Death Valley Braces for Potential Record-Breaking Heat
The United States is on the brink of experiencing one of the hottest temperatures ever reliably recorded on Earth. Forecasts predict that Death Valley, California, could reach 129°F (53.9°C) this Sunday, just one degree shy of the 130°F (54.4°C) record set in July 2021 at Furnace Creek Visitor Center. The National Weather Service (NWS) Las Vegas office has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for southern Nevada, southeastern California, and northwestern Arizona, effective from Thursday morning through Sunday evening. The region is expected to experience dangerously high temperatures ranging from 110°F to 120°F (43.3°C to 48.9°C), with Death Valley being the hottest. Overnight lows may remain as high as 95°F (35°C), offering little relief. The heat event is being exacerbated by Hurricane Genevieve, a Category 3 storm in the Eastern Pacific, which could indirectly strengthen the heat dome over the Southwest.