Record Heatwave Scorches Central US, Shatters Temperature Records

A record-breaking heatwave swept across the central United States on Sunday, setting new all-time temperature records from the northern Plains to the Rocky Mountain region.

According to preliminary data from the US National Weather Service, temperatures reached 109°F (42.8°C) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Billings, Montana—the highest ever recorded in both cities since weather records began more than 150 years ago.

The previous record highs were 107°F in Salt Lake City and 108°F in Billings.

The extreme heat is also hampering efforts to contain major wildfires burning across Colorado and Utah, with forecasters warning that above-average temperatures are expected to persist through Tuesday.

The latest heatwave comes just a week after another spell of extreme heat gripped the eastern United States, where temperatures climbed to nearly 104°F in cities including New York and Philadelphia.

Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and more intense, driven largely by greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas.

The extreme temperatures follow another climate milestone, as Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record this year.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recent European heatwave claimed the lives of more than 1,300 people across the region.