Phoenix hits 110 degrees for the 19th day in a row, setting national record

Lorenzino Estrada and Fernando Cervantes Jr., Arizona Republic
Updated ·5 min read
15

Phoenix has broken the record for most consecutive days at 110 degrees or higher.

Now at 19 straight days with temperatures at or above 110 degrees, this breaks the previous record set in 1974.

The forecast high of 116 degrees on Tuesday would also break the record high for the date set in 1989, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that the temperature at Sky Harbor International Airport ultimately reached 118 degrees. It's the highest temperature Phoenix has reached so far this year, though it reached 118 degrees before on July 15.

Temperatures are not expected to let up in Phoenix, with temperatures forecast to be above 110 degrees for the remainder of the week.

National Weather Service meteorologist Sean Benedict spoke on the causes of the current elevated temperatures in the area.

“We're able to really heat up when we're not having the moisture and the storms, we're getting 5 to 10 degrees above normal in some cases,” Benedict said.

Unprecedented heat

According to Kenneth Kunkel, an atmospheric scientist at North Carolina State University, the current heat wave that Phoenix has seen has been unprecedented, not only here but nationally.

“If you look at large U.S. cities, this particular heat wave by a couple of metrics seems to be unprecedented,” Kunkel said. “We're now on the ninth day that Phoenix has not fallen under 90 degrees at night; that's a record for larger U.S. cities.”

The only other place in the country with a longer record is the small city of Needles, California, on the Arizona-California border with a streak of 11 days with lows above 90.

“For larger U.S. cities, this current heat wave is unprecedented," Kunkel said.

Global warming is only heating things up

Although a high-pressure system is currently causing this relentless heat wave across parts of the Southwest, Kunkel also believes global warming is adding more ingredients to the mix.

“Certainly overall global warming is probably adding some to this,” Kunkel said. “We’ve seen certainly in the Southwest a trend over the last two to three decades of ever-warming temperatures."

Arizona breaks records

Tuesday’s record is only one in a long list of weather records that have been shattered by the state during the last couple of weeks. Here are all of the various records that recent scorching temperatures have broken or tied in the last couple of weeks:

Tuesday afternoon also saw another scorching record being broken with the high-reaching 116 degrees, breaking a 34-year-old record of 115 set back in 1989.

Tuesday morning in Phoenix, the daily low was 94 degrees, 9 degrees hotter than normal and breaking the record-warm low for the day.

On Monday, the record for the longest stretch of consecutive days with lows of 90 degrees and above was broken, with the previous record being seven straight days. As of Tuesday, the record continues to be extended to nine days.

Tucson had a similar record-breaking streak, with last Friday seeing the Tucson airport recording a low temperature above 85 degrees for the fourth day in a row. The previous record was for three days.

July 8 saw the Phoenix area break the record for most days under an excessive heat warning. The previous record was of eight days, with the current streak more than doubling the previous record. The area has been under such warning since July 1 and is currently in place until at least Friday night.

July 10 saw Tucson break the same record but only by a few hours. Their warning lasted for almost seven days, instead lasting for six days, 16 hours from July 2 to July 9. The previous record was less than three years old, being set in August 2020 when the warning lasted for six days and 10 hours.

Last Thursday, a daily record was broken, with the high temperature recorded at Sky Harbor Airport being 114 degrees. This was seven degrees above normal and tying a record set in 2020.

During the weekend, on Saturday, the record high for that day was tied in Phoenix with the temperature reaching a boiling 118 degrees.

Nine different places in Arizona including Flagstaff, Payson, and Page set a new daily record high on Sunday. The Flagstaff Airport was one degree short from tying its all-time record high of 97 degrees.

Tucson broke a daily high record on Sunday, reaching 111 degrees and also surpassing the previous record by one degree.

Weather: All the records Arizona's heat has broken this month; this week's forecast

Hot weather tips

The Arizona Department of Health Services provided tips to prevent heat-related illness:

  • Drink water: It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day if people are staying inside all day. Those who spend time outdoors should drink 1 to 2 liters per hour they are outside.

  • Dress for the heat: wear light-weight and light-colored clothing. Sunscreen should always be applied to exposed skin and it is recommended to wear a hat or use an umbrella when outdoors.

  • Eat small meals and eat more often: They recommend avoiding foods high in protein that increase metabolic heat

  • Monitor those at risk: Check on friends, family or others for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

  • Slow down and avoid strenuous activity: It is recommended to only do strenuous activity during the coolest hours of the day, between 4 and 7 a.m.

  • Stay indoors

  • Take breaks when engaged in physical activity: Take a break in a cool place when doing activity outside on a hot day.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix hits 110 degrees for record 19th day in a row