AP
California Severe Weather
Rubin Pantaleon stays in the shade while waiting for work washing car windshields as a record-breaking winter heat wave continues across the Southwest, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Thermal, Calif.
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Abnormal heat on the last day of winter continues to set records in the U.S. Southwest. The Arizona desert community of Martinez Lake hit 110 degrees F on Thursday. It broke the record for highest March temperature recorded in the U.S. The community is about 145 miles west of Phoenix. The blistering record comes as forecasters warned that winter heat across the Southwest will continue into the weekend. The National Weather Service says many other cities in the region are expected to see their earliest 100-plus degree-day on record.
