Heat records topple as the West bakes

An early-season heat wave that has been baking the West this week obliterated numerous all-time records in California and Arizona.

An early heat wave baking the West this week obliterated numerous records in California and Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday.

The community of Martinez Lake in Arizona’s Yuma County hit a jaw-dropping 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, setting a record for the highest March temperature in U.S. recorded history, according to the National Weather Service.

The summerlike conditions are expected to persist and spread east in the coming days.

Across Southern California and the desert Southwest, around 38 million people were under heat alerts. High temperatures in the upper 90s and triple digits have been common throughout the region due to a sprawling heat dome that remains parked over the West.

On Thursday, Palm Springs, California, hit 107, setting a new record for the month of March. The previous record, of 105, was set Wednesday.