Heat-related deaths in hottest major US city have almost doubled compared with the same period last year, after Phoenix experienced its hottest ever June on record.

The number of possible heat deaths reported by the Maricopa county medical examiner was 175 as of 29 June – a staggering 84% increase over the same period last year.

That current total comprises 162 suspected deaths under investigation and 13 confirmed heat deaths.

The death toll from extreme heat has been rising every year in Maricopa county, where Phoenix, the Arizona state capital and America’s fifth largest city, is located.

Deaths are concentrated in Phoenix despite city and statewide efforts to tackle the rise in heat mortality and morbidity.

Last year, Phoenix suffered a month of consecutive days over 110F (43C) and a record 645 heat deaths in the county – a 700% rise over the past decade. But the unprecedented July heatwave followed a cooler-than-normal June, which could partly explain the surge in early season heat-related deaths recorded so far this year.

The average temperature – a measure which takes into account the daily highs and lows – made June 2024 the hottest ever recorded in the city. This was driven in large part by multiple record warm lows or night-time temperatures towards the end of the month, when moisture from a tropical system sat over the region, trapping the daytime heat and limiting cooling.

The night-time low on 27 June was 95F – which broke the record for the warmest overnight June low, which was 93F and set in 1990. The hotter nights are particularly alarming for public health experts because heat is cumulative, and the body cannot start to properly recover until the temperature drops below 80F.

Dangerously hot temperatures are forecast for Maricopa county and the entire south-west United States, with a heat dome – a strong area of high pressure and warm air – expected to linger until the middle of next week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in a post on X.

With no rain forecast, temperatures could top 115F in Phoenix over the next few days, with records likely to be broken in parts of California and Las Vegas, according to Gabriel Lojero, a meteorologist at the NWS Phoenix.

“The heat is going to be very severe across the majority of the south-west with an excessive heat warning in place for most of the region. The heatwave will be especially severe over the July 4 weekend when more people are doing outdoor activities,” said Lojero.

Heat deaths are rising across the US – and globally – with official counts likely to be a significant underestimate as many medical examiners have yet to develop processes that match Maricopa county’s.

So far this year, heat has also killed at least two people in Idaho and at least five in Kansas City, according to reports from local health officials.

Investigating suspected heat deaths takes time.

Of the 13 confirmed heat deaths in Maricopa county so far this year, 46% of the people were Black, Latino or Indigenous American; 69% were men and 31% were women. At least two deaths took place indoors. In one case, the deceased’s air conditioning was turned off, in the other case it was not functioning, according to preliminary investigations.

Paramedics have responded to 424 heat-related emergency calls so far this year, according to the Phoenix fire department.

It’s not clear what impact the city’s decision to evict a large homeless encampment from downtown – where many services are located – will have on heat deaths, as 45% of last year’s fatalities involved unsheltered people. So far this year, 31% of the confirmed deaths involved unhoused people. It’s unclear whether some unhoused people have left due to Phoenix’s increasingly draconian crackdown on homelessness.

In May, advocates condemned Phoenix for effectively criminalizing homelessness after the Democrat-run city council voted unanimously to ban people from sleeping, cooking or camping at city buildings, parks and parking lots, and also within 500ft of schools, daycare centers, shelters and parks.

The tent ban can now be enforced after the US supreme court last week ruled that it was not unconstitutional for cities to arrest and fine people for sleeping in public spaces, even when no shelter space exists. Phoenix “will continue to offer shelter and services when possible, and will ask for compliance before resorting to an arrest”, according to the city attorney Julie Kriegh.

The region is accustomed to a hot desert climate, but daytime and night temperatures are rising due to global heating. The deadly consequences have been exacerbated by decades of unchecked urban development that created a sprawling heat island, which the city is trying to tackle with a variety of programs.

Record: 43-45, Pace: 79-83, 4th in NL West, 5th Place in NL Wild Card

Both Arizona and San Diego came into this game riding highs. For Arizona, they’d essentially swept the Dodgers (minus a bad pitch or two from Seawald – his first problematic showing all season!). San Diego meanwhile was riding the high of taking 2 out of 3 from the reigning World Champion Texas Rangers!

Carroll led the game off with a double. He scored when JOC HOMERED TO DEAD CENTER (AZ 2-0)! Gurriel also doubled but nothing else fun happened. Cecconi matched the offense’s vibe and shut down the Padres in the first! Sadly the offense couldn’t replicate in the second, going down in order. Cecconi was less sharp in the second, allowing a run on some small ball: Machado doubled and advanced to home on the next two outs (AZ 2-1). Vasquez again retired the side in the third. Thankfully Cecconi matched him.

Gabi and Suarez made some noise in the fourth, but Alek ended the fun with a groundout to third (but it wasn’t second, so progress?)… It came back to haunt the team though as Cecconi struggled the second time through the order. Jackson Merrill tripled two runs home (SD 3-2) and then scored himself when David Peralta doubled (SD 4-2). Cecconi struck Kim out, but Higashioka singled Peralta home (SD 5-2). After an infield single to Arraez, Cecconi ended the inning. Despite a Perdomo single, Carroll grounded into a double play and Marte ended the inning with his own groundout. Cecconi got the first two outs of the fifth on his own double play, but Suarez erred on a grounder, which ended Slade’s night in favor of Jacques. Thankfully he quickly ended the inning. The sixth was not fun for Arizona. HIGASHIOKA HOMERED IN THE BOTTOM HALF WITH A RUNNER ON (SD 7-2)! The bleeding stopped there.

The top of the seventh was another nothing showing for the Arizona bats. Castellanos kept San Diego from scoring. Newman hit for Pederson in the eighth, but San Diego countered with a pitching change and Newman struck out. Castellanos stayed on the mound for Arizona and handled the eighth without issue. The offense looked alive in the ninth as Gurriel and Moreno singled before McCarthy (hitting for Suarez) walked. ALEK THOMAS HIT A GRAND SLAM OFF NEW PITCHER SUAREZ (SD 7-6)! Perdomo then had a nice grounder that Arraez made a nice play on. But Carroll earned himself a hustle double so that Ketel Grichuk could bat. HE HIT A TWO RUN HOME RUN (AZ 8-7)! Newman kept the hit parade going, which also ended Suarez’s (SD Closer) night. Walker struck out to end the fun.

The defense for the bottom of the ninth was as intriguing as the choice to remove Marte with Herrera catching, Moreno to Third, Newman at second, McCarthy in right and Seawald on the mound. It did not go well. Seawald immediately gave up a GAME-TYING HOME RUN TO PROFAR (TIE 8-8). He proceeded to walk the next batter which set MACHADO UP TO WALK THE GAME OFF (SD 10-8)!

ARIZONA 8, SAN DIEGO 10 LOSS

Conclusion

As with many Cecconi starts, this game started well enough. He looked great the first time through the order. Then it rolled over. From there, it was all down hill on the pitching side. The bullpen wasn’t horrid. The offense had a first inning. Then they went home until the ninth where they loaded the based and forced San Diego to use their closer in a 7-2 ballgame. They had a PHENOMENAL showing, taking the lead back.

Grichuk got to be the big hero tonight, however it comes with some trepidation about Marte who looked both fine and a little worried in the dugout after being pinch hit for.

FanGraphs

Up Next

Matt Waldron welcomes Brandon Pfaadt to Petco Park for the second game of the series. First pitch is at 6:40pm Arizona Time.

The body of 45-year-old Kelly Paduchowski was found by police on Friday after the woman went missing on Sunday, the Flagstaff Police Department said.

Police located Paduchowski’s body at about 10 a.m. but declined to specify where her body was found or who discovered it, citing an active investigation.

Police said the recovery efforts for the victim’s body were still active.

It comes after Flagstaff officers on Tuesday arrested the victim’s husband, Daniel Paduchowski, after authorities talked with family and witnesses and after processing evidence, police said.

Police announced the same day that the disappearance and subsequent investigation was considered a homicide case.

Kelly Paduchowski’s cellphone data placed the device in the Schultz Creek Trail area about 10:20 a.m. Sunday, police said while Daniel Paduchowski was observed in the same area about 11:30 a.m.

At approximately 12:13 p.m., the device was back at the couple’s Coconino Estates home, police said. Kelly Paduchowski’s white Mazda CX-5 and Daniel Paduchowski were seen about 1:30 p.m. at Campbell Mesa Trail Head, police said.

The Flagstaff Police Department announced a news conference on Friday at 4 p.m. with Chief Sean Connolly and officials with the Coconino County Attorney’s Office.

“Updates and additional information will be provided with questions being limited due to the ongoing investigation,” said Flagstaff police Sgt. Jerry Rintala.

Rintala said the victim’s family had been notified and asked for their privacy during the investigation.

Republic reporter Jose R. Gonzalez contributed to this article.