Arizona sets mark for hottest Valley spring training ever

By Steve Stockmar
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In baseball, records are usually broken from feats on the field, but this spring training saw Arizona break other kinds of records.

To the surprise of probably few Valley residents and visitors who spent time lathering sunscreen and chugging water while taking in games and practices at any of the 10 ballparks around the Cactus League which ended play on Tuesday, 2026 was officially the hottest spring training in Valley history.

For the period from Feb. 10, when some teams officially first reported to camp, through the last day of games March 24, the official gauge at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport showed an average high of 85.9 degrees, not to mention a run of 13 days of either tied or broken daily high temperatures, over that period.

“That is the hottest on record for that time period,” Sean Benedict, lead meteorologist with the Phoenix National Weather Service office, said Wednesday.

While spring training’s initial reporting and final dates may fluctuate a day or two on either end of that period from year to year, the dates are consistent with Cactus League dates every February and March.

The 85.9 average daily high reached between Feb. 10 and March 24 this year outpaced that stretch recorded in other years when the Valley has hosted spring training. The second highest average daily high recorded between Feb. 10 and March 24 was 84.4 degrees in 1972, followed by an average daily high of 83.9 degrees during that span in 2016.

This year saw tied or broken high records on Feb. 27 (92 degrees), Feb. 28 (92), March 1 (93), March 2 (93), March 13 (93), March 15 (92), March 18 (102), March 19 (105), March 20 (105), March 21 (105), March 22 (102), March 23 (100), and March 24 (100).

If you’re not a fan of record high temperatures this early in the year, unfortunately more is ahead.

Around 12:30 p.m. Benedict says the 100 degrees forecasted for today’s high would break the old record of 99. Record-breaking highs are also expected Thursday through Monday as well.

The high pressure system gripping much of the Southwest isn’t letting up.

“Typically during the summer we get our big monsoon high (and) it gets really hot, and the intensity of that high is comparable to this high,” Benedict explained. “Just take that monsoon high and put it during the early spring. And that’s why we’re so hot.”

Spring (so far) does provide some relief not usually seen in summer, though.

“The big difference for right now versus the summers is we’re still cooling off pretty nicely into the 60s and 70s (at night) so it’s cool compared to the summer,” he added. “The intensity of that high is record level for this time of year.”

Steve Stockmar can be reached at sstockmar@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment YourValley.net

sstockmar@iniusa.org

Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.

Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.

Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.

Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.

Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.