Temperatures hit 123.7 degrees Celsius at the Lake Havasu City Fire Department on Saturday. According to former Lake Havasu City Water Resources Coordinator Doyle Wilson, this was the third highest temperature ever recorded in the city of Lake Havasu since 1994.
On June 29, 1994, temperatures reached a historic 128 degrees at the same observatory, remembered by many residents of the city of Lake Havasu. Several people who lived in Havasu at the time recalled how they felt after reading the News-Herald article on the 25th anniversary of the event.
“That was the closest to hell I’ve ever been to.” – Patti Brown
“I can’t believe I survived that day.” – Patti Brown
“The wind was actually burning my skin.” – John & Sheryl Roger
“I felt like my toes were burning when I was wearing open-toed sandals.” – Ed & Mary Lou Hayes
The thermometer that measured record-breaking temperatures has since been replaced by a weather vane and a digital reader in exactly the same place.
“It’s unusual to get close to 124,” Wilson said. “Five days in a row, I just reached around 120.”
The city of Lake Havasu has been in continuous heatwave warnings for the past three weeks. Wilson said this was a surprise because June was unusually cool.
“June was the third coolest month on record,” Wilson said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Megan Stethman said this was due to a sustained trough off the coast of California. This means that low pressure persists in the atmosphere for a long time, cooling the environment.
“Throughout June there was an offshore pullback, but since then there has been high pressure in the region, which allowed us to move quickly from one area to another,” Stesman said.
This sudden change in temperature has caught many people off guard, causing heat-related injuries.
“People are underestimating Mother Nature, the impact of these temperatures and environments on them,” said Tim Maple, emergency coordinator for the Lake Havasu City Fire Department. “Anything over 110 degrees is pretty extreme. People need to make sure they stay hydrated and dress appropriately for whatever activity they are doing.”
But the end may be in sight. Temperatures should start to drop early next week as there is more moisture in the air, Stesman said.
