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
This Transformable Electric Truck Could Become the Cheapest EV in the US
Merging retro touches with a high-tech electric platform, the Slate Truck offers a customizable, budget-friendly alternative to traditional EVs.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 27, #686
Hints and answers for Connections for April 27, #686.

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 Connections puzzle might make you hungry — especially if you spot the four words in the blue category. 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 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: Do the math.
Green group hint: Tresses.
Blue group hint: Munchies.
Purple group hint: Think Stockholm.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Calculator buttons.
Green group: Amounts of hair.
Blue group: Salty snack unit.
Purple group: Swedish ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is calculator buttons. The four answers are equals, minus, percent and times.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is amounts of hair. The four answers are lock, shock, thatch and tuft.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is salty snack unit. The four answers are Combo, Goldfish, Ruffle and Taki.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is Swedish ____. The four answers are Chef, Fish, massage and meatball.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 27, #420
Here are hints — and answers — for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 420 for April 27.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Sleep used to be so simple, but now it can be complex, as we try to add in extra things to help us get that good night’s rest. Today’s NYT Strands puzzle highlights sleep assistance, and a few of the words are tricky. If you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Sleep tight
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Zzzzz…
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
- BEDS, MINE, TAKE, TAKES, TAKER, STAKE, LATS, EARL, PLUG, PLUGS, ROUT, MIKE, DATE
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
- MASK, EARPLUGS, MELATONIN, MEDITATION, MOUTHGUARD
Today’s Strands spangram
Today’s Strands spangram is BEDTIME. To find it, start with the B that’s five letters down on the farthest row to the left and wind across.
-
Technologies2 года ago
Tech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies2 года ago
Best Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies2 года ago
Tighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года ago
Verum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года ago
Google to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies3 года ago
Olivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies3 года ago
Black Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies4 года ago
iPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow