Phoenix entered the hottest stretch of the weekend Aug. 1 as temperatures pushed toward 117 degrees and warm nights offered little relief.
The National Weather Service expected the worst conditions Aug. 1-2, with hot afternoons and warm nights raising the risk of heat-related illness across Phoenix. The warning remained in effect through Aug. 3.
Strong high pressure will keep temperatures near record levels while suppressing most monsoon activity, said Sean Benedict, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
Temperatures should ease slightly Aug. 3, but dangerous heat will continue and broader storm chances will remain several days away.
Dangerous heat breaks records
Phoenix was forecast to reach 116 degrees on Aug. 1, tying the daily record, before climbing
to 115 degrees on Aug. 2 — 1 degree above the record for that date, according to theNational Weather Service.
Temperatures also fell no lower than 94 degrees early Aug. 1 in Phoenix.
That's 9 degrees above normal and 1 degree shy of the record-warm low set in 2008, according to the National Weather Service.
How hot will Phoenix get this weekend?
The Weather Service forecast Phoenix-area highs of 111 to 117 degrees through Aug 3.
Overnight lows of 87 to 93 degrees will provide little relief before daytime heat builds again.
The high-pressure system should weaken slightly on Monday.
Benedict said temperatures could fall by 1 to 3 degrees, but dangerous heat will continue.
Select trails closed during extreme heat
For public safety, the City of Phoenix will close the following trails from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, through Monday, Aug. 3:
- Camelback Mountain Preserve: Echo Canyon and Cholla trails
- Phoenix Mountains Preserve: Piestewa Peak Summit Trail and associated trails
- South Mountain Park and Preserve: Holbert Trail, Mormon Trail, Hau'Pal Loop Trail, and access to the National Trail from the Pima Canyon Trailhead
The city reminds hikers to "Take a Hike. Do It Right."
More than 200 hikers are rescued each year from Phoenix's desert parks and mountain preserves. During Extreme Heat Warnings, the city strongly discourages hiking on all Phoenix trails between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Will monsoon storms reach Phoenix?
Strong high pressure and generally dry air will eliminate most monsoon activity through the weekend, Benedict said.
Storms are expected to remain concentrated over the White Mountains and southeastern Arizona. Isolated thunderstorms could develop in far southeastern Gila County beginning Aug. 2, bringing the potential for strong, gusty outflow winds.
Those outflow winds could also reach parts of south-central Arizona, though Benedict said they are not expected to be strong enough to spark new storms.
The Weather Service listed a 10% chance of Phoenix-area thunderstorms beginning Aug. 4.
The Arizona Republic's meteorologist Tevian Whitehurst contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix heat wave brings record temperatures
