Temperature in Phoenix reaches 90 degrees for the first time in 2023

PHOENIX — For the first time this year, the temperature officially reached 90 degrees in Phoenix on Monday.

The Valley hit the mark around around 12:17 p.m., the National Weather Service tweeted.

Sky Harbor has officially hit 90°. Expect those temperatures to keep on rising.🌡📈 #azwx

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) April 10, 2023

The mercury topped out at 98 degrees, making it the hottest first 90-degree day of the year since records started being kept in 1896.

The city’s average first 90-degree day is March 30, according to the National Weather Service. The last time Phoenix hit 90 was Oct. 22, 2022.

Much of the Valley reached 90 on Sunday, but the mercury stopped at 89 degrees at Sky Harbor International Airport, which the weather bureau uses for the official Phoenix reading.

There’s a chance the year’s first 100-degree day will also happen this week, with highs expected to climb into the upper 90s Monday-Wednesday.

“There’s about a 20-30% chance we’ll actually hit 100 degrees today,” meteorologist Chris Kuhlman of the National Weather Service in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday morning.

May 2 is the average first 100-degree day for Phoenix.

This week’s above-average temperatures come on the heels of the coolest three-month start to a year since 1979.

The heat is expected to ease later in the week, with forecast highs in the 80s for Thursday-Saturday.

“We have a little weak system that’s going to move through, not really bringing us any rain chances or anything, but it will at least cool us down out of the 90s,” Kuhlman said.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.

Follow @KTAR923