Summary:
- Phoenix's average temperature this month is nearly 103 degrees, which is seven degrees higher than usual.
- Tempe's Marcos Denizah High School has implemented cool zones to help students cope with the extreme heat.
- The Arizona Burn Center is experiencing a surge in patients with surface contact burns due to the hot ground temperatures.
- Experts attribute the relentless heat in Phoenix to the urban heat island effect caused by dense pavements and buildings.
- Local residents are considering relocating to escape the ongoing heatwave.
The extreme heatwave in the southwestern United States, stretching from Phoenix to the southern tip of Florida, is poised to spread further north, with nearly 200 million Americans expected to experience temperatures above 90 degrees today. In Phoenix, the average temperature this month has already surpassed the norm, hitting nearly 103 degrees, which is seven degrees higher than usual. Meteorologists predict that this heat will likely break the previous all-time monthly record set in August 2020 at approximately 99 degrees.
As the heat wave persists, the city of Tempe has taken measures to protect its residents from the scorching temperatures. For the first time, Marcos Denizah High School has set up cool zones to help students cope with the extreme weather. Brent Brown, the principal of the school, noted a significant decrease in the number of students eating lunch outside due to the intensity of the heat. Even the ground itself poses a risk, with temperatures reaching up to 180 degrees, capable of causing first-degree burns. The Arizona Burn Center reports that more than a third of its beds are currently occupied by patients with surface contact burns.
The relentless heat has prompted concerns among locals, including 66-year-old Jacob Cohen, who admits that the rising temperatures are beginning to impact him more as he ages. Many residents are now contemplating the possibility of moving to escape the extreme weather. The urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where urban areas with dense pavements, cement, and buildings absorb and retain heat during the day, exacerbates the situation by preventing the city from cooling off at night.