Phoenix sets new all-time annual record for most 110° days

It was bound to happen because it was only a matter of time.

Phoenix finally set a new all-time record yesterday for the most 110° days in a single calendar year. It became official at 5:05 PM Mountain Standard Time when Sky Harbor International Airport recorded its high temperature of 113°, marking the 29th time this year it has been at least 110°. It surpassed the previous record of 28 days in 1979 and 2002. It also tied the record high temperature for yesterday's date (113° in 1981).

While the southern Great Plains and southeastern United States have grabbed the headlines this summer (triple-digit heat in both regions, flooding rains in Texas and Oklahoma and the severe drought in the southeast such as in Alabama), Phoenix has quietly stayed out of the spotlight for the most part. But today, it is worth mentioning this very interesting record.

Here is where 2007 stands now amongst the hottest summers in Phoenix with days of 110° or higher. The National Weather Service has not updated its data posted on their Phoenix forecast office site yet, so I don't have the new annual frequency of 110° days listed by decade for you right now.

Top 10 years with highs of 110° or greater at Phoenix

1. 2007*... 29
T-2. 1979 and 2002... 28
T-3. 1936, 1974, 1985, 1989... 27
8. 2003... 26
T-9. 1981 and 1995... 25

*through August 29, 2007
The all-time monthly record is in June 1974 and July 1989.


To put this in perspective, this is not yet the hottest summer on record in Phoenix based on the average temperature in a meteorological summer season (June 1st to August 31st). At the same time, here are the top four all-time single day record-high temperatures for Phoenix as provided by KPHO-TV (you can see it in the video clip).

1. 122°... June 26, 1990
2. 121°... July 28, 1995
3. 120°... June 25, 1990
4. 118°... July 27, 1995

And here is some local coverage of the new annual record for most 110°+ days in a year. The KNXV-TV links are video clips.

Arizona Republic (August 30):
Tired of the 110° days? It could be worse.

East Valley Tribune (August 30):
Hot-weather records stuck on "replay"

KPHO-TV (Phoenix) (August 30):
New heat alert on heels of record
Crunching the numbers (video clip)

KSAZ-TV (Phoenix) (August 30):
Record heat by day, lightning by night
Working through heatwave no picnic
Coolidge schools closed

KPNX-TV (Phoenix) (August 30):
See video clips from home page:
"Record heat"
"Phoenix breaks all-time record for most days above 110 degrees"
Record heat continues for your Thursday

KNXV-TV (Phoenix) (August 30):
Hot in Phoenix? The understatement of the summer.
Is this the hottest summer ever?