There are at least two months left of Phoenix summer, and according to National Weather Service data, the heat this year has already smashed multiple long-standing records. It's a sign of Phoenix's warming climate and a reminder of the challenges the extreme heat poses for the city, which research has shown could face a major crisis if it experienced a blackout during the summer.
And, if the forecast is to be believed, there's no end in sight for the current blistering heat wave. So, before the city breaks another record, here’s a look at the ones it has already surpassed.
Record streak of days hotter than 110 degrees
Every single day so far in the month of July, the high temperature — as recorded by the National Weather Service at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport — has been 110 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. On July 18, the city broke the record for most consecutive days above 110 degree. The previous record was set in June 1974, when temperatures hovered at or above 110 for 18 days in a row. According to meteorologists, the streak is likely to continue through this week. (Friday marked 22 days in a row.)
"Right now, the forecast is for that to continue for the next several days," said Sean Benedict, a lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
Nights in Phoenix don't provide much respite from the heat, either. The city also is experiencing a string of days with a low temperature of 90 degrees or higher. As of July 20, for the last 11 days, lows have not dipped below 90 — putting the city on track to meet or exceed the record for lows above 90, which was an 11-day streak back in 2020.
According to NWS data, July 19 tied for the fourth-hottest day in Phoenix of all time.
National Weather Service
Hottest day in Phoenix since 2017
The thermometer at Sky Harbor recorded a whopping 119 degrees on July 19 — the city's hottest single day since June 20, 2017. July 19 also tied for the fourth-hottest day in Phoenix of all time, according to NWS data. Only on three days — two in June 1990 and one in July 1995 — has the temperature in Phoenix reached 120 or above.
And by some measures, the temperature set a new record. With a high of 119 degrees and a low of 97, the average daily temperature on July 19 — 108 degrees — was the highest average daily temperature ever recorded in Phoenix, according to NWS.
The previous record set on June 26, 1990, was 106.5 degrees.
Highest low temperature in Phoenix — ever
Temperatures on July 19 did not dip below 97 degrees Fahrenheit, setting yet another record: the highest low temperature recorded."The previous all-time record was 96 degrees for a low," Benedict said. He and his team had seen it coming. "Just in the last few days, we've hit 95 degrees for lows a couple of times, so it was not surprising," he noted.
The old high-low record was set back on July 15, 2003 when the overnight low was 96 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is there an end to the heat in sight?
How long will this summer's record-breaking heat wave continue? The forecast shows temperatures staying above 110 for the next few days, at least. And regardless, this summer is set to be hotter and drier than average. "The outlook for the summer is for below-normal precipitation," Benedict said.But as the monsoon season starts to get underway, the storms may help the heat break — at least in part. "In Phoenix, that's what we're hoping for at this point. The storms to get here and stymie the heat," Benedict added.
The monsoon season has been active, he explained, but it has not yet reached far enough into the city to have a tangible impact on Phoenix heat. Instead, the storms have stayed in the southeastern outskirts of the city. And across the state, Benedict added, storms have been slow to get started.
For now, the advice of Benedict and other experts is to practice heat safety. Stay inside when you can, and stay hydrated. There are still a couple months — and maybe a few more broken records — before the summer is done.
