Phoenix breaks another record as First Alert for excessive heat continues through Tuesday

[Coventina]

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- It’s a First Alert Weather Day for dangerously hot temperatures today in the Valley. Phoenix hit 114 degrees shortly before 1 p.m, which breaks the record of 113 set on this day back in 2009. Look for a high of 116 degrees both today and tomorrow, which would also set a record on Tuesday. Morning lows in the 90s will also likely set records.

A very strong ridge of high pressure in the upper atmosphere is bringing dangerous heat across western and central Arizona for the rest of today and tomorrow. We’re expecting high temperatures of up to 116 degrees with only a couple of degrees of moderation on Wednesday. As a result, we’ve issued First Alert Weather days until Tuesday night for excessive heat. There’s also an Ozone Advisory in effect for metro Phoenix until Tuesday night as well.

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It's official: I live in hell.

[StarryNite]

1. Me too.

I wonder how many people will have to be rescued off the mountains and desert trails today and tomorrow?

[Coventina]

2. My husband aided two distressed hikers on Camelback on Saturday.

An older man with his grandson. They didn't bring any water with them.

Thank goodness my husband always carries extra.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

4. I really, really don't understand people who don't bring water with them

I could be driving to the grocery store and I'll still have a bottle of water.

[Coventina]

5. I don't either.

The man said, "I've never needed water to hike Camelback before...."

That astonishes me as well.
Camelback is NOT an easy hike in any weather!

[MuseRider]

3. Much sympathy after last week here in Kansas.

Our heat index was up to 126 and our temps were close to what you are going to be getting. I cannot believe I got myself and my 3 elderly horses through that.

Our temps are 80's now but will be back at 100 by Sunday, I do not know yet if we are going back into the horror of last week.

Be well, stay inside and cool as much as you can. My sympathy. It does not matter if it is a dry or wet heat at those temps, they are miserable either way.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

6. And a week ago it was like 80 here

We didn't get much rain from Hilary, but it did drop the temps for a few days. I clocked it in the 60s one night as a storm approached.

[MuseRider]

39. Oooh, I am beginning to really appreciate

a nice day or night here and there. The thought that this could be our new normal is scary. I know I can adjust things pretty well but those long runs like that are just so hard. I am old! I am ready to be able to look outside and not be worried about critters I love and sit around inside the house. Those long weeks of those temps are killer. Take care of yourself.

[LeftInTX]

41. It's 77 right now and I'm freezing. We had a "cold front" today.

Our lows have been 78 or higher for the past two months.

Hubby must have walked four miles tonight!

10 day forecast shows lows of 76 and mostly highs in 99-100. Which which sure beats 104/79. Maybe it's getting better.....

[LeftInTX]

25. I'm glad to hear that your horses survived! It sounded really bad.

[MuseRider]

40. Thank you!

They did quite well actually. I don't think they liked it but they managed to either use what I did for them or figure it out for themselves. We were lucky whatever. Thank you.

[former9thward]

7. I live in the Phoenix area (Mesa) and I do not live in Hell.

Why anyone who thinks they live in hell would continue to live here I just don't know.

[Coventina]

8. Tenured professor. Can't afford to give that up.

Plus, it didn't used to be this way.

We used to cool off at night.
Then, too many people moved here, and totally destroyed the ecosystem.

[former9thward]

14. Well I agree people have created a urban heat island.

But the majority of the year I believe is wonderful weather. Last year, from Labor Day until towards the end of June this year, I thought the weather was almost perfect. A relatively cool fall, a cold winter for this area, and a cool spring.

[Brenda]

21. How many people died in Phoenix due to heat? But it's wonderful?

Low ball numbers because they always undercount:

2022: 425

2023: July: 89

You think the weather is almost perfect yet thousands of people live on the streets without heat or cooling.

What is your problem?

[former9thward]

23. How many people die in Chicago because of the cold?

And what is your evidence that "they always undercount"?

[Hekate]

9. Perhaps you and your animals have AC and the others do not

I’m happy for you, though

[former9thward]

10. Who does not have A/C?

[Coventina]

12. Have you been to the poor areas of Phoenix?

There are plenty of folks without A/C.

We never had A/C until after I was in college.

My grandmother didn't have A/C at her house until 10 years ago.

[former9thward]

15. Just two percent do not have any type of a/c

Today, three quarters of U.S. homes have central air conditioning; that numbers rises to 86% here in Phoenix. 7% of Phoenix homes use evaporative coolers (window units) and 5% use AC and evap systems together. Just 2% have no cooling systems or use fans only for cooling.

https://www.azmortgagebrothers.com/blog/air-conditionings-impact-phoenix-valley-real-estate/#:~:text=Today%2C%20three%20quarters%20of%20U.S.,use%20fans%20only%20for%20cooling.

[Coventina]

17. Evap is NOT A/C.

Most people have A/C, but according to the article at least 9% don't have it.

But, you also have to factor in all the people who are unhoused as well.

An unhoused person died a few blocks from us just a few weeks ago.

This summer has been hell. And each one gets longer and hotter.

[former9thward]

19. They are talking about window units vs. central air.

Window units are a/c.

[Coventina]

24. Which is it? Because you wrote evaporative coolers (window units) were at 7%

Evaporative coolers are not a/c.

[former9thward]

26. I did a copy and paste at the link I provided.

Since no one else in this thread has attempted to provide accurate information. I never wrote anything about evap coolers. Their article defines central air vs. window units.

[Mosby]

11. Everyone in phx metro has a/c

And we have 8 months of great weather, don't have to worry about freezing to death or buying 1000s of dollars of heating oil.

[Coventina]

13. Not true about everyone in metro phoenix having a/c.

Many of the poorer and older areas are still on evap.

[Mosby]

16. I was in a place with evaps last Friday.

It was 80 degrees. I temped it. 68% humidity.

Not exactly comfortable, but it's not deadly like the cold in many parts of the country.

[Coventina]

18. Thank you for acknowledging the truth of not everyone having a/c

And that's not even factoring all the unhoused folks.

Like the gentleman that dies a few blocks away from us a few weeks ago.

[marybourg]

29. Agree.

I live in in the far west valley where it’s actually 108 and 109 at my two thermometers today, but I wouldn’t live anywhere else (except in San Diego, which I can’t afford). I see winter weather on the news and am doubly sure I live in the best place.

I struggled through many years of commuting by car, bus, subway and rail through NYC and suburban ice, snow, sleet, and blizzard, being stranded in the cold when bus or train or car could go no further, walking for miles through horrible weather. I was young and took it in stride, but now it is the stuff of nightmares to me.

But true, it’s about as populous here now as is optimal for amenities. So if lots of people get turned off by some of the types of comments on this thread, I say good! I’m here and my kids have recently bought a house here in anticipation of their retirement, so I’m good. Everyone else can move to North Dakota.

[former9thward]

33. I am originally from Chicago and if everyone from that area stops coming here

I would be very happy. My friends in Chicago are always calling me complaining about the long cold winter that never ends.

[LeftInTX]

42. I'm from WI and wish I could move back there. Hubby won't go.

We've been together 40 years, but since he's Latino he knew his career wouldn't take off up there. Now we're retired with grown kids and grandkids and family all living here. I'm stuck in Texas. He won't budge.

The only reason I'm here is because my parents moved here and I was broke and unemployed up in WI. I came here kicking and screaming.

[Brenda]

20. Is this really news to you?

Are people like you really just understanding now what is happening with the climate change?

Phoenix will continue to get hotter.

Miami will continue to sink.

The denial is ridiculous and clearly its not just repubs. People should leave these areas, now.

Staying and whining in these places is just selfish at this point.

American tax payers should not bail out the wealthy choosing to live in climate disaster zones.

American tax payers should help the poor people stuck in disaster zones leave.

[Coventina]

22. Excuse me, but are you accusing me of being a selfish, wealthy person?

Because I can assure you that I am nothing of the kind.

My house is 900 square feet and insulated to the max, with the windows all replaced from the 1950s originals.

I spent the majority of my childhood homeless, and while I am not that impoverished any more I am by no means wealthy.

My family has been here, in Phoenix since before Arizona was even a state, and there was no climate disaster then, the climate disaster has happened TO us.

I worked incredibly hard to get the tenured professorship I have here in Phoenix now, and I cannot afford to move, because all these perfect places with no disasters are way too expensive for me to move to.

So, where, oh wise one, should I go?

[Brenda]

27. My relatives are from the NC coast.

(I did not accuse you personally of that)

My grandfather died before I was born from hurricane Hazel.

Family moved in all directions and that was the 1950s.

A few dumb family folks insist on living right on the coast where they have had to rebuild. (But lost every single quilt my grandmother made due to my cousin's selfishness.)

Too many Americans think things are like they used to be. They're not.

You need to leave areas that are uninhabitable. If you have money, you should make your plans.

If you want to stay and bitch about the heat in Phoenix. Well do it. But don't expect my sympathy.

[Coventina]

28. And where is the magical place without any natural disasters where you live?

I'm waiting to find out about where I can go where I can finally earn your sympathy.

[Brenda]

32. Okay, I'll give you my sympathy

But seriously Coventina you should do some research on your own to determine where to move from Phoenix.

I can recommend some books to read to help you understand that what I'm saying is not just me being mean, but me trying to warn people to leave before it becomes a mass migration event which will not be pleasant.

All I can suggest is move away from the SW heat dome and away from the coasts.

There is no magical place, but common sense will help you survive.

[Coventina]

38. Really? So you're telling everyone on the coasts and Southwest that they

need to leave, or they don't have common sense?

Do you have any idea how many millions of US citizens you are talking about?

And where are they all supposed to move?

[NowISeetheLight]

34. For Me

Honestly when I look at every place I've lived in my life I can remember weather issues in all of them I the areas where I directly lived or now live.

Minnesota - Snow and record cold and tornados
Virginia - Hurricanes
Nebraska - Blizzards and tornados
Colorado- Crazy snowfall
Arizona - Heat and fires
California - Earthquake

I loved Minnesota but not weeks where the high was 20 below. Colorado and Nebraska I've been snowed in at home for days. In Calufornia, a quake drove me from CSUN in Northridge in '94 to another school. Arizona was just really hot and I remember all the big fires and the smoke wafting into the valley.

I cant think of a place that is weather utopia. The planet is screwed. We are going to lose.

[NowISeetheLight]

30. Palm Springs 117

It's 117 here in Palm Springs. Record today in Thermal, which is nearby. I'm just watching the 4 pm news, and the next two days are hotter. Power companies are issuing "Conserve Alerts" and recommending turning thermostats up.

[LeftInTX]

31. The heat dome shifted west. We're a few degrees cooler in Texas today.

I'm so tired of this.

I have mature pecan trees that are dying.

They shade the entire front yard. We've been at 104 degrees every day this month. I didn't plant the pecans and they need plenty of water, but this year, they are literally dying. I've been watering and watering and nothing. Some leaves grew back, then they shriveled up and died. Then the large limb dies and falls.

My big old Japanese ligustrums are defoliating, but I think they will be OK. (An invasive specie, but they grew fast and are instant shade. Didn't know they were invasive when I planted them). My Texas ash is declining.

I know 104 sounds cool by Phoenix standards, but we are much more humid here. Also, much of life is geared to survive prolonged high 90's with spikes into the 100's, not months of 100 plus degree weather.

[NowISeetheLight]

35. Dead Agave

I've got to dig up a big dead agave in my front yard. I've got to get a new one from Home Depot, but I'll wait until October when it cools off. Nothing is growing right now. My neighbors who didn't replace their landscape with desert stuff have a lot of dead stuff now.

[LeftInTX]

43. Are you sure it's not from the snout weevil?

Especially if the thing stinks like death....

White grubs in the bulb

[NowISeetheLight]

44. No

It's almost like it wilted. I checked it closely and didn't see an unusual insects

[LeftInTX]

45. The thing would smell like a dead rat. Been there. Done that.

[kimbutgar]

36. I was in Arizona in July it was so frigging hot

It was hellish. I wouldn’t have gone but we went to visit my elderly mother in law. I thought I had been in hot weather but this was unbearable and even getting in and out of the car to the house was awful.

I was happy to get back to my nice cloud foggy San Francisco!

[Think. Again.]

37. Maybe we could....

...begin to take some serious steps toward reducing and eliminating CO2 emissions soon?

Apparently, increasing deaths and property loss caused by climate change aren't worthy of a National Climate Emergency Declaration, but perhaps we could start doing everything else possible in an attempt to decrease the future misery we're bringing upon oursleves?