As a searing heat wave continues to blister much of the United States, it’s so hot in Arizona that cactuses are dying off. Phoenix this weekend endured it’s 30th consecutive day of temperatures above 110º F, a streak that has shattered all records for the city. At the Desert Botanical Garden, saguaro cactuses are drooping, shriveling, and in some cases toppling over in the extreme heat. Residents of the area have taken to TikTok to highlight the staggering effects of the intense heat, showing cookies baking on car dashboards, rubber dog toys melting in the sun, and roads soft enough to leave footprints. The heat wave has also had deadly consequences, with at least 25 confirmed heat-related deaths and 249 more pending investigation. Even overnight lows have been boiling, rarely falling under 90º F. The good news is that Arizona residents may have some relief just over the horizon. Forecasters expect that by Monday at the latest, people in Phoenix will begin to see temperatures take a downward turn as storms make their way into the area. Globally, scientists say that July will prove to be the hottest month on record, and perhaps the warmest human civilization has ever seen.
