Roasting: Phoenix breaks yet another daily heat record
Jun 20, 2016, 3:36 PM | Updated: Jun 21, 2016, 11:17 am
A home builder works at sunrise, Monday, June 20, 2016, in Gilbert, Ariz., in an effort to beat the rising temperatures. The National Weather Service is expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX — Phoenix’s recent habit of breaking daily heat records continued Monday, as the city saw temperatures soar to higher than 115 degrees.
3p: Phoenix has set a new daily high record for the date…Just hit 116F! #AZheat #azwx
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) June 20, 2016
The 116-degree heat was a record for June 20.
The city was in the midst of a brutal heat wave that saw weekend temperatures flirt with 120 degrees. Sunday was the warmest day of the weekend, with the mercury topping out at 118 degrees. It was also a daily record and the fifth-hottest day in Phoenix history.
The extreme weather was expected to continue through Wednesday night. An excessive heat warning was issued by the weather service.
Under such an order, people are urged to stay indoors — especially during the hottest parts of the day — and to drink plenty of water.
The heat proved fatal for five people in Arizona, most of whom died on a hiking trail.
Despite the high temperatures, officials decided to not close hiking trails. They have never been closed because of heat.
A flight from Houston to Phoenix was reportedly forced to head back to Texas because of the heat on Sunday. Passengers were put on a flight scheduled to land Monday.
June has been a hot month in Phoenix. Several heat records have fallen, including a streak of four daily heat records between June 3-6.
