We are officially in the stage of the summer when triple digits are the norm for the foreseeable future.
The big picture: The real question is how many times we'll hit (or exceed) the dreaded 110°, which elevates the heat from annoying to dangerous.
The intrigue: We can't change the weather, so we'd figure we'd make an admittedly depressing game out of it instead.
Send us your best guess of the number of days through September that will top 110° at Sky Harbor. We'll record the submissions we receive through Monday and celebrate the closest guesser on Oct. 1.
We'll give you a couple of helpful hints:
There will be at least one because we hit 110 for the first time yesterday.
The average annual number of 110 days from 1991 to 2020 was 21, National Weather Service Phoenix meteorologist Ted Whittock tells us. We hit the mark 55 times last year, a record.
Between 1991 and 2020, the average first 110-degree day was June 11 and the last was Aug. 26, per NWS. The latest recorded during that time period was Sept. 19, 2010.
Our guesses:
Jessica: 44
Jeremy: 47
😅 Stunning stat: 1911 was the only year since recording started in 1896 when Phoenix never hit 110, Whittock said.
That year, the hottest temperature was a cool 109.
