THERMAL, Calif. (AP) — A day after a tiny desert community in Southern California reached 108 degrees (42.2 Celsius), tying the highest March temperature ever recorded in the U.S., forecasters warned Thursday that record-breaking winter heat across the Southwest will continue into the weekend.
North Shore, California, on Wednesday tied a mark first set at Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954.
There was little relief after the sun went down. In Arizona, Phoenix set a record-high overnight low temperature for March 19 of 69 degrees (20.5 C), according to the National Weather Service. Daytime highs that hit triple-digits by midday were expected to top out at around 105 degrees (40.5 C), and it could be even hotter on Friday.
“For some perspective, the average first 105-degree day of the year normally occurs on May 22nd,” the weather service said in a statement. The last time Phoenix temperatures climbed into the hundreds during March was almost 40 years ago. Hiking trails around the city were closed because of the risk of heat illness.
Cathedral City, near the California desert destination of Palm Springs, reached 108 degrees (42.2 C) Thursday afternoon. The aptly named town of Thermal, northeast of San Diego, was forecast to hit 110 (43.3 C) on Friday.
Ruben Pantaleon said the heat didn't bother him as he used a squeegee to clean car windshields at an intersection in Thermal on Thursday afternoon. He wore shorts and had a supply of electrolyte drinks on hand.
“I drank three of those so far,” he said under the blaring sun. “It's the desert. It gets real hot. I'm not worried about it.”
Several cities on Wednesday experienced their hottest March day in four decades, according to the weather service. Las Vegas hit 99 (37.2 C) degrees, smashing the previous record of 93 (33.8 C), set in 2022. Downtown Los Angeles reached 94 degrees (34.4 C), beating its previous daily high for March 18 of 87 (30.5 C) in 1997.
It will continue to be 20 to 30 degrees above normal temperatures for March for the rest of the week in the Southwest before the mercury drops slightly starting Sunday. Many other cities in the region are expected to see their earliest 100-plus degree (37.8-plus C) day on record, according to the weather service.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Hannah Schoenbaum contributed from Salt Lake City, Utah.