HOT STUFF Extreme heat forces Phoenix bound flight back to Houston

Posted on 06/21/2016 | About Phoenix, Arizona

United Airlines says the hot weather forced a Phoenix-bound flight to return to Houston on Sunday evening and that passengers were accommodated on an added flight Monday morning.

The National Weather Service says the mercury hit 118 on Sunday, breaking a record of 115 set nearly 50 years ago.
Forecasters expect the same excessively high temperatures Monday in portions of Arizona and southeast California.
The National Weather Service was expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix and across much of the Southwest.
National Weather Service meteorologist Biana Hernandez said Monday that temperatures in Phoenix are expected to peak at between 115 and 120 degrees, with the highest regional temperatures anticipated in Southern California.
The agency issued excessive heat warnings for Tucson and Yuma as well as recreation spots such as the Grand Canyon and Lake Havasu.
On Sunday, the mercury ascended to 118, breaking a record of 115 set nearly 50 years ago. Portions of Arizona and southeast California are getting scorched by a high pressure ridge lifting out of Mexico. The heat played a role in the deaths of mountain biker in Phoenix and a hiker in Pinal County over the weekend.