Phoenix eyes earliest 90-degree day in 40 years amid Southwest heat

Last Updated: February 25, 2026By

As the East struggles to recover from record-breaking snowfall, the Southwest is bracing for record warmth later this week. 

The historic blizzard that slammed the I-95 corridor earlier this week dumped feet of snow and brought hurricane-force winds that paralyzed multiple cities.

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Whiteout conditions swept across the Northeast, leaving thousands without power from the intense wind gusts. 

And just as quickly as the Northeast begins digging out of the snowy mess, another winter storm is expected to bring more impactful snow and ice from the Midwest to the Northeast starting Sunday. 

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Across the Southwest, the story is quite different as the region braces for the possibility of multiple days of record-high temperatures in cities such as Phoenix.

Winter temperature ranks
(FOX Weather)

 

While the West is no stranger to record warmth this winter — with more than 140 locations recording their warmest winter on record and over 290 experiencing one of their top 10 warmest winters — temperatures will surge back into the Southwest, with high temps expected to climb 15–25 degrees above average.

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From Thursday to Sunday, numerous record highs could be set, including the potential for back-to-back records in cities such as Phoenix, Arizona.

The FOX Forecast Center said the last time Phoenix recorded a temperature in the 90s was this past November, and with highs forecast to reach the low 90s on Thursday and Friday, the city could see its earliest 90-degree day since February 26, 1986, 40 years ago. 

In its 131 years of record-keeping, Phoenix has reached the 90s in February in only five previous years.

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Other cities watching for record highs include Los Angeles and Las Vegas

Friday feels-like temperatures
(FOX Weather)

 

Los Angeles could reach temperatures above 90 degrees on Friday, marking its first 90-degree day since early November and the first in February in a decade.

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Las Vegas, along with many other cities in Texas, will experience high temperatures feeling like early May. 


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