2012 was horrible here in SE Iowa. I unofficially measured 30 days over 100! And around 70 days over 90! And many days over 105. I saw on a accurate shaded thermometer 111F! We literally had almost no rain June July Aug. A derecho rolled thru about June 20th 2012. Knocking 100s of 100 yr old trees down. It was our only significant rain.
It was then I learned how torrid hot Iowa can be, cracked and dusty! Lack of precip now quite common but the heat was historic!