As high pressure builds up from the South and makes its way eastward, residents of several cities may be cranking their air conditioning.
Many locations across the West have experienced some of the hottest winters on record, as the record-setting trends show zero signs of slowing down anytime soon. This week, temperatures are expected to hit triple digits in Las Vegas and parts of California.
It seems the weather gave its own Mother’s Day gift, with temperatures around 80 degrees in Utah, but Monday and Tuesday’s temperatures could break records. Monday’s temperatures are expected to hit 91 degrees, which would tie the record for hottest temperature on May 11, and Tuesday’s temperatures are expected to reach a record-breaking high for May 12 as the high soars to 94 degrees, breaking the previous record of 92 degrees in 1960, per KUTV.
Other cities experiencing high heat
According to Fox News, more than 1,200 locations experienced one of their 10 warmest Marches ever, while almost 400 recorded their hottest March to date.
Extreme heat warnings have gone out for Phoenix, Bakersfield and other locations as temperatures are eyeing triple digits, and will stay in effect until midweek, when temperatures are predicted to return to normal.
Numerous cities will reach temperatures 15-30 degrees above the average.
Las Vegas, which usually averages highs of mid-80s, welcomes the heat early this year as temperatures are climbing into the 100s. Records set in 1960 and 1996 are expected to be tied and potentially passed up Monday and Tuesday for Las Vegas, as temperatures will experience a baking 103 and 104 degrees, News Now reports.
May 11-12 could see 60 new daily records across 10 states from Nebraska to California, per Fox News.
By Wednesday or Thursday, the Beehive State and much of the West will see temperatures drop to more bearable norms for the time of year.
Warmer than usual summer
Just as the year started, expect a warmer than usual summer. This year, as ocean surfaces in the Pacific Ocean continue to heat up and combine with the right atmospheric conditions, an “El Niño” could occur.
Meteorologists use the term El Niño when temperatures in the ocean rise more than 2 degrees Celsius. This year, the El Niño is expected to greatly influence the weather, from July to the end of 2026, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.
The Washington Post recently warned of the increasing odds of a potential El Niño and how it could be one of the most powerful on record, perhaps the greatest since the 1870s, the Post reports.
Utah and the West could easily be getting a little taste of what is to come in the dead of summer as records are expected to be broken.