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Nearly every part of the United States is expected to face varying weather extremes.
Downpours have already begun in Hawaii and the Southwest is expected to face a record 100-degree-plus heat, while the Great Lakes are forecast to get snow by the foot and the Midwest and East are facing another polar vortex with an Arctic chill, the Associated Press reports. The East had already faced extremes with Washington, D.C., experiencing a record-breaking 86-degree day for March 11 on Wednesday before getting snow on Thursday (March 12).
“All of the country, even if you’re not necessarily seeing extremes, are going to see generally changing from cold to warm, or warm to cold to warm,” said meteorologist Marc Chenard of the weather service’s Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.
Former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue predicted that all 50 states would experience some form of extreme weather. A heat dome is expected to form early next week over the Southwest with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Phoenix is forecast to reach 98 degrees on Tuesday (March 17), 103 degrees on Wednesday (March 18), 105 degrees on Thursday (March 19) and 107 degrees on Friday (March 20) and Saturday (March 21), having never previously hit the triple digits before March 26.
“Since we are not acclimated to this level of heat this early in the year, it will be more impactful than usual," according to the weather service, which said Phoenix typically gets its first 100-degree day in early May.