Axios

Phoenix has smashed heat record after heat record this summer and is on track to top some more as a deadly heat wave is forecast to arrive Wednesday.

Why it matters: Extreme heat is becoming increasingly common in Phoenix and the Southwest.

Smoke from a massive 2018 California wildfire worsened asthma symptoms among Latino youths, per a new study.

Why it matters: Wildfires have become more frequent and extreme worldwide due to climate change.

The Atlantic Ocean is near record warm, and a favorable La Niña climate cycle is developing in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Yet at what is normally the peak of hurricane season, the ocean basin has stubbornly stayed in a deep slumber.

Why it matters: Diagnosing what is keeping storms from forming, and why computer models keep showing phantom storms, could improve forecasts.