Metro Phoenix remains under excessive heat warning at least through Friday
Jul 5, 2023, 11:02 AM | Updated: 11:02 am
Elephant keeper Leslie Lindholm cools off Indu, an Asian elephant, at the Phoenix Zoo. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX – With dangerous conditions persisting, metro Phoenix remains under an excessive heat warning at least through Friday night.
The warning was originally set to run through the Fourth of July weekend and end Tuesday night, but the National Weather Service extended it until 8 p.m. Friday.
And it might not end then.
“We’ll make that decision here in the next couple days whether or not we extend it through the weekend,” Chris Kuhlman of the NWS in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday morning.
Monday was the hottest day of the year in Phoenix at 116 degrees, 1 degree below the record for July 3. It reached 113 degrees on Tuesday, 6 degrees above normal for the Fourth of July.
How hot will Phoenix get over the next week?
Kuhlman said temperatures are expected to reach between 110 and 113 degrees through the weekend — and then tick up again.
Above normal temperatures with highs between 109-113°F are expected in the Phoenix area through the weekend. An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect for the south-central AZ lower deserts through Friday. Unfortunately, it looks even hotter next week. #azwx pic.twitter.com/ko7ihFpzch
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) July 5, 2023
“Early next week it looks to be even hotter, probably back to where we’re seeing temperatures around 115 degrees,” he said.
The Valley usually sees some monsoon activity by around the Fourth of July, but storms have yet to emerge this year.
“We’re at least a week away, I would say, and … if this pattern doesn’t change it might be well into the mid part of July before we have any good chances,” Kuhlman said.
How to beat the Arizona heat
Too much time in the Arizona sun can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death.
Warning signs of heat-related illnesses can include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache and nausea.
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Outdoor activities should be curtailed between sunrise and sunset during periods of excessive heat. People should also drink more water than usual and avoid sugary, caffeinated drinks, which dehydrate the body.
Per a city of Phoenix policy that aims to protect hikers and rescue crews, Camelback Mountain’s Echo Canyon and Cholla trails and all Piestewa Peak trails are closed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days with excessive heat warnings,
Dogs aren’t allowed on Phoenix trails when the temperature is in triple digits.
Planning agency Maricopa Association of Governments operates the regional Heat Relief Network annually from May 1 to Sept. 30. The program includes an interactive online map showing the location of more than 200 cooling centers, respite centers, hydration stations and collection sites.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
