June 27, 2013 – ARIZONA – Temperatures
will be at full throttle later this week over the interior West,
reaching dangerous levels, challenging records and elevating the
wildfire threat. While many folks over the interior West are accustomed
to and expect hot weather during the summer the developing pattern will
take the heat to the extreme. In some cities record highs for any date
throughout the year could be equaled or breached. The weather this week
will favor an expanding area of sunshine and building heat over the
West. As temperatures soar to record-challenging levels, dry fuel and
the potential for spotty dry thunderstorms will push the wildfire threat
to new areas and raise the risk in other locations. Once the pattern
sets up, the heat wave will last through next week in many areas. Grassy
and wooded areas that are green now may become dry fuel for fires as
the atmosphere heats up. Cities that will experience record-challenging
heat on a daily basis during the pattern into next week include Las
Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Boise, Idaho, Rawlins, Wyo.,
Medford, Ore., and Fresno, Calif
According to Western Weather Expert Ken
Clark, “People driving through desert areas during the pattern should
make sure their vehicle can make the journey and that they carry extra
water in case their vehicle breaks down.” With time, the heat can expand
to part of the California coast by way of a slight offshore flow.
However, the worst of the heat will hold up just inland. The pattern
will make the beaches a hot spot to avoid the heat. The system producing
the heat and sunshine will allow widely separated, pop-up thunderstorms
with time. Most of the storms will form and die over the mountains, but
there will be a few exceptions. A few locations can receive a downpour.
However, many of the storms will bring little or no rainfall. This
phenomena, commonly called “dry lightning,” can spark new wildfires.
Meanwhile, on the U.S. East Coast, as rainfall continues to pile up into
early July, some locations could be hit with major travel disruptions,
flooding damage and even a life-threatening weather situation. –Accuweather
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