Extreme Heat Grounds American Airlines Flights in Phoenix

[Coventina]

Source: NBC News Affiliate

American Airlines announced Monday that it has canceled its regional flights -- approximately 20 flights -- for Tuesday, June 20.

American Airlines says its customers can rebook flights or request a full refund by contacting reservations at 1-800-433-7300.

An airlines spokesperson says the aircraft that are operated by regional partners at Mesa and Sky West out of Sky Harbor are CRJ's, which have a limit of about 118 degrees. Other planes operated by Boeing can handle temps into the mid 120s, so those aren't as much of a concern.

Heat has disrupted travel at Sky Harbor in the past. Back in 1990, Phoenix experienced 122-degree weather. Planes were grounded because pilots couldn't take off since temperatures listed in flight manuals -- which explained how planes would perform in hot temps -- didn't go high enough, so pilots had no instruction on what settings to use.

Read more: http://www.12news.com/weather/heat/extreme-heat-grounds-american-airlines-flights-in-phoenix/449969366

---

This is the hell I am currently experiencing.

It's 120 degrees at my home as I write this.

[hlthe2b]

1. Yikes...

hell indeed.

[inanna]

2. Sorry Coventina!

I have never experienced temps that hot in my life!

I can only imagine how unbearable that would be.

[WhiteTara]

3. I always hated flying into Phoenix during the summer

the heat pushes the plane back up and it is a real struggle to get the plane on the ground.

[pangaia]

41. That's not quite how it works. :)

There are several issues, but for one, the higher the heat the higher the density altitude- fewer air molecules. The higher the density altitude the less lift is produced by the airfoil, and the less lift, the greater the ground speed and therefore the longer the runway needed to get off the ground....

So, if you are landing the aircraft would actually have more trouble staying UP, not that it has trouble, but it would have to land at a higher speed than normal.

[WhiteTara]

42. I just remember being bounced back up

each time they would try to land. But thanks for the real story and the correction!

[pangaia]

44. Hum, that is strange.. wind shear?, bounced landing?,, coyote on the runway?

[WhiteTara]

47. I have no idea...it's been a long time

I flew a lot in the 90s and early 2000s and I hated Phoenix and tried to avoid that airport like the plague. Lovely city and all, but I hated the airport and the landings.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

46. Both right, I think. Lower density true, but there can be convection risers at edge of runway. . .nt

[pangaia]

48. true. I was trying to keep it simple..

wind shear, bounced landings,.. etc.. you know...I am sure.

[WinstonSmith4740]

68. So...

I'm flying home to Las Vegas Wednesday. How drunk should I be before the pilot starts the final descent?

[pangaia]

71. Haha!

It's not tge descent tgat is the problem. It the risk of a sudden stop at the end.

[JCMach1]

4. Snowflakes...

Pilots regularly operate in this out of DXB and other locations...

[Plucketeer]

5. I'm in central California

and our in-sun temp is 112. In the shade it's 103.

[Mosby]

6. Google says its 117.

[Coventina]

8. We're a huge urban area. The "official" temp is measured at Sky Harbor airport

But there can be variances around the Valley of the Sun of 10 or so degrees.

[Mosby]

13. Yeah, I kno

Im reading 114.2 on my digital therm. Live in uptown area.

[marybourg]

54. 109 on my patio in far west valley. nt

[raccoon]

7. Good God! Have y'all experienced these temps only in recent years,

Or has it always been like this?

[Coventina]

10. Yes and no. Phoenix has warmed up overall over the last 50 years.

My grandmother and dad are natives.

Back in the 20s and 30s, and even into the 1960s, it would cool off at night.

It might get to 115 for an hour or two in the day, but as soon as the sun went down it would cool off quickly.

Our urban heat island effect has put an end to that. It can stay into the 90s the whole night long, which makes the next day even that much hotter.

So, heatwaves are longer and hotter than they used to be.

[Raster]

18. The estimated temp @ midnight tonight is 100.

[Coventina]

19. Argh! I feel like crying right now.

[Raster]

25. Do not cry. Save moisture!

[Laffy Kat]

31. But if the tears evaporate wouldn't that put moisture into the air?

OK, so EVERYBODY cry.

[AngryAmish]

45. Do not open the stillsuit.

[WhiteTara]

43. I'm crying with you!

Do you have AC? At least a swamp cooler?

[Coventina]

49. Yes, I do. I'm praying to it right now, hoping it doesn't malfunction.

[femmedem]

17. Only been 8 days above 114 in Tucson since 1895 until now.

Link to tweet

And the number of days above 100 has jumped 55% from 1951-1980 to 1981 - 2010.

[DesertRat]

70. I grew up in Phoenix. June is typically very hot and dry

On this date last year it was 118.

[AllaN01Bear]

9. air density strikes again.

http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/flight-planning/aircraft-performance-3.php

[FreepFryer]

11. Phoenix is an exceptionally beautiful place. Sending cool thoughts! (nt)

[Coventina]

12. Thanks for the cool thoughts.

I'm pretty grumpy right now....

[DesertRat]

32. Come up to the AZ White Mts! 80 degrees right now, 50's overnight

[Coventina]

33. Wish I could. I have to watch over my 93 year old grandma.

And, I have numerous other commitments during the upcoming week.

[StarryNite]

61. Go see the wild horses.

They're in the Apache-Sitgreaves right outside of Heber/Overgaard. Go see them before they are gone! The welfare ranchers in the area want them all removed in which case they could go to auction, sale to the highest bidder...kill buyers who would truck them to Mexico for slaughter.

[ffr]

14. You think grounded flights are an inconvenience? Wait for crop failure.

And there are food shortages. Yes, in the American bread basket.

Thanks to the uninvolved voter or those who voted in the orange grifters. Instead of addressing the problem, they're accelerating it in the name of short-term profit.

[Coventina]

15. Don't I know it. We are in for some tough times ahead.

[Aviation Pro]

16. All flight school activity in the Phoenix - Mesa area was grounded after the temperature broke 43C

About 110F.

[asiliveandbreathe]

29. 116 here - near Falcon Field..Mesa...just have to limit time outside -

That is why the skies are quiet here...Yea!!!!

[QED]

39. I'm not far from you

and it was 120° on my porch. Hey neighbor!

[asiliveandbreathe]

53. Hey - would you believe we saw "a" golfer out this pm...

...nope...NOT this week -

Stay cool neighbor.....

[Major Nikon]

69. I can imagine that some of the planes should be grounded prior to that

2 guys in a C-152 on a hot day isn't my idea of fun. It's even worse in low wing aircraft like the Traumahawk where there's no shade.

Having an APU and dual packs comes in handy on hot days.

[LittleGirl]

20. *waves from Tucson*

It's hot out there. We have about 113 right now.

[Coventina]

21. *waves back*

[LittleGirl]

22. I'm flying out

of Phoenix but my flight is at 6:30 next Monday so I should be okay. ugh.

[trof]

23. Been there, done that.

Flew fighters (F-84) back in the 60s that, if runway temps were above a certain level (I'll plead old age, can't remember numbers), we were GROUNDED.
Not enough runway length for a safe takeoff.
Did not realize it happens in commercial aviation.
wow

[Major Nikon]

62. Transport category aircraft have a max takeoff temp

I fly the Challenger 601 which is essentially the private jet (shortened) version of the CRJ and the max takeoff temp is ISA + 35C. ISA at Sky Harbor is about 13C which makes it 48C or 118F. This limitation isn't based on runway length.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Was looking at a weather channel temperature map

and see the 118F on there. Was in Edfu, Egypt near the Sahara desert in southern Egypt about 25 years ago when it was 120F (in July). You feel the heat burning the skin (humidity was like 10%).

[mn9driver]

26. But it's a dry heat.

[Laffy Kat]

28. LOL. nt

[DesertRat]

38. Right now the humidity is 6% in Phoenix

So at 117 degrees, it feels like an oven.

[llmart]

50. You beat me to it.

I was going to post the same thing.

[Laffy Kat]

27. A few summers ago, I was flying Denver to NOLA...

As soon as we took off the captain came on the PA and said that we were going to have to fly with landing gear down for a while to cool them off. He said it was a common practice, although I fly quite frequently and never experienced it before or after. It does make sense. Works for me.

[progree]

30. Deadly heat waves becoming more common due to climate change

/----- Begin excerpts------------------------------------------------------------
By Brandon Miller, CNN Meteorologist
Updated 5:11 PM ET, Mon June 19, 2017

(CNN) Deadly heat waves are going to be a much bigger problem in the coming decades, becoming more frequent and occurring over a much greater portion of the planet because of climate change, according to a study published Monday in Nature Climate Change.

Extreme heat waves, such as the one torching the Southwestern United States and the one plaguing Western Europe, which has sparked wildfires in Portugal that have killed more than 60 people, are frequently cited as one of the most direct effects of man-made climate change.

The study says, by the year 2100, three out of four people on Earth could be subject to at least 20 days per year of heat and humidity associated with deadly heat waves, if greenhouse emissions continue to rise at their current rates.

Currently, that number is about one in three people.

Even if humans aggressively cut back on fossil fuel emissions, such as outlined in the Paris climate agreement, rising temperatures and humidity levels will combine to increase the intensity and frequency of deadly heat waves, the study said.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/19/world/killer-heat-waves-rising/index.html
----- End excerpts------------------------------------------------------------

There's an animated world map that shows the number of deadly heat days, progressing from 1950 to 2100. The year is at the upper right in very very very tiny font. I don't see a way to pause it. I wish I could watch it progress from 1950 to 2017, and then pause it. As what has been happening up to mid-2017 is history, not projection. But anyway, one can see the clear historic increase if one pays attention and watches a few times.

And a web app that shows the projected number of deadly heat days for any location under any of the potential emission scenarios.

[former9thward]

67. I lived in Phoenix for 11 years.

No one is dying in Phoenix because of the heat. The last two weeks of June are always the hottest period of the year. People who live there deal with it. If you don't like the heat why in the world would you live or move there?

[progree]

76. Whatevs :-)

[shanti]

78. And the monsoon is coming

very soon. Everything will cool off when that happens.

[progree]

79. Good. So that people will stop dying of the heat in Maricopa County, for awhile, anyway

/------- begin excerpts ----------------------------------------------

Four heat-related deaths reported, more expected in Maricopa County, 6/19/17

That number could increase given there are at least 10 deaths that are suspected to be caused by the heat and are under investigation.

Last year, there were 130 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County. That was the highest number since the county began tallying the number of heat-related deaths in 2006.

More: https://ktar.com/story/1628771/four-heat-related-deaths-reported-more-expected-in-maricopa-county/

------ end excerpts ----------------------------------------------

Also: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/possible-record-setting-heat-southwest-creates-public-health-hazard-n774066

[former9thward]

80. Do you know what they count as "heat related" deaths in Maricopa?

People who go out hiking without adequate water or clothing. Is that really "heat related"? I think it is stupid related.

[progree]

81. If you say so :-)

[Coventina]

83. IKR?

Because when people freeze to death, the coroner puts down "stupidity."

[progree]

85. Some people, particularly RW'ers, think most deaths are from some form of stupidity or negligence

e.g. when someone dies of a heart attack, the coroner should put down "too many double Whoppers with cheese".

Or when an elderly person dies at home because the air conditioner broke down and the fan wasn't enough (or if they were homeless) ... well that elderly person was being stupid, and was about to kick the bucket anyway, so let's just call it a natural death or a "natural stupid death". NSD for short.

[snooper2]

84. "Everything will cool when that happens"

You don't need the word "off" in that sentence.

[shanti]

86. ok, professor

could of, should of, would of

[barbtries]

34. aargh

hope you have some water to jump into.

[yuiyoshida]

35. When I moved to Scottsdale Az I was amazing how it seemed

every place had air conditioning, and my place included, though it had broken down before I moved in. They had someone out to fix it the next day. I couldn't believe it was 100 degrees at midnight. No place, I had ever lived in had 100 degrees at midnight! But that was indeed a life saver, and though I loved living there, I missed the Ocean and had to move back to California. Besides, I am not sure my neighbors appreciated having an Asian in the building, they were always tight lipped and tended to be watching my every move.

The hottest it got while I was there was around 115 degrees and yeah, you could fry an egg on a car's hood without the engine running!

[QED]

36. It was 120 on my porch this afternoon

And my dogs kept whining to go outside. I let them out for a quick pee and one of them wanted to sunbathe. They have no sense of heat.

[MontanaMama]

37. I have a neighbor who

moved up here to Montana from Tuscon and the stories she tells me about heat blow my mind. We've got great weather in western Montana. The trade off is we have Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte...hell on earth of a different sort.

I'm sorry about the heat Coventina. Sounds awful.

[marybourg]

55. The trade off is your winter. nt

[MontanaMama]

72. Depends on your perspective!

Winter is part of the natural cycle of life. I love snowy, blowy winter days...kiddos out skiing and sledding...soup simmering on the stove...the animal warmth of family and dogs curled up on the couch reading and snoozing. I'll admit I'm getting a little weary of moving snow every winter but I'd move it forever if I didn't have to deal with the republican cabal here in Montana.

[progree]

40. 70 degrees, 39% humidity in Minneapolis

We did have four 90-91 degree days and one 96 degree day though so far this year. And humid.

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. I've been in Bullhead city when it was 120 degrees. Feels like a blast furnace

It's currently 84 here in Nashville at 7:52 PM.

[Doreen]

52. When I hear of hot weather like that

the first people I think of are the poor people who live in crappy homes with no air condition. I really feel for them. Do not get me wrong I feel for all of those who have to deal with it but I have a little extra sympathy for the not so lucky.

[spiderpig]

56. I think of all the old Western TV shows like Tombstone Territory

where the (always Caucasian) womenfolk were all covered up from throat to wrist to tootsies.

How the hell did they survive?

[Doreen]

57. Kind of like the women in Afghanistan who are completly covered

even their face and in black. I am sure it gets very hot there.

[marybourg]

77. I don't think what women wore in the 19th century was comfortable,

but those old Bedouins sure knew what they were doing. I find that keeping my arms covered while driving is more comfortable than having the hot sun beating on my arms, although the car is air-conditioned, of course. I also find that a lightweight long, loose skirt is more comfortable than shorts, for the same reason.

[haele]

87. Light, loose clothing. And layering light fabrics is cooler than a single tee in high heat.

Less wealthy women would go sans corset with a chemise, a blousy top and circle skirts - which tend to create their own breezes down there, if you know what I mean. Also, they didn't wear panties (which catch heat and sweat); they either had these poofy pantaloons that were crotch-less or went commando.
Add a large cotton shawl to keep the sun off, along with a fan, and as a woman can go about cooler in the heat than the menfolk of the time did...
Wealthy women too often wore both corsets and jackets as part of the day suit, but the skirts still helped a lot to keep the temperature down - and they rarely went out during the heat of the day except to visit. And unlike men, their jackets were often lighter material.
Respectable men wore heavy wool jackets, vests, and heavy pants out in public, no matter what the temperature.
Unless they could afford Seersucker or Linen for their suits.

I used to do historical re-creation - Medieval to Victorian, including "Traditional Folk"; I very rarely had an issue in the SW heat in full "high class" day-wear, unless I was wearing Late Victorian with the hobble skirts and those tight jacket and corset combinations. I learned the tricks of the time to keep from suffering heat stroke; in some historical garb, I was actually cooler - more comfortable - than I would be in the tee-shirt and jeans I was wearing when I got to the event.

Haele

[spiderpig]

88. Thank you for a fascinating response.

I'm one of those high-maintenance weenies who runs screaming from an air-conditioned hotel room to an air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned restaurant.

Glad my forebears were smarter about their attire. At least the women!

[lunasun]

74. There are suppose to be some prisoners still held out side in that tent city . I hope

they have been aided at least .
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/tent-city-inmates-held-outdoors-during-120-degree-heat-wave-in-phoenix-9428767

[Doreen]

75. Water or not there is still the chance of heat stroke.

I think that is cruel.

[xor]

89. I was talking to someone from there and he said he has a decent A/C

and the coldest he could keep his place was around 80F. Must be really awful for those with no AC.

[YOHABLO]

58. I live in ATL and all that heat mixed with the moisture from the gulf means rain

and lots of it. We have two potential hurricanes they're watching right now.

[StarryNite]

59. Coming up Scottsdale Rd

It was after 5:00 pm and we hit 121° heading north on Scottsdale Rd. Whew!

[chwaliszewski]

60. Oh, hell no!

We left Dallas in '06 to move to SW WA. I do not miss the summers in TX. I remember that the summer of '05, we set a record for 32 days straight of over 100F. Screw that!

[dflprincess]

63. As much as I dislike winter

I will take January in Minneapolis over July in Phoenix!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

64. A friend of mine moved from Colorado Springs to Phoenix

a couple of months ago. I tried to warn her about how very brutal the summers are there, and she didn't want to listen to me. I unfollowed her on FB, because I realized that I was not behaving well over this, and that I needed to remove myself from our conversations.

I might go to her FB page to see what she's now thinking. I'd be tempted to post an "I told you so" but I think I'll refrain.

[Zorro]

65. AA notified my wife last Friday that they were accepting no-cost reservation changes

for travelers making afternoon connections in Phoenix this week because of the heat. She managed to get a much earlier flight connecting through DFW, which suited her schedule better anyway.

On a side note, I'm reading Colossus by Michael Hiltzik, which is an incredibly detailed story of the building of Boulder/Hoover Dam. His descriptions of the hellish inferno that was the work environment makes one appreciate the stupendous effort to construct that marvel of 20th century engineering.

[not fooled]

66. Have occasion to be in Yuma and Phoenix

Talking to old-timers, they will say that it's noticeably hotter in the summers now compared to 10 years or so ago. But when I reply that the significant heat increase is from global warming (it's enough of a trend over enough years), they give me blank stares and an uncomfortable silence follows. They are so brainwashed from faux and flush that they can't acknowledge what's taking place all around them. I then point out that it's only going to get worse. Gives them something to think about.

[Astraea]

73. That's why I hate living here

But I can't leave.

[tclambert]

82. But, but Senator Inhofe made a snowball! He proved global warming was all a hoax

funded by the climate science industrial complex. They have untold billions to spend on trying to hurt the poor oil industry, who can't hope to match such a large propaganda budget, don'tcha know. And there are no earthquakes in Oklahoma, either.