Phoenix broke a heat record, nearly hit 100 degrees
It’s not usually this hot in March
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Like it or not, the heat is here even though it’s still March!
The city of Phoenix nearly hit 100 degrees on Tuesday afternoon for the first time this year. On average, during the last 30 years, Phoenix has seen its first triple-digit temperature of the year on May 2. Last year, the city reached it on April 21.
“When we’re looking at the Phoenix weather station, it’s only hit 100 degrees in March once, and that was 1988,” Erinanne Saffell, the Arizona State Climatologist, said.
This comes after the Valley experienced its hottest year on record. 2024 set a record for the highest temperature average. Here’s a look at the hottest years on record in Phoenix’s history, according to data from the National Weather Service:
- 2024 (78.6°)
- 2017 (77.3°)
- 2020 (77.2°)
- 2014 (77.1°)
- 2023 (77.0°)
As you can see, the top five hottest years all happened in the last decade. This data averages the highs and lows each day of the year.
The National Weather Service also provided Arizona’s Family with data to highlight the city’s warming trend over the last 50 years. The data below shows how the average temperature has increased over time.
- 1975 – 71.0°
- 1985 – 74.2°
- 1995 – 74.2°
- 2005 – 75.5°
- 2015 – 76.7°
- 2024 - 78.6°
Last year, Phoenix saw 70 days of 110° or hotter, which is roughly 20% of the year. Arizona’s Family asked Saffell what she’s most concerned about when it comes to our heat and the future.
“It’s those nighttime temperatures that are really playing a role, and it’s not just in the city of Phoenix or the Phoenix metropolitan area. Every city and town in Arizona, every city and town, can have the impact of having hotter nighttime temperatures,” Saffell said.
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