August is already on-track to be one of the hottest ever in the Valley.
An extreme heat warning remains in effect for the Phoenix area through Tuesday evening. Temperatures have passed the 110-degree mark every day so far this month except one.
National Weather Service meteorologist Sean Benedict said those highs are well above-normal for this time of year.
“So far this August, for the first 10 days, it is actually the hottest start that we’ve seen on record,” Benedict said.
Benedict said some relief may be on the way.
“As we head into the end of the week we get a little bit of a change in the pattern, and that will start to cool us down, we’ll also get a bit of moisture, so we’re actually looking at high temperatures dropping to around 104 to 106 for the end of the week,” Benedict said.
Benedict said the chances for monsoon activity start to look slightly more favorable heading into next week as well.
But overall, it has been a very warm and dry summer. Typically about 21 days per year in Phoenix get above 110. As of Monday, 30 days have already been that hot this year, with more 110s still in the forecast.
Metro Phoenix forecast
Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 111 and low of 89. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 110 and low around 88. A 10% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 p.m.
Thursday: A 30% chance of showers in the afternoon and 40% chance in the evening. A high near 109 and low of 85.
Friday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and 50% chance in the evening. A high near 105 and low around 84.
Saturday: A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. A high near 102 and a low around 84.
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The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat watch for the Phoenix area Monday through Wednesday. -
Schools across Arizona are starting back up for the year. Some start this week, while others have already been in class for a few days already. And despite the relative cooldown to start this week, it’s still plenty hot out. -
In the future, Phoenix will not only see more intense high temperatures, but longer heat seasons, climate projections show. -
On the hottest days, thinner air can make it harder for aircraft to get off the ground safely. Airlines may have to lighten the load by removing passengers or cargo, or carrying less fuel. -
Americans are increasingly feeling a personal impact from extreme heat, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
