Palm Springs area weather: More record highs expected this week as heat wave lingers

Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun
Updated ·3 min read

A record-breaking heat wave in the Coachella Valley — with temperatures well above average, even for summer months — is set to linger for a few more days this week, with daily highs expected to approach all-time extremes through Thursday.

Palm Springs hit 122 degrees on Monday, marking its hottest temperature ever recorded on July 8, just days after the city broke its all-time record with 124 degrees recorded on July 5.

The daily record seemed safe Tuesday. While the National Weather Service was forecasting a high of 120 degrees that would have tied the daily record for July 9 set in 1958, the temperature at Palm Springs International Airport was hovering at 115 as of 3:30 p.m.

Temperatures in Palm Springs later in the day weren't immediately posted to the weather service's website, but the high for the day at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal was recorded as 113.

Another daily record could still be in store later this week. The record for July 10 is also 120 degrees, set in 2021, while the all-time record for July 11 is 121, with forecasters expecting both days to challenge for those all-time marks.

“Basically, the next three days, we’re forecasting a tie of record highs for the day,” Alex Tardy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s San Diego office, said on Tuesday.  “To put it in context, that’s about 11 to 12 degrees above normal. I know a lot of times people say, ‘Wow, it’s hot in Palm Springs. It’s always hot in July.’ But that’s 11 to 12 degrees above normal.”

With the weather service forecasting highs approaching 120 degrees through Thursday, a slight drop in temperatures down to 110-degree highs is expected over the weekend as a lingering heat dome moves east away from the valley.

19 consecutive days of at least 110 degrees

While scorching temperatures are the norm during the summer, Palm Springs has seen a recent streak of extreme heat unlike anything in more than half a century: As of Tuesday afternoon, the city has seen 19 consecutive days of reaching at least 110 degrees. That’s second place all-time, trailing only a 27-day streak recorded in 1959.

“Whether or not we drop below 110 is really the main question for this weekend," Tardy said. "It’s going to be close.”

The daily lows, which have recently hovered between 85 and 90 degrees, will also dip slightly over the weekend, though Tardy said people likely won’t notice it due to a slight uptick in humidity. An extreme heat warning has been issued until 9 p.m. Friday.

Retired veteran Lawrence Sing, 66, of Desert Hot Springs pulls a haul of recyclable bottles and cans to redeem for supplemental income in Palm Springs, Calif., on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. "I'm a jock. You've got to acclimate to this heat. This is just like running or exercising," said Sing, who works until noon, 3-5 days a week recycling.
Retired veteran Lawrence Sing, 66, of Desert Hot Springs pulls a haul of recyclable bottles and cans to redeem for supplemental income in Palm Springs, Calif., on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. "I'm a jock. You've got to acclimate to this heat. This is just like running or exercising," said Sing, who works until noon, 3-5 days a week recycling.

“Anyone doing outdoor activities is going to be affected, no matter who they are,” Tardy said.

Following the weekend’s slight reprieve — if one can call it that — temperatures are expected to tick back up through the middle of July.

For those in need of daytime shelter during the heat wave, several cooling centers are open across the Coachella Valley. A map of the facilities can be found at capriverside.org/cool-centers.

More: Palm Springs sets an all-time high of 124 degrees

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs area weather: Forecast and record highs