This summer, the Valley saw record highs of 110-degree temps or higher for 55 consecutive days — beating the overall mark set in 2020, said Mark O’Malley, meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
On Thursday, another heat record was announced by the Maricopa County Public Health Department.
So far this year, 425 heat-related deaths have been confirmed which “matches the number” of heat deaths confirmed in 2022, according to a press release.
“... With 199 other deaths still under investigation, 2023 will set yet another record for heat deaths in Maricopa County,” the press release said.
By comparison, there were 197 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County in 2019, the county website said.
Now, the Valley is seeing “above average temperatures” for this time of year less than two weeks before Halloween — when the Valley typically starts to cool off.
As of 3:05 p.m. on Thursday, the high temp was 103 degrees at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, the meteorologist said. The normal temperature for Oct. 19 is 88 degrees, he said.
In 2022, there was a 25% increase in heat-related deaths from the year before, said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director for Maricopa County Public Health Department.
The “majority” of people who get sick from excessive heat have lived in Arizona for 10 or 20 years, the doctor said.
“It’s a myth that people acclimate to the heat,” she said.
There are more than 200 cooling centers in Maricopa County where residents can either get a drink of water or are able to go inside an air-conditioned building to cool off, she said.
Officials are in the process of combing through data from a survey of 1,000 residents in Maricopa County on whether they knew about the hydration stations, the doctor said.
In addition, the county plans to hire a person for a new “cooling center coordinator” position.
“We hope to get them hired in the next month or two,” Sunenshine said.
Officials plan to meet with “all the stakeholders” in the climate and health sectors in the next 12 to 18 months to come up with solutions on how to limit heat-related deaths.
Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.
He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.
Community: He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.
Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball.
Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.
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