California’s Death Valley hit 130 degrees Sunday, shattering the August record not only for the region but also for all of North America.
Sunday’s reading, the third hottest temperature recorded on Earth and the hottest since the 1930s, comes as the western United States continues to see scorching weather from Arizona to Montana.
As many as 52 million people remain under heat alerts in the West on Monday, where some could see temperatures between 110 and 130 degrees. The heat is expected to last throughout the week, possibly setting more than 100 new daily record highs.
Phoenix tied its all-time August temperature, hitting 117 degrees Friday. Billings, Montana, might see a high of its own Monday, with temperatures possibly climbing to 101, and Sacramento might break a record as well, with forecasts of a high of 108 degrees.
The heat brings with it the threat of wildfires for some parts of the West, as low humidity and extreme heat make the risk high.
The heat wave, which began Friday, triggered power outages throughout California as the state's power grid became overwhelmed by energy demands. A rare, fiery tornado was spotted in California on Saturday near the Nevada border where a large wildfire and excessive temperatures created a dangerous storm.
