An unprecedented streak of extreme temperatures scorched the southwestern U.S. in July 2023. Blistering temperatures have lingered in the region for more than three weeks, contributing to delayed air travel and heat-related deaths.
The map above shows air temperatures across the Southwest on July 25, 2023. The map was produced by combining satellite observations with temperatures predicted by a version of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. The map represents temperatures at about 6.5 feet (2 meters) above the ground at about 2 p.m. Pacific Time. The darkest reds indicate temperatures of more than 113°F (45°C). On this day, measurements from a weather station in Phoenix, Arizona, recorded 119°F, topping the daily air temperature record by three degrees.
The desert Southwest is known for its heat, but the duration of the recent extreme temperatures has far surpassed previous records. As of July 26, Phoenix had endured 27 days with maximum temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C), shattering the previous record of 18 days in a row, recorded in 1974. As of July 27, El Paso, Texas, had suffered for 42 consecutive days at or above 100°F (38°C), which was 19 days longer than its previous record set in 1994.
Read more at NASA Earth Observatory
Image: The desert Southwest endured more than three weeks of extreme temperatures in July 2023. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)