Historic U.S. heat wave will influence Canada’s weather next week A major and likely historic heat wave is expected to intensify across the western United States next week, with temperatures potentially spiking to unprecedented levels. The event is driven by a powerful ridge of high pressure, which is forecast to extend into parts of Western Canada, bringing above-seasonal warmth to the region. This atmospheric pattern could set new records for monthly heat, including the United States’ highest temperature ever recorded during March. The ridge of high pressure, one of the strongest observed this early in the year, will dominate the weather system, forcing air to sink and warm as it descends. This process creates dry, hot conditions that will peak in two stages. Initially, the ridge will strengthen over southern California early in the week before shifting east and re-intensifying over Arizona. The result will be extreme heat that could surpass historical benchmarks in multiple locations. Phoenix, Arizona, is projected to experience its hottest March temperature on record, with a predicted high of 43°C (109°F) on next Saturday. This would eclipse the previous record of 37.7°C (100°F) set on March 26, 1988. Similarly, Las Vegas, which has never officially exceeded 33.8°C (93°F) in March, could hit 39°C (102°F) during the heat wave. Other cities in the desert southwest, including Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Death Valley, are also expected to break their all-time March temperature records. The U.S. national March temperature record, currently held at 42.2°C (108°F) in Rio Grande City, Texas, on March 30, 1954, is likely to fall during this event. The extreme heat will not be confined to the U.S.#las_vegas #canada #western_united_states #phoenix_arizona #b_c_coastline
