Hottest US City Phoenix Breaks Heat Streak Record, Reports Reuters

By Liliana Salgado

PHOENIX – This year, Phoenix, Arizona experienced an unprecedented stretch of 113 consecutive days during which temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). This extreme heat has resulted in hundreds of heat-related fatalities and increased wildfire damage across the state, according to local officials.

With a population of 1.6 million, Phoenix, the largest city in the Sonoran desert, recorded its hottest summer on record, surpassing the previous high set in 2023 by nearly two degrees, as reported by the National Weather Service.

The recent 113-day streak broke Phoenix’s past record of 76 consecutive days over 100 degrees, which was established in 1993.

"It’s very rare that we see, especially two summers in a row, two record-breaking summers like we just experienced," noted Matt Salerno, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

Heat has been linked to 256 confirmed deaths this year in Maricopa County, with an additional 393 deaths suspected to be heat-related, according to official statistics. This trend suggests that the county may exceed its previous record of 645 heat-related deaths in 2023. Approximately half of those who died from heat exposure were part of the unsheltered population, which is particularly vulnerable to extreme temperatures.

The peak of the heatwave occurred in July when temperatures regularly reached 118 degrees, a situation that climate scientists attribute to global warming driven by fossil fuel emissions. In the past five years, Phoenix has averaged about 40 days with temperatures of 110 degrees or higher, a stark increase compared to roughly five such days in the early 20th century, according to the Arizona State Climate Office.

The dire heat conditions have also led to an increase in wildfire acreage across the state in 2024, surpassing levels seen the previous year, as highlighted by Erinanne Saffell, director of the climate office.

A combination of record-setting winter precipitation and high summer temperatures has contributed to the wildfires that have affected regions around Los Angeles in recent weeks.