Phoenix Broke 33 Records In 2020: 2nd Warmest Year Ever Recorded

PHOENIX — 2020 was the second warmest year recorded in the history of Phoenix, according to the National Weather Service.

In a blog post recapping the year that was, the weather service detailed a strange year for the city's rainfall and temperatures. January and February began typically for Phoenix, though drier than normal due to a lack of rain, before storms hit Arizona in March and April. That only gave way to record-breaking wildfires, the NWS said.

"Once the hotter, drier spring season settled into full effect, these grasses and bushes dried into abundant, dense fuels ready to burn," the weather service wrote. "With two successive "wet" winters, the amount of fine fuels at lower elevations was more than had been seen in over a decade. By the end of summer, nearly 1 million acres had burned in Arizona - more than the past 2 years combined."

2020's monsoon season never amounted to much, leading to a summer chock-full of excessive heat warnings. July 2020 set a record for the hottest month ever recorded in Phoenix, which has only been recording these levels since 1896. August quickly outdid July, making the two months the hottest ever for the Valley.

The average daily temperature was 77.2 degrees, just slightly behind 2017's record of 77.3 degrees.

Phoenix set 33 record high temperatures in 2020, the most dramatic being 14 days with maximum temperatures over 115 degrees. The weather service also recorded 53 days with temperatures of 110 degrees or more.

2020 also saw the warmest fall Phoenix has ever encountered, creating a drought in the region after months without rain. That drought persists today, as 2021 begins.