Via James FitzGerald, BBC news
New daily temperature records have been set across the US Southwest, as a dangerous heat wave rages across the region.
Among the record-setting locations Thursday was Phoenix, where temperatures reached 113F (45C) and 11 people were taken to the hospital while waiting to attend Donald Trump’s campaign rally.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warning remains in place Friday in wider areaincludes a population of about 20 million people.
According to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, the heat wave marks the first dangerous heat wave this season with the possibility of extreme heat extending into next week in some areas.
Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
Although the official start of summer is two weeks away, the NWS has advised people in affected areas to limit outdoor activities and stay hydrated.
The agency had previously warned that scorching overnight temperatures would not ease at all.
On Thursday, NWS thermometers showed new highs for June 6 in locations including Las Vegas and Death Valley. Second place reached 122F (50C).
The fire department in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, has responded to at least 12 calls since Wednesday related to heat exposure, the Associated Press reported. Nine of those callers needed hospital treatment.
Reporting a temperature of 113F (45C) at Sky Harbor, the NWS Phoenix office said the number exceeded the previous high on June 6 set in 2016.
Phoenix is America’s hottest major city, and there were 645 heat-related deaths last year in greater Maricopa County.
Firefighters were deployed to drown the heatstroke victim in ice. Several popular local hiking trails have been closed.
AP news agency reported that the group of 11 people who attended Trump’s campaign were later discharged from the hospital.
The Southwest’s first heat wave of the year is the result of a heat dome: an area of high pressure in which hot air is pushed down and trapped, causing widespread temperatures to rise.
Temperatures are about 20-30F above average for this time of year.
While heat domes were once described as rare, they are becoming more common and intense due to human-caused climate change, scientists say.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Facility announced Wednesday that the world has surpassed consecutive monthly temperature records for a year.
The climate change agency also found that May marked the 11th consecutive month in which average global temperatures were at least 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average of the late 1800s. , refers to the period before a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists say high temperatures are due human-caused climate change combined with the El Niño climate phenomenon.
“We are living in unprecedented times,” Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, said earlier this week.
