175 Possible Heat Deaths In Maricopa County In June, Nearly 2X 2023 Total For Same Month

Heat-related deaths in hottest major US city have almost doubled compared with the same period last year, after Phoenix experienced its hottest ever June on record. The number of possible heat deaths reported by the Maricopa county medical examiner was 175 as of 29 June – a staggering 84% increase over the same period last year. That current total comprises 162 suspected deaths under investigation and 13 confirmed heat deaths.

The death toll from extreme heat has been rising every year in Maricopa county, where Phoenix, the Arizona state capital and America’s fifth largest city, is located. Deaths are concentrated in Phoenix despite city and statewide efforts to tackle the rise in heat mortality and morbidity.

Last year, Phoenix suffered a month of consecutive days over 110F (43C) and a record 645 heat deaths in the county – a 700% rise over the past decade. But the unprecedented July heatwave followed a cooler-than-normal June, which could partly explain the surge in early season heat-related deaths recorded so far this year.

The average temperature – a measure which takes into account the daily highs and lows – made June 2024 the hottest ever recorded in the city. This was driven in large part by multiple record warm lows or night-time temperatures towards the end of the month, when moisture from a tropical system sat over the region, trapping the daytime heat and limiting cooling.

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/06/phoenix-arizona-extreme-heat-deaths