ARIZONA, United States (Reuters) – American Airlines on Monday (June 19) announced the cancellation of some 38 flights in and out of Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday and Wednesday because of extreme heat, local media reported.
The airline earlier had advised passengers flying in or out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport that the intense heat, which can affect the operation of jet airline engines, could cause flight delays or cancellations.
The airline said that Phoenix passengers with flights scheduled to arrive or depart between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time would be allowed to change their travel plans without incurring additional fees.
The extreme heat, brought on by a high-pressure system, has already boosted temperatures above normal across much of the Southwest, with the worst forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson announced that it would be closing at mid day because of the extreme heat and remain closed . The zoo released a video showing its animals cooling down in their enclosures.
The heat wave was expected to push temperatures even higher by mid-week, taxing power grids and prompting airlines to warn that flights could be disrupted.
Temperatures were expected to drop by five to 10 degrees F (about 2.5 C to 5 C) later in the week but in the meantime the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and advisories across the Southwest. Even in typically cooler San Francisco, residents baked in sultry 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 C).