And for March 2026 in Phoenix, it’s been a record heat as well.
According to multiple sources, Phoenix has endured the hottest March in its recorded history, as an extraordinary heatwave pushed temperatures to levels never before seen so early in the year. By mid-March, the city was breaking long-standing records, with temperatures peaking far above the previous March high set in 1988.
Records fall
The extreme conditions culminated around March 19-21, when temperatures surged into triple digits — weeks earlier than usual. March 18 (high of 101 degrees) marked the earliest occurrence of a 100-degree day in Phoenix history, surpassing the prior record of March 26, 1988.
The city then experienced multiple consecutive days of unusually high temperatures, setting a string of daily records and signaling a dramatic shift from typical spring conditions.
Temperatures March 19 in Phoenix soared to 104 degrees, breaking the record of 97 for the same date in 2017 and 25 degrees above normal, the National Weather Service said. Phoenix doesn’t usually reach 100 degrees for the first time in a year until about May 10.
March 20 and 21 also set daily records with both days maxing out at 104 degrees before “cooling” down to 102 on March 22.
And even though the month is closing with temperatures back in the high 90s, these numbers are 14-18 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to data from wundergound.com.
Meteorologists note the heat resembles what is more commonly experienced in late May or even early summer.
Across the state
The intensity of the heat was equally striking outside the Valley.
Near Martinez Lake, Arizona, temperatures climbed to a record-breaking 110 degrees on March 19, establishing the highest March temperature ever recorded in the U.S., according to the NWS. Martinez Lake is about 145 miles west of Phoenix and sits on the Arizona-California border, in the Yuma desert.
The March temperature record was first set in 1954 in Rio Grande, Texas, at 108 degrees. That record was matched during this heat wave March 18 near North Shore, California, according to the weather service.
What’s causing this broiler?
Experts attribute the unprecedented heat to a strong and slow-moving “heat dome” that settled over the region. This high-pressure system trapped hot air and allowed temperatures to build day after day. Climate scientists say such events are becoming more likely and more intense due to broader climate change trends.
Residents are urged to use caution during the extreme heat. Public safety measures included the closure of several popular hiking trails, as authorities urged residents and visitors to limit outdoor activity during peak heat hours.
What’s next?
In the first days of April, Weather Underground forecasters say temperatures will ease as the high-pressure system responsible for March’s extreme heat weakens and moves out of the region.
Daytime highs are expected to fall from the 90s into the mid-80s, offering a brief period of relief. Overnight lows will settle into the 60s, bringing more comfortable evenings compared to the unusually warm nights seen in March.
Despite the April cooldown, the record-breaking March serves as an early and sobering preview of what this summer could hold.
The all-time high temperature for any day in Phoenix is 122 degrees recorded on June 26, 1990 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.
Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AIA Friday Night Football Wrap Up Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.
Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs.
Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.
Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.
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