America’s hottest city: Phoenix adapts to life in the heat
Phoenix has always been hot. People survive the heat, if they’re lucky, by adapting.
The Republic
Phoenix broke another heat record on Tuesday, reaching at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 100 consecutive days since May 27. The previous record was 76 days in 1993, and the forecast shows no end to the triple-digit heat days.
But it’s not just Phoenix. The many Arizonans who escape the desert heat for the temperate highlands each year probably didn’t find much relief there this season.
This was the hottest summer on record not only in Phoenix, but also in Flagstaff, Winslow, Kingman Douglas and Tucson.
“For most of the state, it’s looking like the hottest summer on record,” said Sean Benedict, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Phoenix. “There were several places in Arizona that set the record for hottest summer.”
According to the National Weather Service, Phoenix ended the summer with an average temperature of 98.9 degrees, nearly 2 degrees higher than last year’s record. Yuma’s average temperature was 95.7 degrees, Kingman 86, Flagstaff 68.4 and Winslow 80.7 – all of which broke summer heat records.
Tucson and Douglas kept up with previous records; Tucson’s average temperature was 90 degrees, the same as in 2020, and Douglas’ average temperature was 81.2 degrees, on par with the summers of 2011 and 1994.
While most of Arizona was extremely hot, some areas saw temperatures closer to normal. Benedict said cities in southeastern and northeastern Arizona still saw temperatures above average, but without as much variation.
When it comes to summer heat, Phoenix comes out on top for several reasons, most notably the urban heat island effect.
Urban areas are often significantly warmer than rural areas because buildings, roads and infrastructure absorb and release heat from the sun, contributing to higher morning minimum temperatures.
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Dry summer heats up highlands
But rural and high-altitude areas were also affected by the record heat.
Michael Crimmins, a climatologist at the University of Arizona, believes isolated thunderstorms during the monsoon season are partly to blame. When widespread monsoon activity brings rainfall to the state, it can trigger a heat wave.
“The high country is usually pretty wet, but it’s going to have one of the driest summers on record,” Crimmins said. “We’ve just been very unlucky, and when it doesn’t rain in the high country, it gets pretty warm.”
“Even in smaller cities like Wilcox and even Flagstaff, the summers are very hot and there is no such urbanization,” he added.
Climate change plays a role, as a warming atmosphere contributes to higher average temperatures and longer heat waves.
Last summer in Arizona made international headlines with its scorching temperatures in July and August. But this time of year had one advantage: June was a record-breaking hot month, so the heat continued throughout the summer.
“This year we didn’t have quite as extreme daily high temperatures, but the temperatures persisted,” Benedict said. “This year we had a record hot June, so it started early this year and it persisted.”
No relaxation in early September
The beginning of meteorological autumn will still be hot. Climatologists expect a hotter than normal season, although it will eventually get cooler.
“There will still be a change of seasons. It will be cooler, but perhaps not as much as normal,” Benedict said.
He predicts that Phoenix will see temperatures above 100 degrees over the next week or two, and then the region will see days of 100 degrees into October, continuing the streak of triple-digit highs and adding to the new record.
“Morning lows should be a little better, but overall there’s a good chance there will be an above-average drop,” Benedict said.
Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email her story tips to [email protected].
