The extreme heat warning in effect in the Phoenix area has been extended at least through next Friday, Aug. 28.
National Weather Service Phoenix office lead meteorologist Matt Salerno said an especially strong high pressure system is continuing to push high temperatures to 110 degrees or higher.
“We’re going to have a drier environment, a lot less cloud cover, and a lot of full sunshine. So that, in combination with the high pressure, is going to induce the strong heating we’re seeing across the desert,” Salerno said.
Salerno said it could be early September before Phoenix gets a break from the intense temperatures.
“Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to be seeing these extreme heat conditions lasting through the end of next week and potentially into next weekend,” Salerno said. “There is some sign that maybe by the beginning of next month we could see a pattern change.”
The climate research organization Climate Central ranks the extreme conditions forecast for this week across the Southwest at the highest end of its Climate Shift Index Scale, meaning these temperatures were rarer in the past, but have been made at least five times likelier because of human-caused climate change.
Heat is the top weather-related killer in the U.S. The National Weather Service warns the relentless heat in the week ahead poses a health risk to all people — not just sensitive groups.
“Everyone is basically impacted by this level of heat,” Salerno said. “It has to do with not only the daily high temperatures, but the overnight low temperatures as well because we’re not cooling off at night, we’re still seeing these temperatures in the 90s for Phoenix.”
The National Weather Service encourages Arizonans to stay in air conditioning and stay hydrated during extreme heat.
People lacking access to air conditioning in Maricopa County can arrange free transportation to cooling centers or get connected with other heat relief services by calling 211.
Maricopa County has confirmed 81 heat-related deaths so far in 2026, and more than 500 possible heat-related deaths are under investigation.
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