Barely into spring, Phoenix flirts with first triple-digit heat day of 2025
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix flirted with its first 100-degree day of the year on Tuesday, though it fell just short of that milestone.
The metro area was expected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) on Tuesday, but the forecasted high temperature was later revised to 98 degrees (36.6 Celsius).
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ended up recording 99 degrees (37.2 Celsius) around 2 p.m. Tuesday, breaking record set for this day in 2022 when it reached 96 degrees (35.5 Celsius).
'It's unseasonable, but it's not something people should be concerned about,' said Alicia Ryan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
The year 2024 marked another record-breaking summer of heat in Phoenix. A heat wave that stretched into October saw Phoenix set an annual record of 70 days with the highs reaching or passing 110 degrees (43.3 Celsius).
Maricopa County public health officials say that 602 heat-related deaths were confirmed for 2024, with another eight deaths being investigated for possible heat causes, according to a preliminary report issued by the county, which has about 4.5 million residents. Officials say those numbers represent the first decrease in heat deaths since 2014.
The metro area is expected to reach the low 90s (32 plus Celsius) on Wednesday and Thursday as it sees more cloud cover, followed a drop to the 80s (26 plus Celsius) over the weekend.
'I'm a little sad about it just because we know that, you know, our hottest months are coming up,' Camille Ridley said outside the Arizona statehouse on Tuesday. 'And after last year's extended summer season, it's a little melancholy. But I do know this shall pass, as we've got 80s coming in any day now.'
High school students Jose Mejia and Eric Galvan both had an independent study days and decided to meet at a park in central Phoenix to go for a walk. Within 10 minutes they high-tailed it out of the 95-degree (35 Celsius) heat.
'We just tried to have fun outside,' Mejia said. 'It's pretty hot outside.'
Galvan knew it would be sweltering but did not expect it to be so intense.
'A few days ago, it was like pretty normal temperatures,' Galvan said. 'It's kind of crazy. If you remember last year, it was 80 degrees by this month. It keeps increasing.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
12 hours ago
- Axios
New Orleans hits 110°F heat index and it's just the beginning
This summer has a 50% chance of being hotter than average in New Orleans and most of Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center. Why it matters: Extreme heat is a major public health threat. It also threatens the reliability of the power grid. The big picture: New Orleans over the weekend had its first heat advisory of the season. New Orleans tied the high temp record on Saturday of 95°F. The "feels like" temp was 110°F at the airport and lakefront, according to the National Weather Service in Slidell. Temperatures are expected to be in the high-80s and low-90s all week, with daily thunderstorms possible, NWS says. The cloud cover should keep the "feels like" temp around 108°F. Yes, but: This is just the start. July and August are historically the hottest months of the year in New Orleans. Threat level: The heat has already been deadly this year. A toddler died Sunday in Hammond after being left in a hot car for more than nine hours, authorities say. Last year, 51 people died in Louisiana from heat-related causes, according to the state health department. How to protect yourself: If you are outside in the heat, drink plenty of water, wear lightweight clothes, apply sunscreen and take frequent breaks in the shade or AC, officials say. Summer's getting hotter Zoom out: Like most of the country, summer has been getting hotter in New Orleans over the past 50 years, a recently updated analysis found. The average summer temperature in New Orleans is now 4°F hotter than it was in 1970, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit climate research and communications group, using NOAA data through 2024. Zoom out: On top of rising overall temperatures, New Orleans is the among the worst " heat island" communities among all major U.S. metros, according to Climate Central. 77% of New Orleanians live in urban heat island neighborhoods, the group says. New Orleans can be more than 8°F warmer than surrounding tree-covered communities, mostly due to a lack of permeable surface. Go deeper. How to cool off Go deeper
New York Times
15 hours ago
- New York Times
Storms Are Expected in Washington, D.C., on Saturday
There is a significant chance of rain across the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday, the National Weather Service said, and thunderstorms late in the afternoon or evening could coincide with events near the National Mall to mark the U.S. Army's 250th birthday. Thunderstorms can bring a variety of threats, including hail, lightning and damaging winds. Jeremy Geiger, a meteorologist at the Weather Service office that covers Baltimore and Washington, said the agency predicted up to an 80 percent chance of rain during the afternoon and evening. 'I think it's going to rain based on everything I'm seeing, but there is a small chance that it just misses parts of the District,' Mr. Geiger said on Saturday morning. Conditions are expected to be cloudy and humid for much of the day, with a high temperature of about 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Skies were cloudy on Saturday morning but conditions were dry. Scattered thunderstorms will come from northern Maryland as the day progresses, and it's difficult to predict their exact trajectory and where the heaviest impact will be, Mr. Geiger said. 'It could be anywhere within a 50-mile area from just south of D.C. up to Baltimore,' he said. Rainfall amounts are mostly likely to range from a half inch to 1.5 inches, but Mr. Geiger said there's a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' of 2 to 4 inches, possibly even up to 6 inches, if the capital falls within the bull's-eye of the heaviest thunderstorms. Forecast risk of severe storms for Saturday Some Moderate High Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
USA Today
15 hours ago
- USA Today
Bonnaroo Music Festival canceled due to severe weather, flooding: Refunds and info
Bonnaroo Music Festival canceled due to severe weather, flooding: Refunds and info Show Caption Hide Caption Coachella campers face festival traffic nightmare Coachella campers arrived ahead of the start of the famed festival only to face massive traffic lines. The 2025 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival was canceled after one day due to severe weather and flooding. Heavy rainfall swamped the main venue, Centeroo, forcing the evacuation of attendees. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2025 organizers have canceled the remaining three days of the buzzy annual event. Severe weather and flooding forced Bonnaroo officials to announce on June 13 that they were canceling the weekend portions of the festival. In a statement released the same day on Bonnaroo's official website and social media pages, organizers said they were "beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo." "We have put our hearts and souls into making this weekend the most special one of the year, and cannot express how crushed we are to have to make this decision," they said in their statement. "Thank you in advance for your patience, your positivity and your unfailing Bonnaroovian spirit." Bonnaroo 2025 canceled: Officials call off shows after severe weather swamps grounds Initially, festival officials suspended shows around 1 p.m. local before evacuating Centeroo — the main performance venue with six stages, soon after. For the next six hours, the inclement weather ranged from gentle showers to torrential thunderstorms. The weather dropped just about an inch of rain on Bonnarroo's hometown of Manchester, Tennessee — around an hour outside Nashville — according to the National Weather Service. The rainfall swamped Centeroo and the areas around the main stages. Attendees mud wrestled even during rain delays in mucky conditions. The only headliner to perform was country hitmaker Luke Combs on Thursday, who made history as the festival's first-ever country headliner. During his rousing set, he brought out three-time Grammy winner Miranda Lambert for support and performed a slew of hits. Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier were set to helm the remaining days. Bonnaroo refunds: What ticket holders can expect In their statement, Bonnaroo officials vowed to "make things right" with festivalgoers and said all one-day Friday, Saturday and Sunday admission tickets and parking purchased via Front Gate Tickets will be refunded. All four-day admission tickets and camping accommodations will receive a 75% refund. "All refunds will be processed in as little as 30 days" to the customer's original payment method, according to a refund fact sheet. Contributing: Melonee Hunt
