[ChrisLomont]

First, this is an unattributed claim, and it's referencing 120F ambient, not 100 ambient the above claimed. (Well, it's vaguely attributed to a company trying to sell a solution....)

Given the all time high temp in Phoenix was 122F [1], I suspect this article is playing loose with the facts implying this temperature is a common occurrence, casting more doubt on the accuracy of the 170 claim. From a quick search, only two months in history recorded temperatures above 120, while the article implies this is common. It is not.

So yes, you can find people (like the above) stating these temps without attribution. I've not found anything in academic research with temperatures anywhere near that high, and there is a lot of papers on exactly this topic, with plenty comparing models to actual measured temps. I've been unable to find anything empirical in such papers near these claims.

I'm beginning to think these numbers are more folklore than fact.

[1] http://www.intellicast.com/local/history.aspx?location=USAZ0...