it is this hot is further challenged by the necessary heavy safety gear worn to reduce injuries during an accident," the park statement said.
Across the desert in Nevada, Las Vegas on Sunday set a record high of 120 F (48.8 C). Oregon experienced a heatwave with several records being broken, including in Salem where the temperature reached 103 F (39.4 C), surpassing the previous record of 99 F (37.2 C) set in 1960. On the East Coast, temperatures soared above 100 degrees, although no excessive heat advisories were issued for Sunday.
The weather service advisory for the Baltimore area urged residents to "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," adding that "Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances."
Heat records were smashed across the Southwest. Even higher elevations like Lake Tahoe, on the California-Nevada border, were not spared from the heat, with rare heat advisories issued. The weather service in Reno, Nevada, warned of "major heat risk impacts, even in the mountains."
The service posted online: "How hot are we talking? Well, high temperatures across (western Nevada and northeastern California) won't get below 100 degrees (37.8 C) until next weekend," adding, "And unfortunately, there won't be much relief overnight either."
In the near future, Furnace Creek, California, in Death Valley is expected to experience extreme highs, possibly reaching 130 F (54.4 C) around midweek. The highest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 F (56.67 C) in July 1913 in Death Valley.
However, some experts dispute this measurement and claim that the real record was 130 F (54.4 C), recorded there in July 2021.
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