Think Arizona has become hotter? You’re right
Jun 18, 2012, 6:31 AM
PHOENIX — A new Climate Central study said Arizona is the fastest
warming state in the nation and it will only get hotter and see more severe
droughts in the future.
The state has been in drought for at least the past
13 years.
Ken Waters of the National Weather Service will not comment on the
report from the nonprofit news and research group, but said temperatures have gone up in the Phoenix area and the
biggest change has occurred at night.
“I know there’s controversy about the causes but we’re pretty confident that
the numbers show we do have some global warming now.
“Temperature records indicate that our daytime highs are not dramatically
changing, but our overnight lows are. Over the last two decades, the
average overnight low in Phoenix during our hottest months of July and
August has risen by about four degrees, from 81 degrees 85 degrees.”
Last August was the hottest month in Valley history. The average
temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport has increased by about one degree since 2001.
Waters said at least part of the nighttime jump can be traced to the Valley
having more asphalt and and concrete than ever before and the ‘heat
island’ which stores temperature like a battery and slowly releases the heat
overnight.
