July 14, 2023
Updated 32 minutes ago
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Texas energy use has surpassed records as many in the state struggle to keep their cool.
A blistering US heatwave is expected to intensify, with warnings being issued across the Southwest to Washington state.
At least 113 million Americans were affected by the heat warnings late Friday, from Florida to Texas to California.
In Texas, the use of air conditioning has seen the state surpass its previous record for electricity consumption as people try to stay cool.
It is estimated that around 27 million people will be exposed to temperatures above 43°C in the coming days.
The heat is the result of an upper-level ridge of pressure that typically brings warmer temperatures, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The agency added it is “one of the strongest” systems of its kind the region has ever seen.
“The subtropical ridge responsible for what is likely to be a historic heatwave across the region shows no signs of abating anytime soon,” the NWS said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 700 people die each year in the United States from heat-related causes.
Saturday will also be exceptionally hot, with daily highs of up to 46°C forecast in some areas. The scorching heat is expected to continue into next week.
Phoenix is on track to break its longest hot spell record, with forecasts to reach 43°C (110°F) or more for the next five days.
The all-time record is 18 days and the city has already experienced temperatures of 45°C for 15 days.
Las Vegas could hit its all-time high of 117°F (47°C) in the next few days, while California’s Death Valley — one of the hottest places on earth — could surpass its official all-time high of 130°F (54°C).
The NWS in Las Vegas warned locals who may think they can handle the temperatures that this is “not typical desert heat”.
They tweeted, “‘It’s the desert, of course it’s hot’ – That’s a DANGEROUS mindset! This heat wave is NOT a typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, and warm nights. Everyone needs to take this heat seriously.” , including those living in the desert.
Parts of the southwestern United States have already had to contend with extremely hot temperatures in the past week. In El Paso, Texas, temperatures have been in the triple digits for 27 straight days.
Parks, museums, zoos and businesses have announced either closures or reduced hours due to the extreme heat.
The Bison Cafe in Quitaque, Texas, announced shorter hours and said the scorching temperatures were making the kitchen “very uncomfortable” for chefs.
There were also heat-related admissions in hospitals.
“We get a lot of heat-related illnesses now, a lot of dehydration, heat exhaustion,” said Dr. Ashkan Morim, who works in the emergency room at Dignity Health Siena Hospital outside of Las Vegas.
Nighttime temperatures were expected to remain “unusually warm” in some areas, so it would offer little relief from the nighttime heat.
Due to the heat, electricity demand in Texas has exceeded record levels for two days in a row.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ECROT), which manages 90% of Texas’ electricity load, said its consumption reached a preliminary 81,406 megawatts on Thursday, beating Wednesday’s record of 81,351 megawatts.
ERCOT said it expects Friday’s electricity consumption to exceed those figures, although the agency said it had enough resources to meet the need.
The US heatwave mirrors similar scorching conditions in Europe that forced Greece to close one of its top tourist attractions, the Acropolis, on Friday.
Last week the global average temperature was 63F (17.23C), the highest temperature ever recorded.
Scientists say temperatures are being driven by climate change and the naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern, which occurs every three to seven years and causes temperatures to rise.
The world has already warmed by about 1.1°C since the start of the industrial age, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments around the world drastically cut emissions.