There’s still more than a week to go in winter, but weather that’s a little more typical of summer is expected across the Western United States over the next few days.
Unusual heat for this time of year is expected to gradually sweep the region, and by Tuesday, practically everywhere west of the Rocky Mountains is expected to record above-normal temperatures.
In the Southwest, especially, temperatures are forecast to reach up to 30 degrees above normal over the next week, and forecasters warned that several records could fall amid a potentially historic heat wave.
Downtown Los Angeles is poised to reach the 90s on Thursday, Palm Springs could hit 107 degrees and shatter a record, and Phoenix is on track to record its earliest-ever 100-degree day of the year.
“It’s going to be pretty impressive in terms of record-breaking heat, especially across Southern California and Arizona,” said Frank Pereira, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center.
Heat advisories issued for downtown Los Angeles.
Preliminary forecasts showed that downtown Los Angeles could hit 99 degrees this week, but the latest predictions indicate that the city is more likely to reach 94 degrees on Thursday and 93 degrees on Friday.
That is still unusually hot for a city that, on average, records its first 90-degree day on May 8, and the National Weather Service issued heat advisories for Thursday and Friday.
Los Angeles residents could get a break over the weekend, with temperatures expected to come down a little, especially on Saturday, before climbing again next week.
While records are expected to fall in the greater Los Angeles area in the next seven days, the official gauge for the downtown area is unlikely to break its 99-degree March record, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist at the Weather Service’s Oxnard office.
Farther inland, Palm Springs could hit 107 degrees by Tuesday, a reading that would break the record of 104 degrees for the hottest day ever in March. The scorching weather in desert areas will be brutal for anyone who works outdoors.
Kyle Wheeler, a meteorologist with the Weather Service, said winter was most likely over in this corner of California, with temperatures across the Coachella Valley expected to stay above normal for the next three to four weeks.
“I’d be surprised if we get another big winter storm,” Mr. Wheeler said.
Phoenix braces for record-shattering weather.
In Arizona, western desert areas are expected to soar into the 100s by Monday, heat that will spread east toward Phoenix by Tuesday. By March 20, Phoenix is expected to hit 105. The Weather Service called the heat that is expected to grip this region “historic.”
Phoenix gets its first 100-degree day of the year, on average, on May 2. The earliest it has ever reached 100 degrees was on March 26, 1988, a record that is likely to fall next week. In fact, that was the only time the city experienced a triple-digit temperature in March, with records going back to the 1890s.
Triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix are common in the late spring and summer, but they’re “unprecedented” for this time of the year, said Gabriel Lojero, a meteorologist with the Weather Service office there.
He noted that the heat was expected to affect people in ways they might not be used to. “We are not acclimated to this level of heat this early,” he said.
A zoo just outside Phoenix will be helping one of the area’s newest residents adapt to the heat.
At the Wildlife World Zoo, a baby pygmy hippo named Jellybean, who was born in January, will be staying cool with sprinklers, and zookeepers will offer her frozen treats.
“Jellybean is ready for the warm weather and is already loving pool time with her mom Lollipop,” said Jolene Westerling, who works at the zoo.
Amy Graff is a Times reporter covering weather, wildfires and earthquakes.
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