In Phoenix, Temperatures Never Fell Below 90F For An Entire Week (7/7-15/20)

[hatrack]

EDIT

Between July 7 and July 15, temperatures never fell below 90 degrees and had highs in the 110s. From 1895 through the 1970s, Phoenix had only 9 days total where overnight lows were 90 degrees or above, Iñiguez said. Since 1980, that number has shot up to 227 days where temperatures didn’t fall below 90 during the summer months.

“That's the big eye-catching thing, the fact that we get these 90s lows more overall now,” Iñiguez said. “We certainly have this shift towards warmer temperatures overall, but this rate of warming is much more drastic at night.”

Overnight temperatures are increasing at twice the rate as afternoon temperatures, according to NWS data analyzed by Iñiguez. In 2003 and 2013, Phoenix hit its record for number of days where the temperature didn’t fall below 90 in a year: 15 days total. Already, there have been 11 days this year where temperatures never dropped below 90. The last time there were 7 days in a row where low temperatures never fell below 90 was in August of 2012.

Global heating and urbanization are the main contributing factors to this heat trend. “We see the effect of global scale climate change both in our daytime temperatures and our nighttime temperatures,” said Hondula. “But really the dominant driver here in Phoenix and many other cities in the past five, six, seven, eight decades is from urbanization and the effect of urbanization is clearest in those nighttime temperature records.”

EDIT

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2020/07/21/phoenix-night-temps-get-hotter-because-heat-island-climate-change/5472797002/

[in2herbs]

1. We ought to invite Imhoffe to AZ and make him stand in the middle of the street in the

summer heat then hear what he has to say about global warming. Sure, he can bring his snowball.

[Budi]

2. Ok. Wait. 90 in AZ & Tx is actually quite nice for July.

To sit at 90 for one week in July is NOT a crisis. It's SUMMER.
We generally see low to mid 90's this time of year & a week of 100 isn't a stretch either.

I'm calling out the sensationalising of this point in the article.

90 in mid summer, for AZ & here in Tx is NOT unusual.

Those temps have been pretty typical for the past16 years I have lived here.
90° for one week in July is called summer.

C'mom. It's not an omg! moment.

Perhaps 90° for a week in July in a more Northern location would be a more convincing study.

[hatrack]

3. The point is that it never fell below 90F even at 1:00, 2:00 or 3:00 AM

Daily highs were 110F and above.

[Budi]

4. And what. A week of spiking temps day leading into night hours and back up again the next day is not

...unusual.

We see it every summer at some point.

It generally drops back to normal summer temps following a week or so of that spike.

I've experienced it every summer for 16 years.
It may occur in late July or August & sometimes in early Sept.

It is not exceptional for 2020 alone.

Sorry. I live it.

[hatrack]

5. Maybe you didn't read the first paragraph excerpted above . . .

Between July 7 and July 15, temperatures never fell below 90 degrees and had highs in the 110s. From 1895 through the 1970s, Phoenix had only 9 days total where overnight lows were 90 degrees or above, Iñiguez said. Since 1980, that number has shot up to 227 days where temperatures didn’t fall below 90 during the summer months.

But no, since you "live it", I guess it's just meaningless, no trend at all, nothing to see here.

[Budi]

6. Maybe because I LIVE here.

Not arguing climate issues.

But the article is making an OMG case & it doesn't fit with the 16 yr experience of living in this desert south.

Honestly if temps dropped to the 80's in July/Aug, be asssured you'd see ppl wearing long sleeve covering.

I only speak from the statistics I have first hand experience with.

If this article ran on our local news/weather, the response would be, "so? It's summer"

There are far greater examples of climate effects to cite than summer temps in the desert south.

[Budi]

8. This is comparable to below zero temps in the dead of winter in the North.

Not a shock to those who live there & experience variable temp & winter conditions every season. But for southern mild winter States, ya., it's pretty shocking to imagine living there.

I grew up in that far North harsh winter climate as well.

[Boomer]

10. Sorry, but 16 years is not useful for measurement

You've experienced less than two decades of the climate, and frankly that's quite limited in the context of what is going on now.

In contrast, I grew up in Texas in the 1950s, so I have a view of 60+ years of change. Yes, the daily summer temperatures were often steady through the 90s, but night time cooled off noticeably. It wasn't unusual to even need a light sweater in the evenings.

You're discounting the weather stats as alarmist because you don't sense the inexorable incremental changes. Not too different from a lobster in a pot of water that is ever so gradually getting warmer. "Hey feels fine! Stop overreacting."

[Budi]

11. Ha. Oh boy. 16 years living in the climate is not a long enough comparison

This article is becoming less & less believable & more about trying to force a case for a subject.

Later..

Next, do Lithium/cobalt mining & human rights violations. Go ahead & tell the publuc to toss their electrojics & EV autos until a cleaner source of energy is discovered.
Btw, they ARE working on that too.

If this isn't also addressed then the GND picking & choosing a popular topic is simply populism.

It doesn't address nor reach further to find a solution.

No EV autos, no electronics.
Try that one if they are truly serious.

[mountain grammy]

7. All those air conditioners running 24/7

Putting out more heat, cooking themselves. We sure enjoyed a beautiful February there. No A/c needed.

[Budi]

9. Exactly. While in the cold North, the heaters were running 24/7

Gasoline/diesel engines left running to keep the car warm.

I'd rather see an article on the toxic destruction of Lithium/cobalt mining to keep the Teslas, cell phones, laptops etc, running.

When someone who is honest about Climate & Human rights violations as found in Lithium/cobalt mining takes a stand, then I'll know thry are serious about the great GND.

Until they address the very unpopular idea of abandoning the use of electronics & EV cars until a more environmental friendly method is in place, I see the climate issue as one of 'pick & choose' populism.

That's all I have to say about this.

Now do Lithium & cobalt mining.

[Boomer]

12. Wow. You're all over the place

I'm not sure what your argument is about, much less who you're arguing with.

From my perspective, humans are pretty much screwing up everything they touch (that includes your lithium & cobalt mining issue), there's no solution that humans will likely accept to prevent screwing up everything (which covers your concern that they're not throwing away electronic toys), as a result climate will continue to change in ways that aren't pleasant for anyone (that covers my observations of climate change within my lifetime), so it looks like we're totally screwed (my perspective, but can't tell where you fall on this).

[Budi]

13. Just adding my own observations.

I have no arguement as to the seriousness of looming climate issues.

I prefer to add Lithium mining & toxicity to the conversation on climate, but find that few want to address what would have to be sacrificed.

There are some advances into mining & use of lithium, especially in Germany, however that show us the world is paying attention to this topic.


https://cleantechnica.com/2020/07/19/lithium-can-be-extracted-from-groundwater-at-geothermal-installations/amp/

(This is pretty encouraging.)

"Lithium Can Be Extracted From Groundwater At Geothermal Installations"