What you could have done while Phoenix stayed above 90 degrees

Aug 18, 2015, 5:26 PM Updated: Aug 19, 2015, 10:17 am

PHOENIX — Temperatures at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport did not drop below 90 degrees for nearly five days during a recent heat wave.

Between 7 a.m. on Aug. 15 and 4 a.m. Aug. 18, the mercury stayed at or above the 90-degree mark. That makes a total of four days and 21 hours.

The Weather Service said the time span is the sixth-longest on the books. The longest streak above 90 occurred in 2012, when temperatures didn’t drop for a week.

While the stats are fun — albeit a bit sweaty — to consider, we got to thinking just how long four days and 21 hours is and what you could do in that same amount of time. Since it was so hot out (think 117 degrees), we narrowed our list down to things that can help beat the heat.

While Phoenix was sitting at 90 degrees or above, you could have:

Watched all six ‘Star Wars’ movies almost nine times

(StarWars.com Photo)

(Total movie time: 13 hours, 14 minutes)

If you just can’t wait for the newest “Star Wars” film to come out and wanted recap the first two trilogies, you would have had plenty of time. Personally, we don’t think we could sit through almost nine viewings of “The Phantom Menace” and Jar Jar Binks, but to each their own.

Driven to San Diego 21 times

(Facebook Photo)

(Average drive time: 5 hours, 31 minutes)

One of the best ways to beat the Arizona heat is to make for the cooler temperatures on California beaches. San Diego, where the average August highs are closer to 80 degrees, is a popular vacation spot for desert dwellers.

Watched 36.5 Arizona Cardinals games

(AP Photo)

(Average game time: 3 hours, 12 minutes)

While football is back and we couldn’t be more excited, it would be great to tailgate when it’s not like standing on the sun. While keeping cool during the recent heat, Birdgang fans would have been able to see more than two full seasons, barring preseason and playoff games.

Watched more than 46 Arizona Diamondbacks games

(AP Photo)

(Average game time: 2 hours, 52 minutes)

Summertime is reserved for baseball and D-backs fans would have had it good during the high temps. They would have been able to watch more than a quarter of the regular season in just a few days’ time.

Taken 856 cold showers

(AP Photo)

(Average shower time: 8.2 minutes)

Let’s be honest: Arizona showers aren’t truly cold in the summer; they’re more lukewarm than anything. But they’re a great way to cool off. You could have taken more than 850 showers while the mercury kept climbing, but there’s a pretty big problem: You would have used about 14,723 gallons of water. In a desert, that’s not good.

KTAR’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.