Phoenix is set to hit yet another heat record this summer after experiencing a day of 110-degree temperatures.
The desert city saw temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) on Friday for the 53rd day of the year, tying a record set in 2020, the National Weather Service said. If Phoenix reaches 110 degrees or higher as expected on Saturday, it will set a record 54 days a year.
The extreme heat warning is in effect through the weekend, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius) on Saturday and 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.8 degrees Celsius) on Sunday. Monday’s high temperature is expected to be 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.7 degrees Celsius).
In July, Phoenix set a record with 31 consecutive days of high temperatures reaching or exceeding 110 degrees. The previous record was 18 consecutive days set in 1974.
It was part of a historic heat wave that stretched from Texas through New Mexico and Arizona into the California desert.
As of Wednesday, Phoenix has had more than 100 days with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) this year. This is consistent with the triple-digit average of 111 days per year between 1991 and 2020.
Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and Arizona’s most populous county, also looks set to set an annual record for heat-related deaths.
As of Sept. 2, 194 heat-related deaths have been confirmed this year, county public health officials said Wednesday. A further 351 people are under investigation.
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-related deaths in 2022.
