Excessive Heat — Greater Phoenix Area, Arizona

2016-07-22 · Greater Phoenix Area, Arizona

Event narrative

Strong high pressure developed across south central Arizona, including the greater Phoenix area, during the day on July 22nd leading to excessive heat over the lower deserts. The official high temperature at Phoenix reached to 112 degrees. The heat proved to be deadly; according to a report from local broadcast media a 12 year old boy was rushed to the hospital after losing consciousness from heat stroke or heat exhaustion during an afternoon hike. The boy had been hiking at the Apache Wash trailhead located about halfway between Deer Valley airport and Cave Creek. The boy later died. An Excessive Heat Warning had been in effect for the area since noon, continuing on and into the next day.

Wider weather episode

Strong high pressure aloft developed over the south central Arizona deserts during the work week ending on Friday July 22nd and this led to widespread excessive heat with many hotter desert locations reporting high temperatures in excess of 110 degrees. An Excessive Heat Warning was in effect for the entire day across the south central deserts, including the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, on July 22nd; the official high temperature for the day at Phoenix Sky Harbor was 112 degrees. The heat proved to be deadly; a 12 year old boy died from heat stroke during an afternoon hike on the Apache Wash trailhead about halfway between Deer Valley airport and Cave Creek.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 643377. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.