The next surge of extreme summer weather is moving into the West. After scorching the Central and Southern Plains, a dangerous heat dome is shifting toward the Desert Southwest and Four Corners, placing millions in line for some of the season's most intense heat.
What's happening?
According to Fox Weather, in a stretch of the calendar that is already usually the year's hottest, much of the Southwest may end up roughly 10 to 15 degrees above normal. There could be over 50 record highs this weekend alone.
Las Vegas has already recorded six straight days above 110 degrees, and that streak could continue into next week. The city's record, set in July 2024, is 11 straight days. Among major cities, Phoenix and Las Vegas will be among the hottest. In that same swath, temperatures around 118 to 120 degrees are forecast for Phoenix, Las Vegas, Death Valley and parts of Southern California.
Farther north, Utah and other parts of the Great Basin are forecast to reach the triple digits this weekend, while Montana could climb back above 100 degrees after already seeing several records in early July.
Heat alerts remain in effect across the West through Sunday, and smoke from Pacific Northwest wildfires is expected to make outdoor conditions even more hazardous.
Why does it matter?
Extreme heat is one of the deadliest forms of weather because it can overwhelm the body quickly and quietly. Extended periods of triple-digit temperatures raise the risk of heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration, and serious strain on the heart and lungs.
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The danger becomes even greater when wildfire smoke is also in the air. Poor air quality can make it harder to breathe, worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions, and increase risks for older adults, children, outdoor workers, and people without reliable access to cooling.
Dangerous heat can disrupt work schedules, send electricity bills soaring as air conditioners run nonstop, strain power grids, harm crops and livestock, and make communities less safe if roads, rail lines, or public services are affected.
For families living paycheck to paycheck, those impacts can quickly become both a public health crisis and an economic emergency.
The Climate Prediction Center, cited by Fox Weather, continued to show the region leaning above average in temperature through the first half of August.
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What can I do?
Fox Weather said the guidance is straightforward: Stay hydrated, limit outdoor time unless you have shade and water, and take frequent breaks if you must be outside.
It can also help to move exercise, yard work, or errands to the early morning or after sunset, when temperatures are lower. Wearing lightweight clothing, closing blinds or curtains during the hottest part of the day, and knowing where the nearest cooling center, library, or air-conditioned public space is can make a meaningful difference.
It is also important to check on neighbors, older relatives, and anyone who works outside, and never leave children or pets in parked cars. If wildfire smoke moves in, keeping windows closed and limiting outdoor activity can help reduce health risks, especially for people with asthma or other breathing issues.
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