Overview

• NWS forecasts dangerous heat to expand across the Southwest and the U.S.–Mexico border through the weekend under a strong high-pressure ridge.
• Extreme-heat alerts include Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Jackson, with central Los Angeles near 97°F and nearby valleys up to 108°F.
• Desert hotspots are expected to spike to roughly 120°F at Death Valley and 110–115°F across Las Vegas, Laughlin, Needles, Lake Havasu City and other communities.
• Los Angeles has opened cooling centers as Mayor Karen Bass urges residents to hydrate and limit outdoor exertion, while Arizona anticipates peak heat Thursday and Friday.
• California posted red-flag warnings for Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties through Saturday and prepositioned 10 fire engines and crews in Los Angeles County as forecasters warn of thunderstorms with dry lightning and isolated flash floods.