It’s August already!
So, where did Summer go? My answer: “into the record books.”
The Weather Service confirms we just wrapped the hottest month for *average* temperatures in Indianapolis since they started keeping the books in the late 1800’s. When you average all the lows and highs…you get 84.0 degrees. The old record was 82.8 from July 1936.
We also broke the record for hottest high temperature average: a sizzling 95.6 degrees. The old record? From 1936,of course, when it was 93.7 in July.
More records? How about 28 days of 90-degree weather in one month? The old record was 25 days, from July 1901.
And it was just the “highs” – it was the “lows”… Indy went 22 days (June 28-July 19) without dropping below 70 degrees. The old record was 20, from 1921. Indy had an 81 degree low one morning!
The hottest stretch of the month for central Indiana began on Independence Day as temperatures surged into the lower 100s, providing many locations with one of the warmest Fourth Of Julys on record. This began a string of four days with temperatures topping out above the century mark, highlighted on the 6th and 7th by highs that reached 105 and 106 degrees in many locations. In Indianapolis, the official high of 105 on both the 6th and 7th came within one degree of tying the all-time record high of 106 degrees, set on July 22, 1901, July 21, 1934, and July 14, 1936.
Temps topped out in triple digits a few more times between the 17th and 25th.
And those temps stay toasty today, but humidity will be lower. The sticky icky stuff is back Friday through the weekend. A front drops down Saturday, and it now looks like Saturday Night into Sunday Morning is your best weekend storm chance.
Storms were scattered across the state Tuesday, with some morning rain north and northeast of Indianapolis, and nasty weather to the south in the evening.
Investigators will examine weather damage in Gibson county’s Oakland City today. That’s the southwestern Indiana town that was caught in the middle of a fierce storm early Tuesday evening.
People were lining up for the parade that kicks off the “Sweet Corn Festival” but were forced to suddenly scramble once baseball-sized hail began to strike. No serious injuries have been reported.
Damaging winds from Oakland City to Mackey destroyed a barn, damaged roofs, and uprooted numerous trees. Roads were blocked by debris, including State Route 57. The severe storms continued south across Warrick County, where golf-ball size hail and tree damage was reported from Chandler to Newburgh. The severe storms continued south between Henderson and Owensboro, producing strong winds and hail.
Oakland City is a little north/northeast of Evansville. (The attached pictures were posted by Bo McFall and Jason Davis to Evansville’s WFIE TV Facebook Page. Click here and here.)
PAUL’S PREVIOUS PREDICTION:
The actual high yesterday was 95. The forecast was 92.
INDY ALMANAC:
Today’s average high is 84 and the average low is 65. Records are 97 and 53. Sunrise is 6:45 and sunset is 8:58.
UV INDEX:
9 (Very high.)
POLLEN COUNT:
The count stays “medium-high” through Friday, and then drops a little to “medium” Saturday.
DETAILED INDIANAPOLIS FORECAST:
Today: Sunny and not as humid. High 92.
Tonight: Clear. Low 66.
Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot. High 97.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Low 72.
Friday: Partly sunny and more humid again. High 95.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Low 74.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with scattered showers and storms possible. High 92.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with scattered showers and storms likely. Low 75.
Sunday: Mostly to partly cloudy, with scattered showers and storms in the morning. High 88.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Low 67.
Monday: Mostly sunny. High 87.
Monday Night: Mostly clear. Low 66.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 89.
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