Phoenix could get a mild break from the extreme heat, as record spell nears the 30-day mark

By WALTER BERRY and TERRY TANG
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Longtime Phoenix residents know that sweltering Julys are to be expected, but no one could have predicted the brutal heat wave that has enveloped the country’s fifth largest city this summer. Phoenix this month shattered its record for consecutive days in which the temperature reached at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit, standing at 26 days and counting as of Tuesday, when the forecast called for a high of 118. The record was likely to grow Wednesday, with a high of 119 degrees expected. A bit of relief might be on the horizon, though. The National Weather Service says Phoenix is expected to have its first high below 110 degrees on Monday along with some monsoon rains.