Phoenix hits 115 degrees, the hottest day of the year so far; excessive heat warning in 11 counties

Metro Phoenix residents will need to find more ways to cool down during the next several days as triple-digit high temperatures continue to bear down on people.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for 11 counties in the state.  The temperature hit 115 degrees at Sky Harbor Airport on Sunday afternoon, making the hottest day of the year so far.

The heat warning will continue through July 4 for lower desert areas of Arizona and California, the service said on Twitter on Sunday. The National Weather Service in Phoenix is forecasting 116 degrees for Monday, just two degrees off the record high for that date set in 1907, before temperatures drop a few degrees for the next three days.

“The normal high temperature for this time of year is 107, so we’re generally gonna be probably about 5 to 8 degrees above normal," said Matthew Hirsch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based in Phoenix.

Among the effects that people can experience from staying in high temperatures for too long include heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke.

Counties with an excessive heat warning:

Mohave County: July 1-3
La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yuma counties: July 1-4
Coconino County: July 1-5
Yavapai County: July 2-3
Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties: July 2-4

Associated Press contributed to this report.