110+ In Phoenix Nears Record

[azskyman]

For those who don't understand the impact of urbanization on the heat island effect, here's some supportive data.

Phoenix and the surrounding areas on the desert floor are on the brink of setting a new (and not so proud) record!

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
855 AM MST WED AUG 22 2007

...2007 COULD SET RECORD FOR MOST 110+ DEGREE DAYS AT PHOENIX...

THROUGH AUGUST 21ST...THERE HAVE BEEN 27 DAYS WITH A HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF 110 DEGREES OR GREATER AT PHOENIX SKY HARBOR
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS TIES 1989...1985...1974 AND 1936 AS THE
3RD MOST ON RECORD. THE MOST ON RECORD IS 28...WHICH OCCURRED IN
2002 AND 1979 /SEE TABLE 1 BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/.

HOWEVER...SUMMER 2007 IS FAR FROM OVER. THE LATEST OBSERVED 110
DEGREE OR GREATER TEMPERATURE OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH /IN
2000/...MEANING THERE IS NEARLY A MONTH-LONG WINDOW REMAINING WHEN
110+ TEMPERATURES ARE CLIMATOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE. WITH HIGH
TEMPERATURES FORECAST TO REMAIN NEAR 110 DEGREES THROUGH THE END OF
THIS WEEK...THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT 2007 WILL SET THE NEW
RECORD.

HAVE 110+ DEGREE DAYS BEEN INCREASING OVER THE YEARS? YES...BASED ON
OBSERVED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES FOR PHOENIX FROM 1896 THROUGH 2007
SEE TABLE 2 BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. POSSIBLE REASONS FOR
THIS TREND INCLUDE URBANIZATION AND REGIONAL/GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.

TABLE 1 - TOP 10 YEARS WITH HIGHS OF
110 OR GREATER AT PHOENIX
RANK YEAR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP TOT
1 2002 0 12 9 6 1 28
1979 0 10 13 2 3 28
3 2007 0 10 12 5* - 27*
1989 1 9 16# 1 0 27
1985 0 10 10 7 0 27
1974 1 18# 6 1 1 27
1936 0 13 13 1 0 27
8 2003 1 2 15 6 2 26
9 1995 0 2 11 11# 1 25
1981 0 11 6 8 0 25
* THROUGH AUG 21 2007
# INDICATES ALL-TIME MONTHLY RECORD


TABLE 2 - ANNUAL FREQUENCY OF
110+ DEGREE DAYS BY DECADE
1890S 5.3 PER YEAR
1900S 5.2 PER YEAR
1910S 3.8 PER YEAR
1920S 7.7 PER YEAR
1930S 11.8 PER YEAR
1940S 7.2 PER YEAR
1950S 6.7 PER YEAR
1960S 10.3 PER YEAR
1970S 17.0 PER YEAR
1980S 19.0 PER YEAR
1990S 13.6 PER YEAR
2000S 21.9 PER YEAR*
* THROUGH AUG 21 2007

[tropicana]

very impressive record if that is to be broken.

-justin-

[Category 5]

Not a record I'd want to set.

[vbhoutex]

OUCH!!! That is too hot whether it is "dry" heat or otherwise. You can definitely see the rise due to the "Heat Island" efffct, imo.

[azskyman]

Add one more notch. We were above 110 on Tuesday, so that ties it at 28! Good chance we may break the record this week.

[tropicana]

Today's high at Phoenix was 113F (tied an August 29 record with 1981)... however, that now takes the tally for the year to 29 days for the year that the temp has reached or exceeded 110F ( a new record). Previous record was 28 days in 2002.

wooohoooo
Congrats Phoenix for reaching this milestone.

-justin-

[azskyman]

...and the icing on the frosty Phoenix cake was that I finished a meeting at 6:30 pm and walked outside to a dusty storm, but not a drop of rain.

It had cooled off to 102.

[JonathanBelles]

I couldnt imaging not going below 90 for lows.

[azskyman]

I once had a friend who took a vacation to Phoenix in late July just so he could experience a morning low of 90! Of course that doesn't happen as often as the 110+ days did this year, but it is quite common to hit 90 by the time you hit road for work each morning.

[tropicana]

i might have to shoot myself if i had to experience that.

-justin-

[Cookiely]

From Tampabay 10.com
I love what the forecaster said below.
Phoenix Record: 29 days of 110 degrees

Phoenix, Arizona - Dry or not, the heat in Phoenix is hot.

With a reading of 113 degrees Wednesday, the Arizona city set a record of 29 days with temperatures 110-degree heat or hotter in a single year. The old record of 28 days was set in 1970 and matched in 2002.

The National Weather Service says urbanization and global climate change could be contributing factors to the heat.

The streak seems to be making people weary of the famous old expression that, “It's a dry heat.” A National Weather Service forecaster notes that an oven produces dry heat, too. But he says if you put your head in the oven, it's not that comfortable.

Phoenix forecasters say cooler temperatures are on the way, relatively speaking. It's expected to get up to only 105 degrees for the rest of the week.

[Aslkahuna]

I have a T-Shirt that says "Arizona-it's a Dry Heat, kind of like an oven set to 450Degrees. Another factor is the hot Summer in Phoenix has been the overall lack of monsoonal rainfall up there. The so called dry heat is also like being in a microwave oven set to HIGH.

Steve

[azskyman]

It's 5 am, a light E breeze, and the temperature sits at 91 degrees! Nice start to the last Friday of the month!!!