DC Closes Out Dry July

For more posts on Washington, DC temperature and precipitation, see:
Washington DC Weather Records

August 1 Update: This morning's July climate report from the National Weather Service confirms the monthly total of 1.07". If no precipitation falls through Sunday, the entire excess from June will have been wiped out, and the yearly excess will drop to near 1". The monthly percentage of normal precipitation map for the region shows widespread areas of 50% or less from northern Virginia through much of Maryland.

Original post:
With less than an hour remaining in the month, an unofficial 0.13" at Washington National from thunderstorms this afternoon pushes this July into 5th place among driest Julys. This eliminates 1993, with 1.36", from the top ten, and makes 2009 the driest in 10 years, exceeded only by 1.01" in 1999.

Images (click to enlarge): July 2009 percentage of normal precipitation from National Weather Service; CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data, photo © Kevin Ambrose

All-Time Record High Temperature in Seattle Historic Northwest Heat Again Hits Record Levels

For previous record temperature posts, see:
Record Heat
Record Cold

August 1 Update: The National Climatic Data Center report for July may not yet be complete, but it shows a total of 4 new all-time record high temperatures being set and 11 tied in July, for a total of 15. The number of all-time record lows: zero, zilch, nada, bupkis. For July monthly records,

High temperature: 27 new, 38 tied, 65 total
Low temperature:   9 new, 11 tied, 20 total 

9 pm PDT Update: The record reports are rolling in from the National Weather Service for the historic heat of July 29 in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska:

 * INDICATES BROKE OR TIED ALL-TIME RECORD  
  
                                         DAILY     ALL-TIME  
                       NEW RECORD   OLD RECORD      RECORD  
  
SEA-TAC                       103*     95 1971   100 7/20 1994                                                
  
OLYMPIA                       104*     96 2003   104 8/09 1981  
  
BELLINGHAM                     96*     92 1960    94 7/11 2007               
                                               (+2 OTHER DATES)    
  
SEATTLE WFO (SANDPOINT)       105*     95 1998    96 7/20 1994  
  
RECORD WARMEST MINIMUMS FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 29TH 2009  
  
                                         DAILY     ALL-TIME   
                                    OLD RECORD      RECORD  
  
SEA-TAC                        71*     63 2003    69 9/02 1974   
                                                  69 7/28 2009   
  
SEATTLE WFO (SANDPOINT)        71*     63 1996    68 7/22 2006  
  
OLYMPIA                        64      58 1982  
  
BELLINGHAM                     63      62 1958                         
  
THE FOLLOWING ARE PRELIMINARY HIGH TEMPERATURES AS OF 5 PM PDT   
07/29/2009.  
  
LOCATION          NEW RECORD    OLD RECORD      ALL-TIME RECORD  
================================================================   
VANCOUVER            107         97 (2003)      107 (07/29/2009)   
PORTLAND AIRPORT     106        100 (2003)      107 (08/10/1981)   
PORTLAND DOWNTOWN    105         99 (2003)      106 (08/10/1981)   
TROUTDALE            104        104 (1998)      108 (08/18/1977)   
SALEM                106        101 (2003)      108 (08/09/1981)   
EUGENE               105        101 (2003)      108 (08/09/1981)   
HILLSBORO            106         98 (1990)      108 (07/19/1956)   
MCMINNVILLE          105        100 (2003)      110 (07/10/1926)   
HOOD RIVER           107        103 (2003)      108 (08/18/1977)     

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 109 DEGREES WAS SET AT MEDFORD OR   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 108 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 104 DEGREES WAS SET AT MONTAGUE CA   
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 104 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 106 DEGREES WAS SET AT ROSEBURG OR   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 105 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 96 DEGREES WAS SET AT KLAMATH FALLS OR   
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 96 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 70 DEGREES WAS SET AT MEDFORD   
OR YESTERDAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 70 SET IN 1939.    

LOCATION           NEW RECORD        OLD RECORD        YEAR SET  
  
JUNEAU AIRPORT          82              80              1976  
WRANGLE           (TIED)79              79              1920  
ANNETTE                 88              84              1976  

ON JULY 28 THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 70 DEGREES AT BARROW...THIS  
TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 70 THAT WAS SET BACK IN 1928.  

5 pm PDT Update: Seattle high as of 8:00 is 103°. Here are some other Washington and Oregon triple-digit highs:

PORTLAND     106
MCCHORD AFB  104
EVERETT      100
BOEING FIELD 103
RENTON       105
BREMERTON    102
FORT LEWIS   103
SHELTON      104
OLYMPIA      104
KELSO        106
SCAPPOOSE    107
VANCOUVER    107  
THE DALLES   104 

4 pm PDT Update: Seattle added another degree at 4:00, to 102°

3 pm PDT Update: At 3 pm today, Seattle unofficially reported an all-time record high temperature of 101°, exceeding the record set in 1941 and tied in 1994. Here is the raw data report from station KSEA showing a temperature of 38.3°C:

KSEA 292153Z 29008KT 10SM FEW060 38/14 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP089 CB DSNT SE T03830139 $ 

The Seattle PI is reporting online that 102° was reached earlier.

Original post:
A review of western Washington and Oregon temperature reports at 1 pm PDT shows them several degrees warmer than yesterday at the same time, with some locations, including Portland, already in triple digits. The 100° reading at Portland ties the daily record for July 29.

SEATTLE, TACOMA, EVERETT, AND VICINITY  

CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
SEATAC AIRPORT MOSUNNY   96  61  31 W8        29.81F HX  96             
MCCHORD AFB    MOSUNNY   98  60  28 VRB3      29.80F HX  98             
EVERETT        SUNNY     96  62  32 NW5       29.83F HX  97             
BOEING FIELD   SUNNY     96  60  30 NW7       29.78F HX  96             
RENTON         SUNNY     99  59  26 NW7       29.77F HX  99             
PUYALLUP       FAIR     100  63  28 MISG      29.84F HX 102             
BREMERTON      SUNNY     97  57  26 N8        29.83F HX  95             
FORT LEWIS     SUNNY     96  62  32 VRB3      29.80F HX  97             
SHELTON        SUNNY     98  59  27 CALM      29.78F HX  98             
TACOMA NARROWS MOSUNNY   95  56  26 NE5       29.80F HX  93  

SOUTHWEST INTERIOR  
  
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
OLYMPIA        SUNNY     95  61  32 NE6       29.80F HX  95             
CHEHALIS         N/A     97  64  34 N3        29.79F HX  99             
TOLEDO         NOT AVBL                                                 
KELSO          SUNNY     97  64  34 SW3       29.77F HX  99             
SCAPPOOSE, OR  SUNNY    100  60  26 CALM      29.75F HX 100             
VANCOUVER      SUNNY     99  63  30 NW6       29.75F HX 101             
PORTLAND, OR   SUNNY    100  61  27 E7        29.75F HX 101      

CASCADE MOUNTAINS AND COLUMBIA GORGE  
    
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
STAMPEDE PASS  MOSUNNY   79  54  41 VRB6      30.11F                    
TROUTDALE, OR  SUNNY     99  60  27 E14G24    29.74F HX  99             
THE DALLES, OR SUNNY     99  54  22 E14G21    29.84F HX  97      

Pacific Northwest Heat Records Tumble

For previous record temperature posts, see:
Record Heat
Record Cold

Many locations in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon set high temperature records for July 28, and several were near or above their all-time record highs:

LOCATION          NEW RECORD    OLD RECORD      ALL-TIME RECORD  
================================================================   
VANCOUVER            106         97 (2003)      105 (06/30/1942)  
PORTLAND AIRPORT     106        101 (1998)      107 (08/10/1981)  
PORTLAND DOWNTOWN    105        100 (1998)      106 (08/10/1981)  
TROUTDALE            105        101 (1998)      108 (08/18/1977)  
SALEM                107         99 (2003)      108 (08/09/1981)  
EUGENE               106        100 (2003)      108 (08/09/1981)  
HILLSBORO            105         96 (1985)      108 (07/19/1956)  
MCMINNVILLE          106        104 (1998)      110 (07/10/1926)  
HOOD RIVER           103 (TIED) 103 (2005)      108 (08/18/1977)  
ASTORIA               92         82 (2003)      101 (07/01/1942)  

Other record reports:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 108 DEGREES WAS SET AT MEDFORD OR   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 105 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 108 DEGREES WAS SET AT ROSEBURG OR   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 107 SET IN 1998.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 104 DEGREES WAS SET AT MONTAGUE CA   
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 104 SET IN 1973.  

                               NEW RECORD          OLD RECORD  
  
SEA-TAC                           97-TIED          97  1998    
  
OLYMPIA                               101          100 1998  
  
HOQUIAM                                93           81 1965    
  
BELLINGHAM                             90           88 1958  
  
SEATTLE WFO (SANDPOINT)                95           92 1998  
  
RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURES   
  
SEA-TAC                                69*          65 1998    
  
OLYMPIA                                63           62 1958  
  
QUILLAYUTE (FORKS)                59-TIED           59 2000      
  
BELLINGHAM                        63-TIED           63 1958                           
  
*TIES ALL-TIME HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE SET 9/2/1974  

Fairbanks Approaches Record For Warm, Dry July

The Fairbanks, Alaska, office of the National Weather Service reported on Monday that this month is well on the way to setting a record for warm temperatures and lack of precipitation. As of noon local time today, the temperature at Fairbanks was already 77°.

JULY OF 2009 IS WELL ON TRACK TO BECOMING THE DRIEST  
JULY ON RECORD...WITH ONLY 0.04 INCHES OF RAIN BEING  
RECORDED AT THE FAIRBANKS AIRPORT SO FAR THIS MONTH.  
JULY 1927 IS CURRENTLY THE DRIEST JULY ON RECORD  
WITH 0.12 INCHES OF RAINFALL.  
  
THIS JULY HAS BEEN NOTABLE FOR THE PERSISTENCE OF  
NORMAL TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND A COMPLETE  
ABSENCE OF ANY COOL PERIODS. SO FAR THIS JULY...  
THE AVERAGE DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN  
78.6 DEGREES...THE AVERAGE DAILY MINIMUM 53.7 AND   
THE MEAN TEMPERATURE 66.2.  
  
THE AVERAGE DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 78.6 IS 0.2 DEGREES  
ABOVE THE RECORD AVERAGE DAILY MAXIMUM IN JULY OF 78.4 DEGREES  
WHICH OCCURRED IN 1915.  
  
EVERY SINGLE DAY SO FAR IN THIS JULY HAS HAD A  
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 70 OR HIGHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED  
IN ONLY ONE OTHER YEAR...1927...IN WHICH THE LOWEST  
DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE WAS 70. SO FAR THIS MONTH...  
THE LOWEST DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN 71.  
HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR 80 OR HIGHER ARE EXPECTED  
AT FAIRBANKS FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS...AND THE HIGH  
FRIDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR 75. SO THERE IS A GOOD  
CHANCE THAT THE AVERAGE DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR  
THIS MONTH WILL BREAK THE OLD RECORD.  

Record Heat Continues Building in Northwest, Southwest U.S. Western Canada Also Affected

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 1 pm PDT, July 28, from Unisys

5 PM PDT Update: Washington/Oregon high temperatures, as of 5 pm PDT:

SEATAC AIRPORT 97 (ties daily record)
MCCHORD AFB    98
PUYALLUP       99
FORT LEWIS     99
SHELTON       103  
OLYMPIA       101
KELSO         106 
VANCOUVER     106
PORTLAND      106 (1° short of all-time July high)
THE DALLES    108 

3 PM PDT Update: Latest temperatures:
Portland 102° (new daily record, unofficial)
Seattle 95°
Olympia 98°

2 PM PDT Update: The 2 pm temperature of 100° at Portland is only 1° short of the record for July 28 set in 1998. The all-time July high temperature record in Portland is 107° at the airport in 1965 and downtown in 1942.

Original post:
The record heat continues to build this afternoon in the West, especially the Pacific Northwest. It's not official until midnight, but a record high minimum temperature was set this morning in Phoenix:

...RECORD HIGH MINIMUM SET AT PHOENIX AZ TODAY...

THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES TODAY...28 JULY 2009...SET THE
RECORD HIGH LOW FOR THE DATE. THE PREVIOUS MARK WAS 91 SET IN 1998. 

Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Statement this morning including the following (temperatures in Celsius; for the metrically-challenged, 35°C is equivalent to 95°F):

An unusually long heat-wave across the south coast of British
Columbia has begun. Temperatures will climb into the mid-to upper 30S
by Wednesday and computer models suggest the heat-wave may last 5 to
6 days. Many daily temperature records such as hottest July xx on
record will be broken and possibly monthly temperature records such
as hottest July day on record. 

An extended heat wave early last month broke a number of temperature records around the province:
20 B.C. high-temperature records fall in heat wave

By 1 pm PDT today, temperatures at many locations in western Washington and Oregon were well into the 90s:

SEATTLE, TACOMA, EVERETT, AND VICINITY  
   
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
SEATAC AIRPORT MOSUNNY   89  65  44 W8        29.90F HX  91             
MCCHORD AFB    SUNNY     93  64  37 NW9       29.89F HX  94             
EVERETT        SUNNY     87  62  43 VRB5      29.92F                    
BOEING FIELD   SUNNY     89  64  43 NW6       29.87F HX  90             
RENTON         SUNNY     91  67  44 NW8       29.86F HX  94             
PUYALLUP       FAIR      93  64  38 MISG      29.93F HX  95             
BREMERTON      SUNNY     90  61  37 NE7       29.92F                    
FORT LEWIS     SUNNY     92  65  40 W8        29.88F HX  94             
SHELTON        SUNNY     94  64  37 S5        29.86F HX  95             
TACOMA NARROWS SUNNY     89  63  41 NE7       29.89F HX  90         

SOUTHWEST INTERIOR  
      
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
OLYMPIA        SUNNY     95  63  34 NE8       29.88F HX  96             
CHEHALIS         N/A     95  64  36 N9        29.88F HX  97             
TOLEDO         NOT AVBL                                                 
KELSO          SUNNY     95  64  36 W5        29.84F HX  97             
SCAPPOOSE, OR  SUNNY     97  66  36 NE6       29.83F HX 100             
VANCOUVER      SUNNY     98  61  29 VRB6      29.83F HX  98             
PORTLAND, OR   MOSUNNY   96  64  34 W7        29.83F HX  98             

CASCADE MOUNTAINS AND COLUMBIA GORGE  
      
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
STAMPEDE PASS  SUNNY     85  53  33 VRB3      30.11F                    
TROUTDALE, OR  SUNNY     97  67  37 NW5       29.81F HX 101             
THE DALLES, OR SUNNY    101  55  21 SW3       29.82F HX  99     

EAST SLOPES  
      
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
OMAK           SUNNY     93  52  24 CALM      29.93F HX  90             
WENATCHEE      SUNNY     94  52  24 VRB3      29.91F HX  91             
ELLENSBURG     SUNNY     97  58  27 E9        29.94F HX  96             
YAKIMA         MOSUNNY   97  59  28 VRB3      29.89F HX  96             

COLUMBIA BASIN  
      
CITY           SKY/WX    TMP DP  RH WIND       PRES   REMARKS  
EPHRATA        SUNNY     94  55  26 VRB5      29.92F HX  92             
MOSES LAKE     SUNNY     94  54  25 NE7       29.92F HX  92             
HANFORD        MOSUNNY   97  57  26 NE8       29.87F HX  96             
PASCO          SUNNY     96  61  31 VRB3      29.87F HX  96             
HERMISTON, OR  SUNNY     98  56  24 VRB5      29.87F HX  96    

Pacific Northwest Triple-Digit Heat Breaks Daily Records Excessive Heat in Southwest, Also

For previous record temperature posts, see:
Record Heat
Record Cold

9 pm PDT Update: The National Weather Service reports several high temperature records for July 27 were broken or tied in Oregon and Washington:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT SEATTLE WA WFO   
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 90 SET IN 1996.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT QUILLAYUTE WA   
AIRPORT TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN 1998.  

..NEW RECORDS FOR JULY 27  
  
LOCATION             NEW RECORD    OLD RECORD     
====================================================   
VANCOUVER               103        100 (SET IN 1998)  
PORTLAND AIRPORT        103        102 (SET IN 1958)   
TROUTDALE               103        102 (SET IN 1988)  
  
..OTHER HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR RECORDS TODAY  
  
LOCATION             HIGH TODAY    EXISTING RECORD  
                     AS OF 7 PM     
====================================================  
SALEM                   103        104 (SET IN 1958)  
HILLSBORO               103        105 (SET IN 1998)  
MCMINNVILLE             103        105 (SET IN 1958)  
PORTLAND DOWNTOWN       102        104 (SET IN 1958)  
EUGENE                  102        105 (SET IN 1998)  
HOOD RIVER              100        103 (SET IN 1998)

..NEW RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURES FOR JULY 27  
    
LOCATION             NEW RECORD    OLD RECORD     
====================================================   
SALEM                    70        68 (SET IN 1899)  
TROUTDALE                64        62 (SET IN 1998)  
EUGENE                   61*       61 (SET IN 1998)  
  
*TIED RECORD  

Original post:
A record high minimum of 61° was already set this morning in Olympia, Washington; the old record was 60° in 1998. Washington state high temperature reports have not yet been posted.

Other highs in the region (daily records in parentheses) were:

Oregon
Eugene    102 (105)
Salem     102 (104)
Hillsboro  94 (105)
Medford   105 (106)
Roseburg  104 (107)

Northern California
Redding   107 (110)
Ukiah     105 (111)
Mt. Shasta 96  (97) 

Excessive heat was also reported in the Southwest, where Phoenix reported a high of 114°, which was 4° below the 1995 record. The high at Yuma was 115°, 3° below the 1998 record.

Record Summer Cold in Minnesota

For previous record temperature posts, see:
Record Heat
Record Cold

The Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) weather blog Updraft had a review last week of record cool temperatures in the state for the first half of meteorological summer. Some highlights:

-International Falls has been cooler than average every day this month. The average temperature so far in July is 57 degrees, which will set the record for the coldest July ever (59.4 degrees in1992) if it holds the rest of the month. The Nation's Icebox has set 5 new daily record low temperatures set this month, including a low of 37 degrees Sunday.

-St. Cloud set a new record low of 43 degrees Sunday.

-Saturday set several new record cold maximum temperatures around the region, including a high of just 65 degrees in the Twin Cities.

Unlike some ideologically-driven climate blogs, however, they note that the cool Midwest and Northeast have very little relevance in the larger climate picture:
Cool summer? Not!

For a snack of snark with your lack of fries, check out Blog of the Moderate Left:
Minnesota: it’s Cold! Who Could Have Imagined?

And if you'd like some capital with your climate, join Nate Silver's wager:
A Challenge to Climate Change Skeptics

Image (click to enlarge): Average temperatures and departures from normal July 1-24, from Climate Prediction Center/National Weather Service/NOAA