PHOENIX — Much of the southwestern United States is experiencing desert heat during the day, but monsoon rains brought brief relief to the city of Phoenix over the weekend.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix reported lows dropped to 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) Sunday morning after an overnight storm dumped about 1.7 inches (4.3 centimeters) of rain in the metropolitan area. The monsoon rain came after lows of 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) Saturday night in Phoenix tied a record of 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) set in the city last year: 35 nighttime lows below 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

Meanwhile, dry desert heat continues across the region. Highs of 105 degrees are expected on Sunday, and meteorologists say Phoenix will have experienced 84 consecutive days of temperatures of 100 degrees or more.

National Weather Service meteorologist Isaac Smith said he doesn’t expect temperatures to ease immediately at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, as a heat advisory has been issued for Phoenix for the next few days.

“We’re expecting 112 degrees on Monday and 114 degrees on Tuesday,” Smith said.

Gabriel Lojero, another meteorologist, said the high temperatures could be dangerous “because your body is not cooled down enough at night and has no chance to recover.”

Hotter weather is also forecast for New Mexico, with highs approaching triple digits expected in Albuquerque and even warmer in the state’s southern counties near the Mexican border.

The effects of the scorching hot summer in the southwest have already been reflected in the number of heat-related deaths.

As of August 10, health officials in Maricopa County, Arizona – home to Phoenix – had so far confirmed 96 heat-related deaths for 2024, with another 462 deaths under investigation due to the heat. The county, with a population of around 4.5 million, has reported 645 heat-related deaths for 2023.

The Pima County Coroner’s Office, which includes Tucson, said it had confirmed 99 heat-related deaths as of early August in that county and four other small rural counties in Arizona that use the coroner’s office’s forensic services.

In Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, 123 heat-related deaths have been confirmed so far this year, according to the coroner’s office.

In New Mexico, state health officials reported Friday that there have been more than 760 visits to emergency clinics and hospitals for heat-related illnesses since April 1, including 29 visits in the last seven days alone.

The latest available data from the New Mexico Department of Health also shows that there were 11 heat-related deaths in May, all in Doña Ana County. Officials noted that this is an underestimate of heat deaths in New Mexico because not all cases fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Medical Investigator.