Highlights
- Phoenix forecast high of 115 degrees Wednesday is ten degrees above normal and two degrees shy of the daily record.
- An Extreme Heat Warning and high ozone pollution advisory are both in effect through Saturday evening.
- High pressure shifts east this weekend, dropping Phoenix to 106 degrees Sunday and 103 degrees early next week.
- Storm chances of 30 to 40 percent are forecast Saturday and Sunday evenings as monsoon moisture returns from the south.
Phoenix is forecast to hit 115 degrees Wednesday, ten degrees above normal for late August and two degrees short of the daily record, according to AZFamily meteorologist April Warnecke. An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect for the Valley through Saturday evening, with Thursday and Friday expected to reach 111 to 114 degrees before Saturday eases to 110. Morning lows will hold in the upper 80s to low 90s through the stretch.
A high pollution advisory for ozone is also in effect Wednesday. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are urged to limit time outdoors, Warnecke reported.
The National Weather Service Phoenix office confirms an unseasonably strong ridge of high pressure is driving the above-normal temperatures and dry conditions through the rest of the week.
When does the heat break?
High pressure is forecast to shift further east this weekend, allowing monsoon moisture to move in from the south. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night, with a 30-to-40 percent chance Saturday and Sunday, particularly during evening hours. Sunday's high drops to 106 degrees, near normal for August, with temperatures around 103 degrees expected to start the following week.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are each designated First Alert Weather Days by AZFamily.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 26/08/2026 13:22
- weather.gov retrieved 26/08/2026 13:22
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 26/08/2026 13:22. Every claim traces to a source.
