LOS ANGELES, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A severe heat wave is scorching large parts of the western United States this week, setting daily temperature records and potentially breaking records for March, according to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).

The heat stretching from the West Coast to the Plains is expected to set hundreds of daily temperature records, many by several degrees, with conditions more typical in June, according to the latest NWS forecast issued Tuesday.

Extreme heat warnings and heat advisories have already been issued across parts of California, Nevada and Arizona, and the heat is expected to spread eastward and southward.

According to the NWS office in Phoenix, the extreme heat warning marks the earliest such warning ever issued for the region. Previously, the earliest instance occurred between April 26 and April 30 in 2020.

Temperatures are expected to continue rising through the end of the week, with the first widespread triple-digit readings across the lower deserts of Nevada forecast as early as Wednesday.

Meteorologists warn that such intense early-season heat can put additional strain on the human body. The NWS noted that heat remains the leading weather-related killer in the United States, causing hundreds of deaths each year.

The agency urged residents to take precautions by staying indoors, keeping cool and drinking plenty of water to prevent heat-related illnesses. ■