US Faces 'Dangerous' Heatwave, Staring At New Records With Prediction Of Further Rise

The United States is battling severe heatwave conditions with NWS asking people to take this rise in temperature seriously. As per a report, the rise in mercury could set new records in the US.

Heat advisories have been issued for parts of the US that are expected to see record temperatures on Sunday, reported BBC. The alert of "dangerous" heat levels predicts soaring temperatures next week across the south-west, it added. The country's National Weather Service (NWS) has meanwhile urged people not to underestimate the risk to life. As per BBC, on Saturday, an all-time high of 118F (48 degrees Celsius) was recorded in Phoenix, Arizona. Temperatures have hit 110F (43 degrees Celsius) for 16 days running, which is almost a record in itself, BBC stated in its report. 

Around a third of Americans - about 113 million people - are currently under heat advisories, from Florida to California and up to Washington State. Clinics have reported treating homeless people suffering from third-degree burns. 

According to BBC, Death Valley in California, one of the hottest places in the world, is predicted to reach 129F (54C), nearing the hottest temperatures ever reliably recorded on Earth. The NWS said that local records could also be set on Sunday in the San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert, and Great Basin regions. 

The BBC report added that the Saturday evening update said the temperatures would "pose a health risk and are potentially deadly to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration". 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 700 people are estimated to die each year from heat-related causes in the US, mentioned BBC. 

Canada has already been battling the wildfires. Officials say wildfires stoked by above-average temperatures have now burned nearly 10 million hectares (25 million acres) of land, as per BBC. 

NWS said that the temperatures in America's south-west are the result of an upper-level ridge of high pressure, which typically brings with it warmer temperatures. It further said, as quoted by BBC, that the heatwave was "one of the strongest" systems of its kind to hit the region. 

 The cities of Las Vegas and Nevada may also match its all-time high of 117F (47C) in the next few days.  

"'It's the desert, of course it's hot'- This is a DANGEROUS mind set!", the NWS in Las Vegas tweeted, as per BBC. It added, "This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights. Everyone needs to take this heat seriously, including those who live in the desert." 

Meanwhile, due to rising temperatures, air conditioner use in the state has topped its previous record for power consumption as people try to stay cool, while parks, museums and zoos have either closed or shortened their hours, the BBC further said. 

The report added that according to the United Nations, the first week of July saw a global average temperature of 63F (17.23C), the highest ever recorded. 

Scientists say the temperatures are being driven by climate change and the naturally occurring weather pattern known as El Niño, which happens every three to seven years and causes temperatures to rise. Notably, BBC mentioned, the world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions. 

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