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June 12 (UPI) -- Temperatures have been on the rise for much of the southwestern United States this week, leaving residents to swelter while daily record highs are placed in jeopardy, particularly in California's Death Valley, where temperatures climbed above 120 degrees Fahrenheit in back-to-back days on Friday and Saturday. AccuWeather forecasters say the sizzling heat will continue for much of the weekend, but much-needed relief is on the horizon.
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A northward bulge in the jet stream unfolded over the Southwestern states this week, allowing air more typical of the middle of summer to spread over the region. This push of unseasonably hot air sent thermometers across the Southwest to impressive levels as some cities recorded the highest temperatures of the year so far.
On Wednesday, Phoenix recorded its first 110-F reading of the year as the Valley of the Sun baked in the midst of July-like heat. The city typically first hits this milestone around June 13.
On Saturday, the National Weather Service in Phoenix reported a temperature of 114 degrees, tying the record high for the date set in 1918.
Las Vegas tied a record for the day set in 1956, with temperatures soaring to 109 F.
Las Vegas also hit 109 F on Friday, breaking the daily record of 108 degrees set in 1996. The city had previously seen the highest temperature of the year on Thursday when the mercury rose to 108 degrees. In early June, high temperatures in Sin City usually reach into the upper 90s, meaning the two days' readings were an impressive 10 degrees above average.
Denver hit 100 F, tying a record set in 2013 for the high temperature and the earliest calendar day to reach triple digits.
While many residents across the Southwest are accustomed to scorching heat, temperature departures of this magnitude are significant and can lead to health issues.
"It's important to keep in mind that average highs in the Desert Southwest are already in the upper 90s to middle 100s at this point in the year," AccuWeather Meteorologist ReneƩ Duff said. "This wave of heat will continue to push temperatures into the upper 100s and 110s, levels that can be dangerous for even those who are accustomed to extreme heat."
Similar unseasonable heat continued through Saturday, though will slowly begin to ease on Sunday. While heat will begin to ease for much of the area by late this weekend, some cities can continue to challenge daily record-high temperatures.
Excessive heat in Phoenix will continue to challenge record-high temperatures on Sunday, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
On Friday, Phoenix soared to 113 F and shattered the daily record of 111 F that had stood since 1978. The mercury even climbed a bit higher on Saturday, reaching a scorching 114 F and tying the daily record that had stood since 1918.
With the persistent heat to start the month, Phoenix is already running an average of 4.1 degrees F above normal for the month of June thus far, Pydynowski noted.
Heat cranked up even higher for portions of the California deserts at the end of the week. Death Valley, California, widely known as one of the hottest spots on the planet, soared to 122 F on Saturday. This reading broke the previous record high temperature of 121 in 1921. The day prior, the mercury in Death Valley soared to a sizzling 123 F, which shattered the daily record high of 120 set in 1994.
On Sunday, while temperatures in the 120s are not expected, a forecast high of 117 is still above the average for this time of year, which is around 110.
The all-time record high in Death Valley is 134 F, a mark that has stood since July 10, 1913, and the weather station there holds the official record for the hottest place on Earth.
Typically during periods of unseasonable heat, much of the attention surrounding the event is placed on the daytime heat as temperatures soar. However, AccuWeather forecasters say it's just as important to be aware of overnight temperatures during patterns of extreme heat.
"The overnight hours, when temperatures are expected to drop to the daily minimum, can become a secret danger to residents during a heat wave," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer said. "When the air temperatures remain at elevated levels as people go to sleep, additional strain to the heart can occur as the body tries to regulate the internal temperature."
Overnight low temperatures will continue to be elevated over the next several days, giving many areas little leeway in which to cool off properly overnight.
"Overnight lows through the weekend will actually be more typical of what occurs later in the summer, after the onset of the North American monsoon," Pydynowski cautioned.
Residents across the Southwest will have to endure above-average heat for just a bit longer as a major pattern shift is expected to bring relief to much of the region early this week.
