Record Heat Bakes California, Desert Southwest; Earliest 90s on Record in Phoenix

For more than a week in mid-February, record warmth has been locked in place over California and the Desert Southwest, providing an early summer preview, sending temperatures soaring into the 90s in some locations.

A Pacific storm will bring needed Sierra snow and some rain to the Golden State this week, signaling an end to the unusually warm pattern.

(MORE: Storms Return to the Western U.S.)

Record Heat Overview

Dozens of record highs have been toppled over the past week across the Golden State, Desert Southwest and other parts of the West, as many locations have risen into the 80s and 90s. The warmth has been a staggering 15 to 25 degrees above average, even warmer than typical highs during the hottest months of the summer.

(MORE: January 2016 Most Abnormally Warm Month for Globe on Record)

Phoenix recorded their earliest 90-degree day on record Wednesday, more than a full week ahead of the previous earliest occurrence on February 24, 1986 and 1904, according to the National Weather Service.

Downtown Los Angeles set a daily record high by reaching 90 degrees on Tuesday, just one day after setting new record high for Feb. 15 of 89 degrees on Monday. These temperatures were considerably higher than the average high in the upper 60s.

Anaheim, California was the warmest location in the U.S. on Tuesday, according to the Weather Prediction Center, after soaring to 97 degrees. The heat is shifting away from California, as parts of the Desert Southwest can expect the warmest conditions into midweek.

Death Valley, California, reached the 90-degree mark for the first time this year Tuesday, topping a daily record, and missing the earliest such "first 90s" of the year by just six days (Feb. 10, 2006). Incidentally, America's hottest location sees more days with highs at least in the 90s each year (193 days) than those that do not reach the 90s.

Record Temperatures Since Last Week

Salinas, California, tied an all-time record high temperature for February after reaching 86 degrees Tuesday. Santa Ana tied an all-time record high temperature for the month of February twice, most recently on Tuesday and last Tuesday as well, after reaching 95 degrees both days.

It's not just warm in California, as neighboring states across the West have also felt the heat. Last Monday, North Bend, Oregon, obliterated their daily record high by 13 degrees, after reaching 82 for a high temperature. That is a full 30 degrees above average for mid-February.

Phoenix, Arizona, also got in on the summer-like warmth by setting a daily record high of 86 degrees last Tuesday, 85 degrees last Thursday, 87 degrees last Friday and 87 degrees once again this Tuesday. Flagstaff, Arizona, soared to 64 degrees for the second time in three days Friday, oddly with six inches of snow still on the ground at Pulliam Airport.

(MORE: Rare Superbloom in Death Valley)

Here is a sample of some of the California records that have been broken or tied so far over the past week.

• Monday (Feb. 8): Death Valley (89 degrees); Los Angeles, Airport (89 degrees); Los Angeles, Downtown (88 degrees); Santa Cruz (85 degrees); Oceanside (84 degrees); Oakland (79 degrees); Napa (78 degrees); Sacramento, Airport (75 degrees); San Francisco, Downtown (75 degrees); Eureka (72 degrees); Mount Shasta City (70 degrees). 
• Tuesday (Feb. 9): Santa Ana (95 degrees); Long Beach (92 degrees); Escondido (89 degrees); Riverside (88 degrees, tied); Santa Barbara (85 degrees); Santa Cruz (85 degrees); San Diego (83 degrees); Monterey (80 degrees); San Jose (76 degrees); Sacramento, Airport (73 degrees); Oakland (70 degrees); Sandberg (68 degrees); Mount Shasta City (68 degrees). 
• Wednesday (Feb. 10): Riverside (90 degrees); Los Angeles, Downtown (88 degrees, tied); Santa Ana (88 degrees); San Diego (86 degrees); Los Angeles, Airport (85 degrees); Crescent City (75 degrees); Oakland (68 degrees, tied). 
• Thursday (Feb. 11): Santa Ana (86 degrees); San Diego (84 degrees); Oakland (74 degrees, tied); Sacramento, Airport (73 degrees); Mount Shasta City (67 degrees, tied).

• Friday (Feb. 12): Woodland Hills (90 degrees); Riverside (88 degrees, tied); Chula Vista (83 degrees tied).

• Valentine's Day (Feb. 14): Santa Barbara, Airport (83 degrees); Sacramento, Airport (75 degrees); Modesto (75 degrees, tied).

• Presidents Day (Feb. 15): Long Beach (91 degrees); Los Angeles, Downtown (89 degrees); Los Angeles, Airport (86 degrees); Redding, Airport (81 degrees) Sacramento, Airport (78 degrees); San Francisco, Downtown (77 degrees); Sacramento, Downtown (76 degrees, tied)

• Tuesday (Feb. 16): Santa Ana (95 degrees); Chula Vista (92 degrees); Death Valley (90 degrees); Los Angeles, Downtown (90 degrees); Long Beach (89 degrees); San Diego (89 degrees); Los Angeles, Airport (88 degrees); Escondido (84 degrees); Oakland (82 degrees); San Jose (80 degrees); Sacramento, Downtown (77 degrees); Mount Shasta City (65 degrees, tied). 

The warmth has not just been limited to afternoon highs, as several record warm low temperatures were also set last week, including the following.

• Monday (Feb. 8): Santa Ana (75 degrees); Palm Springs (64 degrees); Riverside (60 degrees); Death Valley (59 degrees). 
• Tuesday (Feb. 9): Santa Ana (60 degrees, tied); Oceanside (57 degrees); Riverside (55 degrees). 
• Thursday (Feb. 11): Palomar Mountain (52 degrees). 
• Tuesday (Feb. 16): Palm Springs (62 degrees, tied); Santa Ana (59 degrees).

What’s Happened to El Niño?

Residents across the West Coast were optimistic about the state of El Niño this winter, as the pattern is generally associated with above normal precipitation across the region.

(MORE: What's Next for El Niño?)

While that was the case for much of November, December and even part of January, the so-called “atmospheric river” of moisture surging into the West has come to a screeching halt.

Even though a strong El Niño is still present, it is not uncommon for California to experience bouts of dry weather amidst the generally stormy pattern. According to the National Weather Service office in Sacramento, there have been at least four stretches of more than two weeks without rain in the area amidst El Niño winters.

As of Feb. 16, the count had reached two weeks without measurable rainfall at Sacramento, but that streak came to to an end on Wednesday.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Storms Flood Western States, January 2016