Monday, October 11, 2010

Endless Summer XIII: Record Mid Atlantic, Southeast Heat

Images (click to enlarge): U.S. daily high temperatures for October 11 and 12, 2010, from Unisys

October 13 Update: Here are some high temperature records reported by the National Weather Service for October 12 (Tuesday):
Raleigh NC         88 (85, 1962/1954)
Greensboro NC 86 (85, 1962/1954)
Wilmington NC 87 (85, 1920/1904/1890)
Charlotte NC 86 (tie, 1953)
N. Myrtle Beach SC 86 (84, 1950)
Greenville SC 85 (84, 1969)
Richmond VA 87 (tie, 1962/1954)
Norfolk VA 86 (84, 1962/1954/1949)
Danville VA 87 (86, 1980)
Washington Dulles 83 (tie, 1995)
Wilmington records extend back to 1871, Richmond and Norfolk to 1871.

Nationwide, an impressive 194 new high temperature records were set on October 11 and 81 more on October 12. The number of low temperature records were 1 each on those 2 days, giving a ratio of 137.5:1 for heat records vs. cold records. For the month of October so far, the totals are 970 heat records and 242 cold records, a ratio of 4:1.

Original post:
Temperatures well up into the 80s set or tied records in the Mid Atlantic and Southeast on October 11.

The high temperature today of 86° at Washington Dulles smashed the old record for the date by 8°. The previous record, which had been originally set in 1980 and matched in 1995 and 2001, was vulnerable, since it was only 1° above the lowest maximum temperature record for October.

The 82° at Wallops Island VA broke the old record of 81° in 1990.

The high of 88° at Washington National was a little short of reaching the record of 90°. Norfolk VA also saw a near-miss with a high of 87°, just 1° below the record.

Other records set or tied (old record in parentheses):
Georgetown DE  85 (tie, 1959)
Beckley WV 78 (77, 1969)
Raleigh NC 87 (tie, 1962/1954)
Greenville SC 86 (tie, 1939)
Columbia SC 89 (tie, 1962/1954/1939)
Chattanooga TN 89 (87, 1954)
Atlanta GA 86 (tie, 1954)
Augusta GA 89 (tie, 1939/1904)
Chattanooga records date back to 1879, Atlanta to 1878, Columbia to 1887, Augusta to 1873.

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