Energy consumption in Texas has surpassed records, as many in the state fight to stay cool.
A blistering US heatwave is forecast to intensify this week, with warnings issued in the south-west.
Heat advisories on Friday affected at least 113 million Americans, from Florida to Texas to California, to northwestern Washington state.
Air conditioner use in Texas tops the state’s previous record for electricity consumption as people try to stay cool.
About 27 million people are expected to experience temperatures above 110F (43C) in the coming days.
The heat is the result of an upper-level ridge of high pressure, which usually brings with it warmer temperatures, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The agency added that it is “one of the most powerful” systems of its kind seen in the region.
“The subtropical ridge responsible for this potentially historic heatwave across the region shows no signs of stopping anytime soon,” the NWS said.
About 700 people are estimated to die each year from heat-related causes in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Saturday will also be hotter, with daytime highs forecast to hit as high as 115F (46C) in some areas. The scorching heat is expected to last through next week.
Phoenix is on course to break its longest hot spell record with the forecast for the next five days expected to hit or exceed 110F (43C).
The all-time record is 18 days and the city has seen 15 days of 110F temperatures.
Las Vegas could match its all-time high of 117F (47C) in the next few days, while Death Valley, California – one of the hottest places on Earth – could exceed the official high temperature all day. weather 130F (54C).
The NWS in Las Vegas warned locals, who might think they can handle the temperatures, that this is “not your usual desert heat”.
They tweeted: “‘It’s the desert, of course its hot’- This is a dangerous mind set! This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, intense daytime temperatures, and warm that nights. Everyone should take this heat seriously. , including those who live in the desert.”
Parts of the southwestern US have been battling extremely hot temperatures for the past week. In El Paso, Texas, temperatures have been in the triple-digit Fahrenheit for 27 days in a row.
Parks, museums, zoos and businesses have announced closures or reduced hours due to the extreme heat.
Bison Café in Quitaque, Texas, announced shorter hours, saying the scorching temperatures made the kitchen “uncomfortable” for cooks.
Hospitals are also seeing more heat-related admissions.
“We’re getting a lot of heat-related illness right now, a lot of dehydration, heat exhaustion,” said Dr Ashkan Morim, who works in the emergency room at Dignity Health Siena Hospital, outside Las Vegas.
Overnight temperatures are expected to remain “abnormally warm” in some areas, providing little relief at night from the heat.
Demand for power in Texas has exceeded record numbers for two days in a row because of the heat.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ECROT), which manages 90% of Texas’ electricity load, said its use hit a preliminary 81,406 megawatts on Thursday, ahead of Wednesday’s record of 81,351 megawatts.
ERCOT said it expected Friday’s power use to exceed those numbers, though the agency said it had enough resources to meet the demand.
The US heatwave mirrored similar scorching conditions in Europe, forcing Greece to close one of its major tourist attractions, the Acropolis, on Friday.
Last week, the global average temperature was 63F (17.23C), the highest ever recorded.
Scientists say the temperature is due to climate change and the naturally occurring weather pattern known as El Niño, which occurs every three to seven years and causes temperatures to rise.
The world has warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments around the world make drastic cuts in emissions.
