I know after reading the updates from Mike Moss in Kuwait, our heat is nothing compared to what he is experiencing there in the Middle East. However for North Carolinians these are some sweltering days.
The following is a public information statement issued from the National Weather Service in Raleigh.
THE HEAT IS ON...
AT THE RALEIGH-DURHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...
THURSDAY, JULY 21ST, MARKS THE 13TH CONSECUTIVE DAY OF 90 DEGREES OR GREATER.
THROUGH TODAY, THURSDAY JULY 21ST, THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE SO FAR THIS MONTH HAS BEEN 82.6 DEGREES.
WARMEST JULY ON RECORD....82.5 DEGREES (1993)
WARMEST AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED...82.5 (SET IN JULY 1993)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF JULY DAYS AT OR ABOVE 90 DEGREES...14
RECORD NUMBER OF JULY DAYS AT OR ABOVE 90...24 (1999, 1986, 1977)
NUMBER OF DAYS 90 OR ABOVE THIS JULY THROUGH THURSDAY JULY 21ST...19
GIVEN THE CURRENT TREND RDU COULD SET A RECORD FOR THE NUMBER OF JULY DAYS AT OR ABOVE 90 DEGREES AS WELL AS AN ALL TIME RECORD WARM AVERAGE TEMPERATURE. THE RECORD FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE DAYS AT OR ABOVE 90 DEGREES AT RDU IS 24 DAYS (JULY 14 - AUG 6, 1995).
AS HOT AS IT IS OUTSIDE IT WAS EVEN HOTTER ON THIS DATE IN 1952 AT RDU WHEN THE HIGH TEMPERATURE SET A RECORD OF 102 DEGREES. RECORD TEMPS...
JULY 21ST...102 IN 1952
JULY 22ND...103 IN 1952
JULY 23RD...105 IN 1952
Whew!!! There may be some slight relief from the extreme heat this weekend when high temperatures should fall into the low 90s with a drop in humidity levels. By Monday though we will be baking again with highs in the upper 90s to 100 degrees!!!
