Dangerous, unprecedented heat wave hits the West

A dangerous and unprecedented heat wave is hitting the West, with temperatures reaching 25-to-40 degrees above normal across the region, and the heat is now spreading east.

Dozens of cities shattered their all-time high March temperatures on Thursday, including Palm Springs, California, at 107 degrees; Tucson, Arizona, at 101; Las Vegas at 95; Pueblo, Colorado, at 87; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 85.

More all-time March records are expected on Friday, including in Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Denver and Salt Lake City.

Phoenix could break its all-time March temperature for the third day in a row, and the city could even see triple-digit temperatures for a week straight.

The extreme temperatures in the West could continue through the end of the month.

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The heat is also spreading east, with temperatures in the 90s forecast from Dallas, to Oklahoma City on Friday and through the weekend.

Extreme heat is considered the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S., according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. About 2,000 Americans die each year on average from extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click here for what to know about staying safe in the heat.