Potentially Deadly Heat Wave Arizona, Nevada and California Deserts This Weekend

For those who live, or are in Star Valley currently, we can be thankful.  It is going to be a very hot several days in the desert valleys of the Southwest.  The culprit is an unusually large upper high pressure system that will develop by the end of this week. Following are two 500mb charts that  provide the explanation of the impending heat wave. The first is this Wednesday morning, June 26th and then for mid day Saturday June29th.

This large upper high will provide ideal conditions for maximum heating, clear skies, warm very and dry subsiding air along with near maximum daylight hours.

Here are forecasts for major desert metropolitan areas through the coming weekend.

The Phoenix WFO has a Video web briefing  that summarizes the upcoming heat wave and precautions that should be taken.

Web Briefing on Upcoming Heat Wave



This heat wave is coming up on the 100th Anniversary of the All-Time hottest temperature ever recorded on the Earth in Death Valley of 134 degrees.  The official Death Valley weather station at Furnace Creek is forecast to reach within several degrees of that record by this weekend.

For real weather junkies there is a ceremony that will be held at Furnace Creek on the Anniversary of the record.  Following is the information for those who would like to attend!