Average daily temperatures jumped several degrees above normal for hundreds of cities across the country since the start of June, and Americans from coast to coast have been plagued by dangerous heat waves.
For example, New England experienced its hottest start to the summer on record and Las Vegas is having its hottest summer ever, according to the National Weather Service.
Generally, heat waves are becoming more frequent, more intense and are lasting longer, scientists say.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
It has been a hot summer in Southwest Ohio, but the monthly average high temperatures in June, July and August were normal or slightly below normal for the season, said Brian Coniglio, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
“It was more of a regional effect, and we had a cool spell in the middle of July,” he said.
Locally for June, the average high was 84.3 degrees, which was above the normal of 82.6 for the month and above last year’s average of 79.8 degrees for June.
The average high temperature in July this summer was 85.1 degrees, slightly below the monthly norm of 85.9 degrees and lower than last summer’s average of 85.2 degrees for July.
Through Aug. 29, the latest day for which data was available, the average high temperature was 84.8 degrees, which is just above normal, at 84.7 degrees for the month.
Looking ahead, Coniglio said normal to below normal conditions are in the forecast in for the region this fall and winter, as well, but that the winter is expected to have more precipitation than usual.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center last week released its two-week temperature outlook calling for an increased likelihood of below normal temperatures and above normal rainfall.
Labor Day is expected to be sunny with a high near 79 degrees, down from last summer’s high of 83 degrees for today’s holiday marking the unofficial end of summer. Tonight will be mostly clear with an overnight low around 54 degrees.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
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