Phoenix reaches hottest temperature of 2019 so far on Tuesday; wreaks havoc on cars

PHOENIX (AP/FOX 10) -- Phoenix is having its hottest day of the year.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix confirmed on social media Tuesday afternoon that the city's high temperature has hit 115 degrees.

The sweltering conditions prompted the agency to issue an excessive heat warning earlier in the day. It remains in effect until 8 p.m.

Residents are urged to take several precautions.

They include drinking water even when you're not thirsty, cutting down on time in the sun and avoiding outdoor activity in the afternoon.

Officials also are reminding people to not leave children or pets in their cars.

As far as cars are concerned, the heat is wreaking havoc on these machines, and AAA is responding to a higher than normal number of calls on Tuesday.

According to AAA's spokesperson, the increase in calls is all due to the heats.

Tow truck driver Vince Lombardi started his first call of the day by heading to a broken down Corolla

"I should be arriving in around 15 to 20 minutes," said Lombardi.

Once he arrived, Lombardi assessed the damage. He got the driver out of the heat with a cold water bottle, and then loads the car onto the back of the rig, straps it down, and gets it to the shop.

This is one of almost 1,000 calls Tuesday in the state.

"Summertime is our busiest time of year," said AAA Arizona spokesperson Michelle Donati.

Donati said in May, their drivers responded to 600 to 700 calls. Now, in the heat of the summer, they are responding to as many as 900 a day.

"A lot of the break downs are a result of heat-related failures," said Donati.

Donati said the key factor is car batteries. She said they don't last longer than two years in the Arizona heat. Donati also said they are seeing a lot of under-inflated tires on their calls, which can cause a blowout.

"When you break down in the summer in Arizona, it can go from being an inconvenience to actually being a dangerous situation, quickly," said Donati, who went on to add that they have more of their drivers out on the road currently, in order to make sure no one gets stranded for long.

People who are driving by an AAA truck driver should make sure to slow down and give enough space.

The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.

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