A dangerous 19th straight day of scorching heat in Phoenix set a record for U.S. cities Tuesday, confined many residents to air-conditioned safety and turned the usually vibrant metropolis into a ghost town.
The city’s record streak of 110 degrees Fahrenheit or more stood out even amid sweltering temperatures across the globe. It reached 117 degrees by 3 p.m.
Human-caused climate change and a newly formed El Nino are combining to shatter heat records worldwide, scientists say.