Phoenix ties daily heat record on Monday amid excessive heat warning

PHOENIX — Phoenix tied a heat record again on Monday, marking a high of 114 degrees at Sky Harbor around 3 p.m.

Phoenix Sky Harbor hit 114 degrees at 3:13 PM, which TIES the record set in 1995. Still an hour or two to go to potentially break the record. Stay tuned! #azwx

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) August 6, 2018

But that does not mean it was not expected to get hotter: The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning until 8 p.m. on Tuesday for the Valley, leaving plenty of time for that mercury to reach 115 degrees.

The heat record for Aug. 6 was set back in 1995, the weather service said.

July saw three days in a row where Phoenix tied or broke a heat record. July 24 also marked the hottest day of the year, at 116 degrees.

Despite the excessive heat warning, residents in the Valley could see some rain later this week.

Tuesday and Wednesday were expected to cool down some with a higher chance of thunderstorms.

Hot temperatures will persist through Tuesday before monsoon conditions finally return on Wednesday. Heat safety will be important over the next few days. #azwx pic.twitter.com/0HfbvmJg2N

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) August 5, 2018

But in the meantime, officials were encouraging residents to stay inside, stay cool and stay hydrated.

In order to avoid the high to extreme risk of heat-related illness, the weather service advised residents to stay indoors, seek air-conditioned buildings, stay hydrated and dress in lightweight and light-colored clothing.

“Eat small meals and eat more often. Monitor those with a higher vulnerability to heat, including small children,” the weather service said on its website.

“Check in on family, friends, and neighbors, especially the elderly. If engaging in outdoor activity, take longer and more frequent breaks and avoid the hottest parts of the day.”

Heat stroke can be deadly, especially during the devastating Arizona summers. Some of the signs of heat-related illness include muscle cramps, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, confusion, weak pulse, shallow breathing or even seizures.

There were 155 heat-associated deaths reported in Phoenix’s Maricopa County in 2017, the highest annual number ever recorded, as the city experienced the warmest year on record.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 219 people died from heat-associated causes around the state last year, with nearly 1,300 heat-caused deaths statewide during the decade from 2005 to 2015.

The department said that last year more than 2,874 people visited hospital emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, mostly in the southern and western parts of the state spread across the Sonoran Desert.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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