Daytime desert heat is affecting much of the southwestern United States, but some monsoon rain provided brief relief to the city of Phoenix over the weekend.
The National Weather Service in Phoenix reported temperatures dropped to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) around dawn after an overnight storm dumped about 1.7 inches (4.5 centimeters) of rain on the metropolitan area.
Meanwhile, dry, desert-like daytime heat continues across the region. A high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit was forecast for Sunday, giving forecasters the 84th consecutive day of temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.
National Weather Service meteorologist Isaac Smith said he doesn’t see days with temperatures in the 100s decreasing anytime soon, as an excessive heat advisory has been issued for Phoenix for the next few days.
“We’re looking at 112 degrees (F) on Monday and 114 (F) on Tuesday,” Smith said.
Gabriel Lojero, another meteorologist, said high temperatures can be dangerous “because the body doesn’t get enough cooling during the night and the opportunity to recover.”
Warmer weather is also forecast for New Mexico. Highs in Albuquerque will be near 100 degrees, and even hotter weather is expected in southern counties near the Mexican border.
The impact of the scorching summer in the southwestern United States was already being reflected in the number of heat-related deaths.
As of Aug. 10, public health officials in Maricopa County, Arizona — home to Phoenix — had confirmed 96 heat-related deaths so far in 2024, with another 42 deaths under investigation for heat-related causes. The county of about 4.5 million people has reported 645 heat-related deaths in 2023.
The Pima County Coroner’s Office — home to Tucson — said it had confirmed 99 heat-related deaths as of early August in that county and four other small, rural counties in Arizona that contract with its coroner’s services.
In Clark County, Nevada, where Las Vegas is located, 123 heat-related deaths have been confirmed so far this year, the coroner’s office said.
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