Baseball fans heading to Arizona’s Cactus League spring training games may want to pack extra sunscreen and water bottles as an extreme heat wave approaches the desert.
Central Arizona is bracing for potentially record-breaking temperatures over the coming 10 days, with the mercury expected to climb into the 90s by week’s end and possibly exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit next week.
Phoenix National Weather Service meteorologist Katherine Berislavich reported Wednesday that forecasters predict approximately a 55% probability of temperatures surpassing 105 degrees by next Wednesday, March 18. Those odds increase to 70% for March 19 and jump to 85% for March 20.
The Phoenix metropolitan area hosts 15 of Major League Baseball’s 30 franchises for their exhibition season. While MLB doesn’t control spring training schedules, individual teams have the flexibility to shift daytime contests to evening hours if conditions warrant.
Spring training traditionally features afternoon games where spectators enjoy comfortable temperatures typically ranging from the 70s to 80s.
Should temperatures fall short of 105 degrees, triple-digit heat remains highly probable. Phoenix’s earliest 100-degree reading occurred on March 26, 1988 — the sole instance of the city reaching that milestone during March.
The sweltering conditions may challenge even elite professional athletes. Arizona Diamondbacks skipper Torey Lovullo acknowledged awareness of the approaching heat and indicated possible scheduling modifications.
“We know it’s going to be smoking hot next week, but we’ve got to get work done,” Lovullo stated. “There’s nothing that you can do sometimes to replace going out and actually doing it. We’ll find a way to get it done and make sure these athletes are healthy, strong, hydrated and ready for the next day.”
“But we may make some adjustments.”
