July warmth record tied at Washington, D.C.
83.1 average temperature warmest of any month on record
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Regional temperature departures from July 1 through July 30 show most of the area well above average. Image courtesy: High Plains Regional Climate Center.
Though still unofficial, it appears that D.C. has set another monthly record. Going into this afternoon, National Airport needed to hit at least 86 to reach 83.1 degrees for the monthly average, which it did sometime before 2 p.m. Assuming the low of 71 holds (it should), this month will end up tying July 1993's previous high mark. 83.1 is also the warmest month on record (of any month or any year) dating back to 1871.
Following June's record warmth, we are now running 1.2 degrees above the previous June-July high mark and about 5 degrees above normal for the two months combined. All this on top of the warmest astronomical spring on record.
By
Ian Livingston
| July 31, 2010; 4:00 PM ET
Categories:
Local Climate
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Posted by: minerdude | July 31, 2010 4:13 PM | Report abuse
minerdude, we'd need 6 more degrees total to get to 83.2, so today a high of 92.
Posted by: Ian-CapitalWeatherGang | July 31, 2010 4:25 PM | Report abuse
Ian, I marvel at your awesome math skills. Thank god you can field some of these statistical aspects & questions :-)
Posted by: Camden-CapitalWeatherGang | July 31, 2010 5:18 PM | Report abuse
Glad to have statistical confirmation. That was a scorcher.
Bring on August.
Posted by: FIREDRAGON47 | July 31, 2010 6:49 PM | Report abuse
Looks like some rain headed this direction. Nonetheless it feels so nice out leaving the windows open as I head off to sleep.
Posted by: marathoner | July 31, 2010 11:00 PM | Report abuse
Yes, raining here east of Front Royal. Current temp 66.7F
So to miss tying the record, DCA would have to drop below 71 by 1:00a... I doubt that will happen... although doesn't the original record hold in the event of subsequent ties?
I thought meteorologists were all about meteorological seasons... if so, are you doing a disservice by calling attention to astronomical spring records?
Posted by: spgass1 | July 31, 2010 11:11 PM | Report abuse
They show 84.0 at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00... but they're saying it hit 86 somewhere in there? What time was the measurement was taken? It would be neat to see a chart showing the temp for the complete day.
Posted by: spgass1 | July 31, 2010 11:54 PM | Report abuse
spgass1, that's true re: met seasons. When LWX issued the statement on spring I thought the same thing. Was the first time I recall seeing something like that, maybe just had some free time... BUT, I think it helps tell that it's been warm for quite a while now.
Posted by: Ian-CapitalWeatherGang | August 1, 2010 11:22 AM | Report abuse
Mr. Q. and right-wing climate skeptics to the contrary, all this climatological data tends to prove there's something to Al Gore's climate arguments. Even during the winter, most of the world was warmer on average while we were having our snowstorms.
Posted by: Bombo47jea | August 1, 2010 12:24 PM | Report abuse
A newscaster on NBC4 this morning said July was actually 3 hundredths of a degree cooler than the previous record, but rounding is just done to the nearest tenth so the record is considered tied.
Posted by: spgass1 | August 1, 2010 12:45 PM | Report abuse
To par
Posted by: Rachelva | August 1, 2010 2:48 PM | Report abuse
(Ahem, trying again):
To paraphase Lloyd Bridges in Airplane! - Looks like I picked the wrong summer to quit AC! On the other hand, if I had AC today I wouldn't be appreciating the cool breeze from the open windows. I'll try to remember that when the humidity goes up this week!
Posted by: Rachelva | August 1, 2010 2:51 PM | Report abuse
spgass1, that's true. The sum of 1993s temps was 5152 compard top 5150 this yr. But it doesn't really make a difference.
Posted by: Ian-CapitalWeatherGang | August 1, 2010 4:11 PM | Report abuse
Ian, I guess you're right. It's not like we're talking about a track and field record where someone's feelings might get hurt if their record said to be tied (but really wasn't).
Posted by: spgass1 | August 1, 2010 6:46 PM | Report abuse
As we discussed in the 1930's thread, it was pretty warm back then (naturally, not man made). Then we had a discussion about the record "spring" at the end of June where I tried to explain that heat island effects will create new high temperature records and Andrew countered that the world is warming when worldwide averages are computed.
When those averages are computed, they try to adjust for heat island and other siting issues. But it is impossible to adjust a record high average at one station for heat island effects. The biggest problem is the buildings and pavement hold the heat creating higher low temperatures at night.
In short, global warming can be shown with world wide averages properly adjusted. But one urban station with a new record average does not have those adjustments. The two remaining questions, both very long discussions, are: is the current warming catastrophic and will future warming be catastrophic.
Posted by: eric654 | August 2, 2010 6:09 AM | Report abuse
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what did we need today for 83.2. I guess the two thunderstorms on Sunday and Thursday keep us from the record by itself