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Once again, parts of California and Arizona found themselves under extreme heat warnings this past Saturday, with an unseasonal wave of oppressive heat extending as far north as Nebraska, even though spring had just begun.
The Southwest was bracing for temperatures reaching or exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 C), capping off a week marked by unprecedented heat records. Experts predict that the months of April, May, and June are likely to experience above-normal temperatures across much of the United States.
Win Marsh and her husband, Stephen, were among those feeling the heat’s impact. They decided to cut short their ambitious hiking trip in Arizona, which began at the Mexican border and covered 170 miles (273 kilometers) over two weeks. Their ultimate goal was to complete the over 800-mile (1,287-kilometer) Arizona Trail.
“We understand our limitations,” Marsh, who is 63, remarked on Saturday. “Hiking becomes impossible when our bodies can’t cool down. There’s no shade to offer relief, and water sources are vanishing. We assured our children we’d avoid risky situations. We’re not looking for an adventure that ends in a search-and-rescue operation.”
The National Weather Service was forecasting temperatures to reach 100 degrees (37.7 C) in Tucson, Arizona. In the Yuma Desert, a community in southwestern Arizona, the forecast expected the mercury to rise to 105 degrees (40.5 C), following a day when temperatures soared to 112 degrees (43.3 C)—setting a new record for the highest recorded temperature in March in the United States.
Two places in Southern California also hit that temperature Friday. Experts say triple-digit days typically arrive by May, not March.
In the Midwest, temperatures exceeding 90 (32.2 C) were predicted across Nebraska, followed by a big drop to the 50s and 60s Sunday. A red flag warning was posted, which means a higher risk for wildfires. Parts of Texas were also at 90 or higher Saturday.
March’s heat would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, according to a report Friday by World Weather Attribution, an international group of scientists who study the causes of extreme weather events.