Hot temps are back for the desert Southwest for the second half of the weekend and beginning of next week! Heat alerts are already in place for many.

Heat

We are expecting temperatures to rise once again into the 110s. After last week’s heat, this will be a rinse and repeat for many.

Coastal cities will once again be the cool spots to be, while valleys and inland areas really heat up!

Temperatures look to peak on Monday in the 100s and 110s.

Fire Risk

Many large fires are still burning in the four-corners region. If you see/smell smoke, it is likely from a nearby wildfire. If you think it is a new spark, make sure to alert authorities.

Unfortunately, any rain we see this weekend will set up east of the Rockies, keeping the desert Southwest dry, and fire danger elevated.

“Dry thunderstorms” remain a concern across the West. Thunderstorms develop across the West in the summer months often have a high cloud base. As the rain starts to fall, it passes through very low humidity between the cloud base and ground. A lot or most of the rain evaporates in the dry air.

Lightning associated with the thunderstorms can easily ignite fires when striking dry vegetation, especially with the low humidity and breezy conditions.

Drought conditions remain widespread across the West, adding to the fire danger. Please be smart if you’re spending time outdoors or camping!

The contributing factors into a high fire danger include the dry soils and vegetation. The long term drought has resulted in dry fuels, adding to the risk for fires.

In order to prevent fires from spreading rapidly, we need *your* help! Only you can prevent the next wildfire!

Avoid any outdoor burning on days with elevated fire conditions and alerts. Stayed tuned to WeatherNation for the latest updates.