The historic heat wave that has hit the U.S. Southwest is set to cool a little

Tony Berastegui Jr., right, and his sister Giselle Berastegui drink water, Monday, July 17, 2023, in Phoenix. A historic heat wave that turned the Southwest into a blast furnace throughout July is beginning to abate with the late arrival of the monsoon rains. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

PHOENIX — A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.

Forecasters expect that by Monday, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month.