phoenix – The desert city of Phoenix experienced the heat as millions of people in the Southwest were living in a historic heatwave, with temperatures hitting 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) for 13 straight days even is being tested.

According to the National Weather Service, more than 111 million people across the United States have received extreme heat advisories, alerts, and warnings. report Wednesday. Large swaths of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California experienced temperatures above 90 degrees (32 degrees).

“To underscore how widespread this heat is, based on current projections, approximately 27 million people across the 48 southern states of the United States will experience a temperature or heat index of 110 (°F) over the next seven days. ,” said National Weather.service Said in another announcement. “Since extreme heat is likely to continue for some time, it is imperative that users take action to limit their exposure to this heat.”

Phoenix forecasters say a prolonged heat wave will very dangerous to people’s health It could last into next week as the anticyclone dome moves west from Texas to central California.

Temperatures in the U.S.’s hottest metropolis, Phoenix, are expected to soar to 108-115 degrees Fahrenheit (42-46 degrees Celsius) on Thursday and 111-119 degrees Fahrenheit (44-48 degrees Celsius) over the weekend. The city’s lowest night temperature on July 12 hit a record high of 94 degrees Celsius (over 34 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday morning. That means temperatures may not be cold enough for people to recover after dark.

Phoenix is ​​an urban heat island, with densely built concrete, asphalt, steel and skyscrapers that accumulate heat. Therefore, even when the sun sets, the temperature does not drop sharply.

“Cooler temperatures at night are important to reassure people who need to recover from the heat of the day,” said Sean Benedict, chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

“Staying in the heat for an extended period of time is dangerous,” said David Hondura, the city’s chief heat officer, on Wednesday. He said the duration of the heatwave was “remarkable.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Phoenix had experienced a 13th straight day of extreme heat above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), with mercury soaring to 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius). The longest recorded period of temperatures over 110 degrees Celsius in the city is his 18 days in 1974.

Temperatures are expected to hit 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius or higher) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Thursday. Temperatures are expected to soar to 109 degrees Celsius (42 degrees Celsius or higher) in interior parts of Southern California, including San Bernardino, on Saturday.

Temperatures in Las Vegas could reach 116 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (46 to 47 degrees Celsius or higher) this weekend, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

In a seemingly endless week, El Paso, Texas saw temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius (38 degrees Celsius) for the 27th straight day on Wednesday. The previous record for consecutive triple-digit temperatures was 23 days in 1994, when the highest temperature ever recorded was 114 degrees Celsius (45.5 degrees Celsius).

“This is unprecedented. It has never happened here in recorded history,” said Zach Aronson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

The region’s temperature record dates back to 1887, he said.

Since 1983, Texas’ average summer high and daily high have both increased by 2.8 degrees Celsius (1.6 degrees Celsius), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the weather service.

During this period, Arizona’s average summer temperature and average daily maximum temperature increased by 3.2 degrees Celsius. Average summer temperatures in New Mexico increased by 3.6 degrees (2 degrees C), and maximum daily temperatures increased by 4 degrees (2.2 degrees).

During the same period, Las Vegas’ maximum summer temperature increased by 4.4 degrees (2.4 degrees Celsius) and average daily temperature increased by 4 degrees (2.2 degrees Celsius).

How Phoenix handles extreme weather could serve as a model for other cities, especially those not accustomed to high temperatures but currently suffering from heatwaves caused by drought and climate change.

Two years ago, the city of Phoenix opened a small office with a budget of about $1 million a year to oversee heat response and mitigation. Since then we have planted more shade trees. Designed a cool and white road to avoid the heat. And expanded shelters for homeless people, who account for half of heat-related deaths on the Phoenix subway.

Maricopa County, Arizona, home of Phoenix, report There have been 12 confirmed heat-related deaths so far this year dating back to April, half of them homeless, according to an announcement this week. A further 55 deaths are under investigation.

there were 425 Confirmed There were heat-related deaths in Maricopa County last year, and more than half of them occurred in July. 80% of deaths occurred outdoors.

Adding to the current heat wave is the delayed arrival of this year’s monsoon rains. The season officially begins on June 15th and can bring powerful storms with sudden precipitation.

Arizona’s largest county, with a population of 4.5 million, saw the biggest gains despite the extreme heat. Total population Last year, it surged to about 57,000 new residents, most of them immigrants from other states, more than any other county in the United States.

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Associated Press reporter Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Susan Montoya Bryan of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Seth Borenstein of Washington and Seth Borenstein contributed to this report.