Record-breaking March heat wave in Phoenix

The National Weather Service says temperatures in Phoenix could reach 108 degrees by this weekend. These are record-breaking temperatures, and an extreme heat warning is in effect.

An exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure is building against the West Coast and will center over Arizona by Wednesday. As this happens, the forecast highs climb to record-smashing levels.

The earliest 100-degree day in Arizona ever recorded was on March 26, 1988. But we are looking to break that record this week by Wednesday. Extreme heat watches are in effect for much of the Southwest later this week, with temperatures from Wednesday through Sunday equivalent to June’s normal temperatures.

Daily records are expected to be broken by as much as 10°F.

Tom Frieders, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss this atypical weather streak and what it means in terms of our climate.

“We’re forecasting anywhere from 104 to 108,” Frieders said, “…really ramping up even more tomorrow…and then peeking Friday into Saturday.”

According to Frieders, what is occurring is called an amplified pattern, which builds a strong high-pressure system across the Southwest United States.

“…blizzards off the east coast, and flooding rains in Hawaii, and it’s a highly amplified pattern,” Frieders discussed, “…the jet stream is so far to the north that that’s building this high pressure right in between it, and that’s where we’re sitting.”

Phoenix and Yuma are expected to be hit the hardest, due to the fact that they are right under the core of the high-pressure system.

“We’ll be upwards of 25 degrees above normal, and we’ll be shattering record highs by some Friday’s high temperature,” Frieders said, “…we’re expected to shatter the record by 11 degrees.”

Frieders explained how some patterns can be difficult to develop, this pattern was visible over 10 days in advance.

“So it was a high confidence event that we saw coming that far in advance,” Frieders discussed.