An atmospheric ridge, stretching from the valleys of California to the Wasatch Front, will allow heat to stream northward today. Many areas will experience afternoon highs above 100 degrees F, breaking records for the date.
Since most areas affected by the heat lie in desert areas, this event is easy to ignore. But the early date and the extreme conditions are just another sign that climate change is altering the seasonal transitions that we have long come to anticipate.
Fortunately, the extreme heat will be short-lived as a Pacific front come ashore with its rain and cooler air. Then again, a long, hot summer surely lies ahead.
