After a heat dome settled over the Western and Southwestern areas of the United States during the week of June 2, 2024, 11 people attending a Donald Trump presidential campaign rally in Arizona on June 6th had to receive treatment at a hospital for heat exhaustion. The abnormally high temperatures continue to pose a risk to people and animals through the weekend and into the week of June 9th. Read on to learn more...
Abnormal Temperatures and the Trump Rally
Summer doesn't officially start in the U.S. on calendars until June 20th. Still, Americans and others received an early preview of what they can expect in the months to come at the rally hosted by the Turning Point conservative youth organization in Phoenix at the Dream City Church on Thursday.
Polls suggest that Trump is ahead of President Joe Biden by approximately 3.3 points in the state, which explains why the event experienced a heavier-than-usual turnout that early morning. The former president wasn't scheduled to arrive until 2 p.m. local MST, but the doors officially opened for seating at 10 a.m. that day. As temperatures reached the triple digits, attendees numbering in the thousands waited outdoors in line to receive a seat.
According to Maricopa County records, the region experienced 645 heat-related deaths last year. That said, high temperatures hit the area earlier this year than expected by many familiar with the region's summer heat woes.