Triple-digit heat grips Valley-wide festivals, spring training games

With festivals and triple digits, it feels like summer—but it is only spring. Arizonans are already looking for ways to beat the heat a little sooner than expected.

Across the Valley, there is a similar opinion about the spring weather.

"It's really hot," one person said. Others described it as "nice and warm," "a bit hotter this year," and "pretty warm—nice and sweaty."

Tempe:

Whether at the Arizona Aloha Festival in Tempe or the Ostrich Festival in Chandler, the hunt is on for anything cold to help manage the triple-digit temperatures.

"I feel like it's the hottest day of the year so far. We got our shaved ice," one attendee said. Others said they were staying cool with frozen lemonade, water, and umbrellas. While one said that "beer and water" is all you need.

Chandler:

At the Ostrich Festival, humans aren't the only ones out in the sun. Experts say these unseasonably high temperatures do not phase the birds.

"These ostriches are super comfortable and happy in this temperature," said Janelle Molony with the Ostrich Festival. "Arizona is like the closest copy to that native land in the western hemisphere. So this is the most perfect place in the western hemisphere for these birds to be."

That is good news for the birds, but for everyone else, the battle against the sun is just beginning.

"As you can see, my ice is already melting, but it's doing pretty good," one festival-goer noted.

The Ostrich Festival has large misting fans stationed throughout the grounds. Those planning to attend on March 22 are encouraged to locate those fans to help stay cool.

Scottsdale:

Salt River firefighters reported treating many fans for heat exhaustion on March 21 as temperatures soared during a Diamondbacks spring training game.

With the game against the Texas Rangers starting at 1 p.m., only the most die-hard fans showed up to brave the conditions. By the seventh inning, there was a steady flow of fans throwing in the towel.

"Extremely hot," said one group of Rangers fans. While Diamondbacks fan Carlos Chavez decided to head out early, saying, "My dad is not used to this heat so that’s why we’re going home," he said.

Other fans, like Brandon Robertson, noted the weather was "a little bit hotter than we’d like in March." 

Dig deeper:

Despite temperatures reaching 105 degrees, turnout was surprisingly strong and spirits remained high among those who stayed.

"We were only going to stay about three innings or so but it turned out to be okay," fan Barb Cecrle said. 

Fans cited various motivations for enduring the heat— one group of Rangers fans sat behind home plate to watch relative Sam Haggerty play. For others, the trip was a birthday celebration, and it being the last weekend of spring training, while another said, "Well it’s the D-backs. You’ve got to respond to them."

The other side:

However, it was clear the scorching conditions were not for everyone.

"I mean, it just turned spring, but we were going to do it anyway. We said, we don't care. We're going to brave it. We're going to be here," said Angie Acuna.

What's next:

The heat can be dangerous for some people. But for many native Arizonans, the triple-digit weather was a familiar feeling arriving ahead of schedule. "This is just good training for what it's going to be like in June," a fan said.