Phoenix, Arizona, experienced its hottest June in 2024 leading to a surge in heat-related fatalities, with the Maricopa County medical examiner recording 175 potential deaths. The city’s ongoing heat crisis has been exacerbated by high temperatures and policy decisions complicating relief efforts, while the National Weather Service warns of continued extreme heat.
Phoenix Endures Record Heat in June 2024 Amid Spike in Heat-Related Deaths
Phoenix, Arizona, recorded its hottest June ever in 2024, with temperatures leading to a significant increase in heat-related deaths. As of June 29, the Maricopa County medical examiner reported 175 potential heat-related fatalities, an 84% rise compared to the same period last year. Of these, 162 deaths are still under investigation, while 13 have been confirmed as being due to heat.
The spike in fatalities follows a broader trend in Maricopa County, where heat deaths have been climbing annually. Last year saw a record-breaking 645 heat deaths, marking a 700% increase over the past decade. The particularly high temperatures in June were driven by unusually warm night-time lows, exacerbated by moisture from a tropical system that trapped daytime heat.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings for continued high temperatures, anticipating that a heat dome will persist into mid-July. Records could be broken with temperatures potentially topping 115°F in Phoenix and breaking records in California and Las Vegas.
Data from this year indicates that of the 13 confirmed heat deaths, nearly half were among Black, Latino, or Indigenous American individuals. Additionally, 69% of the victims were men, and a notable portion involved indoor deaths due to non-functional or turned-off air conditioning. Emergency services have also responded to 424 heat-related calls.
Phoenix’s efforts to address the heat crisis are ongoing, though recent policy decisions, including the eviction of a large homeless encampment, have complicated matters. The city’s crackdown on homelessness has raised concerns, especially as a significant proportion of heat deaths last year involved unsheltered individuals.
UK’s Summer Hampered by Arctic Winds
In contrast, the UK experienced a cooler and windier start to the summer in 2024, following a particularly warm May. According to the Met Office, June temperatures were around 2°C below average due to northerly and northwesterly winds bringing cold Arctic air.
The settled spell of cooler weather is attributed to a low-pressure center over Scandinavia and an active jet stream running south of its usual position for the season. Forecasters predict unsettled and cooler conditions will continue, with temperatures possibly peaking around 18°C or 19°C during brief sunny spells.
Despite the unseasonably cool weather, Britain’s weather agencies have denied any allegations of “weather manipulation” or “geoengineering,” reaffirming that there has been no recent activity aimed at altering the climate.
