PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix flirted with its first 100-degree day of the year Tuesday, falling just short of the milestone.
Forecasters had signaled the temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport could hit 100, marking what would have been the earliest date on record for the city to hit triple digits. The airport ended up one degree shy at 99 degrees (37.2 Celsius) Tuesday afternoon.
On average, Phoenix doesn't reach 100 until May 11, the National Weather Service said.
“It’s unseasonable, but it’s not something people should be concerned about,” said Alicia Ryan, a weather service meteorologist in Phoenix.
The heat was a blip in a week where temperatures are expected to dip Wednesday and Thursday under cloud cover, followed by another drop over the weekend, the weather service said.
Still, the uptick in heat Tuesday was enough to leave people dreading what the summer has in store.
Camille Ridley was sitting on a bench under a tree at the Arizona statehouse Tuesday, praising it for doing its job keeping her shaded while the temperature climbed.
“I’m a little sad about it just because we know that, you know, our hottest months are coming up,” Ridley said. “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 both had independent study days and decided to meet at a park in central Phoenix to go for a walk. Within 10 minutes they high-tailed it out of the heat.
Galvan knew it would be sweltering but did not expect it to be so intense.
“A few days ago, it was like pretty normal temperatures,” Galvan said. “It’s kind of crazy. If you remember last year, it was 80 degrees by this month. It keeps increasing.”
Last year was a scorcher. A heat wave that stretched into October set an annual record of 70 days with the highs reaching or passing 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius).
Maricopa County public health officials confirmed 602 heat-related deaths in 2024, with another eight being investigated for possible heat causes, according to a preliminary report. Officials say those numbers represent the first decrease in heat deaths since 2014 in a county with about 4.5 million residents.
A man sits under the shade of a tree at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Terry Tang)
