Heat wave strains Central US power grids as Dallas nears 100F
Why it matters: warnings stretch from Montana to Texas, with heat expected to spread to the Gulf Coast through month-end.
A broad heat wave is scorching the central United States, driving up electricity demand and testing regional power grids as temperatures climb from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. Extreme heat warnings and advisories cover a wide swath from Montana to Texas, including Dallas, where highs are forecast to hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday and remain above that level through at least Wednesday. With humidity, conditions there could feel as hot as 107F. The hot pattern is expected to push south into the Gulf Coast for the rest of July. A separate zone of extreme heat is also settling over Southern California and Arizona, where Phoenix may reach 117F on Saturday.