110-degree day near Yuma sets record for hottest March temperature in US history

MARTINEZ LAKE, AZ (AZFamily/AP) — A desert community in southwestern Arizona hit 110 degrees on Thursday, setting a new record for the hottest March temperature ever recorded in the United States.

The record heat was measured just outside Martinez Lake in the Yuma Desert as an unusual spring heat wave gripped the Southwest, according to the National Weather Service. The community is located about 20 miles north of Yuma near the Arizona-California border.

The previous record of 108 degrees had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954 and was tied on Wednesday by the tiny desert community of North Shore, California.

This week’s intense heat has shattered records in dozens of cities across the region, including Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Phoenix reached its earliest-ever 105-degree day on Thursday, and temperatures could climb as high as 106 degrees. If that happens, it would be the first time Phoenix has ever reached 106 in March or April.

In northern Arizona, Flagstaff also hit 84 degrees, marking the first time the city has reached the 80s during March.

First Alert Weather Days remain in effect through Sunday, along with an Extreme Heat Warning for areas below 4,000 feet. This includes southern Arizona, the Valley, and the lower elevations of the Grand Canyon. Be sure to stay hydrated and limit prolonged outdoor activity, especially between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

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