June 2010 Temperature Update: 8th Warmest in U.S.

The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) preliminary analysis for June 2010, posted this morning, shows that average temperatures in the U.S. were the 8th warmest in 116 years of records. Out of 9 climatic regions, 3 were much above normal, 2 were above normal, and 3 were near normal. Only the Pacific Northwest was below normal. It was the second warmest on record for the Southeast, 5th warmest for the South, and the 7th warmest for the Central Region.

Three states (North Carolina [tied], Delaware, and New Jersey) had their warmest June on record. It was the second warmest for:

• Maryland
• Virginia
• South Carolina
• Florida
• Louisiana

Nearly every state from Texas and Oklahoma eastward to the Atlantic Coast and northward through the Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic to southern New England had a top 10 warmest June. Oregon and Washington were the only states with below normal temperatures.

For the first half of 2010, 4 states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island) had their warmest January-June. Eight other Northeast and Great Lakes states have had a top-ten first half. Florida had its 7th coolest year to date.

In the second quarter, every state east of the Mississippi and a few to the west were much warmer than normal. Eleven states had a record warm April-June:

• Louisiana
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Delaware
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut [tied]
• New Jersey
• Maryland
• Virginia
• North Carolina

A total of 20 states had their warmest or second warmest second quarter. The West and Northwest had below normal to much below normal temperatures. It was the 4th coolest in Oregon and the 11th coolest in Idaho.

Images (click to enlarge): U.S. June average temperature since 1895, statewide temperature ranks for June 2010 and second quarter 2010 (April-June); from NCDC

Pacific Northwest Joins Temperature Record Fest

Not to be outdone by the temperature record shattering feats of the East Coast, the Pacific Northwest has joined in the festivities for the last several days. Some heat records have been broken by very impressive margins. Here are record reports for major climate stations from the National Weather Service (old record and date in parentheses):

July 6
Quillayute WA      82° (76°, 1968)

July 7
Seattle-Tacoma WA  90° (88°, 1953)
Seattle WFO WA     84° (82°, 1996)
Quillayute WA      92° (80°, 1996)
Hoquiam WA         94° (81°, 1996)

July 8
Seattle-Tacoma WA  95° (87°, 1985/1952)
Seattle WFO WA     88° (82°, 2006)
Olympia WA         95° (94°, 1952)
Bellingham WA      88° (85°, 1952) 

Periods of record are somewhat shorter for these stations than for many in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast: Seattle Tacoma data began 1945, Olympia 1948, Seattle WFO 1986, Quillayute 1966.

Competitive Enterprise Institute Makes More [Stuff] Up

July 9 Update: This morning, Mark Haines pointed out that even the one example cited yesterday by the CEI guest was phony (video not available).

Original post:
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is one of the leading stink tanks purveying faux facts on climate change. Here's a perfect example of their credibility. Watch CNBC anchor Mark Haines, a trained lawyer and member of the New Jersey Bar, this morning demolishing a CEI Senior Attorney's bo-o-o-gus claims regarding the effect of the Jones Act on the BP oil disaster cleanup:

DC Drought Developing

July 10 Update: In a front page article, Baltimore Sun weather reporter Frank Roylance surveys drought impacts on Maryland farms.

Meanwhile, today's showers have put a dent in the short-term deficit; the reported rainfall amounts:

Washington National 1.17"
Washington Dulles   0.61"
Baltimore/BWI       0.42" 
Baltimore Downtown  0.33"

July 9 Update: WAMU reports on the effects on Northern Virginia farmers.

Original post:
Recent record-breaking temperatures have exacerbated the effects of low precipitation to produce developing drought conditions across much of the DC/Maryland/Virginia region. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released this morning, shows over one-third of Virginia, including all of the DC suburban counties other than Loudoun, in the Moderate Drought (D1) category. This is up from less than 1% the previous week. All of the rest of the state, except the far southwest, is at least Abnormally Dry (D0).

To the north, conditions are even more dire in Maryland, where over two-thirds of the state is in Moderate Drought (64%) or Severe Drought (4%). Nearly all of central Maryland, southern Maryland, and the lower half of the Eastern Shore are in Moderate or Severe Drought. The Severe area covers a portion of the lower western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore City, the District of Columbia, and all of their adjacent counties are in Moderate Drought, except for far western Montgomery County.

The map of 30-day precipitation ending this morning shows virtually all of northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland with less than 50% of the normal amount. A substantial portion, probably around 50%, is in the 10-25% range (red area).

Here are the month-to-date, season-to-date (since June 1), and year-to-date departures from average precipitation through today:

Washington National -0.91"/-2.17"/-6.47"
Washington Dulles   -0.96"/-3.74"/-3.84"
Baltimore BWI       -0.96"/-2.84"/-2.54" 

Images (click to enlarge): Maryland and Virginia Drought Monitors as of July 6, 2010 from CPC/NOAA; Precipitation percentage of normal for 30 days ending 8 am EDT, July 8, 2010 from National Weather Service

Washington Record Set For Earliest Time of 100° Temperature; Philadelphia All-Time Highest Minimum Nearly Falls

Midnight Update: Several hours of easterly winds have helped lower the Philadelphia temperature to 80° at midnight. The record does not fall.

The low of 80° at Washington, however, appears to be holding for a new daily high minimum (old record 79° in 1999).

Original Post:
The National Weather Service has reported that the observation of a 100° temperature in Washington before noon daylight time yesterday was the earliest ever recorded by time of day for reaching triple digits:

THE EARLIEST REPORTED READING OF 100F IN A CALENDAR DAY WAS RECORDED
YESTERDAY JULY 6 2010...JUST BEFORE 12 PM NOON EDT...OR 11 AM IN
EASTERN STANDARD TIME...EST. PREVIOUSLY THE EARLIEST RECORD OF A
100F READING IN WASHINGTON DC WAS AUG 21 1930 AT NOON EST...OR 1 PM
EDT. 

Also, the 7 consecutive hours of 100°+ temperatures tied the previous record:

THE MOST NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF 100F OR BETTER IN WASHINGTON
IS 7 HOURS. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE...ONCE ON JULY 21 1930 FROM NOON
TO 6PM EST...OR 1 TO 7 PM EDT. THE OTHER WAS YESTERDAY JULY 6 2010
FROM NOON TO 6 PM EDT. 

For Baltimore,

THE EARLIEST REPORTED READING OF 100F IN A CALENDAR DAY WAS RECORDED
ON JULY 10 1936...AT 10 AM EST...OR 11 AM EDT. PREVIOUSLY THE
EARLIEST RECORD OF A 100F READING IN BALTIMORE MD WAS AUG 21 1930 AT
NOON EST...OR 1 PM EDT.

THE MOST NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF 100F OR BETTER IN BALTIMORE
IS 9 HOURS...ON JULY 10 1936 FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM EST. YESTERDAY...
JULY 6 2010...THERE WERE 7 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF 100F OR BETTER AT
BWI AIRPORT FROM 1 PM THROUGH 7 PM EDT. 

Hourly temperature records extend back to August 1921 in Washington and August 1927 in Baltimore.

Another all-time record poised to fall in this heat wave is the highest minimum temperature at Philadelphia. With only 3 hours left to go, the morning low of 83° is still above the previous record of 82° last hit on Aug. 8, 2001. The 10 pm temperature at Philadelphia is 86°.

Heat Beat Goes On, Records Continue Spinning

Late PM Update: Nearly every major climate reporting station from Richmond VA to southern New England broke a high temperature record for July 7, many by multiple degrees. Wilmington, Delaware beat a record which had stood since 1897 by 5°. Here are the record reports from The Usual Suspects (old record and date in parentheses):

Richmond VA       104° (103°, 1977)
Salisbury MD       98° (97°, 1993)
Elizabeth City NC 101° (99°, 1986)
Wallops Island VA  99° (96°, 1986)
Wash. National    102° (99°, 1991)
Washington Dulles 101° (tied 1988)
Baltimore/BWI     101° (99°, 1993/1986)
Allentown PA       99° (97°, 1988)
Atlantic City NJ   98° (tied 1986)
Georgetown DE      97° (tied 1993)
Philadelphia PA   103° (98°, 1994/1993/1986)
Reading PA        101° (99°, 1988/1986)
Trenton NJ        103° (99°, 1993)
Wilmington DE     103° (98°, 1897)
Central Park NY   100° (98°, 1993/1986)
LaGuardia NY      101° (97°, 1994/1993/1986)
Kennedy NY        100° (99°, 1986)
Islip NY           96° (95°, 1986)
Bridgeport CT      95° (tied 1994/1993)
Hartford CT       100° (99°, 1993)
Concord NH         97° (tied 1993)  

Original post:
The preliminary highs are not yet in, but the official Washington temperature has reached at least 102°, breaking the old daily record by 3°. The low so far of 80° is also in serious contention for a record high minimum, given the near-zero prospect of any precipitation before midnight. Elsewhere in the region, the current 101° at Dulles is at least a tie, and Baltimore/BWI's 101° beats the record by there by 2°. Baltimore Inner Harbor has also reached at least 101°.

Philadelphia has reached at least 102°, which beats the old record by 4°. Records are also tumbling at Allentown, Trenton, and Wilmington DE. Records have also been broken at 5 out of the 6 major climate sites in the New York City region. Bridgeport has at least a tie.

Details to be posted as they become available.

Noon Heatwave Update

Temperatures at noon are a degree or so lower than yesterday in the Washington, DC area, but the higher dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s are making it even more uncomfortable. Temperatures/dewpoints/heat indices at 12:00:

Washington National 99/65/102 
Washington Dulles   96/67/99
Baltimore BWI       98/65/101
Baltimore Downtown  98/66/102  

The 99° at National is enough to at least tie the 1991 record for the date.