Unusual weather trivia that is hard to google

[wx_statman]

Any thoughts on the -28 reading on 11/23/1956 at Parsons 1E?   This one seems suspect, but not entirely impossible.

 

Parsons has produced some impressive cold temperatures in other months (including freezing temperatures in every month).

 

PARSONS.JPG

 

Canaan Valley West Virginia also reached -14 on 11/24/1956, which is the record low for November.

 

The -28 at Parsons 1E does seem remotely possible under ideal conditions.  

 

It looks like a data entry error. The WV monthly climate report for Nov 1956 lists the -14 at Canaan Valley as the coldest reading (which is also the state record for the month). The low at Parsons is listed as -6 on the 25th.

[wx_statman]

I did find one and I'm pretty sure it's valid.  Because of the Muskegon reading mentioned earlier, I checked other stations in that area.

 

Benton Harbor Michigan (1893-present) had its record low of -19 on 11/25/1950.   This one is collaborated by the -14 at Muskegon.  I see no reason to doubt the reading:

 

benton harbor.JPG

 

November usually isn't a big cold snap producer in Michigan, but it seems the November 1950 cold snap produced some impressive localized readings on the east shore of Lake Michigan between Muskegon and Benton Harbor. 

 

Edit:  Some sources say that Benton Harbor had a low of -21 on 1/12/1918, so maybe the -19 is really the second coldest reading.  Still, it is impressive for Michigan.   The November record would still be the record for the airport.

 

 

 

Good catch. Looks legit to me. The all-time record for Benton Harbor is that -21 reading from 1/12/1918, but the Airport record is -19 from 11/25/1950. I see no reason to doubt it. Record cold airmass with snow on the ground, as 3" fell the previous day. The MI state record for the month was also set in 1950, when Pellston hit -23. 

[Scott]

Also, the March 10-11, 1948 cold wave in the High Plains came close to setting all-time record lows in several locations. For example Lamar, CO hit -26 on March 11 which was within striking distance of its all time record low of -30 from the great February 1899 cold wave. Likewise Tribune, KS was -22 on 3/11/1948 while its all time record low is only -25. 

 

 

If you are interested, here's one that still is a record:

 

 

If it weren't for the December cold snaps in 1983 and 1989, there would have been a lot more, but few remained after those two events.  

 

 

[wx_statman]

Here's another possible one, though it seems a bit too cold and on the wrong date, so I'm inclined not to believe it.   Not far away, Barnesville did hit -13 and Athens 5NW hit -12 during November 1958

 

Cosh.JPG

 

Of note, the 1950's sure does seem to have a near monopoly when it comes to impressive November cold snaps.   There were many in the 1950's and other than perhaps the localized ones in January 1950 and April 1955, most seem to be in November.

 

At a minimum impressive record breaking November cold snaps from the 1950's occurred in the following:

 

1950 (actually two separate cold snaps)

1952

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

 

Maybe other years too.  

 

Looks like another error. Lowest reading in November 1958 at Coshocton Ag. Research Stn. was -2 on the 29th. Lowest in the state was an impressive -17 at Mansfield 6W on the 30th, per the OH state climo report for that month. That reading is the OH state record low for November.

[wx_statman]

What do you have against the 1915 Fort Yukon record? Fairbanks, Circle, and Eagle Alaska often climb above 90F. Just doing a quick look at Dawson, Yukon from 1915, it didn't even hit 90F/32.2C in 1915, so hitting 100F seems at first glance to be a bit preposterous, but still, they are a couple hundred miles apart.

 

EDIT: I found this: https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/baked-alaska-98-reading-ties-alltime-state-heat-record.html

 

Fairbanks has climbed above 90 a grand total of 5 days in the past 23 years (including June 9th this year). That's not very often. 

 

The supposed 100 degree reading at Fort Yukon in June 1915 doesn't seem plausible to me. I guess it's possible, but I don't buy it. Fairbanks supposedly reached 95 in the same heat wave, but their early records are also suspect. I consider the 99 at Fairbanks in July 1919 to be equally unreliable. Many of the COOP thermometers at far-flung locations were overexposed to solar radiation in those days. The Weather Bureau didn't provide these observers with standard shelters, due to prohibitive shipping costs. They simply told them to build wooden shelters to the best of the observer's ability. You can see how that opens the door to variability in high temperature measurement. Fort Yukon did reach what I consider to be a legitimate 97 on July 25, 1955. That was a major heat wave that also produced 93 in Fairbanks on that day, with a major mid-summer rainstorm into WA state downstream of that ridge. Whacked out pattern. 

 

RE: the link. I remember that heat wave in June 2013, and I remember the wunderground discussion about it. That's a sloppy post by wunderground. They're highlighting a RAWS reading (98 at Bentalit Lodge) without mention of the fact that RAWS thermistors are not fan-aspirated and thus tend to run 1-2 degrees warm on sunny days. That's why they're unofficial. The highest official reading in AK during the June 2013 heat wave was 96 at Talkeetna (a very impressive all-time record). That wunderground post also ignored the 97 at Fort Yukon in July 1955 that I mentioned earlier. And they completely ignored the 1976 heat wave, which IMO produced the highest credible temperatures in Alaskan history. Downsloping produced 98 at Haines on 7/31/1976 (followed by 93 on 8/1 and 8/2) and 99 at Tenakee Springs on both 8/1 and 8/2. Copper Center hit 94 on the 1st in the southern interior in that one. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Great thread! I hadn't really read it until now. 

[Glacier]

Fairbanks has climbed above 90 a grand total of 5 days in the past 23 years (including June 9th this year). That's not very often. 

 

The supposed 100 degree reading at Fort Yukon in June 1915 doesn't seem plausible to me. I guess it's possible, but I don't buy it. Fairbanks supposedly reached 95 in the same heat wave, but their early records are also suspect. I consider the 99 at Fairbanks in June 1919 to be equally unreliable. Many of the COOP thermometers at far-flung locations were overexposed to solar radiation in those days. The Weather Bureau didn't provide these observers with standard shelters, due to prohibitive shipping costs. They simply told them to build wooden shelters to the best of the observer's ability. You can see how that opens the door to variability in high temperature measurement. Fort Yukon did reach what I consider to be a legitimate 97 on July 25, 1955. That was a major heat wave that also produced 93 in Fairbanks on that day, with a major mid-summer rainstorm into WA state downstream of that ridge. Whacked out pattern. 

 

RE: the link. I remember that heat wave in June 2013, and I remember the wunderground discussion about it. That's a sloppy post by wunderground. They're highlighting a RAWS reading (98 at Bentalit Lodge) without mention of the fact that RAWS thermistors are not fan-aspirated and thus tend to run 1-2 degrees warm on sunny days. That's why they're unofficial. The highest official reading in AK during the June 2013 heat wave was 96 at Talkeetna (a very impressive all-time record). That wunderground post also ignored the 97 at Fort Yukon in July 1955 that I mentioned earlier. And they completely ignored the 1976 heat wave, which IMO produced the highest credible temperatures in Alaskan history. Downsloping produced 98 at Haines on 7/31/1976 (followed by 93 on 8/1 and 8/2) and 99 at Tenakee Springs on both 8/1 and 8/2. Copper Center hit 94 on the 1st in the southern interior in that one. 

I was working on a blog post last year about the hottest day in Yukon history (but forgot about it until now), so I just looked at the draft and extracted this section. I will have to finish it off sometime when I find a few minutes to spare. Here's a draft excerpt:

 

Since 1950 the Yukon has been able to hit 35C/95F seven times. Interestingly, the all time high was hit 10 years ago, and no one noticed.

 

Environment Canada and the Yukon government says that the all time record was recorded in June of 1969 when 36.1C (97F) was recorded at Mayo (interestingly a mere half a year after the coldest winter on record) .

 

Aside: We see this same pattern in other places like the prairies in 1936 where the coldest winter on record was followed by the hottest summer on record.

 

Here is a list of the other hot spells that hit 35C.

- June 1950 when Dawson and Mayo were 35C/95F,

- July 1951 when Mayo was 35.6C/96F,

- May 1983 when Forty Mile was 36C (96.8F) [i'd consider this a tie with 1969 since temperature was rounded to the nearest 0.5 degree C instead of the nearest degree F prior to the 1980s],

- July 1998 when Mayo Road was 35C (95F),

- June 2006 when Drury Creek was 35C (95F), and

- July 2009 when Watson Lake was a record setting 35.4C (95.7F). (This was the same time that many places further south in BC set all time records such as Vancouver, Terrace, Comox, and Abbotsford).

 

There was one more, and that was June 2004. In that month Mayo Road was 36.5C (98F). This was the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Yukon, and while the heat wave did get a lot of press for number of days above 30C, no media outlet picked up on the fact that this was a new record setting temperature for the territory.

[Scott]

 

And they completely ignored the 1976 heat wave, which IMO produced the highest credible temperatures in Alaskan history. Downsloping produced 98 at Haines on 7/31/1976 (followed by 93 on 8/1 and 8/2) and 99 at Tenakee Springs on both 8/1 and 8/2.

 

 

I have always wondered about those readings and why they are so warm (especially the Tenakee springs one).   The thing about them is that Haines and Tenakee Springs are on the coast.  In fact, Tenakee Springs is on an island.  The next highest August reading at Tenakee Springs is only 83.  The next highest reading for August 1 and 2nd are 79 and 78 degrees.   The readings from both locations do seem to collaborate each other though.  

 

Strangely, Haines does seem to have a lot of high temperature records, especially for the coast line.    The records are hotter than most places in the interior.  

I spent some time in Haines and it was hard to imagine that it ever hitting the 90's.   Once I was walking back into town with my nine year old kid and someone stopped and gave us a ride into town.  She said that she topped because she was really worried about the kid walking out in the hot sun.   The high was 65 that day.  

[wx_statman]

I was working on a blog post last year about the hottest day in Yukon history (but forgot about it until now), so I just looked at the draft and extracted this section. I will have to finish it off sometime when I find a few minutes to spare. Here's a draft excerpt:

 

Since 1950 the Yukon has been able to hit 35C/95F seven times. Interestingly, the all time high was hit 10 years ago, and no one noticed.

 

Environment Canada and the Yukon government says that the all time record was recorded in June of 1969 when 36.1C (97F) was recorded at Mayo (interestingly a mere half a year after the coldest winter on record) .

 

Aside: We see this same pattern in other places like the prairies in 1936 where the coldest winter on record was followed by the hottest summer on record.

 

Here is a list of the other hot spells that hit 35C.

- June 1950 when Dawson and Mayo were 35C/95F,

- July 1951 when Mayo was 35.6C/96F,

- May 1983 when Forty Mile was 36C (96.8F) [i'd consider this a tie with 1969 since temperature was rounded to the nearest 0.5 degree C instead of the nearest degree F prior to the 1980s],

- July 1998 when Mayo Road was 35C (95F),

- June 2006 when Drury Creek was 35C (95F), and

- July 2009 when Watson Lake was a record setting 35.4C (95.7F). (This was the same time that many places further south in BC set all time records such as Vancouver, Terrace, Comox, and Abbotsford).

 

There was one more, and that was June 2004. In that month Mayo Road was 36.5C (98F). This was the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Yukon, and while the heat wave did get a lot of press for number of days above 30C, no media outlet picked up on the fact that this was a new record setting temperature for the territory.

 

I remember you mentioned the Mayo Road record from June 2004, maybe a couple years ago? That was the first time I had heard of it. That was definitely a legit heat wave. Annette set its all-time record high of 93 as well. 

 

Eagle supposedly hit 97 on 6/18/1950. Judging by the pair of 95's in the Yukon, that may have been a legit reading. 

[wx_statman]

 

 

I have always wondered about those readings and why they are so warm (especially the Tenakee springs one).   The thing about them is that Haines and Tenakee Springs are on the coast.  In fact, Tenakee Springs is on an island.  The next highest August reading at Tenakee Springs is only 83.  The next highest reading for August 1 and 2nd are 79 and 78 degrees.   The readings from both locations do seem to collaborate each other though.  

 

Strangely, Haines does seem to have a lot of high temperature records, especially for the coast line.    The records are hotter than most places in the interior.  

 

I spent some time in Haines and it was hard to imagine that it ever hitting the 90's.   Once I was walking back into town with my nine year old kid and someone stopped and gave us a ride into town.  She said that she topped because she was really worried about the kid walking out in the hot sun.   The high was 65 that day.  

 

Haines and Skagway can definitely get hot with downslope assistance. Places like Hyder can as well, which hit 94 in the July 2009 heat wave. I'm assuming downsloping was at play at Tenakee Springs as well, if we're to believe their 99's from Aug 1976. There's topography directly to the E/NE of Tenakee Springs. 

[Scott]

 Tenakee Springs as well, if we're to believe their 99's from Aug 1976. There's topography directly to the E/NE of Tenakee Springs. 

 

If it is legitimate, it is one of the most impressive records out there.   It is 13 degrees hotter than the next hottest reading there.   Even in the rest of the US, 99 would be a really hot reading for an island.   Other than the islands in and around the New York metro, there really aren't that many readings that hot on islands in the US.   I always assumed that it was probably not legitimate, but I guess some unusual down-sloping event might do it.

 

Which begs another trivia question.   Where is the hottest temperature in the US that was recorded on an island?   I think I know the answer, but it is sort of a trick question.

 

 

[wx_statman]

If it is legitimate, it is one of the most impressive records out there.   It is 13 degrees hotter than the next hottest reading there.   Even in the rest of the US, 99 would be a really hot reading for an island.   Other than the islands in and around the New York metro, there really aren't that many readings that hot on islands in the US.   I always assumed that it was probably not legitimate, but I guess some unusual down-sloping event might do it.

 

Which begs another trivia question.   Where is the hottest temperature in the US that was recorded on an island?   I think I know the answer, but it is sort of a trick question.

 

 

 

Those areas can definitely see downsloping, even though they're on islands. Plenty of high topography there to aid the process. For instance, Pelican (even further west than Tenakee Springs) hit 92 in the mid-August 2004 heat wave. This event produced 91 in Skagway and an all-time record of 88 in Yakutat. As an aside, the summer of 2004 was pretty special in SE AK and adjacent parts of Canada. All-time records in both June and August. 

 

Also, the Tenakee Springs station only existed for 14 years (1969-1983). Difficult to draw long-term inferences from that short of a period of record. It may have been that 1976 was the only episodic downslope event in that era...conceivable for a 14 year stretch, IMO. 

[Scott]

Where is the hottest temperature in the US that was recorded on an island?   I think I know the answer, but it is sort of a trick question.

 

 

Clues:

 

The temperature highest temperature recorded was 111 on 7/25/1959.

 

The island is not in New York or California.

 

The island has recorded several 100+ temperatures.

 

The average July high for the period of record is 95.6 degrees.

 

That should give some good clues as to where the island is not.

[Scott]

OK, I take the above back. There is an island in the US that recorded a 121 on 6/27/1990.

[wx_statman]

OK, I take the above back. There is an island in the US that recorded a 121 on 6/27/1990.

 

Lake Havasu City. Technically on an island in the Colorado River. 

[Scott]

Lake Havasu City. Technically on an island in the Colorado River. 

 

Yes, that one.

 

The first one I was thinking of was Antelope Island Utah (though in drought conditions it can become a peninsula).   I knew Lake Mead and probably Lake Powell (though they are man made) and the Colorado River (and possibly the Mississippi in July 1954) have had higher temperatures, but I couldn't think of any weather stations on those islands.  I didn't think of the Lake Havasu station until later.  

 

On an oceanic island, the hottest reading I can think of was 106 at Central Park New York on 7/9/1936.

 

The coldest reading I know of on an island in the US is -59 at Barter Island Alaska on 2/12/1950.

 

In the lower 48 it might be -38 at Wellesley Island New York on 1/4/1981, but islands in places like the Great Lakes, Upstate New York, Maine, Lake Yellowstone, Jackson Lake, etc. have certainly gotten colder.

 

In the lower 48 for an oceanic island, it might be Bar Harbor 3NW (Mount Desert Island in Maine) with -32 on 3/2/1982.

[wx_statman]

Yes, that one.

 

The first one I was thinking of was Antelope Island Utah (though in drought conditions it can become a peninsula).   I knew Lake Mead and probably Lake Powell (though they are man made) and the Colorado River (and possibly the Mississippi in July 1954) have had higher temperatures, but I couldn't think of any weather stations on those islands.  I didn't think of the Lake Havasu station until later.  

 

On an oceanic island, the hottest reading I can think of was 106 at Central Park New York on 7/9/1936.

 

The coldest reading I know of on an island in the US is -59 at Barter Island Alaska on 2/12/1950.

 

In the lower 48 it might be -38 at Wellesley Island New York on 1/4/1981, but islands in places like the Great Lakes, Upstate New York, Maine, Lake Yellowstone, Jackson Lake, etc. have certainly gotten colder.

 

In the lower 48 for an oceanic island, it might be Bar Harbor 3NW (Mount Desert Island in Maine) with -32 on 3/2/1982.

 

LGA hit 107 on 7/3/1966. There's a chance some of the COOP's on Long Island have been even hotter, i.e. I just checked Wantagh Cedar Creek and noticed a 107 degree reading from the July 2010 heat wave (7/6/2010). 

 

Here on the West coast, Avalon hit 104 on 9/28/1963. Pretty amazing to see downsloping make it across the channel to that extent, as Avalon lies on the east end of Catalina Island. San Diego hit their all-time record of 111 in the same heat wave. 

[Scott]

 There's a chance some of the COOP's on Long Island have been even hotter

 

 

Yes, LGA did hit 107, so LGA is probably the hottest temperature on an oceanic island in the US.  

 

Since New York is being discussed a little, here's another trivia question.    What is the lowest legitimate temperature recorded in New Jersey?   Personally I am very skeptical of the -34 at River Vale on 1/5/1904.  River Vale is more or less just a suburb of New York City and no other places in the vicinity have gotten even close to that cold.   I can't find any data of any weather station in River Vale either.  Other areas in New Jersey should be a lot colder than River Vale.

 

Here on the West coast, Avalon hit 104 on 9/28/1963. Pretty amazing to see downsloping make it across the channel to that extent, as Avalon lies on the east end of Catalina Island. 

 

 

Even farther from the mainland, San Nicolas Island has a reported 103 on 9/27/1970, but it seems questionable.

[wx_statman]

Since New York is being discussed a little, here's another trivia question.    What is the lowest legitimate temperature recorded in New Jersey?   Personally I am very skeptical of the -34 at River Vale on 1/5/1904.  River Vale is more or less just a suburb of New York City and no other places in the vicinity have gotten even close to that cold.   I can't find any data of any weather station in River Vale either.  Other areas in New Jersey should be a lot colder than River Vale.

 

That's interesting, I never gave much thought to the River Vale reading. It occurred during a major cold wave in that region. I know the PA state record was set on the same morning (-42 at Smethport). Looking at a Google map of the area, I can see some radiational cooling potential for River Vale. It's away from both the Hudson River and from the UHI of the New York metro area. It's also in what should be the coldest area of NJ, inland and right up against the NY state line. 

 

Having said that, there's certainly a chance the River Vale station was improperly placed or that the thermometer was giving improper readings. One issue I'm aware of from that era is alcohol condensation in the bulb. If the bulb wasn't cleaned regularly, minimum readings some 1-2 F colder than actual values could have been measured. There's always the chance of improper placement as well, either too low to the ground or in a localized frost hollow which was not representative of the town itself (or the region for that matter). 

 

The River Vale station existed from 1893 to 1912. The original hand-written COOP forms can be found @ NCDC. This station also recorded -21 in January 1893 (when Delaware set its state record low), -17 in February 1899, and -22 in January 1912 (when Maryland set its state record). Regarding January 1904 - 15" of fresh snow had fallen on the 2nd and 3rd, directly heading into a major Arctic airmass. On the 4th, the minimum plummeted to -22, followed by -34 on the 5th and -27 on the 6th. Layton also hit -30 on the 5th, and even Newark hit -10. So to me, the -34 is certainly not out of the realm of possibility given the conditions that morning. 

[Scott]

I guess it could be valid, but it seems really out of place compared to the other stations in the immediate vicinity.

[Scott]

The city is Brownsville Texas (106F on March 27 1984).   In that part of Texas, late winter and early spring heat waves are surprisingly common.   The hottest temperatures in much of Mexico are often recorded in the Spring and occasionally the hot air makes it as far north as Texas.

 

 

To add some more to this, April 1920 and April 2014 had really impressive temperatures that set all time heat records in that part of the US (southern Texas).

 

Here are some of the all time heat records (for anytime of year) that were set in those Aprils:

 

McAllen (not the airport) (1941-present):  109 on 4/28/2014

Mercedes 6SE (1914-present):  110 on 4/17/1920

Sarita 7E (1910-present): 109 on 4/28/2014

Weslaco (1914 to present): 110 on 4/17/1920

 

Not quite the all time record, but 2nd or 3rd hottest:

 

Harlington (1912-present):  107 on 4/17/1920, the second highest temperature recorded.  Only 8/18/1915 had a higher temperature (108).

Port Mansfield (1958-present): 102 on 4/28/2014, the second highest temperature recorded.  Only 5/11/2006 had a higher temperature (104).

Kingsville (1951-present):  108 on 4/28/2014, the third highest temperature recorded. Only 9/5/2000 (109) and 9/6/2000 (111) were hotter.

 

There are probably more than the above.  If more stations were present in 1920, several more records likely would have been recorded.

[Glacier]

Those areas can definitely see downsloping, even though they're on islands. Plenty of high topography there to aid the process. For instance, Pelican (even further west than Tenakee Springs) hit 92 in the mid-August 2004 heat wave. This event produced 91 in Skagway and an all-time record of 88 in Yakutat. As an aside, the summer of 2004 was pretty special in SE AK and adjacent parts of Canada. All-time records in both June and August. 

 

Also, the Tenakee Springs station only existed for 14 years (1969-1983). Difficult to draw long-term inferences from that short of a period of record. It may have been that 1976 was the only episodic downslope event in that era...conceivable for a 14 year stretch, IMO. 

 

 

In 2009 here in BC it was over 41C/106F in Vancouver Island. Even on some of the cool outcrops and lighthouse stations it was near 90F. While the coast is normally cool, once in a while you get strong outflow winds from the interior, and downsloping causes temperature records to be broken by 5 or even 10 degrees.

 

Take for example Bella Coola on the central coast of BC. The hottest it has even been at the airport since records began 1983 was 36.3C/97F. In 2009, it was 41.2C/106F. That's 9F hotter than it's ever been, and the record is totally legit. To the west of this place on northern Vancouver Island at a place called Gold River a temperature of 41.5C was recorded (temperatures rounded to the nearest 0.5C at that station). Many places shattered the all time records on the coast including the likes of Kitimat on the north coast, while communities in the interior that frequently hit 40C/104F reached what they'd normally achieve in a typical year.

 

So, yes, one-off records on the Alaska coast can be legitimate records.

[Scott]

Here's another good question and one I don't know if I have an answer for.

 

For the weather stations/past data located on the high mountain peaks in the US (there aren't that many, but mainly Mt Washington, Pikes Peak, Mt Rainier, White Mountain Peak, and White Mountain 2, why would Pikes Peak have the smallest diurnal temperature changes?

 

http://www.summitpost.org/interesting-weather-statistics-for-us-mountain-summits/171585

 

Other than the White Mountains his seems that opposite of the other areas surrounding the mountains in each region.

[Phil]

Is this true throughout the year? Or just part of the year?

 

If it’s the former, I’m guessing it has something to do with where/how the station is sited (lower thermal conductivity of the landscape around the station). But that’s honestly just a guess.

[Scott]

Is this true throughout the year? Or just part of the year?

 

If it’s the former, I’m guessing it has something to do with where/how the station is sited (lower thermal conductivity of the landscape around the station). But that’s honestly just a guess.

 

Except for Rainier in the winter months, it is year round.

[erik1974]

      Anyone here care to comment on one of the most unusual and freakish heat waves of all time??  I am talking about the upper-Midwest events of May 1934.  So intense the highest May temperatures actually equal or exceed the highest ​June ​temperatures in at least 3 states.  Anyone care to comment on this extremely underrated event?

[wx_statman]

      Anyone here care to comment on one of the most unusual and freakish heat waves of all time??  I am talking about the upper-Midwest events of May 1934.  So intense the highest May temperatures actually equal or exceed the highest ​June ​temperatures in at least 3 states.  Anyone care to comment on this extremely underrated event?

 

I'm familiar with this event. Definitely off the charts. Interestingly, early June 1988 had a similarly anomalous heat wave in the northern plains as well. Only a week later in the season but of course the calendar had already flipped to June. Still, that one set a bunch of monthly records that were never exceeded despite the early-month occurrence. 

[wx_statman]

We also had that epic heat spike in mid-May 2013 over the central plains. Sioux City, IA hit an incredible 106 on May 14, 2013, breaking the monthly record of 105 from May 30, 1934. However, the May 1934 heat wave remains unchallenged in places further north. 

[erik1974]

Yeah, in May 2013, one location in Iowa hit 106 while another one in Nebraska hit 108.  Pretty crazy for mid-May!!  Sort of like a mini version of the May 1934 event.  The May 1934 readings of 109(Prairie Du Chien) in Wisconsin and 112(Maple Plain) in Minnesota must be nearly 10 degrees hotter than next highest may readings in those 2 states...  I think the previous May record in WI was only 100 degrees prior to 1934...  Phenomenal!!  I am surprised this event has barely been talked about, if at all.  

[erik1974]

     Also astonishing that highest May reading in WI(109), Iowa(111), Minn(112), ND(111) and SD(113) are actually higher than in Kansas(108 at Ellsworth and previously).  I think there is distinct possibility that Kansas can break that 108 degrees by a good margin in the future!

[wx_statman]

Yeah, in May 2013, one location in Iowa hit 106 while another one in Nebraska hit 108.  Pretty crazy for mid-May!!  Sort of like a mini version of the May 1934 event.  The May 1934 readings of 109(Prairie Du Chien) in Wisconsin and 112(Maple Plain) in Minnesota must be nearly 10 degrees hotter than next highest may readings in those 2 states...  I think the previous May record in WI was only 100 degrees prior to 1934...  Phenomenal!!  I am surprised this event has barely been talked about, if at all.  

 

May 1934 was certainly incredible. The dust bowl drought played a big role in amplifying those readings, much like what we saw in the summers of 1934 and 1936. May 1934 produced 108 degrees in Manitoba (at Morden). Truly phenomenal. 

[Phil]

As bad as the 1930s were (heat/drought wise), things were actually much worse at times between 1200-1500AD.

 

I think we sometimes take for granted how “tame” the warm seasons have been for the last 50yrs or so, in the grand scheme of things. It wouldn’t take much to broaden the teleconnections again and turn on the warm season middle latitude blast furnace.

[Jesse]

[weatherfan2012]

As bad as the 1930s were (heat/drought wise), things were actually much worse at times between 1200-1500AD.

I think we sometimes take for granted how “tame” the warm seasons have been for the last 50yrs or so, in the grand scheme of things. It wouldn’t take much to broaden the teleconnections again and turn on the warm season middle latitude blast furnace.

like wise it wouldn't take much for the winter's to be very hash severe eather the fact is we live currently in a overall good period earth climate wise but sooner or later climate will become one that is not good for humans and will represent a challenge for us at some point in time.so we should enjoy the over all calm good climate period as we have in this moment of time.

[Minny_Weather]

We also had that epic heat spike in mid-May 2013 over the central plains. Sioux City, IA hit an incredible 106 on May 14, 2013, breaking the monthly record of 105 from May 30, 1934. However, the May 1934 heat wave remains unchallenged in places further north.

In Lincoln on that day, we recorded 100 degrees one calendar day after we recorded our last freeze of that Spring. Truly shows how wild the weather is here.

[Phil]

[weatherfan2012]

Haha, well the last several years have already fit your region’s “furnace” pattern to a tee. However, most of the country (and the NH middle latitudes in general) have gotten the easy treatment.

For instance, my region’s worst ever stretch of (late Holocene) summer heat/drought was actually in the 1400s, which was an era of global cooling. This stuff isn’t always spatially homogenous.

which Gos to show while the gl0be may have warming cooling periods doesn't mean every where warms or cools at the same time which is part of the varibity aspect to climate.

[Phil]

which Gos to show while the gl0be may have warming cooling periods doesn't mean every where warms or cools at the same time which is part of the varibity aspect to climate.

Exactly. In fact, some regions tend to hold an inverse relationship to the global temperature trend/anomaly on a centennial to millennial scale. The Antarctic is perhaps the most prominent example of this.

 

Additionally, changes to the seasonality of both regional and global teleconnection networks are on display when looking through history. For instance, during global cooling periods, it’s the *winter hemisphere* that biases most strongly towards the negative state of it’s annular mode, while the summer hemisphere shows less of a bias in the state of its annular mode (at least early on).

[Scott]

      Anyone here care to comment on one of the most unusual and freakish heat waves of all time??  I am talking about the upper-Midwest events of May 1934.  So intense the highest May temperatures actually equal or exceed the highest ​June ​temperatures in at least 3 states.  Anyone care to comment on this extremely underrated event?

 

Yes, it was very impressive; perhaps the most impressive May heatwave anywhere in the US.

 

Some other impressive early heat waves for the Northern Plains and parts of the Midwest were in April 1952 and April 1980.  For example, Fargo North Dakota hit 100 on 4/21/1980.   The next earliest 100 reading was 104 on 5/30/1934.  The next earliest 100 reading after that wasn't until 6/12/1893.  

 

March 1986 and 2012 had some really impressive high temperatures in the Midwest as well.   

[wx_statman]

RE: the link. I remember that heat wave in June 2013, and I remember the wunderground discussion about it. That's a sloppy post by wunderground. They're highlighting a RAWS reading (98 at Bentalit Lodge) without mention of the fact that RAWS thermistors are not fan-aspirated and thus tend to run 1-2 degrees warm on sunny days. That's why they're unofficial. The highest official reading in AK during the June 2013 heat wave was 96 at Talkeetna (a very impressive all-time record). That wunderground post also ignored the 97 at Fort Yukon in July 1955 that I mentioned earlier. And they completely ignored the 1976 heat wave, which IMO produced the highest credible temperatures in Alaskan history. Downsloping produced 98 at Haines on 7/31/1976 (followed by 93 on 8/1 and 8/2) and 99 at Tenakee Springs on both 8/1 and 8/2. Copper Center hit 94 on the 1st in the southern interior in that one. 

 

I was looking through the June 2013 state climo report for Alaska. Turns out that a station called Amber Lake actually hit 97 on 6/17/2013. This is listed as the highest official temperature in AK that month. 

 

Also, a clarification - 98 degrees was reached at both Bentalit RAWS and Bentalit Lodge Snotel. The RAWS reading may have been overexposed for the reasons stated above. But I'm not sure of the situation with Snotel temperature sensors, as far as if they're considered accurate or not. Perhaps the Bentalit Lodge Snotel reading is legit after all?