California's Death Valley heat to reach a searing 127 F, 53°C

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‍In Death Valley in eastern California and in the town of Needles near the Arizona border, temperatures are expected to reach 127 degrees Fahrenheit (53 Celsius) this week, National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Fisher said on Monday.

The extreme heat, brought on by a high-pressure system camped over the Four Corners region, has already boosted temperatures above normal across much of the Southwest, with the worst forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The heat wave was expected to push temperatures even higher by mid-week, taxing power grids and prompting airlines to warn that flights could be disrupted.

The boardwalk crossing Salt Creek in Death Valley National Park in Death Valley, California, on February 14, 2017. /VCG Photo

Fisher said the sweltering weather could break records in some areas but was part of a cyclical pattern and not brought on by climate change or any other unusual phenomenon.

"It's not unprecedented at all, things oscillate around," he said. "We've had a fairly cool spring, had 'May Gray' and 'June Gloom', this our first real warmth of the season."

Temperatures were expected to drop by five to 10 degrees F (about 2.5°C to 5°C) later in the week but in the meantime the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and advisories across the Southwest. Even in typically cooler San Francisco, residents baked in sultry 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31°C).

Temperature in Death Valley, eastern California is expected to reach 53 Celsius this week. /VCG Photo

The National Park Service in Death Valley, known as the hottest place in America, cautioned tourists about the "EXTREME SUMMER HEAT" in a warning on its website.

"Expect high temperatures of 100°F to over 120°F (38°C to over 49°C). Drink plenty of water and carry extra. Avoid hiking (after 10 a.m.). Travel prepared to survive. In the case of a heat related illness, get to a cool place and seek help ASAP!" the park service said.

"Temperatures like this happen less than once per year on average. High risk of heat illness if doing strenuous activity outdoors," the Phoenix office of the National Weather Service said in a tweet on Monday morning.

Construction workers try to shade themselves from the direct sun while welding a steel awning on a building in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, June 19, 2017. A heatwave in the southwest and California is creating a public health hazard. /AP Photo

There were no reports of severe heat-related illnesses as of Monday afternoon. Power grid operators and utility companies urged customers to conserve electricity at peak times to avoid the possibility of blackouts.

American Airlines advised passengers flying in or out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport that the intense heat, which can affect the operation of jet airline engines, could cause flight delays or cancellations.

911's heat illness warning /California Office of Emergency Services Photo

The airline said that Phoenix passengers with flights scheduled to arrive or depart between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time would be allowed to change their travel plans without incurring additional fees.

A study in the journal Nature Climate Change published on Monday said that the number of extreme heat waves was expected to climb to affect half of the Earth's population by the year 2100.

(Source: Reuters)

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