Dangerous, record-breaking heat expected to continue spreading across U.S.
The National Weather Service said record-breaking temperatures can be expected throughout the weekend.
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The National Weather Service said record-breaking temperatures can be expected throughout the weekend.
Having heart disease or high blood pressure already stresses the heart, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Being overweight or obese is also a risk factor since excess weight causes the body to retain more heat.
With a summer of extreme weather records dominating the news, meteorologists say records like these give a glimpse of the big picture: a warming planet caused by climate change.
The National Park Service said park rangers suspect heat may have been a factor in the 71-year-old's death.
The Sacramento area's weekend heat wave has some saying, 'no thanks' -- making Friday the great escape.
Researchers estimate that 61,672 people died due to the heat between June and September, with 11,600 deaths in one particularly intense week alone.
Record temperatures were reached across the Sacramento region on Saturday during what has been the first major heat wave of the summer.
Operators of California's power grid expect to issue calls for voluntary conservation of electricity during a prolonged heat wave building over the West and they warned that there could be energy shortages if conditions worsen.
California is facing a prolonged late-summer heat wave this week.
High temperatures were predicted to range from 104 to 108 degrees (40-42 Celsius) in the San Joaquin Valley.
A flood watch is in place from Arizona to Wyoming, covering more than 7 million people, with afternoon and evening rain and thunderstorms expected in much of the Southwest on Sunday.
