View of the downtown Phoenix city skyline as seen from South Mountain Park. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

By Tonya Mosley & Allison Hagan • September 18, 2019

This story is part of "Covering Climate Now," a week-long global initiative of over 250 news outlets.

The hottest day in Phoenix history is June 26, 1990, when temperatures reached 122 degrees — but thanks to climate change, the desert city’s sweltering heat could break this record.

In hot places like Phoenix, residents rely on taking a break from the heat at night when temperatures significantly drop. But over the last half-century, the average nighttime temperature in Phoenix has increased by 9 degrees.

“As it gets hotter and less comfortable, we don't want to revert to air conditioning as the only solution,” says Arizona State University professor Ariane Middel. “We want to have the environment comfortable so that people can actually be outdoors and be active.”

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