In the first days of August, a heat dome settled over the American West like a sealed vault, pushing cities from Arizona to Montana toward temperatures that test the limits of human endurance and ecological stability. Las Vegas, Phoenix, and El Centro approached or threatened all-time records, while overnight temperatures refused to fall low enough for bodies — or landscapes — to recover. Fueled by drought, amplified by El Niño, and deepened by decades of climate change, this event is less an anomaly than a preview: a season, and a century, still unfolding.
Western US heat dome shatters records as wildfire risks surge
Vulnerable populations including seniors and homeless individuals are at severe risk; cooling centers are overwhelmed with demand, and residents face dangerous heat exposure with inadequate overnight recovery periods.
Climate & Environment