Scorching heat radiated across the U.S. Southwest on Tuesday, setting record highs in California’s Death Valley, Thermal and Palm Springs in a week that forecasters say could prove to be the region’s hottest this year. The National Weather Service said a new high of 127 degrees (52.7 Celsius) was set at California’s Death Valley. Weather service forecaster Chris Outler in Las Vegas said the record broke the previous one of 126 (52 Celsius) registered for the day in 1916.
He said Las Vegas reached a high of 112 (44 Celsius) on Tuesday, but that wasn’t a record for the day. The weather service said other record highs set Tuesday included 122 (50 Celsius) in Thermal, in California’s Coachella Valley, and 121 (49.4 Celsius) in Palm Springs. Forecaster Andrew Deemer said the Phoenix high of 116 (46 Celsius) on Tuesday was tied with the previous record set in 2014. READ MORE
