Western U.S. Heat Wave

An unprecedented March heat wave is scorching the Southwest, shattering daily and monthly records — including a 112°F reading in the Yuma Desert Friday (with two Southern California sites also reaching 112°F), earlier 110°F reports near Martinez Lake and a 108°F tie at North Shore — while Phoenix, Las Vegas and other cities have logged their earliest or highest March highs and more than 41 million people remain under heat alerts. The same heat dome has pushed 90°F readings into Nebraska and triggered red‑flag wildfire warnings, and researchers say the event would have been virtually impossible without human‑caused climate change amid a rising trend in extreme heat and costly weather disasters.