Tens of millions of Americans faced dangerously high temperatures this Friday (14) due to the intense heatwave stretching from California to Texas that is expected to peak this weekend.
The southwestern states suffered the effects of a heat dome all week, threatening the health of the elderly, construction workers, postmen, couriers and the homeless.
In Arizona, one of the hardesthit states, residents face a daily marathon of braving the sun.
Phoenix, the state capital, will record temperatures above 43C this Friday for the 15th straight day, according to the United States National Weather Service (NWS).
The heat forced the cancellation of shows that would be held in the city at night and on weekends.
Some Arizona residents took to social media this week to post photos of melting tar used to coat their roofs and videos of eggs frying on asphalt under the scorching sun.
Authorities issued alerts for days, warning people to avoid outdoor activities during the day and to watch for signs of dehydration, which can quickly be fatal in these temperatures.
fatally dangerous
The Las Vegas Weather Service warned that assuming that high temperatures are inherently associated with desert climates is a “DANGEROUS idea”! This heat wave is NOT a typical desert heat due to its duration, extreme daytime temperatures and very hot nights.
“The most intense phase is now beginning,” he added, as a weekend approaches and record temperatures are forecast for Sunday.
In California’s Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, thermometers could also hit new highs on Sunday, reaching 54C.
Several wildfires broke out in the south of the state this week.
Unlike floods and wildfires, heat waves are invisible, but they remain the deadliest weather phenomenon in the United States and are often underestimated.
According to the US border police, ten migrants were killed at the USMexico border last weekend in blistering temperatures.
Additionally, Maricopa County, the state’s most populous county, released a report last week that counted 425 deaths from heat in the northern summer of 2022, a number up to 25% higher than the year before.
In Texas, the city of El Paso is setting records: On Thursday, it recorded its 27th day of temperatures exceeding 37.7°C.
climate change
In light of the heatwave, the White House announced a “national strategy”.
“Millions of Americans are being affected by extreme heat waves that are increasing in intensity, frequency and duration because of climate change,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Although it is difficult to attribute a specific event to climate change, scientists insist that global warming linked to man’s dependence on fossil fuels is responsible for the multiplication and increase in intensity of heat waves around the world.
The current heatwave in the United States comes after the European Union’s Climate Monitoring Service indicated that the world recorded its hottest June on record this year.