PHOENIX - It’s no secret that it’s hot in Arizona, but things are getting downright ridiculous.
The National Weather Service said Thursday's low in Phoenix was 90 degrees. The low temperature has reached at least 90 degrees 11 times in 2018—just four days shy of the all-time record.
Phoenix averaged just four days of 90+ degrees annually between the '80s and 2010.
“No single solution is going to solve our heat problem in Phoenix,” said Dr. David Sailor, a professor at Arizona State University's School of Sustainability. The school is the first of its kind in the country.
“There’s really a palette of solutions to urban heat. And we all can, actually, play our role," he said.
Sailor says low temperatures are soaring due to climate change, but also the city’s massive growth.
He showed 12 News a thermal map that displayed how new roads retain more heat than their lighter-colored counterparts.
Any new construction, Sailor said, is more material to keep heat in.
“Those surfaces naturally radiate their energy to the surroundings,” he added.
And while nighttime used to be a period of relief, it’s increasingly become warmer due, in part, to air conditioning.
“A lot of your neighbors, including yourself, are running air conditioners 24/7, and those air conditioners are dumping heat into the air,” Sailor said.
Sailor said the best thing municipalities and individuals can do to help the problem is become more energy efficient—from LED lights to reflective paint on your roof.