Phoenix streak of record daily high temperatures reaches 2 full weeks
Oct 7, 2024, 1:20 PM | Updated: 5:26 pm
(KTAR News Photo)
PHOENIX – The relentless streak of record daily high temperatures in Phoenix reached two full weeks on Monday.
The thermometer at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport station, which the National Weather Service (NWS) uses for the city’s officials records, hit 105 degrees at 11:49 a.m., breaking the old standard for Oct. 7 of 104 from 1991. The high for the day reached 110 degrees, making it the 70th day this year Phoenix has hit 110 degrees.
Since the streak of record daily high temperatures started Sept. 24, Phoenix has tied the previous standard twice and set new marks 12 times.
How long will Phoenix keep seeing record daily high temperatures?
As this unprecedented stretch of fall heat sears its way deeper into October, the previous high marks are getting cooler, which means the records will continue to fall for the foreseeable future.
The latest forecast calls of highs that match or break the heat record each day through at least Sunday.
Until now, Phoenix had never gone more than seven consecutive days reaching record daily high temperatures. And while it had never before reached 110 degrees later than Sept. 19 in Arizona’s capital city, it got that hot three of the first six days of October in 2024. That includes Sunday, when it hit 113 in Phoenix.
In addition, the Valley is in the midst of an excessive heat warning that’s been extended multiple times and is now set to end at 8 p.m. Tuesday, which would be its 14th day. The longest excessive heat warning during the record hot summer of 2024 was 10 days.
The public is advised to avoid spending time and working outdoors during the hottest parts of the day when an excessive heat warning is active.
Per city of Phoenix policy, the Echo Canyon and Cholla trails at Camelback Mountain and all Piestewa Peak trails are closed from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. on excessive heat warnings days.
How are excessive heat warnings determined?
The warnings are based on the heat risk as determined through factors such as how far above normal temperatures are for a region, according to Chris Kuhlman of the NWS in Phoenix.
“For instance, today, we are expecting 109 degrees, which is 16 degrees above normal, and that is easily well above what we would expect and that’s essentially what is putting us into major heat risk,” Kuhlman told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday morning.
Kuhlman called the length of the current warning “remarkable.”
“Having 13 days in a row, or even tomorrow with 14, during the fall season is unprecedented,” Kuhlman said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.