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Most students do not often think about high pressure systems. But over the past month, a persistent region with high air pressure over the southwestern United States has been responsible for sweaty walks to class and balmy nights in Westwood. Due to the system that has hung over the region since June, a heat wave has extended from California through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and other parts of the Southwest, said James Murakami, a UCLA meteorologist. For a time early last week, the heat wave also extended from coast to coast, he added. Typically, high pressure systems will remain in a given area for only a few days, but this one has remained in the area for over a month. “It’s definitely unusual to get this kind of prolonged heat,” Murakami said. But even several days of consecutive 90-degree weather is cool compared to the sizzling weather in other parts of California. Areas like Fresno and Sacramento in Northern California have seen strings of triple-digit days.

Though for most students the heat proves to be little more than a discomfort or an inconvenience, high temperatures had caused 141 deaths in California as of Sunday. Most of these were reported to be elderly people in homes without air conditioning. Murakami said August is expected to be slightly cooler than July and temperatures will likely be somewhat lower than the usual average for the month.

With reports from Sara Taylor, Bruin senior staff, and Bruin wire services.