Bloomberg
Summary
Summers in Phoenix have reached a terrifying new milestone. This year, as a prolonged atmospheric heat dome broils the US South and Southwest, temperatures in the city have peaked above 110F for a record-shattering 29 consecutive days — and counting. Daily lows have lingered in the 90s, settling at a record 97F on July 19 as nighttime provides little relief.
“A lot of development has occurred in kind of a traditional suburban sprawling fashion for a large part of the last century,” Keith says. “So when we look at the urban heat island in Phoenix, it’s caused by the increased pavement, concrete and roads, but also by the waste heat emitted by all the air conditioning being used and by those traditionally powered vehicles.”
In other words, Phoenix is cooking itself. On top of rising atmospheric temperatures and heat waves, the city’s vehicles and cooling systems generate their own heat, which buildings and infrastructure suck up like a sponge.
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