Record Heatwave: California, Arizona & Midwest Face Extreme Temperatures | AP News

Record-breaking heat gripped parts of the southwestern United States on Saturday, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit in California, Arizona, and even stretching as far east as Nebraska. The unusual warmth, arriving early in the spring season, prompted extreme heat warnings and concerns about potential wildfires.

In Arizona, the Yuma Desert reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, establishing a new record for the highest March temperature ever recorded in the United States. Tucson was forecast to hit 100 degrees Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Two locations in Southern California also matched that temperature Friday.

The heatwave is impacting outdoor activities. Win Marsh, 63, and her husband Stephen were forced to cut short a planned 800-mile hike along the Arizona Trail, having already completed 170 miles starting from the Mexico border. “We know our limits,” Marsh said Saturday. “We can’t hike when our bodies can’t cool down. There’s no shade out there, and water sources are drying up. … We promised our kids we wouldn’t do sketchy stuff. We’re not out there for a search-and-rescue event.”

The early onset of such high temperatures is atypical, with experts noting that triple-digit heat is usually reserved for May. Nebraska also experienced temperatures exceeding 90 degrees, accompanied by a red flag warning indicating a heightened risk of wildfires. Similar conditions were reported in parts of Texas.

According to a report released Friday by World Weather Attribution, an international group of scientists specializing in extreme weather event analysis, the March heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. The report details the link between rising global temperatures and the increased frequency and intensity of such events.

California is comprised of 58 counties, while Nebraska contains 93, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The geographic region encompassing these states is classified as the West by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.