Severe, chaotic weather around US with high temperatures in Southwest and Midwest, snow in Rockies

PHOENIX (AP) — Extreme heat spread across Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Texas, Colorado and Kansas as severe weather swept across many parts of the U.S. on Sunday. There was unseasonable cold in the Pacific Northwest, snow headed to the northern Rocky Mountains and heavy rainfall forecast from the northern Plains to the Upper Midwest.

The National Weather Service estimated that more than 63 million people were under heat advisories on Sunday, stretching from the Southwest northward up through Denver and into Chicago.

Temperatures in Phoenix, which hit 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 Celsius) on Saturday, eased slightly on Sunday to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celcius). Weather service forecasters say the first two weeks of June in Phoenix already have been an average of 5.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal, making it the hottest start to June on record.

“We have already seen some pretty significantly high temperatures in our area,” said Ted Whittock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix. “We are recommending that everyone reduce their time outdoors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., stay hydrated and wear light, looser fitting clothing."

Whittock said the heat in metro Phoenix will ease a bit Monday through Wednesday, with the highs pushing back up as the week progresses, likely prompting another excessive heat warning.

The heat has been especially dangerous in recent years in metro Phoenix, where 645 people died from heat-related causes in 2023 — a record.

The city and Maricopa County have adopted additional measures this year in hopes of keeping people safer, including two new overnight cooling centers where people can rest in air conditioning after the sun goes down. There are more than 100 other cooling centers that have been open since May 1 where people can get cold water and sit in a cool space during daytime hours.

In neighboring New Mexico, a heat advisory was in effect over the weekend for the Chavez County plains including Roswell, where the high was forecast to hit 107 degrees F (41.6 degrees C) on Monday. The high for Albuquerque reached 99 degrees F (37 C) on Sunday, and is forecast to cool slightly to 98 degrees F (36 C) on Monday. The high Sunday was 104 F (40 C) in El Paso, Texas, which has now opened five cooling centers.

Temperatures in Colorado ranged from near 90 degrees F (32.2 C) in areas of metropolitan Denver Sunday to 100 degrees F (37.7 C) in the southern city of Pueblo, with temperatures expected to surpass 100 degrees F Monday in the southern reaches of the state.

The heat wave was moving eastward Sunday into the Plains and the Great Lakes area and was expected to arrive in the Northeast by Tuesday. The threat of thunderstorms with potential high winds and heavy rainfall was increasing in the Chicago area, even as heat indices were forecast to reach near 100 degrees F (37.7 C) through the middle of the week.

As the heat wave spreads eastward, temperatures in Washington and the rest of the mid-Atlantic as well as New England were likely to see highs in the mid- to upper 90s as the week goes on, with excessive humidity making it feel even more oppressive.

The U.S. last year saw the the most heat waves, consisting of abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days, since 1936.

While much of the country swelters, late season snow was forecast for the northern Rockies Monday and Tuesday. Parts of Montana and north-central Idaho were under a winter storm warning, with as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of heavy, wet snow expected in the mountains around Missoula, Montana. As much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) was predicted for higher elevations around Glacier National Park.

Meanwhile, a fresh batch of tropical moisture will bring an increasing threat of heavy rain and flash flooding to the central Gulf Coast late Sunday into Monday. Heavy rain is expected to start Monday morning, with the moisture shifting toward the Gulf Coast by Tuesday.

The intense flooding from heavy rains continued to dissipate in southern Florida, where some areas in and around Miami and Fort Lauderdale were left underwater in recent days as storms dumped up to 20 inches (50 centimeters).

That unnamed storm system coincided with the early start of hurricane season, which this year is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory.

A general view of the city of Milwaukee is pictured Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

A shelf cloud moves into downtown Milwaukee, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

People gather on and around Navarre Beach Fishing Pier despite storm clouds approach the shore in Navarre Beach, Fla., Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A kid cools off at Gallagher Way park fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A paraglider flies over Navarre Beach Fishing Pier as storm clouds approach the shore in Navarre Beach, Fla., Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

People gather on Navarre Beach Fishing Pier despite storm clouds approach the shore in Navarre Beach, Fla., Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Home plate umpire Carlos Torres cools off during the ninth inning of a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A tug driver pulls a trailer of bags of ice for use in concession stands on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Families wade in ankle deep water at Yards Park Canal Basin, Sunday, June 16, 2024, as temperatures begin to steam up in Washington. The park usually has a waterfall feature which is currently down for maintenance. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Cheryl Batch picks up a bag of ice to use to cool beverages at a stand on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A concession worker pulls a tub of ice to a stand on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A boy cools off at a fountain outside Wrigley Field before a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals as hot weather dominates the weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A boy cools off at a fountain outside Wrigley Field before a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals as hot weather descends upon the Chicago area Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dan Campbell felt his team was teetering on the edge of a lost season after four shaky performances to start the year so the Detroit head coach dialed up the intensity for Week 5, putting in an ultra-aggressive game plan that featured the fearlessness he wanted to see.

The Lions rewarded him with their best game of the year.

Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes, Jahmyr Gibbs added 151 yards rushing and two more scores and Detroit shook off a slow start by scoring on seven consecutive drives to roll past the Arizona Cardinals 45-21 on Sunday.

“The important thing is you go all in, no matter what you're going to do,” Campbell said. “And either it crumbles or they rise up, but you're going all in. You've got to push your chips all the way in and you've got to believe in it.

“So we did. We applied a little pressure and the players really responded.”

Detroit (3-2) scored three touchdowns on fourth down and the defense had a bounce-back performance, led by cornerback Roger McCreary, who had six passes defended while playing mostly man-to-man coverage. D.J. Wonnum had two sacks.

Gibbs barreled into the end zone on a 1-yard run in the second quarter and added a 3-yard TD run in the fourth, bouncing off the offensive line before reversing field and finding room to run. The three-time Pro Bowl selection has scored an NFL-record 58 touchdowns before his 25th birthday, passing Lions great Barry Sanders, who had 57.

“He's unbelievable, he really is,” Goff said. “We did a good job in the run game and still probably didn't do as well as we could. He made a lot of guys miss in the backfield and got a lot after the first touch. Gosh, he's electric.”

Jameson Williams had his first multi-TD receiving game, catching touchdowns for 8 and 39 yards.

Arizona (1-4) has lost nine straight home games, a streak that's lasted more than a year.

It was a disappointing, weird afternoon for the Cardinals, who finalized a trade to send receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans in the middle of the first quarter. Harrison was one of the team's five inactives against the Lions and wasn't seen at the stadium.

The No. 4 overall pick in 2024 out of Ohio State has been a major disappointment in the desert and he had just five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown through four games this season.

But the non-Harrison version of the Cardinals wasn't any better Sunday.

Arizona took an early 7-0 lead after a 2-yard touchdown pass from Jacoby Brissett to tight end Teagan Quitoriano, but right about the time news of the Harrison deal started spreading, the momentum shifted.

Detroit scored three straight touchdowns and a field goal in the second quarter to take a 24-7 lead into halftime. Tight end Sam LaPorta caught the second of the three TDs, finding himself wide open for a 38-yard catch and run.

The Cardinals are giving up 37 points per game over their four-game losing streak, putting pressure on defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' job status. First-year Arizona coach Mike LaFleur didn't say if changes were imminent, but that he understands there are a lot of problems to fix.

“Anytime there's a blowout like this, it starts with coaching," LaFleur said.

Williams added a 39-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter on a perfectly-thrown ball by Goff, who completed 19 of 30 passes for 279 yards. The quarterback also ran for a 1-yard touchdown.

“Goff is just Goff,” Campbell said. “He's as good as they come.”

While the Lions were piling up points, the Cardinals had five straight three-and-out drives during the first half, gaining just 12 total yards. On the sixth drive, Brissett threw an interception that ended the second quarter.

It was a better performance by the Lions' defense, which came into Sunday giving up 31.8 points per game to rank No. 31 in the NFL.

Brissett completed 29 of 47 passes for 292 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He is 2-15 as the team's starter since taking over for Kyler Murray last season.

Quitoriano finished with two receiving touchdowns, adding a 13-yard catch in the third quarter. Trey McBride also had a 9-yard TD catch late in the fourth quarter.

Lions: LB Devin White (forearm) and KR/PR Tom Kennedy (knee) both left the game and didn't return. Campbell said that White would likely need surgery and would miss extended time.

Cardinals: S Wydett Williams Jr. (concussion) was hurt late in the first half.

Lions: Host Green Bay on Oct. 25.

Cardinals: At the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) passes against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) tackles Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) during the second half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) celebrates his touchdown reception against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)