The Heat is So Intense in Arizona that The Cactus Are Melting?

It's so hot in Arizona...

No, really, this is not the start of a joke, it's actually super hot in Arizona! Anyone who has traveled through Arizona already knows that the heat there is no joke; this year alone the heat in Phoenix has been so extreme that the medical examiner's office was over capacity due to heat-related deaths that officials had to bring in coolers to store the bodies.

To top it off, it also looks like the cactuses in Arizona are starting to melt! The iconic Saguaro Cactus, the iconic symbol of the southwest, can no longer stand in this heat- really, they're starting to melt!

This photo is courtesy of Amber Sullins, chief meteorologist at ABC 15 Arizona who writes about the melting cactus:

Unlike most plants, saguaros open tiny pores on their skin at night when temperatures are cooler to take in carbon dioxide. But with these warmer nighttime temperatures, the amount of carbon dioxide the plant can take in is reduced, so it has a harder time growing and thriving.

We also haven't had any monsoon rain yet which helps the cacti cool down.

To which we all say: "same, cactus, same." What does it say when the cactus, a plant that is made to be out in the sun is literally melting because it's too darn hot?!

Experts are advising that if you live in Arizona and if you have a Saguaro cactus, which can live up to 150 years, to make sure and water it; and make sure you hydrate yourself!