Phoenix shatters heat record that has stood for almost 50 years
For the past 21 days, Phoenix has sweltered under temperatures at or above 110 degrees Fahrenheit amid an unrelenting heat wave, shattering a record that has stood for nearly 50 years.
Around noon, local time, on Thursday, the mercury in The Valley of the Sun hit 111 degrees, and it didn't stop there. The temperature in Phoenix had climbed to 118 F by 3 p.m., continuing the streak that started on June 30 in the city. The old record for the number of consecutive 110-degree days was 18 set from June 12-29, 1974.
The streak isn't likely to end anytime soon, however, with AccuWeather forecasters saying the heat will do more than just shatter the previous record.
"This record is forecast to be obliterated, as AccuWeather has 110+ degree F highs forecast every day through at least the middle to latter part of next week," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
People in Phoenix can't escape the record heat even after the sun has set. The low temperature early Wednesday morning was 97 degrees, breaking the record for the highest low temperature in the city's history. The previous record was a low of 96 degrees set on July 15, 2003.
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High temperatures are forecast to remain at or above 110 degrees in Phoenix into next week. (AccuWeather) |
An excessive heat warning, which was issued July 1, continued Tuesday morning across Phoenix as the mercury approached the triple digits once again. The excessive heat warning for Phoenix is set to expire July 22 - if it isn't expanded.
The heat has been taking a serious toll on the health of Phoenix residents, with Valleywise Health Medical Center Communications Director Michael Murphy telling CNN that in some extreme cases, patients have been placed in body bags packed with ice to help cool them off and that the burn center has been "slammed" with patients experiencing contact burns.
Body temperatures of 107 degrees or higher can lead to death or permanent brain damage.
"The heat is taking a major toll," emergency room doctor Frank LoVecchio from Valleywise Health Medical Center told CNN. "The hospital has not been this busy with overflow since a few peaks in the Covid pandemic."
The doctor added that he has seen three to four cases per shift in which patients were at risk of death unless they received emergency treatment.
There have been 12 confirmed heat-associated deaths this season in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located, according to the county's department of public health. Another 55 deaths remain under investigation. Last year, 17 heat-related deaths had been confirmed and 126 remain under investigation.
Heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the U.S., outpacing tornadoes, floods and even hurricanes. As temperatures in Phoenix continue to reach or surpass 110 degrees, more people could experience heat-related illnesses.
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People who are homeless try to cool down with chilled water outside the Justa Center, a day center for homeless people 55 years and older, Friday, July 14, 2023, in downtown Phoenix. During the cooler months, the center stays open until 2 p.m. but has been staying open to at least 5:30 p.m. most days during the current heat spell. The center, located a few blocks from the city's largest homeless shelter, has also been serving as an official hydration station where anyone can stop to get up to two ice-cold bottles of water for free. (AP Photo/Matt York) |
The city of Phoenix and its partners have set up a network of more than 200 cooling centers, hydration stations and respite centers to help residents weather the extreme temperatures, David Hondula, the director of the city's Office of Heat Response and Mitigation told AccuWeather Broadcast Meteorologist Melissa Constanzer.
"And I'd also point to important work for people in their homes. [I'm] thinking about our cooling ordinance that protects renters to ensure their homes are safe and longer term investments we're trying to make in home weatherization and energy assistance," Hondula said. "There really does take a lot of different programs and strategies to keep people safe in all the different circumstances they find themselves in during our dangerous heat."
Air quality has also dropped to poor conditions with the stagnant air over the city.
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A digital billboard displays an unofficial temperature, Monday, July 17, 2023, in downtown Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) |
Phoenix isn't the only area impacted by brutal heat at the moment. A relentless heat wave has swept across the Southwest and expanded its reach farther east, driving high temperatures from Southern California to northwest Mississippi. Across this area, excessive heat warnings cover over 33 million people and heat advisories cover another 46 million, according to the National Weather Service.
At least 12 sites, including Phoenix, broke or tied a daily high record Monday, adding to the more than 1,500 record-high temperatures recorded in the U.S. so far this month, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Phoenix tied its previous daily high-temperature record of 116 degrees on July 17, set in 2005.
Even with the streak in Phoenix forecast to come to an end late next week, temperatures aren't likely to bring relief. The mercury may rise to 109 degrees on July 29, and could linger in the high 90s into the start of August.
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