Washington on Track for 3rd Top-3 Hottest July in As Many Years

The high of 101° so far this afternoon at Washington ties July 1930 with the 6th 100°+ temperature for the month. It also puts this month firmly ahead of the pace of last July's all-time hottest month with an average of 86.0°, vs 84.5° in 2011. Even with a 20° cooldown to a forecast high of 81° on Saturday, a projection based on predictions through Tuesday the 24th and climatological averages for the remaining week of the month would put the July average at 83.4°, still ahead of the then record-tying July 2010. That would make the last 3 Julys the hottest on record. The only remaining top-10 hottest July before 1980 will be 1955.

For the summer to date, the National Weather Service reports:

INCLUDING TODAY...THE HIGH TEMP HAS REACHED OR EXCEEDED 95F ON 18 DAYS AND 100F ON 7 DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR...WHICH ARE BOTH THE MOST ON RECORD THROUGH 18 JUL AT DCA. PRIOR TO THIS YEAR...THE MOST 95-DEGREE AND 100-DEGREE DAYS THROUGH 18 JUL WAS 16 IN 1991 AND 5 IN 1988...RESPECTIVELY. THE MOST 95-DEGREE AND 100-DEGREE DAYS ON RECORD THAT OCCURRED IN A CALENDAR YEAR WAS 28 IN 1980 AND 11 IN 1930...RESPECTIVELY.