Phoenix, Arizona, Exceeds 43°C for 29 Consecutive Days
Experts Say "Even Desert Cactus Plants Have Limits"
A record-breaking heatwave has been ongoing for over a month in the southern United States. As a result, even cacti, plants native to the desert, are dying from the heat.
On the 29th (local time), CNN and ABC-affiliated Tucson local broadcasts reported that Arizona plant experts said, “The iconic Saguaro cacti in this region have not been growing normally recently.”
Kimberly McCue, the scientific director of the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, stated, “The Saguaro cacti in this botanical garden are under extreme stress, rotting from the inside and collapsing to the ground.”
The Saguaro is native to the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona, and the Sonora region of Mexico. It grows to a height of 6 to 15 meters and a diameter of 30 to 75 cm, with an average lifespan of over 150 years.
McCue explained, “Arizona’s record-high temperatures and the absence of the monsoon are the main causes. Although the Saguaro is a plant beautifully adapted to heat and dry environments, there are limits to its resilience.”
Cacti carry out essential growth activities during the cooler desert nights. However, recent record-breaking heatwaves in Phoenix have persisted even at night, causing the Saguaro to show symptoms of suffocation and dehydration.
Eric Lakeastro, a botanist at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, also said, “Under normal monsoon conditions, other plants that help the survival of the Saguaro would be quite lush by now. This year, that is not the case, so the Saguaro may face more difficulties in growth.”
McCue added, “Cacti planted within the city of Phoenix are suffering more damage due to the urban heat island effect compared to those in the wild.”
In Phoenix, the nighttime low temperature remained above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) for 16 consecutive days from the 10th to the 25th.
Although temperatures briefly dropped on the 26th, they began rising again from the 27th, reaching a low of 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) on the 29th. This marks 29 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).
Due to this, a mobile morgue was recently set up at the Phoenix coroner’s office. The existing morgue is already at capacity as casualties continue to rise amid the heatwave exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, there are also projections that this deadly heatwave will lead to massive economic losses.
On the 29th, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing research firm the Perryman Group, reported that if the heatwave in the southwestern United States continues until next month, Texas’s economic growth rate could decrease by 0.47%. In monetary terms, this could reduce the state’s Gross State Product (GSP) by $9.5 billion (approximately 12.1 trillion KRW).
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