Excessive heat: Bay Area among hottest spots in U.S., maybe planet?

OAKLAND, Calif. - Bay Area temperatures this week were among the hottest in the nation and possibly even on the planet. 

KTVU meteorologist Roberta Gonzales pointed out that Livermore, Calif. topped a record-breaking 116 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, while Palm Springs, Calif. in Riverside County, and Phoenix, Ariz., both reached 114 and Las Vegas hit 111 degrees. 

Death Valley in eastern California near the Mojave Desert was the only place that was hotter, at 118 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. 

Throughout the Bay Area, cities set record-breaking temps on Monday: Santa Rosa reached 115 degrees, breaking the old record of 113 degrees; Napa hit 114 degrees, breaking the old record of 113 degrees: and San Jose hit 109 degrees, breaking its old record of 108 degrees.

The searing heat slowed down BART, threatened rolling blackouts and caused many – especially those without air conditioning - to nearly wilt.

Gonzales said that Wednesday's temps will drop by about 15 degrees, but that it will still be in the 90s and the triple digits through the weekend.