The National Weather Service has issued another extreme heat warning for the Phoenix area. This one is in effect Tuesday through Thursday.
If you feel like there have been a lot of extreme heat warnings this year, you’re right.
2026 is on track to be the hottest year on the books in Phoenix. By the end of this week’s extreme heat event, Phoenix will have had 47 heat warning days this year. That’s just one day shy of the record set in 2020, when there were 48 days of warnings, National Weather Service records show.
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.
This week, daytime highs up to 109 degrees are expected, which is well above normal for early September. Overnight low temperatures are forecast to be up to 89 degrees, which would be record territory.
Heat is the top weather-related killer in the U.S. Heat has contributed to at least 136 deaths in Maricopa County this year, and hundreds more deaths remain under investigation.
The National Weather Service recommends taking precautions in extreme heat.
“When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening,” the agency warns. “Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water.”
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.
More unseasonably warm weather could be on the way in the months ahead. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center shows most of the U.S., including Arizona, is likely to see above-average temperatures throughout the fall.
-
The department’s first e-bike teams were deployed last month to enable rescue teams to get to rural areas with rugged terrain more quickly. The e-bikes can carry medical supplies and rescue equipment to allow firefighters to provide necessary care and manage rescue operations while waiting for additional crews. -
ASU is retaining a former Arizona Supreme Court justice to review policies after a hockey practice left a player hospitalized. But the student’s family says the university’s response falls short. -
The state board that oversees Arizona’s public universities is weighing what to do in response to an Arizona State University hockey practice that left a student on life support. -
The EPA repealed its greenhouse gas emission limits from power plants in September, but Arizona and about 20 other states say that was illegal. -
Arizona State University is placing its head hockey coach on paid administrative leave. This comes after a student athlete collapsed from life-threatening heatstroke during the team’s first coach-led practice in August.
