2025 ties with 1991 for the hottest February on record, weather service says
2025 is already setting weather records as February tied for the hottest February in Phoenix on record, according to the National Weather Service.
Spring arrived early with above-normal temperatures throughout the month. The average temperature in February was 66 degrees, a 6.1-degree departure from normal at 59.9 degrees. This year tied with 1991 for the hottest February on record.
'We were just sitting under a ridge of high pressure, allowing temperatures to keep rising and rising,' said Alicia Ryan, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Phoenix.
High-pressure systems can cause warmer temperatures as air compresses, and there are typically fewer clouds, allowing more direct sunlight to reach the ground.
This winter's La Niña also could have played a role. La Niña is a climatological pattern stemming from the Pacific Ocean that tends to create drier and warmer conditions than usual in the Southwest.
During a La Niña cycle, cooler temperatures in the Pacific Ocean trigger a chain reaction of weather events around the world, affecting temperature and precipitation.
While February was warmer than normal, Phoenix will cool slightly this week as two low-pressure systems will move through the region.
The high temperatures in the beginning and end of the week will be in the 60s and as low as the 40s overnight. There will be a slight warm-up midweek between systems.
'Now we're seeing that ridge pattern breaking, and that's why we're getting a little bit of the cooler temperatures,' Ryan said.
Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email her with story tips at hayleigh.evans@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: February 2025 was one of the hottest in Phoenix ever, tying with 1991
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
14 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
17 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
17 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
