Residents across the Valley faced an unseasonably hot Mother’s Day weekend this year, with temperatures past the 100-degree threshold.
One person has died in what appeared to be a heat-related medical emergency during a hike at the Superstition Mountains east of Mesa, according to the Superstition Fire & Medical District.
The department, alongside the Mesa Fire Department, responded to a call for help from five hikers experiencing heat issues near the Wave Cave trailhead. The hikers said they had been on the trail for around six hours. Multiple rounds of CPR were conducted on a 33-year-old man when medical personnel arrived, but he did not survive, according to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
The four other hikers were not injured and were assisted down the mountain, the department confirmed. Officials discouraged people from returning to the area for the rest of the day.
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No foul play was suspected in the man's death, and the Pinal County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, the Sheriff's Office said.
High temperatures were expected to reach up to 108 degrees in many areas on May 11, with the National Weather Service office in Phoenix warning of moderate risk due to the heat. That’s close to 10 degrees higher than average for this time of year, making it one of the hottest days of 2025 so far.
“We're in store for an unseasonably hot Mother's Day today as afternoon temperatures top out in the triple digits across the lower deserts and 90s across the higher terrain,” The Phoenix office of the National Weather Service posted on X. “Be sure to stay hydrated and cool today!”
Local meteorologists expected temperatures to cool starting on May 12, with highs in the low 90s for most of the week.
The weather service cautioned those sensitive to the heat, like people without adequate cooling or preexisting health conditions, to stay hydrated and not be outside for long periods.
The warm Mother’s Day comes at the close of an already unseasonably hot weekend. The high in Phoenix was 103 on May 10, compared to the average of 92 degrees. The record in the Valley for the day was 111 degrees back in 1934.
In Tucson, a weather system was expected to bring windy conditions through Wednesday.
Tuesday's high in Tucson is expected to be about 93 degrees.
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