Technologies

Summer Isn’t Done, With Triple-Digit Heat Waves Expected to Hit This Weekend

There’s only two weeks of the season left, but triple-digit temperatures persist.

With just two weeks of summer left, oppressive heat will continue to broil the low-lying deserts of California and Arizona over the next few days. Phoenix, in particular, is expected to set a few ominous records with temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend.

«A period of very hot temperatures, even by local standards, will occur,» reads an urgent excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service Thursday morning.

Temperatures in the sprawling Phoenix metroplex are forecast to push the mercury as high as 114 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. The city has already seen 52 days with highs over 110 degrees in 2023; adding two more to that count would pass the previous record of 53 days over 110 degrees set in 2020.

Earlier this summer, the city endured a 31-day streak of days over 110, shattering the previous record of 18 days.

Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, is also on pace to reach a more grim milestone — a record for annual heat-associated deaths. As of Wednesday the county counted 194 such fatalities in 2023 so far, with 351 more deaths under investigation to determine a link to the heat. At this point in 2022, there had been 153 confirmed deaths from the heat with 238 more still being investigated. Last year’s final tally of 425 heat-associated deaths is the most recorded in a calendar year since the county started keeping track in 2006.

More than half of the heat deaths so far in 2023 are among people who are either experiencing homelessness (44%) or have an unknown living situation (10%).

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department closes popular hiking trails from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat warning. Anyone wanting to take a walk at the city’s iconic Camelback Mountain will have to hit it early or later in the evening this weekend.

Not just a single city’s problem

The danger expands beyond Phoenix’s concrete-laden metroplex, with Tucson, Yuma, Palm Springs and places in between also under an excessive heat warning this weekend.

Many heat records in the western US are typically competing with previous marks set in just the past decade or so. Climate change and increasing surface temperatures have accelerated drastically in the 21st century, triggering increased risk of heat waves, drought, wildfire and stronger storms.

Solar physicist Keith Strong noted on Twitter Thursday that record high temperatures around the globe are tripling record lows.

«In the last week the Earth has set 1,178 new daily record high temperatures compared to just 351 new record lows,» Strong said. «If the climate were in climate balance, these two numbers should be statistically equivalent, but they are not.»

RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES OUTPACING RECORD LOWS 3:1 — In the last week the Earth has set 1178 new daily record high temperatures compared to just 351 new record lows. If the climate were in climate balance, these two numbers should be statistically equivalent but they are not.

— Keith Strong (@drkstrong) September 7, 2023

How to stay cool and survive

The National Weather Service urges anyone in a region facing excessive heat to stay hydrated, avoid daytime sun exposure, wear light, loose clothes and seek out air conditioning.

For more on what types of clothing can help you beat the heat, check out our detailed guide to keeping cool.

Forecasters warn that fans may not be enough to cope with temperatures over 110 degrees this weekend, but access to air conditioning isn’t guaranteed for everyone in the Southwest. Fortunately, we’ve compiled 10 ways to get by without AC when temperatures soar.

And if you do have to rely on a fan, the proper placement will be key to get the most out of it and stem the sweating.

Also, fluids without alcohol, sugar and caffeine are more hydrating, as is eating smaller meals more frequently.

Be sure to check in on friends, family, neighbors and pets to see how they’re coping.

Many communities will offer public cooling shelters, including in Phoenix and Arizona’s Heat Relief Network. Check with your local county or municipal government for other resources.

Finally, if you’re in a heat zone, take some time to know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Heat stroke can be deadly, so check out our guide on the signs, causes and what to do in such a scenario.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, Nov. 3

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 3.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s fairly straightforward, but if you need help, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: On the ___ (using Tinder or Bumble)
Answer: APPS

5A clue: Color of the second-hardest Connections category
Answer: BLUE

6A clue: Prepare, as a Thanksgiving turkey
Answer: CARVE

8A clue: Have to have
Answer: NEED

9A clue: Camper’s construction
Answer: TENT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Kimmel’s channel
Answer: ABC

2D clue: Audience member who’s in on the magic trick
Answer: PLANT

3D clue: Many a baby food
Answer: PUREE

4D clue: Typical number of objects that humans can hold in working memory, hence phone numbers
Answer: SEVEN

7D clue: Summer hrs. in N.Y.C.
Answer: EDT

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 3, #406

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 3, No. 406.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one. The purple category, as always, is a real brain-bender. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Catch up!

Green group hint: Beehive State.

Blue group hint: Hoops statistics.

Purple group hint: Signal-callers, but tweak their last name.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Fall behind.

Green group: Utah teams.

Blue group: Categories of points in a basketball box score.

Purple group: NFL QBs, with the first letter changed.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is fall behind. The four answers are drop back, falter, lag and trail.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Utah teams. The four answers are Cougars, Jazz, Mammoth and Utes.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is categories of points in a basketball box score. The four answers are bench, fast-break, paint and second-chance.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is NFL QBs, with the first letter changed. The four answers are cove (Jordan Love), Ellen (Josh Allen), mix (Bo Nix) and wields (Justin Fields).

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #876

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 876 for Monday, Nov. 3.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has some exceptionally long clues. All of them have at least two words. If you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Primary color.

Green group hint: Your lungs also qualify.

Blue group hint: Parents’ nightmare toys.

Purple group hint: Look for a connection in the second word of each phrase.