Phoenix came tantalizingly close to experiencing its first 100-degree day of the year on Tuesday, though it ultimately fell just short of the mark. Meteorologists had predicted that temperatures at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport could hit 100 degrees, which would have set a new record for the earliest triple-digit day in the city’s history. However, the thermometer paused at 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37.2 Celsius) Tuesday afternoon.
Typically, Phoenix does not reach the 100-degree milestone until May 11, according to the National Weather Service. Nonetheless, the brief spike in temperature is not considered alarming. “It’s unseasonable, but it’s not something people should be concerned about,” commented Alicia Ryan, a meteorologist with the weather service in Phoenix.
The temperature rise was a momentary event, with forecasts predicting a cooldown on Wednesday and Thursday due to cloud cover, followed by a further decline as the weekend approaches. Despite this, the fleeting heat surge was enough to remind residents of the intense summer days ahead. Camille Ridley, resting on a shaded bench at the Arizona statehouse, remarked on the oncoming warmth. “I’m a little sad about it just because we know that, you know, our hottest months are coming up,” Ridley noted. “And after last year’s extended summer season, it’s a little melancholy. But I do know this shall pass, as we’ve got 80s coming in any day now.”
High school students Jose Mejia and Eric Galvan, taking advantage of a day of independent study, had planned a walk in a central Phoenix park. Yet, the sweltering heat drove them away in a mere ten minutes. Galvan, acknowledging the unexpected severity, remarked, “A few days ago, it was like pretty normal temperatures. It’s kind of crazy. If you remember last year, it was 80 degrees by this month. It keeps increasing.”
The previous year was notably hot, witnessing a heat wave that persisted into October, resulting in a record-breaking 70 days where temperatures soared to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) or more. In 2024, Maricopa County’s public health officials recorded 602 heat-related fatalities, with an additional eight under investigation for potential heat-related causes, according to preliminary data. These figures mark the first drop in heat-related deaths since 2014 in a county home to roughly 4.5 million people.