PHOENIX - The 100-degree days Arizona is famous for arrived early this year, as three towns sizzled Tuesday under triple-digit temperatures.

Coolidge reported a high temperature of 102, Bullhead City saw 101 and Lake Havasu City recorded 100, said Hector Vasquez, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

They were the first 100-degree temperatures recorded in the state this year, he said.

People with a special interest in the hot weather were already gearing up for the busy season.

''We'll see more calls this week from people whose pool equipment is down. It may have been down all winter but they are just now noticing it. They tend to forget about it until they start spending some time out there,'' said Steve Olsen, owner of Swimmin' Time Pool Supplies in Phoenix.

Business booms when schools let out in late May, he said.

''Once the kids are out it starts getting crazy,'' Olsen said. ''That's when it really hits and basically it won't fade off again until they go back to school.''

Last year's first 100-degree reading came on May 31, more than two weeks later than the average, said Bob Berkovitz, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

The latest it's ever hit 100 degrees was June 18, 1913 - the year after Arizona entered the union. The earliest 100 was on March 26, 1988, and the average date for the first 100-degree reading is May 14 over the past 100 years. But since 1961, the average has moved up more than a week to May 6.

''I don't know why unless it's just the climate is warming up some,'' Berkovitz said.

And after marking the first 100-degree day, Phoenix residents have 88.4 more - on average - to look forward to, Berkovitz said.

''But it is a dry heat, at least some of the time,'' he said.

The weather service also warned of nights in July and August when the overnight low won't drop below 90. Last July 29, for example, the 2 a.m. reading in Phoenix was 97; the high the next day was 113.

Long-range forecasts are calling for above normal temperatures for the southwestern two-thirds of the state in June, July and August, he said.

''I think this year is going to be a dandy year, especially for fires,'' Berkovitz said. ''We are so far ahead of where we normally are at this time, in terms of being dry. Conditions now are like they usually are in June.''

Berkovitz, who moved to Arizona 25 years ago from Minnesota, said he gets tired of the heat but it doesn't bother him physically.

''I kind of liked the autumns in Minnesota, and here, it's still 105 or 108 in September,'' he said.