High U.S. temperatures through the week (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — As a deep freeze continued Tuesday from the Northeast to the Southeast, Southern California and other parts of the West are expected to see another day of balmy weather.
Some areas in the West are poised to break daily high temperature records. Burbank, California, is expected to hit 87 on Tuesday and Long Beach could hit 89.
Other parts of the West, including San Diego, Portland, Oregon, and Great Falls, Montana, could also surpass daily record-high temperature records on Tuesday.
On Monday, several cities in the West set new daily high temperature records, including Escondido, California, which hit 92 degrees, and Phoenix, Arizona, which saw temperatures climb to 85.
The warm weather in the West is expected to continue on Wednesday. While not expected to see a record-breaking daily temperature, Los Angeles is forecast to reach 89 degrees.
Wind advisories are in place for parts of Southern California, especially along the mountain ranges from southeast Los Angeles down to the Mexico border. San Bernardino, Riverside, Corona and Anaheim are expected to see gusts up to 45 mph and isolated gusts of up to 55 mph from 4 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday through noon on Thursday.
The warm weather in the West will slowly spread through the middle of the country next week.
Meanwhile, some areas of Florida will get a break from the cold before cooler temperatures return on Thursday and Friday. Orlando is forecast to top 70 on Wednesday.
Much of Florida remained under a freeze warning on Tuesday morning. A cold weather advisory was also in place for Miami.
On Monday, several cities throughout the Southeast set daily low temperature records, including Gainesville, Florida, which recorded a low of 22; Fayetteville, Arkansas, which saw the temperature plummet to 12; and Greensboro, North Carolina, which got down to 3.
Freezing temperatures are expected to continue in other parts of the East and Northeast this week as another cold blast is expected on Wednesday, Thursday and into the weekend.
Signage at an Apple Store in San Francisco (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Apple has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $250 million after the tech giant was accused of marketing Apple Intelligence technologies that “did not exist” yet, according to a Tuesday court filing.
The settlement paves the way for payouts of up to $95 for iPhone users who purchased eligible devices between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Plaintiffs in the suit asked a judge on Tuesday to approve the settlement, which they described as “within the range of what is fair, reasonable, and adequate,” according to the filing.
The settlement will provide class members up to $95 per device, “depending on claim volume and other factors,” the filing states.
The lawsuit, which was originally filed in March 2025, alleged the iPhone manufacturer “violated consumer protection laws when it advertised its new generation of iPhones as a breakthrough in artificial intelligence (‘AI’), including significant enhancements to Siri, iPhone’s digital assistant,” according to Tuesday’s court filing.
The lawsuit itself specifically accused Apple of introducing Enhanced Siri capabilities — such as AI-powered digital assistant recollection and calendar reminders — even though they “did not exist or were materially misrepresented.”
The plaintiffs also alleged Apple “saturated the market with deceptive ads” promoting that technology, which were “viewed widely by the Public” online and in ad spots during major broadcast events. They alleged that promotion led consumers to buy iPhones due to the perception that Siri had some of those enhanced AI features.
According to Tuesday’s settlement document, Apple has “maintained that its ads were not misleading because it disclosed from the outset the Apple Intelligence features would be delivered over time and continue to evolve.”
The company also “maintained that it successfully delivered more than 20 Apple Intelligence features” and argued that “consumers purchase new iPhones for any number of reasons that have nothing to do with Enhanced Siri features,” the settlement document states.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the settlement in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday.
“Since the launch of Apple Intelligence, we have introduced dozens of features across many languages that are integrated across Apple’s platforms, relevant to what users do every day, and built with privacy protections at every step,” the spokesperson said. “These include Visual Intelligence, Live Translation, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Clean Up and many more.”
They added, “Apple has reached a settlement to resolve claims related to the availability of two additional features. We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.”
The settlement payout applies to a list of iPhone 15 and 16 devices, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, according to Tuesday’s filing.
The document notes there are approximately 37 million eligible devices.
The settlement will apply to those who purchased the eligible devices and “who reside in the United States and purchased an Eligible Device in the United States for purposes other than resale,” according to the document.
During the final school board meeting before graduation, the board recognized senior student representative Kamori Dillard for her outstanding service…
The sun rises over Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, July 10, 2025, in Page, Ariz. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — March 2026 was a historic month for temperatures in the United States, fueled by an extraordinary and prolonged heat wave that shattered temperature records across much of the West, according to a new report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Last month not only shattered the previous March record set in 2012, but it also marked the first time any month has exceeded the long-term average by more than 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Daily record highs were widespread and persistent, especially in the Southwest, where some locations saw over 12 record-setting days. Around one-third of the population, 130 million Americans, saw their single-warmest March day on record.
Remarkably, 10 states recorded their warmest March on record: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Several major cities in the West and Southern Plains also experienced their warmest March on record, many of them by a wide margin, including Dallas, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Phoenix, Arizona, experienced nine 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater days in March. Previously, the city had only experienced one triple-digit day in March since records began in 1895.
Human-amplified climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. It is also causing seasonal shifts, including milder, shorter winter seasons and spring warmth beginning earlier.
For much of the country, March was not only exceptionally warm but exceptionally dry, ranking as the driest March since 2013 across the Lower 48. However, unusually dry conditions have plagued many areas since the start of the year and beyond, with January to March 2026 also ranking as the driest on record.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report released on April 2, nearly 60% of the contiguous U.S. is experiencing drought conditions, an increase of about 5% from the beginning of March. The Lower 48 now has the largest extent of drought since November 2022.
Widespread, persistent drier-than-average conditions in March led to drought expansion and intensification across parts of the country.
Drought conditions worsened significantly in Nebraska last month, contributing to the state’s largest wildfire on record. The Morrill Fire scorched more than 640,000 acres. Florida is enduring its worst drought in 25 years, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, with the dry conditions contributing to a heightened risk of wildfires this spring and prompting water restrictions in parts of the state.
In the western United States, well-above-average temperatures occurred during periods of well-below-average precipitation, which has had dramatic impacts on seasonal snowpack and water resources. With mountain snowpack sharply reduced, the region’s water supplies are facing mounting challenges and wildfire risk is elevated earlier than usual.
The Colorado River provides water for more than 40 million people and fuels hydropower resources in seven states: California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. Major reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin remain well below average, the agency’s latest data shows, heightening concerns about water availability across the region.
Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the United States, is one of them. Water levels have dropped more than 10 feet so far this year and are forecast to continue a gradual decline through the months ahead. Despite the recent drop, the reservoir remains more than 8 feet above its record low set in April 2023. However, current projections suggest that level could be approached, or even challenged again, by late summer if dry conditions persist.
Over the next two weeks, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there is an increased likelihood of near- to above-average precipitation across a large portion of the country, including much of the West, Midwest and South. Near- to below-average precipitation is more likely along the East Coast.
The outlook also indicates an increased probability of above-average temperatures across much of the nation, with the highest chances along the East Coast and in the South.
