National

Over 50 million on alert for dangerous heat in the Southwest

ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Record-breaking heat continues for parts of the desert Southwest into the weekend, with sweltering temperatures beginning to expand east into the Heartland.

Extreme heat warnings remain in effect for parts of the desert Southwest -- including Palm Springs, California; Phoenix; and Tucson, Arizona.

High temperatures are expected to reach well into the 100s and up to 115 in spots.

Heat advisories are also in effect on Friday for other areas of the Four Corners region stretching into the Plains as the heat begins to shift east.

Places under these heat advisories include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dallas, El Paso and Amarillo, Texas; Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kansas; Denver; and Sioux City, Iowa.

High temperatures between 100 and 110 are possible for these areas for on Friday.

Record-high temperatures are possible for Albuquerque through Saturday.

The heat is expected to be less extreme for the desert Southwest this weekend.

Later this weekend into next week, widespread heat will return to the Northeast and much of the country.

Later this weekend into next week, extreme heat will be possible for parts of northwest California, western Oregon and southwest Washington. Places from Yreka, California, up to Portland, Oregon, may see high temperatures push into the 100s and low temperatures only between 60 and 70 Sunday through Monday.

On Thursday, Phoenix saw a high temperature of 118 degrees. This not only was the hottest temperature recorded for the month of August, it is also tied for the ninth-hottest day all time since records began in 1895.

Fire weather danger persists
Red flag warnings are in places across five states in the West -- Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico -- for critical fire weather conditions that are keeping a strong foothold this week.

Single-digit humidity and wind gusts between 35 to 55 mph are possible anywhere in these areas, though it depends on exact location.

These conditions will be conducive to rapid fire spread with any new or existing wildfires in these areas.

Fire weather conditions are expected to remain critical through at least Saturday, but may persist into the beginning of next week.

A red flag warning is also in effect for Medford, Oregon, due to dry and breezy conditions.

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