Dry desert heat blasts much of the US Southwest despite some cooling rain in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) — Dry desert daytime heat is scorching much of the U.S. Southwest, but an overnight storm spelled some brief weekend relief for the city of Phoenix. The National Weather Service in Phoenix reports the temperature dipped around dawn Sunday to a low of 79 degrees after an overnight storm dumped about 1.7 inches of rain on that metro area. The monsoon rain came after Saturday night’s low of 93 degrees in Phoenix had tied the city’s record set last year of 35 overnight lows in the 90s. Meanwhile, blistering daytime heat continues around the region. Forecasters say that an expected high of 106 on Sunday means Phoenix will have experienced 84 days in a row at 100 degrees or hotter.