Traffic warden Rai Rogers mans his street corner under the hot sun in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week. Stacy Champion, an advocate for homeless people in Phoenix, took to Twitter this week to criticize the lack of night-time cooling spaces for unsheltered individuals, saying they are “out of luck” if they have no place to go. During especially hot spells in the past, the Phoenix convention center has opened some space as a night-time cooling center, but Hondula said he had not heard of that possibility this year. Hondula said just one location, the Brian Garcia Welcome Center for homeless people in downtown Phoenix, planned to be open 24 hours and directed people to shelters and other air-conditioned spaces for the night. It shared safety tips such as drinking plenty of water and checking on relatives and neighbors.Īhead of the weekend, David Hondula, chief heat officer for Phoenix had warned: “This weekend there will be some of the most serious and hot conditions we’ve ever seen.” “Record heat continues across the region today and through most of this upcoming week,” said National Weather Service Phoenix on Sunday. The record was 18 days, in 1974, which the city seems likely to pass on Tuesday.Īccording to the Maricopa county health department, there have been 12 heat-related deaths in the Phoenix area so far in 2023, with 55 other deaths currently under investigation. In Phoenix, Arizona, the forecast for Sunday was for 118F (47.7C) and it was expected to be the city’s 17th consecutive day of 110F (43.3C) or higher. Times staff writer Terry Castleman and researchers Scott Wilson and Cary Schneider contributed to this report.Residents were warned to “take the heat seriously and avoid time outdoors” by the National Weather Service, which said it was “potentially deadly to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration”.Ĭooling centers extended their hours in some cities and emergency rooms prepared to treat more people with heat-related illnesses. “February,” he added, “came in like a lamb, but it’s going out like a lion.” “In the short term it’s dangerous, but in the long term, we really needed this,” Patzert said. Patzert noted that while the storms could pose immediate hazards, they will probably be beneficial for drought recovery, after several years of prolonged dryness. And if you don’t live up there, realize you’re not going to be getting up there.” “If you live up there, be prepared for a phenomenal amount of snow. “This is not a weekend you’re going to be able to go up and ski - no one is going to be able to get in or out, potentially for days,” he said. Though some Angelenos may be tempted to travel to mountain areas to seek out the snow, Swain warned that it’s probably best to stay home. The National Weather Service is advising residents to avoid travel during the storm and to be prepared for potential power outages, downed trees and other hazards, including an increased threat of avalanches. Late winter storms will bring snow to high elevation regions in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The jet stream is the air current in the upper level of the atmosphere that guides weather systems across the globe.Ĭalifornia Could it snow near you? Check this map to see where SoCal might see snow for the first time in years He said this winter’s unusual pattern of “extreme volatility” could be linked to swings in the jet stream that started around December. The cold temperatures and strong, moist winds coming off the Pacific “are the ingredients for blizzards for California,” Patzert said. Though many winter storms travel down the spine of the Sierra and lose their moisture by the time they reach Southern California, the incoming low-pressure system is moving down off the coast of Canada, where it is loading up with Pacific moisture, he said. “What is really kind of astonishing are the snow totals that are projected for the Southern California mountains and the southern Sierra Nevada,” Swain said.Ĭlimatologist William Patzert said several factors must come together for such a rare occurrence in Los Angeles. A flood watch is also in effect in portions of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles until Saturday, with peak rain rates of 0.75 of an inch per hour possible. Saturday in the Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernardino county mountains, where heavy snow, strong wind gusts and “near zero visibility” are likely. The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings from 4 a.m.
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