PHOENIX — High pressure is building in and sending temperatures soaring!
Phoenix hit 110 degrees Friday afternoon, tying the daily record set in 1979.
It also marked the 53rd day this year at 110 degrees or hotter, tying the record set in 2020.
Now, temperatures are expected to get even hotter over the weekend.
An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect Saturday and Sunday for the Valley, south-central and southwestern Arizona.
So, it will be an ABC15 Weather Action weekend as a reminder to take action to keep yourself, your family and your pets safe during these potentially dangerous temperatures.
Heat is the number one weather-related killer. So, stay hydrated and stay inside as much as you can during the heat of the day. Remember to bring your pets inside, too.
Saturday's forecast has Phoenix hitting 113 degrees which would break the daily record of 111 set in 2021.
Sunday's forecast is 112 degrees and that could be record-breaking, too. The current record is 111 degrees set in 1990.
Thankfully, we don't have any days in the forecast with highs over 115 degrees. We have already had 22 days this year at 115 degrees or hotter, the most ever recorded. Previously, the record was 14 days set in 2020.
We're also now up to 34 days with lows in the 90s. The old record was 28 days set in 2020. With our days getting shorter now, we have more time to cool off overnight and it's becoming more unlikely to see lows in the 90s. However, we will be close on Monday morning with a low of just 89 degrees.
Air quality is getting worse, too.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has extended an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Maricopa County through Saturday. This could make breathing harder for children, older adults, and people with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD.
Try to carpool, telecommute or use mass transit to prevent the air quality from getting even worse. Also, do not use gas-powered lawnmowers or leaf blowers when air quality alerts are issued.
Early next week, a storm system passing through will drop our temperatures and bring showers and thunderstorms to our state.
Right now, storm chances in the Valley are slim but we can't rule out a few isolated storms on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Stay tuned for updates as we get closer.
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2023 Rainfall totals:
Sky Harbor Official Rainfall: 3.01" (-1.96" from average)
Valley Average (Phoenix Rainfall Index): 3.93"
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Daily rainfall reports from all across the Valley can be found here.
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PHOENIX IS GETTING DRIER - LOWER RAINFALL AVERAGES NOW
Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 2.71" of rain
NEW Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 2.43" of rain
Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 8:03" of rain
NEW Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 7.22" of rain
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