and 7 p.m., leaving people with few options for cooling off in the still-sweltering nights.ĭavid Hondula, chief heat officer for the City of Phoenix, said some centers plan to close later over the weekend, including one downtown near a large encampment of homeless people that will stay open 24 hours. While there are some 200 cooling and hydration centers operated at libraries, community centers, churches and other public spaces across metro Phoenix, most close anywhere between 4 p.m. The overnight low temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday morning was 95 degrees (35 C), which means temperatures may not be dropping far enough to allow people to recover after dark. The longest measured stretch of 110 degree-plus temperatures for the city is 18 days, recorded in 1974.

Phoenix hit 110 degrees (43 Celsius) for the 14th consecutive day Thursday, putting it on track for a possible new record next week. The tally includes deaths due to heat exposure or hyperthermia and cases with those reasons listed as “significant factors,” district spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said. The Southern Nevada Health District said seven people have died since April 11, and a total of 152 deaths last year were determined to be heat-related. In Las Vegas, regional health officials launched a new database Thursday to report “heat-caused” and “heat-related” deaths in the city and surrounding Clark County from April to October. The heat could persist into next week as a high pressure dome moves west from Texas. The heat wave came as the California State Fair prepared to kick off Friday in Sacramento, forcing organizers to cancel planned horseracing events due to concerns for animal safety.įorecasters said the long-duration heat wave is extremely dangerous, especially for older people, homeless residents and other vulnerable populations.

Elsewhere, officials prepared to repurpose public libraries, senior centers and police department lobbies as cooling centers, especially in desert areas.

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