Phoenix Has Hit 120 Degrees Only 3 Times In Recorded History

Published: Friday, June 16, 2017 - 2:33pm
Updated: Friday, June 16, 2017 - 2:37pm

June is historically hot in the Valley, but with temperatures expected to hit anywhere between 118 and 120 degrees early next week, even the National Weather Service says that kind of heat is unusual. 

Get ready for the totally predictable, and somewhat absurd, internet memes meant to depict summer in Phoenix.

Yes, June is hot. But Matthew Hirsh with the National Weather Service said 120 is unusual.

"We’ve only hit 120 three times in the recorded history of Phoenix, which goes back, the climate history goes back to 1895," he said.

And with temperatures this high, records will be broken.

"Probably daily records, which are about 115 to 118 each day and then also the fact that we will be above 118 for four days in a row, that would also set a record," said Hirsh.

Hirsh said temperatures are normally around 104 and 106 this time of year. The all-time record of 122 degrees was set on June 26, 1990.

Science