"Rare, Dangerous" Heat Headed To Parts Of The Western U.S

[B2G]

25. Not really all that rare.

Phoenix has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), typical of the Sonoran Desert in which it lies. Phoenix has long, very hot summers and short, mild winters. The climate is arid, with plenty of sunshine and clear skies. Average high temperatures in summer are the hottest of any major city in the United States, and the city has more days when the temperature exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) than any other city in the United States.[84] On average (1981–2010), there were 107 days annually with a high of at least 100 °F (38 °C),[85] including most days from late May through early October. Highs top 110 °F (43 °C) an average of 18 days during the year.[86] Every day from June 10 through August 24, 1993, the temperature in Phoenix reached 100 °F (38 °C) or more, the longest continuous number of days (76) in the city's history. Officially, the number of days with a high of at least 100 °F (38 °C) has historically ranged from 48 in 1913 to 143 in 1989. For comparison, From 1870 through 2012, New York City has seen a temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) or more a total of only 61 days.[87] On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time recorded high of 122 °F (50 °C).[88] However, despite Phoenix's claim to the most extreme temperatures, it does not have the highest average temperature. In that respect it comes in second to Miami, with an average daily temperature of 75 °F (24 °C), compared to Miami's 77 °F (25 °C).[84]