Heat-related alerts spanned parts of 14 states on Thursday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) warning of “dangerously hot conditions” in some areas.
In Phoenix, Arizona, temperatures were set to break records for the second consecutive day according to forecasters, after Wednesday saw the city break a temperature record set in 1995.
Why It Matters
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme heat can trigger heat-related illnesses, particularly among vulnerable populations such as older adults, young children, and those with certain medical conditions.
Symptoms may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, and nausea. The CDC notes that extreme heat contributes to more than 700 deaths annually across the U.S.
Rising temperatures can also worsen ground-level ozone pollution, potentially compounding existing health risks.
What To Know
On Thursday, the NWS forecast a high of 116 degrees for Phoenix, Arizona, 4 degrees hotter than the 112-degree record for this date set in 2012.
The day prior, a 115-degree reading recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor at 1:32 p.m. MST on Wednesday broke the previous record of 114 set in 2023, 2018, and 1995, the NWS said.
Elsewhere across the U.S., extreme heat warnings, issued by the service when “extremely dangerous heat conditions are expected or occurring,” were in effect for parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona.
The agency said that “dangerously hot conditions,” with afternoon temperatures between 106 to 118 degrees would be possible for portions of southwest Arizona and southeast and southern California in an alert, which was in effect until 8 p.m. on Friday.
Extreme heat watches were in effect for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, with the NWS expecting “dangerously hot and very humid conditions” in select counties across the two states on Friday.
Meanwhile, less severe heat advisories had been issued for parts of the following states:
- Texas
- New Mexico
- Colorado
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
- Iowa
Portions of Oklahoma and northern Texas could see heat index values—which reflect how hot it feels when considering both temperature and humidity—reach up to 110 degrees, according to an advisory which was in effect from noon to 8 p.m. CDT on Thursday and Friday.
What People Are Saying
While daily record highs were forecast this week, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service forecast office, Phoenix, Arizona, told Newsweek that last month was cooler compared to July 2024 in the city. The “average high July 2025 was 96.9°F compared to 101.1°F last July,” they said.
“June 2024 was also hotter than this June with an average of 97.0°F compared to 93.6°F this summer. From June 1 to Aug 5, 2024 had an average temperature of 99.3°F versus 95.7°F in 2025,” the spokesperson added.
NWS Phoenix said in a post on X, Wednesday: “High temperatures this afternoon ranged from 110 to 118 with Phoenix and El Centro both setting daily record high temperatures.”
NWS Aberdeen, South Dakota, said on X, Wednesday: “Hot temps and heat index values will reach potentially dangerous levels on Thursday. With highs of 100° and heat index values of 106°, a Moderate to Major heat risk will be in place. This level of heat impacts those sensitive to heat or without effective cooling.”
What Happens Next
The NWS issues regular forecast updates on its website.
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