Fall makes its arrival in Phoenix with 100-degree temperatures

PHOENIX — Wednesday marked the official start of fall, but it still feels like summer in Phoenix.

The mercury reached triple digits once again with a high of 103 degrees on Wednesday, four degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service.

Thursday’s high is forecast to hit 101 degrees before highs dip into the upper 90s over the weekend.

Even with the change in seasons and slightly cooler weekend temperatures, don’t expect triple-digit heat to disappear for the year.

Phoenix recorded 21 days of triple-digit temperatures during fall 2020 and hit 100 degrees for the final time in 2020 on Oct. 16.

The heat hasn’t been as last year, when July (98.9 degrees) and August (99.1 degrees) went down as the hottest months recorded in Phoenix history.

July averaged 93.7 degrees and August 92.6 degrees. And September is averaging 92 degrees, slightly up over last year.

Phoenix has also enjoyed an above-average monsoon season in terms of rainfall.

There have been 3.88 inches of rain since the season started on June 15.

With no rain in the forecast in the next week, it could end up being the final total when the season ends Sept. 30.

If so, it’ll go down as the third-wettest monsoon season since the turn of the century, trailing 2014 at (6.34 inches) and 2008 (5.7 inches).

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