Record-Breaking Heat Wave Scorches Southwest, Reaches Nebraska

Dangerous heat warnings remain in effect across California and Arizona as temperatures soar above 100 degrees, with the unusual warmth extending north to Nebraska. Scientists say this March heat wave would have been nearly impossible without human-caused climate change.

Dangerous heat advisories remained active across portions of California and Arizona on Saturday as unseasonably hot conditions extended northward into Nebraska, occurring just one day after the official start of spring.

Meteorologists projected temperatures reaching or surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the Southwest, capping off an extraordinary week of heat records. Climate scientists predict the upcoming months of April, May and June will bring above-average temperatures to nearly all regions of the United States.

The scorching conditions prompted Win Marsh to cut short her hiking adventure in Arizona, where she and her husband Stephen had trekked 170 miles over a two-week period beginning at the Mexican border. The couple had originally planned to cover more than 800 miles along the Arizona Trail.

“We know our limits,” the 63-year-old Marsh explained on Saturday. “We can’t hike when our bodies can’t cool down. There’s no shade out there, and water sources are drying up. … We promised our kids we wouldn’t do sketchy stuff. We’re not out there for a search-and-rescue event.”

Weather forecasters called for temperatures to hit 100 degrees in Tucson, Arizona. The Yuma Desert region in southwestern Arizona was expected to reach 105 degrees, following Friday’s peak of 112 degrees — establishing a new record as the hottest March temperature ever recorded in the United States.

Two locations in Southern California matched that record temperature on Friday. Weather experts note that such triple-digit readings normally don’t occur until May rather than March.

Throughout the Midwest, Nebraska faced predicted temperatures climbing above 90 degrees, with a dramatic cooling trend expected to bring readings into the 50s and 60s by Sunday. Fire weather warnings were issued due to elevated wildfire danger. Several areas of Texas also experienced temperatures at or above 90 degrees on Saturday.

According to a Friday analysis by World Weather Attribution, an international scientific consortium that examines extreme weather causes, March’s unprecedented heat would have been nearly impossible to achieve without human-driven climate change.