Much of Western U.S. Experiencing Late-Summer Heat Wave

While the calendar reads September, it is starting to feel more like the peak of the summer season in parts of the West. Here is the latest on this late-summer heat wave that is gripping this part of the nation.

Heat Wave Expanding Across the Western U.S.

A heat wave is beginning to unfold across a large part of the western U.S., including portions of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Some cities will experience the hottest temperatures of the year with this sizzling weather pattern.

The heat is the result of a large area of high pressure that is building across California this week. The zone of high pressure is set up over Southern California, the western half of Arizona, Nevada, and the southwestern corner of Utah, generating offshore breezes that will push the heat toward the coastal areas.

While this type of heat this late in the season is not common in areas farther to the north, September is typically one of the hottest months of the year for Southern California. A large reason for this is because the ocean water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are the warmest of the year, working to minimize the impacts of the marine influence that the region sees in the early part of the summer.

Forecasters are predicting that the Los Angeles basin will record the longest stretch of hot weather this year. Temperatures will hover at the 90-degree level for at least six days. It is likely that temperatures in Los Angeles could reach the century mark on Thursday and Friday. The top record for downtown Los Angeles was recorded in September of 2010 when the mercury hit 113 degrees.

Widespread readings that hover 10 to 20 degrees over the historical average are in the cards in areas inland. Communities along the coast will trend at least 5 degrees above the norm for this time of the year. This will translate to highs in the upper 80s to the mid 90s for most of Southern California while the interior deserts will reach the low 100s and up into the 110s.