Over 1,500 records shattered across the Southwest as another week of extreme heat continues

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Record-breaking heat wave shatters over 1,500 records with more extreme temperatures ahead

A historic and record-breaking heat wave continues to grip the Southwest as a powerful and unusually strong heat dome remains locked over the region. The heat dome is expected to strengthen again this week, with the potential to set hundreds of additional records. The heat wave has already broken over 1,500 records across several states. 

The most intense March heat wave ever has been one for the record books and there are no signs the high temperatures will cool down as we look ahead to next week.

Over 1,500 records were broken across 13 states this past week. At least 95 locations have set new daily records or tied their all-time warmest day for March, including in California, and in major cities like Las Vegas, Denver and Phoenix.

People flock to Baker Beach near the Golden Gate Bridge as a heat advisory was issued in San Francisco, California, United States on March 16, 2026. 

(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

While daily records are being smashed left and right across the West, the historic heat wave is expected to break not only March monthly heat records but April’s as well.

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On Friday, the national record for the hottest March temperature ever recorded in the United States was set at 109° in Yuma, AZ. 

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Meanwhile in California on Thursday, both Thermal and Indio hit 108 degrees, and at that point, tying the U.S. record high for the month of March. Though it didn't quite reach a U.S. high, the temperature set a new record for the hottest March day in California state history.

Thursday's high temperature ties the U.S. record set in both Rio Grande City, Texas, on March 31, 1954, and Falcon Dam, Texas, on March 27, 2020.

This historic heat wave has delivered record-breaking March temperatures across a vast stretch of the West, breaking records in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, California and Nevada.

Record temperature highs for the month of March across the West as of March 17, 2025.

(FOX Weather)

In the entertainment capital of the world in the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas hit 97 degrees on Friday, breaking the daily and monthly record high for the third day in a row, according to NWS Las Vegas. 

The heat wave continued into Saturday, with Sin City hitting 96 degrees. 

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Record temperatures across California have been set for multiple days over the past week. Downtown Los Angeles broke a record previously set in 1997 on Friday, at 96 degrees. 

In 131 years of record keeping, Phoenix has hit 100° degrees just once in March. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Phoenix hit 105 degrees, recording its earliest triple-digit day on record.

Temperatures remained high this weekend before slight cooling arrived on Sunday, NWS Phoenix said.

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Other cities that notched daily high records include: Kansas City, Missouri, Omaha, Nebraska and Flagstaff, Arizona.

An Extreme Heat Warning was in effect Sunday night for portions of southwest Arizona and southern California. In Phoenix, it's the earliest heat warning to go into effect by more than a month. The earliest instance occurred between April 26 and 30 of 2020.

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On Thursday and Friday, Denver and Boulder both reached 85 degrees, nearly 30 degrees above the March average. For cities that can often see blizzards in March, Thursday's unprecedented temperature underscores the strength of this historic heat wave.

As the heat continues to intensify, more than 1,000 record highs have been set since Mar. 11, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

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High temperatures soared as much as 35 degrees above average for this time of year from California to the Great Plains, with the hottest days occurring through Saturday.

Temperatures will remain hot enough to shatter records for dozens of locations into the middle of next week.

People photograph the tulips at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 during the heat wave. 

(Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Many locations may break their daily records for more than seven consecutive days, a feat of endurance that is quite rare.

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Extreme Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories are in place for nearly 40 million across California and into the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona.

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Historic heat cooks Las Vegas with temperatures in the high 90s impacting millions

As the historic heat wave out west continues to break all-time March records, FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell is live in Las Vegas, NV with the latest on the intense heat dome impacting millions of people. Stay with FOX Weather for the latest: 

Overall, temperatures across the region have been running 20 to 30 degrees above average for numerous days, highlighting just how extreme this event is.

According to FOX Forecast Center, another ridge of high pressure is expected to develop by midweek, reinforcing the heat across the entire Southwest and parts of California. Cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas are expected to be back in record territory again extending this rare early-season heat wave.

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It is forecast that this heat wave will break not just daily records, but all-time monthly records for March—and potentially even April, by significant margins.