The heat has been so potent the United States soared to and tied the highest temperature ever seen in the month of October on Tuesday.
At least 125 places from the West Coast to the Rockies have tied or broken all-time October heat records since the month began. Many others have set daily high temperature records.
It’s another reminder that extreme heat is no longer confined to the summer as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution.
“Climate change is causing the length of the heat season to increase and is making… fall heat waves like this more frequent,” Kristina Dahl, a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists said. “If we continue to warm the plant by burning fossil fuels, late-season heat waves like this will become much more common.”
California has been at the epicenter of the extreme heat.
Palm Springs soared to 117 degrees on Tuesday and tied the all-time highest October temperature on record for the entire US. It was the hottest reading in the country this late in the year in more than 40 years.
October 2025: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits.
October 2026: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits
October 2027: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits
Still the news will report a mere “unusual warm spell” in the west.
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Millions of people in the West are experiencing a [dangerous and historic October heatwave](https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/03/weather/west-california-heat-wave-excessive-heat-warning-climate/index.html) with temperatures so extreme they’d be considered hot during the peak of summer.
The heat has been so potent the United States soared to and tied the highest temperature ever seen in the month of October on Tuesday.
At least 125 places from the West Coast to the Rockies have tied or broken all-time October heat records since the month began. Many others have set daily high temperature records.
It’s another reminder that extreme heat is no longer confined to the summer as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution.
“Climate change is causing the length of the heat season to increase and is making… fall heat waves like this more frequent,” Kristina Dahl, a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists said. “If we continue to warm the plant by burning fossil fuels, late-season heat waves like this will become much more common.”
California has been at the epicenter of the extreme heat.
Palm Springs soared to 117 degrees on Tuesday and tied the all-time highest October temperature on record for the entire US. It was the hottest reading in the country this late in the year in more than 40 years.
October 2025: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits.
October 2026: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits
October 2027: Millions of Americans have never been this hot in October before as a historic heat wave hits
Still the news will report a mere “unusual warm spell” in the west.