Phoenix in the United States (US) sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius). Other parts of the US grappled with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the US population subject to extreme heat.

The National Weather Service said Phoenix climbed to a high of 111 F (43.8 Celsius) before the day was through.

July has been so steamy thus far that scientists calculate it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest human civilization has seen.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service proclaimed July beyond record-smashing.

The historic heat began blasting the lower Southwest US in late June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert.

On Sunday, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve spread rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the south that prompted evacuations.

As climate change brings hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the US have killed dozens of people.

The extreme heat is also hitting the eastern US, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places recorded their warmest days so far in 2023.

Source: Oman News Agency