Elevated regional temperatures create high-pressure situation

Most students do not often think about high pressure systems.
But over the past month, a persistent region with high air pressure
over the southwestern United States has been responsible for sweaty
walks to class and balmy nights in Westwood. Due to the system that
has hung over the region since June, a heat wave has extended from
California through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and other parts of the
Southwest, said James Murakami, a UCLA meteorologist. For a time
early last week, the heat wave also extended from coast to coast,
he added. Typically, high pressure systems will remain in a given
area for only a few days, but this one has remained in the area for
over a month. “It’s definitely unusual to get this kind
of prolonged heat,” Murakami said. But even several days of
consecutive 90-degree weather is cool compared to the sizzling
weather in other parts of California. Areas like Fresno and
Sacramento in Northern California have seen strings of triple-digit
days.

Though for most students the heat proves to be little more than
a discomfort or an inconvenience, high temperatures had caused 141
deaths in California as of Sunday. Most of these were reported to
be elderly people in homes without air conditioning. Murakami said
August is expected to be slightly cooler than July and temperatures
will likely be somewhat lower than the usual average for the
month.

With reports from Sara Taylor, Bruin senior staff, and Bruin
wire services.