⛈️ Weather — Tucson
⚠️ **EXTREME HEAT WARNING** in effect from 11 AM Thursday, March 19 through 8 PM MST Sunday, March 22 — NWS Tucson Forecast Office (zones AZZ501–509, covering Tucson and surrounding areas). Dangerously hot conditions with afternoon temperatures 20–25°F above normal are expected. Heat-related illness risk is significantly elevated.
Today: Sunny. High near 96°F. North wind 2–7 mph. Precipitation: 0%. Tonight: Clear. Low around 60°F. West-northwest wind around 6 mph. Precipitation: 0%. Tomorrow (Thursday): Sunny. High near 102°F. Northeast wind around 6 mph. Precipitation: 0%. Outlook: Temperatures will escalate to record-breaking levels Thursday through Sunday, with highs near 102°F Thursday and reaching 104°F Friday and Saturday — 20 to 25 degrees above seasonal norms. NWS Tucson forecasters say multiple daily and monthly records are likely to fall, including the earliest 100°F day in Tucson history (current record: April 11, 2025). The upper-level ridge is expected to flatten early next week, offering some relief with breezy westerly winds and slightly cooler — though still well-above-normal — temperatures. A return to ridge-driven heat is possible in the second half of next week.
NWS Tucson Forecast API
🏛️ Government
Pima County's RTA Next transportation plan passes with 60 percent of the vote. With final ballot counting complete, Pima County voters approved Prop. 418 — the 20-year, $2.67 billion Regional Transportation Authority plan — with just over 60% support. Prop. 419, which establishes the half-cent-per-dollar sales tax to fund it, passed with more than 58% of the vote. The vote resolves a major question about the region's transportation funding future following the expiration of the original RTA plan.
Tucson Sentinel, Tucson Local Media
Tucson City Council eyes slate of fee hikes to address budget crunch. Despite voter approval of RTA Next — which relieved the city of one fiscal pressure — the council is moving forward with proposed increases across a range of city fees to balance the budget. Separately, Marana councilmembers are being warned not to use town equipment or materials for personal social media activity, ahead of a vote to codify new rules on the matter.
Arizona joins multistate suit challenging changes to federal housing funding. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and more than a dozen other state attorneys general filed suit arguing the Trump administration illegally issued rules that threaten federal housing funding and undermine established housing protections. Plaintiffs argue the changes violate the law and could destabilize state housing programs, including those serving low-income residents in Tucson and Pima County.
Voucher advocates file competing ballot measure to add guardrails to Arizona's ESA program. A group called Fortify AZ has submitted paperwork to place a November ballot measure that would impose spending restrictions on Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account school voucher program. The measure seeks to regulate how ESA funds are used by parents — a response to growing scrutiny of the program's oversight. Arizona has nearly 80,000 students using vouchers.
🚨 Public Safety
Tucson's annual César Chávez march canceled following sexual abuse allegations against the farmworker icon. Tucson organizers have dropped Chávez's name from their annual event and canceled the march entirely, citing "disturbing allegations" that the late United Farm Workers co-founder sexually abused minors. The decision marks a significant shift in how local Chicano activist groups are reckoning with the legacy of a figure long central to the movement. Chávez died in 1993.
"Phones Down, Just Drive" distracted-driving campaign expanding across Southern Arizona in April. The Tucson-based nonprofit, founded by Julie Festerling after losing her daughter and daughter's boyfriend to a distracted driver in 2019, has grown to include partnerships with the Tucson Police Department, Oro Valley Police Department, and additional law enforcement agencies and schools ahead of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The organization reports growing community engagement and behavior change among participants.
🏗️ Development & Business
Tucson food trucks squeezed by rising fuel prices. Local food truck operators say surging fuel costs — with diesel topping $5 per gallon — are forcing them to limit how frequently they operate and which events they attend. Vendors like Malta Joe Gauci's Paztizzi Express rely on three petroleum products: gas to tow, propane to cook, and diesel to power generators. Some operators say they may fall back to fixed storefront locations if costs continue to rise.
Wellness on Wheels mobile clinic brings free medical care to Tucson's underserved residents. The Tucson mobile clinic operated by COPE Community Services is traveling city neighborhoods to provide free medical care — including medication, injury treatment, infection testing, and Medicaid enrollment assistance — to residents who lack access to conventional healthcare, including people experiencing homelessness. Clinicians say the service has prevented serious complications that could have become life-threatening.
🎉 Community & Events
Visa issues force Tucson Baseball Team to relocate to Mexico. The Tucson Baseball Team announced it will not be able to play home games at Kino Sports Complex and will instead play its 2026 season in Mexico after visa complications prevented players from competing in Tucson during the 2025 season as well. The ongoing immigration enforcement environment has created logistical barriers that have effectively displaced the team from its home venue.
Reid Park Zoo asks Tucsonans to help name new baby giraffe. The zoo is inviting public input to name its newest giraffe calf, born recently at the facility. The public naming initiative is open to Tucson-area residents.