Near record-breaking heat this week in Tucson will be followed with the first chance of monsoon rain, forecasters say.
There's an extreme heat warning from Thursday morning through Friday evening, with highs about 115 degrees, the National Weather Service said.
"For context, our highest temperature ever was actually 117," Julia Tetrault, a National Weather Service meteorologist said Tuesday. "There is a 10% chance, as of now, that we could see us tying that temperature, but that record has held up since June 26, 1990."
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Tucson on June 19 is 115.
"This is extreme heat," Tetrault said. "Consider canceling outdoor activities during the 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. range, especially when you have peak solar heating."
She also recommended Tucsonans take advantage of the cooling centers across Pima County. Wednesday's high in Tucson is expected to be 109.
On Monday, there is a 20% chance of thunderstorms. That would be Tucson's first monsoon rain of the season.
"There's a very, very slight chance, not necessarily for the Tucson metro area, but more for out to our east," Tetrault said. "It's not a ton, but we are seeing hints that monsoon could be here."
