It’s no secret that a heatwave is blanketing the Southwestern United States, and temperature records are being shattered all over the region, including right here in SoCal.
Death Valley – home of the world’s hottest recorded temperature (134 on July 10, 1913) – matched its previous daily high temperature of 129 degrees on July 7. The last time that happened was in 2007, according to the National Weather Service.
An unidentified motorcyclist died Sunday while riding through the Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, park officials said. Another member of their group had to be transported to a Las Vegas hospital for “severe heat illness,” officials stated, adding that medical helicopters were unable to respond as they cannot generally fly safely in temperatures exceeding 120 degrees.
Closer to home, Barstow eclipsed its record daily high of 116 degrees – which had stood since 1989 – when it reached 118 on July 7.
Record highs were also set in Palmdale (114 degrees); Lancaster (115 degrees) and Sandberg (100 degrees) on July 7, the National Weather Service announced.
Earlier in the week, Palm Springs recorded a new high of 124 degrees on July 5, NWS officials said; the previous record of 123 was set on June 17, 2021, July 28 and July 29, 1995, and Aug. 1, 1993.
The Riverside County community of Idyllwild also tied its record of 104 also on July 5.
Elsewhere in the Southwest, Las Vegas’ daily high of 120 degrees on July 7 broke the previous record of 117, which only happened five times: 1942, 2005, 2013, 2017 and 2021.
In Phoenix, a new warmest low temperature of 92 degrees was set on July 7, the National Weather Service said.
The heatwave will likely continue through much of the week, weather officials say. Much of Southern California is under an Excessive Heat Warning or Excessive Heat Watch until 9 p.m. July 11.
Soaring temperatures are playing a factor in wildfires across the Golden State, including a brief vegetation fire in Santa Clarita on July 7.
According to CAL FIRE, as of 7 a.m. Monday, there are 21 active wildfires in California, including the Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County, which is threatening Neverland Ranch, the former home of Michael Jackson.
A list of heat safety tips for vulnerable populations can be found here.