Almost there: Arizona in the homestretch of brutal heat wave

PHOENIX — Arizona is just days away from escaping a brutal heat wave that has sent afternoon temperatures as high as 119 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologist Hector Vasquez said the brewing monsoon season weather could begin its annual push into the state early next week, which should cool things off a few degrees.

“There’s some signs of thunderstorm activity over southeast Arizona maybe by Monday and it could send some outflow boundaries north toward Phoenix and the moisture will really increase and that will affect our high temperatures,” he said.

Vasquez said Phoenix high temperatures should drop just below 110 degrees next week.

“If we do get some moisture next week, those temperatures could drop a few more agrees to about 107, 108,” he said.

Though no rain is in the forecast, Vasquez said the building moisture in the air should start sending storms into Arizona either next week or the week after.

“Once the moisture gets developed — there’s a lot of thunderstorms over northern Mexico — and then in the first week or second week of July, then it starts to move in,” he said.

But before the heat wave calls it quits, it should make one more big push.

“[Friday], a high temperature about 112 here in Phoenix and then (we’re) forecasting temperatures to go back up to 115 Saturday, Sunday and then 113 on Monday,” Vasquez said.

An excessive heat warning was in effect through 8 p.m. Monday.

KTAR’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.

Follow @KTAR923