Publication Date June 20, 2016 | Washington Post

Record heat scalding the Southwest in extreme weather pattern

United States
GFS model simulation of massive heat dome centered over the Southwest U.S. on Monday afternoon. Image: WeatherBell.com
GFS model simulation of massive heat dome centered over the Southwest U.S. on Monday afternoon. Image: WeatherBell.com

An unusually strong area of high pressure — or heat dome — is leading to historic extremes of heat in the Southwest...

Locations that established daily record highs Sunday included: Yuma (120), Phoenix (118),  Tucson (115), Burbank, Calif. (109), Albuquerque (103, tie), and Santa Fe (102)...

Several of these temperatures ranked among the hottest ever recorded in their respective locations:

  • Sante Fe’s high of 102 degrees tied its hottest all-time temperature on record (from June 27, 2013), although there are gaps in its record.
  • Tucson’s high of 115 degrees tied its third hottest temperature of all time.
  • Yuma’s high of 120 degrees tied for its fourth hottest day recorded.
  • Phoenix’s high of 118 degrees tied for its fifth hottest day