Parts of California and Arizona were under extreme heat warnings again Saturday, while sweltering summer-like weather stretched as far north as Nebraska just a day into spring.

Temperatures at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7°C) were forecast in the Southwest, closing a remarkable week of record-breaking heat. Experts say April, May, and June are likely to be hotter than normal almost everywhere in the U.S.

Win Marsh explained that the heat was a reason to return home early to Utah after she and her husband, Stephen, hiked 170 miles (273 kilometers) over two weeks in Arizona, starting at the Mexico border. Their goal was to complete more than 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) on the Arizona Trail.

“We know our limits,” Marsh, 63, said Saturday. “We can’t hike when our bodies can’t cool down. There’s no shade out there, and water sources are drying up. We promised our kids we wouldn’t do sketchy stuff. We’re not out there for a search-and-rescue event.”

The National Weather Service predicted 100 degrees (37.7°C) in Tucson, Arizona. The Yuma Desert, a desert community in southwestern Arizona, was headed toward 105 degrees (40.5°C), a day after reaching 112 (43.3°C)—a record for the highest March temperature in the United States. Two places in Southern California also hit that temperature Friday.

Experts say triple-digit days typically arrive by May, not March.

In the Midwest, temperatures exceeding 90 (32.2°C) were predicted across Nebraska, followed by a big drop to the 50s and 60s Sunday. A red flag warning was posted, indicating a higher risk for wildfires.

Parts of Texas were also at 90 or higher on Saturday.
https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/extreme-heat-continues-strike-southwest-us-nebraska-cold-131289448