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Salt River tubing draws crowds as weekend heats up

Labor Day may mark the end of summer for many, but forecasters project Arizona’s heat will linger into September
Salt River tubing draws crowds as weekend heats up
salt river tubing
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Labor Day weekend is off to a sizzling start in the Valley and plenty of Arizonans are finding ways to cool off.

At the Salt River, hundreds of tubers kicked off the holiday weekend by floating through the desert oasis, despite triple-digit heat that could climb as high as 110° this weekend.

For Sarah Picard and her friends, the blazing heat wasn’t enough to keep them away.

“I’ve seen 118°, so I am good!” Picard said. “We have electrolytes, Gatorade, and a 24 pack of water.”

Other tubers came prepared too. Dominic Giuditta came in carrying his own 40-pack of bottled water.

“We’re going to stay hydrated, go tube and have a good time,” he said.

Salt River Tubing Supervisor Matt Sass says that’s exactly the kind of preparation they encourage.

“We recommend one water an hour, and reapply sunblock. One time isn’t enough,” he explained. “Closed-toe shoes, and life jackets for sure.”

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While this weekend is hotter than average, meteorologists say 2024 hasn’t felt quite as extreme as the record-breaking summers before it.

“A lot of people say it really hasn’t felt that bad,” said Isaac Smith with the National Weather Service. “But if you look at the stats, we’re currently ranked 4th hottest summer overall for average temperatures.”

After a massive haboob earlier this week, Smith says the Valley isn’t done with monsoon season just yet.

“We do still have monsoonal moisture in the forecast for the next week or so,” he said. But with monsoon season officially ending September 30, the odds of another big storm are low.

Looking ahead, forecasters like Smith project warmer and drier conditions will carry into September. While summer is winding down, Smith says Arizonans shouldn’t let their guard down.

Last year brought the hottest September on record with temperatures hitting as high as 113° as late as September 27.