PHOENIX — Phoniex has been enveloped in a heat wave rarely seen since recordkeepers started tracking, and it's pushing some locals to leave for a break. But others are flocking to the Valley, fleeing the muggy conditions from the east.
“We're coming from Grand Junction, Colorado,” said Valley resident Milt Singleton. “It was great to get away from this heat and we were down in the canyons. It was cool. It was windy. Beautiful.”
Drea and Sarah, visiting from Virginia, have a different take on the Phoenix sunshine versus the steam of the Chesapeake Bay.
“Very humid, maybe in the 80s. The 90s.” said Sarah, in town to celebrate her Bachelorette party.
“Constantly sweating. There, you're in the pool a lot, because it's too hot to be out doing anything, really,” added Drea.
Then there's Winston.
In November, the French bulldog, and Valley resident, was crowned champion in the National Dog Show. On Friday, he was returning home from another engagement in Washington D.C.
“It’s unlike, maybe Houston, where the humidity is very strong. So, it may not be as hot but it feels hotter.” said Perry Payson, Winston’s handler. “We have this cooling coat so we can put it on and we have a little plastic thing for water. So, we're prepared.”
While Sky Harbor wouldn’t comment on the specifics, officials told 12News that they are “well prepared” and their runways can handle traffic above the 122-degree range, adding that each airline has its own policy when dealing with extreme heat.
Returning from Colorado, Singleton echoed the sentiment that anyone who has spent the majority of their lives in the Sonoran Desert knows:
“It's July in Arizona, so it's going to be hot,” Singleton said. “I’m a native here and this is what we do.”
Heat Beat
Here are several videos about Arizona's extreme heat and how you can stay safe during the state's summer months.