Baltimore's Burning

BALTIMORE, MD - Night after night you hear the same weather forecast: "Heat wave number _____ is on the way, we should see upper 90s with heat indices well over 105°." While many associate hot weather with July as a normal occurrence for Baltimore, some have been questioning whether this much heat is normal?

The answer is no. Since 1877 climatologists have been tracking the temperatures, precipitation, and weather conditions across the country.  They have observed the hottest July's in Baltimore history occurred in 1872, 1995, 2010, and 2011 where the high temperature and low temperature averaged out to a mean of 81.5 degrees. Ironically, the hottest July EVER in Baltimore history occurred  LAST YEAR with a monthly average of 81.7 degrees.  Could this be become the hottest July ever?  

Currently, the average temperature between the high and low temperature sits at 83.1 degrees (which puts us at the hottest July of all time).  However, we still have plenty of time to go!

The month of July has been a fascinating thing to watch unfold from a meteorological standpoint.  So far, 11 of the last 17 day's featured highs 90 degrees or better.  4 of the last 17 days hit 100 or better with only 2 days slightly below 90 degrees!

Even the mornings can officially be considered HOT! A record morning low temperature occurred on July 8th when the mercury never dipped below 82 degrees.  In fact the Maryland Science Center only dropped to 89 for a MORNING LOW.  This beat the record morning low (maximum temperature) set back in 1986 of 79°.

The all-time record high temperature ever witnessed in Baltimore history occurred on July 10th, 1936, a year during the great dust bowl.  However, on the afternoon of July 7th meteorologists closely watched the temperature rise to fall just 2 degrees shy to tie that all-time record high temperatures.

Not only is it hot, it's DRY!  So far the month of July featured .69" of rain which is 1.36" below the average rain total. While the lawns are starting to dry out, a very wet finish to spring and start to summer has kept our yearly deficit in check.  The driest months ever in Baltimore history occurred in 1955 registering a meager .30".

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