Las Vegas experienced its fifth consecutive day of temperatures soaring to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 Celsius) or higher on Wednesday, setting a new record amid an ongoing heatwave that is predicted to scorch much of the U.S. into the weekend.
At Harry Reid International Airport, the temperature reached 115 degrees shortly after 1 p.m., surpassing the previous record of four consecutive days set in July 2005. Meteorologists warn that the streak may extend further, potentially doubling by the weekend.
Even by desert standards, this extended period of extreme heat is extraordinary. The National Weather Service, which began recording temperatures in Las Vegas in 1937, described it as “the most extreme heat wave” in the city’s history.
Since June 1, Las Vegas has shattered 16 heat records, well before the official start of summer. “And we’re not even halfway through July yet,” noted meteorologist Morgan Stessman on Wednesday. The city also recorded an all-time high of 120 F (48.8 C) on Sunday, breaking the previous record of 117 F (47.2 C).
Resident Alyse Sobosan remarked that this July feels like the hottest she has experienced in her 15 years living in Las Vegas. “It’s oppressively hot,” she said. “It’s like you can’t really live your life.”
The severe heat poses significant health risks. At least nine heat-related deaths have been reported in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, according to the county coroner’s office. Officials suspect the actual number is higher. Alexis Brignola, an epidemiologist at the Southern Nevada Health District, warned, “Even people of average age who are seemingly healthy can suffer heat illness when it’s so hot it’s hard for your body to cool down.”
To assist homeless residents and others without access to cool environments, emergency cooling centers have been established at community centers across southern Nevada.
Las Vegas has been under an excessive heat warning three times this summer, totaling about 12 days of dangerous temperatures with little relief even at night, Stessman reported.
Keith Bailey and Lee Doss, who met at a Las Vegas park early Wednesday to exercise their dogs, explained how they cope with the heat. “If I don’t get out by 8:30 in the morning, then it’s not going to happen that day,” Bailey said, donning a sunhat while his dogs played.
On Wednesday, more than 142 million people across the U.S. were under heat alerts, particularly in Western states, where numerous locations broke or tied heat records over the weekend and are expected to continue doing so.
Oregon has seen record daily high temperatures, with Portland hitting 103 F (39.4 C) and Salem and Eugene reaching 105 F (40.5 C) on Tuesday. The state medical examiner’s office reported that the number of potentially heat-related deaths in Oregon has risen to 10.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued warnings for significant heat risks on the East Coast. An excessive heat warning was in place for the Philadelphia area, northern Delaware, and almost all of New Jersey, with temperatures around 90 F (32.2 C) and a heat index potentially reaching 108 F (42.2 C).
The heat has also had tragic consequences. A motorcyclist died over the weekend in Death Valley National Park, where tourists have been flocking for photos in front of a thermometer reading 120 F (48.9 C).
The global temperature in June was a record high for the 13th consecutive month, with the world being 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, according to the European climate service Copernicus. This heat is largely attributed to human-caused climate change from greenhouse gas emissions.
Firefighters in Henderson, Nevada, have started using “polar pods,” devices filled with water and ice, to treat heat stroke and related emergencies. The extreme heat has also dried out vegetation, increasing wildfire risks. In northern Oregon, the Larch Creek Fire expanded rapidly due to hot temperatures, gusty winds, and low humidity, prompting highway closures and evacuations. In California, firefighters are battling 19 wildfires, including a significant blaze in Santa Barbara County.