Phoenix is not only one of the hottest cities in America — it’s also one of the fastest-warming, according to a new analysis from the climate research group Climate Central.
Climate Central reports human-caused climate change has driven temperatures up about 2.8 degrees across the U.S. since 1970. In Phoenix, temperatures have risen about 4.6 degrees in the same timeframe. Among more than 200 cities analyzed, Phoenix’s temperature increase was 12th-highest.
Climate Central senior research associate Kaitlyn Trudeau said that’s alarming, because temperatures in Phoenix are so hot to begin with.
“Warming is incredibly dangerous for many reasons. Heat kills more people in the U.S. than any other type of extreme weather — more than hurricanes, more than wildfires — especially in Phoenix,” Trudeau said.
Heat-related deaths in metro Phoenix have skyrocketed in the last decade. In 2014, 61 people died from heat-related causes in Maricopa County. In 2024, there were 602 heat deaths.
Trudeau noted Phoenix saw numerous heat records shattered in 2024.
“These have really significant consequences, especially for our health, but also when we’re talking about our economy, when we can travel, and just things in our day-to-day life,” Trudeau said. “I think it’s really important to pay attention to this.”
Climate Central reports greenhouse gas emissions are driving the warming trend nationwide. Trudeau said population growth, latitude, and geographical features have made Phoenix even more susceptible to increases in heat.
“When you look at regions of the U.S., the Southwest is by far warming the fastest,” Trudeau said.
