Janice R. Andrews
NEEDLES, California — Needles, a little hamlet of 5,200 people off of Route 66, has broken the previous record for being the hottest American city in July. Needles had an average temperature of 103.2 degrees, above Phoenix’s previous high of 102.7 degrees in July, according to the Arizona State Climate Office.
The Arizona State Climate Office confirmed Needles’ scathing new label in a post on X. The article jokingly welcomed Needles to the “100°F+ monthly temp club,” which now consists of Blythe (100.7 degrees) and Palm Springs (100.0 degrees) on average.
The post on X from the Arizona State Climate Office
“Phoenix is pleased to give up the record to Needles, which is currently the hottest American city each month at 103.2°F (preliminary average July temperature).”
Arizona’s 100°F+ monthly temperature club welcomes two new members: Blythe (100.7°F) and Palm Springs (100.0°F). Greetings?”
Needles’ mayor, Jan Jernigan, seems unsurprised by the announcement. She said, “We probably did [beat the record], quite easily,” emphasizing that the town’s intense heat is a defining characteristic. At City Council sessions, Needles even distributes candies called Red Hots to highlight the town’s catchphrase, “Needles is Red Hot.”
Needles has changed its event schedules in order to accommodate the extreme heat. This morning’s food distribution event was organized by the municipality to take advantage of the cooler weather. It started at 5 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. Needles’ three beaches on the Colorado River continue to draw visitors and residents despite the heat. The city has received $8.4 million in grants to improve infrastructure, including park repairs, according to City Manager Patrick Martinez.
“You’ve [got to] be waist-deep in the Colorado River to stay cool in Needles,” Martinez stated.
A brush fire in Needles in late June spread to 70 acres and damaged one building because to the intense heat. After extending into Arizona, the fire burned 143 more acres. Martinez mentioned that the municipality has been cleaning up the beaches recently as part of its attempts to reduce the danger of wildfires, particularly in the summer when they are most common. Due to the extreme heat this year, there have been 30 times more fires in the state than there were last year.
Needles has a senior center that offers water and a cool atmosphere to people in order to overcome the unbearable heat. The facility has a generator, so it may be used as an emergency shelter when the electricity goes out. Speaking about the town’s continued attempts to upgrade infrastructure, Mayor Jernigan said, “We still have a long way to go.”
Needles’ tenacity and ability to adjust to harsh weather conditions are noteworthy as the town achieves this new record. Needles may not be the most envied city in the country in July, but their proactive efforts and strong sense of community show that they are determined to prosper in spite of the harsh conditions they face.
