PHOENIX — Cam Ferguson gets to his spot on the street adjacent to Chase Field — home of Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks — about four hours before first pitch to set up his usual display of cold water, sports drinks, peanuts and candy.
By game time, it’s about 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) on this Labor Day afternoon in downtown Phoenix. Business is brisk.
“Two for five, but it’s eight inside!” shouts another vendor, hawking water bottles. “Plus, they’re having some problems with the air conditioning in there.”
It’s always hot this time of year in central Arizona, but 2024 is proving to be an endless summer with especially high temperatures in Phoenix. On Tuesday, the city hit its 100th straight day with at least 100 degree temperatures. That’s long since shattered the record of 76 days in a row set back in 1993, according to data from the National Weather Service.
“That is definitely an eye-catching number,” NWS meteorologist Sean Benedict said.
Scientists say climate change caused by human activities is dialing up the thermostat around the world and increasing the odds of dangerous temperatures. That is because the driver of global warming — the release of greenhouse gases from the burning of fuels like oil, gas and coal — continues all but unabated. Extreme weather events like heat waves, wildfires, intense storms, and prolonged droughts will continue, according to researchers.
The temperature hit 102 F (38.9 C) in Phoenix on May 27 and has made it to triple digits every day since.
Benedict said that long streaks of desert heat usually are broken up by rain, but the monsoon hasn’t delivered much. The persistent heat also got an early start, with the triple-digit days already piling up in May.
It doesn’t look like a break is coming any time soon.
Unseasonably high temperatures are expected this week across the western U.S., with an excessive heat warning forecast for Wednesday through Friday in Arizona cities including Phoenix and Lake Havasu City, as well as Las Vegas and other parts of Nevada, including Laughlin and Pahrump.
The California desert communities of Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms, Needles and Barstow will also heat up, with highs of up to 118 F (47.7 C) in Death Valley’s Furnace Creek expected at week’s end.
Public health officials in Arizona’s Maricopa County — where Phoenix is located, the hottest metro area in the U.S. — say that as of Aug. 24 there had been 150 heat-related deaths confirmed so far this year, with another 443 under investigation. There were 645 heat-related deaths last year in the county of some 4.5 million people.
Pretty much any way the data is parsed, 2024 marks another record-breaking summer of heat in Phoenix. It’s been the hottest meteorological summer, which includes the months June, July and August. And it’s the same story throughout the western U.S. with several locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico setting records or coming close.
Across California, red flag warnings for increased wildfire risk were issued. A blaze that broke out Monday and was fed by erratic winds knocked out power and prompted evacuation orders for more than 500 residents of a remote forest community near Lake Tahoe. The Bear Fire about 20 miles (32 km) north of Truckee grew to more than 2 square miles (5 square km) by Tuesday morning, with zero containment.
Cooling centers were set up across Los Angeles County, where officials urged residents to check on neighbors who are elderly, unwell or otherwise vulnerable amid soaring temperatures. “Hot days aren’t just uncomfortable — they can be dangerous,” said LA County Health Officer Muntu Davis.
There’s no respite from the heat for outdoor vendors. It’s the same story for plenty of other people in the Phoenix area, particularly construction workers and landscapers.
Ferguson’s job outside in downtown Phoenix is a hot one. The concrete and asphalt all over downtown makes it feel even hotter, with the heat radiating through the streets as more than 40,000 fans gather for a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
“Lots of SPF shirts and ice-cold water,” Ferguson said, about coping with the heat. “That’s the only way to get through it.”
Chase Field can be air-conditioned and has a retractable roof that is closed for most games during the middle of summer, which is obviously good for fans and players. But keeping the giant stadium cool in the summer is sometimes tricky, and players have occasionally commented about how surprisingly stuffy it gets inside.
Ramiro Lopez has been doing landscaping in suburban Phoenix for five years and says each summer feels hotter than the last. Between jobs, he takes breaks in his air-conditioned truck to stave off the heat, but the past three months have been a grind.
“I’ve learned to drink lots of sports drinks and make sure I’m done by 1 p.m.,” Lopez said. “Otherwise, it’s just too much.”
In Phoenix, there have been 37 nights this summer that didn’t cool off below 90 F ( 32.2 C), another record.
There have also been 54 days of 110 degree temperatures, which is just one day away from breaking the record of 55 days last year. That number could be broken later this week. The heat is tough for everyone, but is particularly difficult for low-income areas.
“Not being able to cool off at night can affect people’s health because heat can accumulate in the body,” Arizona State University climatologist Erinanne Saffell wrote in an email response. “Folks should make sure to stay cool and hydrate.”
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Associated Press reporters Anita Snow in Phoenix and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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Phoenix, Arizona is no stranger to scorching temperatures, but the city recently made headlines as it experienced 100 consecutive days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. This unprecedented heat wave has not only made life uncomfortable for residents, but it has also had significant impacts on the western United States as a whole.
The heat wave in Phoenix is part of a larger trend of extreme heat that has been sweeping across the western US in recent years. Climate scientists have warned that rising global temperatures due to climate change are leading to more frequent and intense heat waves, and Phoenix is feeling the effects firsthand.
The prolonged heat wave in Phoenix has had a number of consequences. One of the most immediate impacts is on public health, as extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses. The city has seen an increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to heat-related illnesses, putting a strain on the healthcare system.
In addition to the health impacts, the heat wave has also had economic consequences. Businesses that rely on outdoor activities, such as tourism and construction, have been forced to adapt to the extreme temperatures. Some businesses have had to reduce their hours or even close temporarily due to the heat, leading to lost revenue and potential job losses.
The heat wave has also put a strain on infrastructure in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. High temperatures can cause roads to buckle, power outages to occur, and public transportation systems to malfunction. The city has had to take measures to ensure that residents have access to cooling centers and other resources to help them cope with the extreme heat.
As the heat wave continues to impact Phoenix and other parts of the western US, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change. Scientists warn that without significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, extreme heat events like this one will become more common in the future.
In the meantime, residents of Phoenix and other affected areas are urged to take precautions to protect themselves from the extreme heat. This includes staying hydrated, staying indoors during the hottest part of the day, and checking on vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young children.
As Phoenix marks 100 consecutive days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, it serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges posed by climate change. It is clear that urgent action is needed to address this global crisis and protect communities from the impacts of extreme heat waves.
