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NWS Warns of Sweltering Heat South Central Plains, Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, Southwest US

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The US National Weather Service expects the South Central Plains, Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, and the Southwest US regions to experience persistent sweltering heat this week, with little relief expected during nights.

Parts of Desert Southwest and central Plains are likely to encounter heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding due to thunderstorms. Meanwhile, parts of the central Plains and the Northeast are expected to face potential isolated strong to severe thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, the Hawaiian Islands could face potential flash flooding risks through Wednesday, even as Lowell has weakened to a tropical storm, the NWS' National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory on Tuesday.

The NWS issued an extreme heat warning early Wednesday for Oklahoma's Tulsa, Muskogee, and areas near Bartlesville, Grove, and McAlester. OGE Energy (OGE) unit Oklahoma Gas & Electric and American Electric Power (AEP) subsidiary Public Service Co. of Oklahoma are the major service providers in the state.

Fort Smith in Arkansas, primarily served by Oklahoma Gas & Electric, was also placed under a similar warning.

An extreme heat warning was also raised for Las Vegas and Beatty in Nevada, which falls under the service area of Berkshire Hathaway Energy unit NV Energy.

Affected areas in Arizona include Parker, Yuma, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, Kingman, Dateland, Gila Bend, Phoenix, and areas near Wickenburg. Arizona is primarily served by Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) unit Arizona Public Service Company, and UNS Energy subsidiaries Unisource and Tucson Electric Power.

In California, the agency issued an extreme heat warning for Blythe, Indio, Beaumont, Palm Springs and El Centro Imperial, Death Valley, Bishop, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Malibu, Santa Clarita, Burbank, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Long Beach, Avalon, Oceanside, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Temecula, San Clemet, Hemet, Ontario, Riverside, San Bernardino, Escondido, Solana Beach, El Cajon, Chula Vista, San Diego, Julian, Borrego Springs, Mount Laguna, and Indio.

PG&E (PCG) subsidiary Pacific Gas and Electric, Edison International's (EIX) Southern California Edison, and Sempra Energy (SRE) unit San Diego Gas & Electric are the major electricity service providers in these places.

California ISO expects demand on Wednesday to peak at 47,200 megawatts, while total capacity of 55,051 MW is available.

In Wyoming, the NWS issued a red flag warning for Rawlins, Casper, Centennial, Muddy Gap, Shirley Basin, Saratoga, Elk Mountain, Garrett, Chugwater, Medicine Bow, and areas near Douglas, Wheatland, Glendo, Bosler, and Kaycee. Meanwhile, a freeze warning was raised for Jackson, Afton, Big Piney, Pinedale, and Kemmerer. Wyoming mostly falls under the service area of PacifiCorp's Rocky Mountain Power.

A flood warning was raised for Beaumont in Texas, primarily served Entergy's (ETR) Texas unit.

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