A city of 5,200 simply contained in the California border alongside Route 66 now boasts a scorching new file — the most popular month-to-month common temperature within the nation.
Needles averaged 103.2 levels in July, surpassing Phoenix’s highest common temperature final July of 102.7 levels, in line with the Arizona State Local weather Workplace. In an X put up, the division ceded the unlucky title to Needles.
The put up additionally referenced two different cities, Palm Springs and Blythe, and welcomed them to the membership of cities with common temperatures of a minimum of three digits for a complete month.
“Welcome?” the put up mentioned.
Jan Jernigan, the mayor of Needles, was not shocked by her city’s achievement, saying: “We in all probability did [beat the record], fairly simply.”
The warmth is part of the city’s tradition. When the Metropolis Council hosts conferences, it gives company a basket of Pink Hots sweet with an indication that reads, “Needles is Pink Sizzling,” Jernigan mentioned.
The warmth is ingrained in Needles’ tradition. Metropolis officers supply Pink Hots sweet at public conferences, with an indication studying “Needles is Pink Sizzling.”
(Jan Jernigan)
Needles has discovered to carry metropolis occasions early within the morning to keep away from the worst of the warmth, Jernigan mentioned. A meals distribution occasion this morning began round 5 a.m. and lasted solely till 8 a.m., she mentioned, earlier than temperatures turned oppressive.
The city, additionally recognized for references within the “Peanuts” comics as the house of Snoopy’s brother Spike, nonetheless attracts vacationers and residents alike to its three seashores on the Colorado River the place they will attempt to beat the summer season warmth, mentioned Metropolis Supervisor Patrick Martinez. Town has spent $8.4 million in grants to enhance infrastructure, together with updating parks, he mentioned.
“You’ve [got to] be waist-deep within the Colorado River” to remain cool in Needles, he mentioned.
In late June, the area’s intense warmth was partly accountable for an uncommon brush hearth that broke out close to Needles, burning 70 acres and destroying one construction. It crossed into Arizona and burned 143 acres there. Martinez mentioned the infrastructure upgrades included seaside cleanups that can assist scale back the danger of future wildfires, particularly throughout a wildfire-prone summer season. This yr’s sizzling climate has contributed to fires burning 30 occasions as many acres statewide as final yr.
To battle the warmth, the city operates a senior heart that gives water and a cool place for individuals to collect. It’s outfitted with a generator and will be opened throughout an emergency if energy outages put residents at risk of overheating, Martinez mentioned.
Jernigan mentioned the latest enhancements to Needles’ infrastructure aren’t the tip of the story. “We nonetheless have a protracted approach to go,” she mentioned.
