Record heat in the western U.S. and North Carolina wildfires

It’s a slowish start to the work week when it comes to big weather as a zone of high pressure sets up shop over the western United States and cooler air holds on in the east. Of course, since it’s spring, the lulls rarely last long.

Weather Watch

Taste of summer. Records are possible across the western United States through Thursday as the first hot air blast of the year grips the region. Places like Palm Springs and Phoenix should flirt with 100 over the next several days. Dallas may also snag a 90-degree high.

Hurricane-enhanced wildfires. Three significant wildfires are burning across western North Carolina in a region ravaged by Hurricane Helene last fall. Although mainly scorching mountainous forest, the fires have prompted some evacuation alerts.

Lightning link

Did the National Weather Service capture a photo of Bigfoot during a Pennsylvania storm survey?

Monday morning weather map

A transient but seasonably strong area of high pressure will expand across the western Lower 48 today and Tuesday before shifting eastward in the days that follow.

It has been above 100 on several occasions in south Texas so far this year, the hottest observed in the country thus far. Locations like Phoenix may join that list in days to come.

The forecast there is right around 100 on Tuesday, which would set a new daily record. It would also occur about six weeks early, with an average first in the current climate arriving early May.

After a second-most-on-record 143 days at or above 100 during 2024, city residents are surely eager to get the party restarted this year.

About

Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster that connects weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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