Forget winter: Phoenix breaks two daily high temperature records in one week
Feb 11, 2016, 3:02 PM
(StockSnap Photo)
(StockSnap Photo)
PHOENIX — For the second time this week, Phoenix has broken the record for a daily high temperature.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 84 degrees, one degree higher than the record for Feb. 11 set in 1951.
The Phoenix area also set a daily high temperature record for Feb. 9 this week. It was 86 degrees on Tuesday, which topped the old record of 84.
Tuesday’s high was well above normal, as Phoenix typically sees temperatures closer to 70 degrees this time of year.
Chris Breckenridge with the weather service said a high pressure ridge sitting over Arizona was the culprit behind the rising mercury.
“We have a very strong upper level ridge of high pressure sitting over the West that will remain in position over the next several days,” he said earlier this week, adding, “…83-84 (degrees) seems to be in the wheelhouse for the greater Phoenix area.”
High temperatures were expected to remain above 80 degrees through the weekend, while nighttime lows in the Valley will be in the 50s.
Forecasters originally thought Phoenix was going to be much cooler and rainier as it moved toward spring because of El Nino.
That has not been the case thus far, but meteorologists are guessing a drier January was more of a warm-up for the weather pattern.
Rain could be back in the forecast late next week.
