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According to the Associated Press, over 142 million people, more than 40% of the U.S. population, were under a heatwave warning on Wednesday.
The heatwave alerts were primarily focused on the western and some eastern regions, and the city of Las Vegas in Nevada recorded a high of 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 degrees Celsius). Since the 7th, Las Vegas has been experiencing record-breaking high temperatures, including a record high of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 degrees Celsius), with the city’s temperature exceeding 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) for five consecutive days.
John Adair, a meteorologist who has worked at the National Weather Service office in southern Nevada for 30 years, described it as “the most extreme heat wave in the history of record-keeping in Las Vegas since 1937.”
On the same day, temperatures in Death Valley soared to 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius), and dozens of places in the western region have been setting record-breaking heatwaves since last weekend.
Some areas are expected to continue experiencing this heatwave throughout the week.
Oregon declared a state of emergency on the 5th in anticipation of the heatwave.
In some parts of southern and central Arizona, temperatures reached 116 degrees Fahrenheit (46.6 degrees Celsius) on the 9th for the first time since 1958. They continued showing 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45.4 degrees Celsius) the following day.
Meanwhile, the record-breaking heatwave has led to a surge in fatalities.
In Clark County, home to Las Vegas, officials have reported at least nine suspected deaths related to this year’s heatwave.
Authorities are concerned that the death toll could be higher.
In Oregon, eight deaths have been reported so far due to the record-breaking heatwave. Over the weekend, a tourist riding a motorcycle in Badwater, Death Valley National Park, tragically succumbed to the heat.
Experts have determined that the recent U.S. heatwave aligns with a global trend of temperatures exceeding historical averages for 13 consecutive months. They have observed a consistent increase in temperature of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels over the past year. This ongoing pattern is attributed to the long-term impacts of global warming, primarily driven by the emission of greenhouse gases from burning coal, oil, and natural gas.
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