An extreme heat warning remains in effect in the Phoenix area through Saturday evening.
Phoenix broke daily heat records Tuesday and Wednesday this week with highs of 115 and 117.
The National Weather Service forecasts high temperatures of 114 degrees Thursday, 113 degrees Friday and 109 degrees Saturday, with low temperatures around 90 degrees each of those days.
Temperatures are expected to drop into to the low-100s starting Sunday, which is closer to average for this time of year.
By Saturday, Phoenix will have had 44 extreme heat warning days in 2026 — the most to-date for a single year. Dangerous temperatures began earlier than ever this year in Phoenix, with the year's first extreme heat warning issued starting March 19.
Even though extreme heat warnings have been very frequent this year, they should still be taken seriously, said David Hondula, director of Phoenix’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation.
“It’s been a long summer and we’ve been hearing messages over and over about being mindful of how our own bodies are doing, checking in on others, but now is really a time to double-down on that messaging, on that vigilance,” Hondula said.
Maricopa County officials have confirmed 113 heat-related deaths so far this year. Another 584 deaths remain under investigation as potentially heat-related. Those numbers are far higher than at the same point last year.
Hondula noted this is a time of year when many people are changing routines, which may expose them to heat in ways they are not used to.
“We have many folks who are newly coming into the region or back to the region with the start of the school year, start of the college year, folks have different activity schedules,” Hondula said. “That’s all the more reason to be vigilant.”
The National Weather Service issues extreme heat warnings when heat is intense enough to pose major health risks to most people. But the threshold for declaring an extreme heat warning varies, depending on the average temperature for the time of year.
“A temperature of 105 in May will seem hot, whereas the same temperature in June or July will not seem as hot because our bodies have acclimated to the heat. Hence, there is not one single, constant temperature used to determine when an alert will be issued,” the National Weather Service website states.
Dr. Nick Staab, medical director for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, told KJZZ’s “The Show,” everyone in the Valley should have a plan for staying safe in extreme heat.
“You need to stay hydrated, you need to be drinking before you get thirsty, you need to be safe about the heat — making sure that you're staying indoors during the hottest part of the day and if you are doing outdoor activities, that you’re doing it wisely,” Staab said. “And this needs to be a community effort, we need to think about friends and family and people who are at high risk.”
People without 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.
Metro Phoenix forecast from NWS
Friday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 111. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between midnight and 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 89. West wind around 5 mph becoming east southeast after midnight.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 108. East wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 87. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast after midnight.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 104. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 82. South wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 102. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 83. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 103. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 84. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
