Beginning tomorrow, the temperature will be over 100 degrees F in Phoenix for nine straight days, compared to the average of 86 degrees during this period. These 100-degree temperatures are not typical in May. That nine days in a row could stretch longer is unprecedented and a dangerous sign about the effects of climate change.
Last year, there were 113 straight days of 100-degree weather, but these began in early June.
The high temperature has several effects. First among these is loss of life. Last year, several hundred people died in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located. The figure is likely uncounted, as some of these were attributed to heart disease, stroke, or respiratory conditions…