Misery continues as record high heat soars, worsening the Western drought

"Record-high tempertures will just continue the vicious cycle that so often happens in droughts, where hot, cloudless skies result in increased evaporation of what little water is left in lakes and rivers," says CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. "This, in turn, worsens the drought."

The latest drought monitor released June 10 categorizes a majority of the southwestern US as experiencing extreme to exceptional drought conditions. Major heat on the way this week will only worsen the deteriorating outlook.

"This has a clear fingerprint of climate change, where increasing temperatures will drive this vicious cycle, especially in places like the Western US, where rainfall has been noticeably lessening," Miller says.

At least 12 states are included in a heat-related advisory, watch or warning as triple-digit temperatures threaten to surpass previous records from California to the Northern Rockies.

Excessive heat warnings are in effect for as far north as Montana. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Billings is forecasting highs Monday and Tuesday to surpass 100 degrees and shatter all-time records set as early as 1918 in Sheridan.

Tuesday has the potential to reach the highest temperature ever recorded in Billings --108 degrees, measured on July 14, 2002.

"We do have some winds coming in and if it's enough, we could get some warmer temperatures to mix down and that could boost us up over the edge," NWS Billings meteorologist Aaron Gilstad said of the potential record breaker.

Searing conditions will also impact the Desert Southwest, bringing extreme heat to areas already known for their scorching summer days.

"Excessive heat warnings/watches are in place for many areas of the Southwest and into the California Central Valley next week, with temperatures climbing well into the 110s in the lower deserts with low temperatures only in the 80s and 90s," said the Weather Prediction Center in its extended forecast discussion.

The Desert Southwest is notorious for its blistering temperatures, but Nevada and Arizona could see all-time high-temperature records broken by the end of this week.

"There are a lot of records that have the potential to be broken. Las Vegas will start with its all-time high record of 117," said NWS Las Vegas meteorologist Ashley Nickerson. "We do have the potential to be reaching that, especially Wednesday, Thursday and Friday."

Las Vegas has tied its all-time high of 117 on four occasions: July 24, 1942, July 19, 2005, June 30th, 2013, and June 20, 2017. The hottest temperature ever set in Nevada was 125 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Laughlin on June 29, 1994.

In Las Vegas, elevated temperatures 10-15 degrees above average could soar past a string of daily record high temperatures set from June 12-June 19 in 1940. An excessive heat warning will be in effect through Saturday and NWS Las Vegas is warning residents that this is not typical desert heat.

Phoenix will see the greatest jump up from average highs so far this month at more than 10 degrees above normal. Afternoon temperatures in south-central Arizona could reach 111 to 119 degrees.

According to the National Weather Service, the hottest temperature ever recorded at an official NWS weather observing site was 128 degrees Fahrenheit on June 29, 1994, at Lake Havasu City.

Drought envelops the US West

Weather forecasters fear exceptional drought conditions observed in Western states could lead to severe fire conditions.

Parched soil and brush in the West due to extremely dry conditions and hot temperatures has led to exceptional drought in a dozen states. There is no relief on the horizon as the heat wave ramps up throughout the week.

"Most of our area is in an exceptional drought. Obviously, the hot temperatures and continued dry conditions are not going to help that situation. For example, (Lake) Mead has reached some of its lowest levels that it has reached historically, without any rain or snowmelt, that will continue until hopefully, we get a lot more rain," said Nickerson.