Topline
Phoenix recorded a daily high temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, snapping a 31-day streak of breaching the 110 degrees mark as the Southwest region faced a historic heatwave that scientists have directly attributed to climate change.
Phoenix endured a 31-day-long streak of temperatures higher than 110 degrees.
Key Facts
The National Weather Service’s Phoenix announced the end of the streak on Twitter, saying Monday afternoon’s recorded high temperature of 108 degrees was “only 2 degrees above normal.”
The 31-day streak of temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit is a new record for Phoenix, lasting nearly twice as long as the previous record of 18 days, set in 1974.
The slight relief, however, is not expected to last very long, as the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures in the city breaching 110 degrees once again on Wednesday.
The forecasts show that the number could reach as high as 115 degrees at the end of the week.
Key Background
The Southwest region of the country has been in the grip of a historic heat wave since late June, with the high temperatures moving to other regions of the country, including the Midwest and the Northeast in July. Outside the U.S., parts of Canada, Europe and even China have faced record-high temperatures in what scientists estimate will be the hottest July on record. At one point last week more than half the U.S. population was placed under “extreme heat advisories, watches, and warnings.”
News Peg
In an analysis published last month, scientists from around the world said that such an intense global heat wave would be “virtually impossible” without human-driven climate change. The analysis, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, suggested that extreme heat in the month of July will likely be the norm going forward.
Further Reading
Phoenix has ended 31-day streak of highs at or above 110 degrees as rains ease a Southwest heat wave (Associated Press)
July Heat Waves In U.S. And Europe ‘Virtually Impossible’ Without Human-Driven Climate Change, Researchers Find (Forbes)