Phoenix's Record-Breaking Heat Wave Finally Subsides

Phoenix, Arizona, just experienced its hottest month on record, with an average temperature of 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit in July. This makes it the hottest month ever observed in a U.S. city. The scorching heat wave has brought dangerous triple-digit temperatures to 70 million Americans in the South and Southwest. Phoenix broke numerous temperature records, including the longest streak of 110-plus-degree highs at 31 days and the most 115-degree days in a month at 17. The extreme heat is attributed to a combination of natural variability, human-caused climate change, and the urban heat island effect.