When the ice broke on the Santa Cruz River: Tucson hits 100 degrees
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
This year, the "ice broke" at 1:59 p.m. on April 30, according to the National Weather Service. Find more articles from Tucson's first 100-degree days from years past.
Tales from the Morgue: The ice break
Updated"The ice broke on the Santa Cruz River today."
That's what we hear on the first 100-degree day each year. Maybe it makes us feel better about heading into that long stretch of hot summer days if we pretend there was ever ice in that mostly-now-dry river.
Has there ever been a summer in Tucson without a single 100-degree day?
That fantasy hasn't happened since we started recording Tucson temperatures in 1895.
We hear all the time about the first 100-degree day each year. The earliest it has happened is April 19; that was in 1989. The latest date we reached 100 degrees for the first time was June 22 in 1905. The average first 100-degree date is May 25; the normal first 100-degree day is May 18. Average is for the period 1894-2021. Normal is for the period of 1991-2020.
But what about the last 100-degree day each year? That day isn't heralded with trumpets because, of course, we don't know for sure that it won't happen again each year. But it must be a date many of us would look forward to if we knew when it was coming.
The average occurrence of the last 100-degree day in Tucson is Sept. 18, and the modern normal is Sept. 24. The earliest final 100-degree day was in 1966 on Aug. 8. The latest was 1991 on Oct. 16, when we had a record high of 100 degrees. We both tied and broke that record in 2020. We tied the record for the latest day of 100 degrees or more and set a new record high of 101.
We thought it bad in 1994 when we had 99 days in which the temperature reached at least 100 degrees — only 82 of them actually in the summer months. In 2020, however, we learned we can now look back on 1994 fondly. We had 108 days of 100 degrees or more, about 60 percent of them in the summer months.
We probably all know that the record high in Tucson was 117 degrees on June 26, 1990. Do we know the record low? Do we care? For those who do, it was six degrees on Jan. 7, 1913.
The Star archivist went in search of articles about the first 100-degree day each year and couldn't find them in the Arizona Daily Star in the earliest years of record keeping. She surmises that before air conditioning, perhaps Tucsonans didn't want to know just how hot it was when there was no escape for those who had to remain in Tucson to attend their jobs.
There comes a point when we must accept the heat, which is far easier to do when we have air-conditioned homes to which we may retreat.
The date at the beginning of each story here is the date the story ran online or in the paper. Of course, before the Internet, these stories ran the day after the mercury hit 100.
Tucson hits 100 degrees for first time in 2022
UpdatedIt’s official: Tucson has marked its first 100-degree day on Tuesday, April 26.
The Tucson International Airport hit 100 degrees at 12:55 p.m. on Tuesday, breaking 2020’s record of 99 degrees. The National Weather Service said 2022 is ahead of the curve as Tucson normally sees triple-digit weather for the first time around May 25.
In 2021, Tucson first hit 100 degrees on May 13. The record for earliest recorded 100-degree weather was on April 19, 1989.
According to the NWS, the warming trend will continue throughout the week. Tucson should expect to see highs in the low 90s during the week before the weekend brings highs in the upper 90s.
Tucson Airport hit 100 degrees at 12:55 PM! That breaks the 2020 record of 99. And this is the 1st 100 degree day for 2022! #azwx
— NWS Tucson (@NWSTucson) April 26, 2022
Tucson experiences first 100-degree day Thursday
UpdatedMay 14, 2021
Tucson saw its first 100-degree high temperature of 2021 on Thursday afternoon — a bit earlier than the average for the first triple-digit day, the National Weather Service reported.
The 100-degree mark was reached at 3:58 p.m. at the airport, the agency said, making it the seventh time it’s reached that temperature on May 13. The date is now tied for most occurrences on one day along with June 2 and June 6.
This year’s mark also was reached two weeks later than in 2020.
However, it remains weeks ahead of the earliest 100-degree day reached on April 19, 1989.
The NWS in analyzing data from 1895 to 2020 found Tucson’s average date for the first experience with 100-degree temperatures is May 25.
The latest first triple-digit day was set on June 22, 1905, the agency said.
Meteorologist Carl Cerniglia, said “The ongoing forecast for the summer months is for temperatures to be warmer than normal. When you look at the monthly averages in the months that have gone by it should end up being warmer than normal.”
In 2020, Tucson experienced 108 days of 100-degree temperatures, far exceeding the average of 68 days, Cerniglia said.
“You can tell that ended up being the warmest summer on record, so that was quite the exceptional year,” Cerniglia said.
“Hopefully we don’t break that record.”
Friday’s high in Tucson should flirt with 100 degrees, but the weekend will be in the mid-90s, before a slight cooling trend arrives Monday, with highs then in the 80s, according to the NWS.
Tucson's first 100-degree day of 2020 is in the books
UpdatedApril 29, 2020
Tucson experienced its first 100-degree day of 2020 on Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported.
The temperature hit triple-digits in Tucson at 2:47 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, making it the fifth-earliest 100-degree day on record for the Old Pueblo.
From 1895 to 2019, on average, the first 100-degree day in Tucson has been May 25.
The earliest 100-degree day in the last 10 years and the last time Tucson had triple-digit temperatures in April was in 2012, on April 22.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the latest first-time triple-digit occurrence on record is June 22, 1905.
Last year’s first 100-degree day came later than average, June 9, but every day after that in June was a day of triple-digit temperatures.
Jim Meyer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Star earlier this week that it is difficult to predict whether an earlier first 100-degree day will lead to a hotter-than-average summer.
“It’s almost like nature tries to make up for it and balance things out,” Meyer said. “If you start out early with your 100-degree days you do have a better chance of having more above-average numbers of 100-degree days, but I don’t know, a lot of times it just seems like somewhere along the line, it just balances back out again.”
An excessive heat warning has been issued for the Tucson area for Thursday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The high temperature could range from 100 to 107 degrees, the Weather Service said.
Tucson gets triple-digit temperatures for the first time in 2019
UpdatedJune 9, 2019
Tucson’s temperatures passed 100 degrees Sunday afternoon for the first time in 2019.
By 2:40 p.m. Sunday, Tucson's high temperature was 101 at the Tucson International Airport.
The triple-digit mark came unseasonably late this year, though it’s not the latest recorded 100-degree day. The latest date that Tucson reached 100 degrees for the first time in a year was June 22 in 1905, according to Star archives.
Sunday’s temperature tied for the 13th latest triple-digit occurrence with June 9, 1959. It’s the latest occurrence since 1982, when it hit 100 degrees on June 10, said Emily Carpenter, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Tucson.
“It was just a matter of time before the real heat arrived,” Carpenter said. “It comes every year.”
Tucson is expected to stay in the triple-digits through the week, with Wednesday’s high expected to be 105 degrees and Thursday's high expected at 106 degrees.
The average recorded first 100-degree day is May 25. In the last 10 years, the first 100-degree day has mostly been in May. In 2016 the first 100-degree day was on June 2, according to Star archives. The earliest 100-degree day in the last 10 years was in 2012, on April 22.
May had unusually low temperatures this year, making it the 23rd-coolest May on record. But weather patterns show the coming summer days will be warmer than normal, Glenn Lader, a National Weather Service Tucson meteorologist, said last week.
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Tucson are also predicting a later monsoon season this year.
Carpenter said it’s important that people remember to drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks in air-conditioned areas if they’re outside for long periods of time. She said people should check on their elderly neighbors and make sure their pets also stay hydrated and inside during the hotter time of day.
Those who enjoy the outdoors should get their hiking or other outdoor activities done early in the morning and avoid being outside in the afternoon, Carpenter said, adding that people should also let someone know where they’re going in case anything happens to them during a hike.
Tucson’s marathon of triple-digit days started this afternoon
UpdatedMay 6, 2018
Tucson had it’s first 100-degree day of the year Sunday.
Tucson’s temperature broke into triple digits this afternoon, some forecasts had the high reaching 102 degrees later today.
It was worse in Phoenix.
It reached a record-setting 106 degrees — and possibly more Sunday
Phoenix hit the 106 mark just after noon. The high was expected to reach 108.
Tucson hits 100 degrees for first time this year
UpdatedMay 4, 2017
Tucson officially hit 100 degrees today at 2:34 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
While early, the average first 100-day is May 26, it's no record breaker.
The earliest it has hit 100 was April 19, 1989. Last year, Tucson didn't see its first 100-day of the year until June 2.
The heat will give way over the weekend to much cooler highs. By Monday, the highs will be in the mid-70s with overnight lows in the 50s as a storm moves through the area. A chance of rain will pop up in the forecast by Sunday, increasing to 25 percent by Tuesday.
It's official: Tucson hits 100 degrees for first time in 2016
UpdatedJune 2, 2016
The first 100-degree day of 2016 has hit Tucson, but it won't be the last.
Tucson International Airport reported we hit triple digits at 1:10 p.m.
The last time the triple-digit mark was reached this late in the season was in 1998.
This year, the high follows a short string of blissful days in the 80s last week that almost made it seem like summer might be late this year, or at least forgiving.
The summer solstice, which is the official start of summer, is June 20.
So crank up the AC and slather on the sunblock, Sonoran summer is here.
Tucson temperature finally hits 100
UpdatedMay 30, 2015
After a month of unseasonably cool weather, Tucson temperatures finally reached 100 degrees today, for the first time this year.
The temperature was recorded at Tucson International Airport at 2:03 p.m., the U.S. National Weather Service said.
Although May will go down in the record books as the coolest May since 1988 at two degrees below normal, the first 100-degree day is right about on schedule with the average date of May 26.
Sunday's temperature could be even warmer, with the forecasted high at 103 degrees, according to the service.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday's forecasts are also in the triple digits.
Winter and spring temperatures were running above average until May, which started warm but cooled off, leading to 20 days of below normal temperatures.
June's high temperatures average at 100.3 degrees and the month itself has averaged 19 days at 100 degrees or more.
Tucson temperature hits 100
UpdatedMay 17, 2014
The temperature broke 100 degrees in parts of the Tucson metro region early Friday afternoon, and finally broke through at the official gauge at Tucson International Airport at 3:54 p.m.
And so it begins.
Conditions today are about the same, but we begin with higher temperatures and may break Friday’s mark, said Jerald Meadows, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson.
It cools off after Sunday, but 100 will return — again and again.
Tucson averages 62 days above 100 each summer, according to National Weather Service records.
The average start date for 100-degree temperatures in Tucson is May 26.
The average for reaching 105 degrees is June 12.
The record high in Tucson was 117 degrees on June 26, 1990.
The official forecast for the Tucson metro area calls for highs today and Sunday from 97 to 103 in the Tucson metro area.
It will cool down a bit next week, with highs in the 80s by Wednesday.
Stay inside for a while. See you in November.
For more hot weather lore, see “Tucson in 100 Objects” on Page C1.
We hit 100 and just kept going
UpdatedJune 2, 2013
• The temperature at the airport hit 100 degrees at 12:22 p.m. Saturday, said Gary Zell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
• Then it kept on going, topping out for the day at a skin-searing 105.
• Get ready for more of the same: Here are the expected highs from today through Saturday: 105, 102, 101, 102, 104, 102, 100.
• How long will it last? "Probably until we get some rain," Zell said. Cold drink, anyone?
Tucson baked at 101° on Sunday, 1 of earliest triple-digit days
UpdatedApril 23, 2012
Tucson did it Sunday. Rather, the heat did it.
The mercury reached 100 degrees and then some, according to the National Weather Service's Tucson Weather Forecast Office.
The three-digit high came at 1:51 p.m. at Tucson International Airport. It topped out at 101 degrees.
The century mark arrived earlier in the year than usual, according to the weather service. It was the second-earliest day on record that Tucson has hit the 100-degree mark.
The earliest date was April 19, 1989.
Sunday's 101 temperature was the 10th time that the thermometer has reached triple digits in April. The highest temperature for this month was 104 degrees, coming on two consecutive days, April 20 and 21, 1989, the weather service said.
The heat is expected to ease up today and for the rest of the week, as temperatures fall back to the mid-90s and maybe even the high 80s.
Tucson hits 100 degrees - get used to it
UpdatedMay 28, 2011
For Aleecia Gonzalez, 7, the season's first triple-digit day only made the splash pad at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park that much better. For the rest of us, it heralded Tucson's annual long, hot slog. Photo by Jill Torrance / Arizona Daily Star
Tucson hits 100° for 1st time in 2010
UpdatedMay 29, 2010
Tucson's high officially hit 100 degrees for the first time this year at 2:39 p.m. Friday.
The day's high eventually reached 101, according to the National Weather Service.
Tucson will flirt with the triple-digit mark through the weekend, with highs expected to be in the mid- to upper 90s through Memorial Day.
Tucson's average recorded date for its first 100-degree day is May 26. The latest date on record for the first 100-degree day is June 22, 1905.
100° arrives 19 days before average start
UpdatedMay 8, 2009
Let the scorching begin.
Tucson officially hit 100 degrees for the first time this year at 1:53 p.m. Thursday, according to temperature data monitored by the National Weather Service.
Thursday's high was 101 degrees, which is 14 degrees above normal for the day.
The arrival of the triple digits came 19 days before the average start (May 26) of 100-degree days in Tucson since local records were first kept in 1894. It was also 12 days earlier than in 2008, when we first hit 100 degrees on May 19.
This year's first triple-digit occurrence tied with 1895 for the sixth-earliest. The earliest it's ever happened was in 1989, when the temperature was 100 degrees on April 19.
by the numbers
• Average date of first 100-degree day (since 1895): May 26.
• Earliest: April 19, 1989.
• Latest: June 22, 1905.
• Highest May temperature in Tucson: 111 degrees on May 29, 1910.
• Highest all-time recorded temperature in Tucson: 117 degrees on June 26, 1990.
SOURCE: National Weather Service
Tucson hit 100 degrees around noon Monday
UpdatedMay 20, 2008
Be careful out there.
Tucson officially hit 100 degrees for the first time this year at 12:10 p.m. Monday and the day topped out at 103 degrees.
Today expect more of the same, only hotter, with a high of 104 predicted.
Wednesday will be windy and slightly cooler as a storm system drops down from the north, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Davis, bringing high temperatures down to the mid-80s by Friday.
Don't expect the high temperatures to stay away for long, Davis said.
Tucson averages two 100- degree-plus days in May, 16 such days in June, 16 in July, 10 in August and five in September, said Davis.The hottest May through September on record, 1994, recorded 99 days of 100-plus temperatures, according to Weather Service data.
It was even hotter elsewhere in the state Monday. Phoenix and Yuma set records with highs of 110 and 115, respectively.
The Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for most of Central and Western Arizona today.
The recommendations are appropriate for Tucson as well, which nearly qualified for the warning.
If possible, avoid outdoor activity in the afternoon and early evening, officials say. Wear sunscreen. Drink lots of water. And cover up with light clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
Welcome to 100
UpdatedMay 12, 2007
Triple-digit heat arrived a full two weeks ahead of schedule, but let's not fret about that.
When the mercury hit 100 degrees on the official airport gauge at 1:44 p.m., Friday became the earliest 100-degree day in any year since 2001. The average ice-breaking day is May 26, and the average time is 1:31 p.m.
The final high was 102.
Rather than focus on the arrival of ovenlike summer days, consider the following data from the National Weather Service:
● Phoenix broke 100 degrees on April 28.
● We broke 100 three weeks later than Tucson's earliest triple-digit day — April 19, 1989.
● The summer monsoon rain has arrived as early as June 17, in 2000. It hit on June 28 last year.
● Wettest summer months on record: June, 2.07 inches in 1938; July, 6.24 inches in 1921; August, 7.93 inches in 1955; September, 5.11 inches in 1964.
● Last summer's 10.2 inches of monsoon rain beat the normal by more than 4 inches.
For those who can't help but dread the summer heat, just remember it can hang around for a long time:
● The latest day in the fall we reached 100 degrees was Oct. 16, 1991.
Advice can help you cope with desert heat
UpdatedMay 22, 2006
Tucson's temperature hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time Sunday afternoon, according to local meteorologist Jimmy Stewart.
The National Weather Service says temperatures will drop to 91 and 93 degrees for highs on Monday and Tuesday, but reach back up toward the century mark by mid-week.
Here are the answers to a few burning questions about the heat, drawn from the Star's 2005 archives:
Q: Should you leave your air conditioner on when you leave the house for work?
A: Yes, but raise the setting on the thermostat 4 or 5 degrees above its normal setting, said Leroy Johnson, general manager of Cummings Plumbing, Cooling and Heating in Tucson.
If you turn it off, you'll have to cool every surface and every object in your house before the air starts feeling cool again, meaning it'll "run for hours trying to pull heat out of the house," Johnson said.
Johnson's advice, by the way, is seconded by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, which represents 90 percent of the manufacturers of air conditioners in North America.
Its Web site recommends turning the thermostat up to about 82 degrees if you leave the house for more than four hours. Those of you who can't remember to shut off the coffee maker before leaving for work should invest in a programmable thermostat.
For more information, go to www.ari.org, the institute's Web site.
Q: Why is a dry heat better than a humid heat?
A: A bone-dry 110 may feel like an oven, but it's an environment in which people can at least function. But put a bit of moisture in the air and 95 degrees becomes a miserable endurance test. Why?
Simply, wet air feels warmer.
"As relative humidity increases, the air typically seems warmer than it actually is because the body has less ability to cool itself," said Jeff Davis, a National Weather Service meteorologist. "The apparent temperature is a lot higher if it's humid versus if it's dry."
Meteorologists measure the effect of humidity on temperature using the heat index, or "feels like" temperature. The heat index is essentially the opposite of the wind chill.
Since people cool themselves in heat by perspiring, humid air can have more of a negative impact than dry air.
"When you sweat, perspiration is essentially an evaporative cooling process and you basically cool your body down," Davis said. "When there's more water vapor in the air, your body doesn't perspire as effectively as it should."
Q: Should you pack sweaters away until December?
A: No, actually.
On really hot days, taking in a movie can be a relaxing and entertaining way to escape the heat.
But going from the heat of a 106-degree day to the air-conditioned chill of a theater can be a shock to the system.
So what's the healthiest way to cope? Wear a sweater.
Going without a sweater is safe, said Harvey Meislin, an emergency medicine physician at University Medical Center.
But wearing one can help your body to quickly acclimate between extreme climates.
Did you like 105 degrees? Wait, it gets better
UpdatedMay 21, 2005
The key to keep misery at bay during the sizzling summer is to keep your body hydrated with water and other fluids, he said.
And don't even think about taking a walk or doing yard work during midday. Meislin said any strenuous activity should be done early in the morning or after the sun sets.
A good pair of sunglasses, light-colored clothing and sunscreen also will help, Meislin said.
Craig Shoemaker, who really knows his weather, plans to heed the doctor's advice to stay indoors. He moved here from Alaska six months ago.
"I might go bowling - I don't know," said Shoemaker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
This year's 100-degree temperature came just a bit earlier than average, he said. Six days, to be exact.
Expect no relief over the weekend - the mercury will keep shooting up. The forecast is for 107 degrees today and 108 on Sunday.
Temperatures will cool down by next week, Shoemaker said. But cool is a relative term when the temperature hovers above 100.
Take a sweater - no kidding
On really hot days, taking in a movie can be a relaxing and entertaining way to escape the heat.
But going from the heat of a 106-degree day to the air-conditioned chill of a theater can be a shock to the system.
So what's the healthiest way to cope? Wear a sweater.
Going without a sweater is safe, said Harvey Meislin, an emergency medicine physician at University Medical Center.
But wearing one can help your body to quickly acclimate between extreme climates.
100°!
UpdatedMay 15, 2000
The mercury topped out at triple digits yesterday for the first time in the year 2000 at 4:58 p.m., accord ing to the National Weather Service.
"It didn't stay that hot for too long,'' said meteorologist Mic Sherwood.
"It only lasted for about 3 minutes."
The normal date when the temperature hits 100 at Tucson International Airport is May 27, Sherwood said. The earliest triple-digit date was April 19 of 1989, the latest was June 6 of 1985, he said.
1st high of 100 kicks off Tucson's season of heat
UpdatedMay 22, 1995
Tucson's triple-digit season made its first official appearance yesterday with a 100-degree reading at 2:41 p.m.
The first 100-degree reading for 1995 was recorded at Tucson International Airport, said Pat Capers, a National Weather Service technician.
If anything, the city hit the mark a little late this year.
The first triple-digit reading came six days earlier in 1994 — a year with 99 straight days of 100-degree-plus temperatures.
The earliest triple-digit reading came on April 19, 1989, said Capers. The latest we ever broke 100 degrees was in 1962, she said, when the heat held off until June 19.
Capers said she wasn't sure if the later arrival of 100-degree days means the seasonal monsoons will be postponed as well.
But nature is only warning us at this point.
Capers said temperatures should fall into the lower 90s for the next few days, as Tucson experiences variable clouds, cooler and windy conditions — and maybe even a chance of showers.
And remember that things are always worse somewhere else. The high was 102 in Bullhead City yesterday — and it hit 104 in Coolidge.
CORRECTION ran May 23, 1995:
A story on Page 1A yesterday incorrectly listed the number of consecutive 100-degree-plus days in Tucson last year. In 1994, the city endured 30 straight days of 100 degrees or more.
Tucson hits 103° for '90's 1st triple digits
UpdatedMay 24, 1990
The mercury in Tucson thermometers soared to 103 degrees yesterday, breaking the 100-degree mark for the first time this year.
And summer is nearly a month away.
The season will not officially begin until the June 21 summer solstice, when the sun reaches its northernmost point in Earth's sky.
Spring is supposed to bring blooming flowers and stirrings of love, not drying cacti and heat exhaustion. But springs like this are nothing new in the Sonoran desert.
Many Tucsonans remember how early summer started last year, with 100-plus temperatures striking in mid-April. A year ago yesterday, Tucson experienced its 11th triple-digit high temperature of the year.
Last year's heat was brought on by a high pressure zone that camped over the city. A similar system was to blame for yesterday's high temperature, but a low-pressure front should bring breezes and somewhat lower temperatures today, a National Weather Service spokesman said.
The weather service predicts the temperature will reach the high 90s today, with partly cloudy skies and winds of 10 to 20 mph. Tonight, the mercury should dip into the low 60s. Tomorrow's forecast is for sunny skies and highs in the upper 90s.
The heat is here: 103 and climbing
UpdatedJune 7, 1985
Temperatures climbed past 100 degrees in Tucson yesterday for the first time this year, heralding a late but nonetheless infernal start to summer weather.
And forecasters at the National Weather Service predict highs will continue to rise above 100 for the next few days. A high of 105 is expected today. Overnight lows will be in the low 70s.
A high pressure system is keeping the hot air in Southern Arizona, said Jack Mazur of the National Weather Service.
The high temperature yesterday at Tucson International Airport was 103, well short of the record of 111 recorded several times in the last 20 years.
The high recorded on the northwest side was 95, according to weather observer Erwin Schwarz, who lives near Ina and Oracle roads.
A high of 105 was recorded by Bert Maine, who lives near East Pima Street and North Craycroft Road.
Contrary to legend, the ice in the Santa Cruz River did not break up when the temperature reached the 100-degree mark at 12:59 p.m.
According to a traditional tale, the ice breaks up on the Santa Cruz when the 100-degree mark is reached.
Some say that the legend dates back to when water ran above ground, and picnickers used ice to cool their beer. When it reached 100 degrees, the chunks cracked.
Others say a reporter created the phrase before World War II as an allusion to the coming of spring on the Yukon River.
The 100-degree mark arrived a few days later than normal, according to Mazur. Usually, it reaches 100 on about May 29.
Mercury melts ice and record
UpdatedMay 21, 1980
The ice broke on the Santa Cruz River in traditional Tucson style when the mercury hit 100 degrees at 4:30 yesterday afternoon. At 5:15, a sizzling 101 set a record for the date.
National Weather Service officials said the heat is normal for this time of year, and that last year's high of 71 degrees on same date was one of nature's unseasonal quirks.
The previous record high of 100 degrees for May 20 was set in 1963.
The combination of the high temperature and low 6 percent humidity was disconcerting to Thomas Craig, a newcomer from Idaho who was baking like one of his home state's potatoes in front of a Congress Street magazine stand. "It's so hot," be said, "only one side of my tongue is wet."
Old-timers were quick to warn him that it will get hotter before it gets much cooler.
Mercury Tops 100° Mark
UpdatedJune 3, 1975
The mercury jumped over 100 degrees in Tucson for the first time this year yesterday when a high of 102 was recorded.
Last year, May 26 was the first time the 100-degree mark was reached when 103 was recorded. The last time 100 was reached here was Sept. 9, with 101.
According to today's forecast, Tucsonans can expect more hot weather. A high near 99 and a low in the mid-60s are forecast. The National Weather Service says a high of 96 is expected tomorrow.
Yesterday's pollen count was mesquite, 21; bermuda, 7; pine, 5; and privet, 10.
The average high temperature for May was 85, and the average low was 54.6. The highest temperature during May was 97 on May 15, and the lowest was 40 on May 6 and 7.
Total precipitation during the month, according to the National Weather Service, was .11 inches, .03 of an inch below normal.
The weather service reported that May was the 11th straight month of below normal temperatures, and said record lows were set on the 6th, 7th and 22nd.
Throughout the state yesterday, temperatures were hot. Phoenix tied a record 109 degrees for the date, set in 1968. Yuma reported a 104 and Winslow, 93.
Mercury Hits 101 In Tucson
UpdatedMay 18, 1970
8 Other Readings In State Top 100
The ice on the Santa Cruz finally melted yesterday, as temperatures reached 101 in Tucson. Arizona continued to be the hottest state in the country, with nine cities surpassing the 100 mark.
For the third consecutive day, Gila Bend was the nation's hottest city, with a recorded temperature of 112.
Tucson weather will continue clear and hot, says the weatherman, with even higher temperatures predicted for today. The high this afternoon will be 100 to 105 and the low tomorrow morning will be near 70.
Yesterday's Tucson extremes were 101 and 69. Last year's temperatures were 94 and 60. Record temperatures for the date were 102 in 1956 and 46 in 1944.
State weather continued to remain sunny and warm yesterday with no precipitation reported. Gila Bend's 112 was the Arizona high, and 32 reported in the Grand Canyon was the low. Little change in temperatures is expected in Arizona through Tuesday.
Most of the remainder of the country enjoyed sunny skies and summerlike temperatures yesterday with the exception of the New England and Middle Atlantic states.
Heavy rain was reported in portions of the New England region, with Portland, Me., receiving 1.17 inches in less than 12 hours. Most of the Eastern Seaboard states reported showers.
Some Arizona temperatures recorded yesterday were: Bisbee, 90-60; Buckeye, 111-65; Carefree, 103-69; Coolidge, 108-68; Douglas, 95-51; Flagstaff, 82-41; Ft. Huachuca, 91-60; Gila Bend, 112-70; Grand Canyon, 82-32; Kingman, 96-64; Parker, 110-67; Payson, 92-45; Phoenix, 108-70; Prescott, 86-48; Show Low, 84-45; Springerville, 80-36; Williams, 80-48; Winslow, 93-47; Youngtown, 111-65 and Yuma, 109-69.
First 100-degree Day Registered At Airport
UpdatedMay 30, 1965
Temperature in the Old Pueblo climbed to the century mark for the first time this year yesterday at Tucson International Airport's U.S. Weather Bureau station.
Previous high heading this year was 98, set on April 21 and 22, and May 19.
The official forecast calls for mostly fair weather today, tonight and tomorrow with little change in temperature.
High-low extremes expected are 100 and 65, with occasional breezes stirring up the warm air in the valley.
Temperature readings at the University of Arizona weather station ran from a low yesterday morning of 55 to a blistering high of 104. The UA high was still seven degrees below the record set for the date in 1910.
Nationally, showers are expected in the Upper Ohio Valley and along the Gulf Coast. California took dual honors for the hotspot as Imperial and Blythe scored high readings of 105.
The nation's icebox honors were shared by two midwestern states — Hibbing, Minn., and Marquette County, Mich., both scored low readings of 27.
Around the home state the temperature extremes were as follows: Bisbee 90-63, Douglas 93-52, Flagstaff 74-30, Ft. Huachuca 93-58, Gila Bend 104-66, Grand Canyon 71-41, Phoenix 104-58, Safford 96-54, Tucson, 100-61, Yuma 103-70.
Mercury Hits 102: Ice Jam Broken On Santa Cruz
UpdatedMay 12, 1960
The ice broke on the Santa Cruz River yesterday — that's the Tucson way of saying the mercury topped the magic mark of 100 for the first time this year. In fact, the temperature shot past the century line and stopped at a hot 102.
Thus another weather record bit the burning dust. The previous high for a May 11 recorded at the U.S. Weather Bureau was 98, in 1941.
Yesterday's reading was nine degrees above this date last year, but it was also 11 degrees below Yuma's high, where a sizzling 113 degrees made it the hottest spot in the nation yesterday.
The Weather Bureau's forecast for Tucson calls for clear days and nights with continued high temperatures. Today's high is expected to be between 100 and 105, with a low around 63. Yesterday's low was 62.
High-low readings at the University weather station yesterday were 107-62, and the previous record high for a May 11 in the university records was a 102, notched back in 1934. The high downtown was 103 as noted on Tucson Federal's time-temperature sign.
Mean temperature yesterday was 82 at the airport, a full 10 degrees above normal for the date. Humidity was low all day, dropping to 7 per cent in the late afternoon after a morning high of 25 per cent.
Some temperature extremes around the state yesterday were Douglas 97-55, Flagstaff 80-37, Gila Bend 111-72, Globe 100-52, Grand Canyon 83-49, Payson 95-45, Phoenix 107-69, Prescott 91-51, Safford 99-55, Winslow 90-49, and Yuma 113-68.
'Ice' Breaks Up In Santa Cruz; Mercury Hits 100
This item is set to be published onMay 30, 1955
As Tucson's old timers say:
"The ice cracked in the Santa Cruz yesterday."
The mercury in the Old Pueblo surged past the 100 mark for the first time this year at both the municipal airport and at the University of Arizona.
It was 101 at the airport and 102½ at the UA.
And to prove that the mercury is hitting its summer stride, the weatherman says it will be more than 100 again today.
Oh, well, it's a holiday.
Mercury Hits 103 First Time in '50
This item is set to be published onJune 11, 1950
The last of the ice melted in the Santa Cruz yesterday as the mercury in the thermometer lost its grip and soared to 103.
This was the first 103 registered by Tucson quicksilver since Sept. 1 last year, the U.S. weather bureau at the municipal airport said.
As if that wasn't high enough, the University of Arizona weather station reported its maximum as 105 degrees.
The U.S. weather bureau figure is considered as being official.
Ice in other streams throughout the state didn't fare much better than that of the Santa Cruz. Phoenix had a high of 102, it was 82 at the Grand Canyon, and Yuma, like Tucson, had 103.
Hottest town in the whole United States was Gila Bend. There the official high was 105—just like the U.A. campus.
Eureka, Calif., was the nation's coolest with a 57 maximum.
Today's weather bureau forecast for Tucson and environs is variable high cloudiness today and tonight with little change in temperature.
The opening bars of the hot weather symphony have begun to be played.
Big Jim: Southern Arizona's summer heat
UpdatedMay 23, 2013
Back in the late 1950s, I was driving a canvas-topped, open-sided Jeep from Southern California to Tucson. It was about half-past June, and I was taking the southern route through Yuma. The temperature was somewhere over 105, and I made a lot of stops for cold drinks.
All through the Imperial Valley of California, people were moaning and complaining about the heat. I finally crossed the Colorado, and stopped at a filling station on the outskirts of Yuma. It hadn’t cooled off any.
“Seems to be warming up,” I remarked to the station attendant when he came out to pour my gas. (Remember, this was in the 1950s, when that sort of thing happened.) “Yep,” he replied, “ if it keeps up like this, the snow will start melting on the north sides of the saguaros any day now.” All of a sudden I knew I was home!
I’ve not heard that particular way of expressing the summer heat before or since (except when I’ve used it myself!), but the humorous exaggeration it employs is certainly traditional in our region. In Tucson for years, the coded description of the first day of over 100 degrees was “when the ice breaks on the Santa Cruz.” (Not “melts”, mind you, but “breaks.”) One or another of the dailies would usually rise to the occasion with a fine, detailed story.
The last few times such a story ran, I seem to remember letters to the editor chiding the editorial staff for childish frivolity. Another local tradition gone west. But the practice carries on in the spoken word.
My friend Joe Harris fondly remembers driving by the old Shamrock Dairy farm in June, and seeing the cows lying on their backs, giving themselves milk baths.
But my favorite story involves the late Julian Hayden, dear friend and quintessential Desert Rat. During World War II, Julian was working in Yuma. One summer day he was at the air base where bomber pilots were being trained. It was graduation day, and he chanced to walk by a young man wearing a new uniform.
“How do you locals stand this heat?” asked the soldier. “Oh,” replied Julian, “it’s not really hot. When it’s really hot you can drop a raw egg and it will be hard-boiled before it hits the ground.”
A couple of hours later, Julian saw the same young man. His trousers were splattered with raw egg, and he was furious. “You lied to me!” he said. “Look at the mess you had me make!”
Julian replied with his sweetest, most innocent smile. “But I told you it wasn’t really hot.”
As featured on
In April, Tucson hit both 95 degrees and 100 degrees for the first time this year.
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