A widespread heat wave is building across the United States, with meteorologists forecasting dangerously hot, oppressive temperatures beginning this weekend. Multiple outlets report that triple-digit highs are expected in parts of the Southwest and the Great Plains. The heat is associated with a large area of high pressure, which helps hold the warm conditions in place. As the system persists, temperatures are expected to spread farther east rather than quickly weakening.
The reports also indicate that the high-pressure pattern could keep conditions trapped over much of the country for an extended period. Some forecasts referenced by the outlets suggest the oppressive heat may last for a week or more, depending on how long the atmospheric conditions remain in place. Overall, the sources describe a broad, potentially hazardous heat event affecting a wide geographic area, with the most extreme temperatures concentrated initially in the Southwest and Great Plains before moving eastward.
