Outrageous heat in US continues – More than 3,500 records broken this week!

More than 3,500 temperature records have been shattered in the U.S. this past week, from June 30-July 6, 2012, according to NOAA. The tally of record high temperatures during the time period is 2,412, and the tally of maximum low temperature records is 1,169.

From July 1-July 6 alone, 1,916 record highs have fallen, while 1,034 maximum low temperature records have been broken. Besides challenging daily records, some cities may have record streaks of high temperatures that will go down in the record books.

St. Louis is located in the heart of the heat wave. The mercury has soared to 100 degrees or higher for ten days in a row in St. Louis through Saturday, making it will be the second longest streak of 100-degree Fahrenheit (37,77 degreee Celsius) temperatures since 1936.

Chicago’s temperature has climbed to 37,7 °C (100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 3 consecutive days as of Friday. This is the first time since August of 1947 that Chicago hit 37,77 °C (100 or higher) for 3 days in a row. This streak has since broken as temperatures cooled Saturday afternoon after reaching 36,66 °C (98 Fahrenheit).

Saturday became the 4th consecutive day of 100 degree plus high temperatures in Fort Wayne, Ind. This broke the old record of consecutive 100 degree days which was set in 1988.

Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., hit 35 °C (95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) for the tenth consecutive day on Saturday, the longest streak ever recorded. With highs forecast to approach 100 degrees today, the streak should end up being 12.

 1 degree Fahrenheit = -17.2222222 degrees Celsius

30 degree Fahrenheit = 0 degrees Celsius

100 degree Fahrenheit = 37,77 degrees Celsius

Sampling of Record Highs on July 7 Through 4 P.M. (in Fahrenheit degree)

City	High	Old Daily Record
Columbia, Mo.	106	104 (1890)
Lamoni, Ia.	102	100 (1989)
St. Louis, Mo.	106	103 (1936)
Des Moines, Ia.	100	100 (1936)
Columbus, Ohio	101	100 (1988)
Dayton, Ohio	104	100 (1988)
Georgetown, Del.	102	97 (2010)
Indianapolis, Ind.	105	101 (1936)
Akron-Canton, Ohio	100	100 (1988)
Atlantic City, N.J.	99	98 (2010)
Washington D.C. (Reagan)	104	102 (2010)
Louisville, Ky.	105	102 (1874)

Sampling of Record Highs on July 6 (in Fahrenheit degree)

City	High	Old Daily Record
Little Rock, Ark.	107	104 (1998)
Fort Smith, Ark.	106	105 (2011)
Nashville, Tenn.	105	100 (1874)
St. Louis, Mo.	106	102 (1936)
Cincinnati, Ohio	104	98 (1874)
Grand Rapids, Mich.	104	100 (1988)
Kansas City, Mo.	104	103 (1954)
Chicago, Ill.	103	99 (1988)
Lansing, Mich.	103 (all-time record)	100 (1988)
Louisville, Ky.	103	97 (1991)
Madison, Wis.	102	100 (1886)
Memphis, Tenn.	102	96 (2010)
Columbus, Ohio	101	98 (1881)
Chattanooga, Tenn.	100	98 (1977)

 Sampling of Record Highs on July Fourth  (in Fahrenheit degree)

City	High	Old Daily Record
St. Louis, Mo.	105	102 (1990)
Twin Cities, Minn.	101	100 (1949)
Detroit, Mich.	102	98 (1990)
Madison, Wis.	102	98 (1955)
Milwaukee, Wis.	102	98 (1990)
Chicago, Ill.	102 (tied)	102 (1911)
Imperial, Neb.	106 (tied)	106 (1978)
North Platte, Neb.	106 (tied)	106 (1936)
Memphis, Tenn.	100 (tied)	100 (1954)
Fort Smith, Ark.	103	102 (1990)
Fayetteville, Ark.	99	102 (1990)
Hunstville, Ala.	102	100 (1928)
Tupelo, Miss.	100 (tied)	100 (1956)
Raleigh, N.C.	101	99 (2011)

Preparing for extreme heat events

Many scientists believe the Northeast will experience increasing numbers of extremely hot days each summer. Learn the facts about preventing and treating heat disorders.

Heat Wave: A Major Summer Killer National

Weather Service information pages on extreme heat.

Real-time hazard maps

Links to hazard maps that will keep you up-to-date on hazardous conditions throughout the Northeast and the US.

 

Source: AccuWeather