FIRST ALERT ACTION DAY: Desert Southwest follows up historical heat with another scorching day

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Desert Southwest got some national recognition on Thursday, setting the record for the hottest recorded day in March in the history of the nation.

The area just outside of Martinez Lake recorded a temperature of 110°F to beat the previous month-of-March record of 108°F, according to the National Weather Service.

Not only that, we're going to see a mirror image in temps Friday. Yuma is expected to reach up to 107°F at its peak temperatures, while El Centro will clock in just a tick below at 106°F. These will blow by the current records of 99°F in Yuma and 98°F in El Centro - both set in 2004.

We remain in an extreme heat warning through Sunday evening at 8 p.m.

With that being said, it is highly recommended to avoid the outdoors during the afternoon unless necessary. If possible, reschedule any activities that will take place outside for a prolonged period of time.

Try to keep water with you at all times and stay hydrated throughout the day. Dress in lightweight and loose-fitting clothes to allow for more air circulation and quicker evaporation of sweat.

Make sure to keep an eye out for early signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. These can include thirst and muscle cramps.

Heat exhaustion may include cool, moist, pale skin; headache; dizziness; weakness or exhaustion; or nausea.

More serious conditions include vomiting, having a throbbing headache, confusion, decreased alertness or loss of consciousness.

Heading into the evening, temperatures are expected to start to decline around 5:30 p.m. and will drop into the double digits by 7:30 p.m.

Our overnight lows will hover in the low 70s to upper 60s.