An obscure temperature record shows impact of massive heat wave
AccuWeather reports June 24 was the hottest day in more than a decade for millions of residents. But also pay attention to overnight temperatures.
A broiling heat wave that scorched much of the eastern United States has set hundreds of heat records.
That's according to a tally kept by Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman and seconded by AccuWeather, which reports June 24 was the hottest day in more than a decade for millions of residents across the Northeast.
While triple-digit heat records attract the most attention, overnight low temperature readings reveal just how hot and dangerous the last few days have been. When these numbers are high, it means people, roads and buildings don't get the chance to cool adequately overnight.
High overnight temperatures are a hallmark of the warming climate and longer heat waves. Several all-time records for warm overnight lows were set or tied over the past several days:
- Green Bay, Wisconsin (79 degrees)
- Lansing, Michigan (78 degrees)
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin (82 degrees)
- Wilmington, Delaware (78 degrees)
- Atlantic City, New Jersey, Marina (80 degrees)
- Norfolk, Virginia (80 degrees)
Meanwhile, some places in Maine and New York reached all-time record high heat.
A thermometer in Augusta, Maine, recorded 100 degrees on June 24, tying the state capital's all-time record high first set on Aug. 5, 1955, AccuWeather said. And Plattsburgh, New York, tied its all-time record high of 101 degrees June 23, the National Weather Service said. This tied the mark set twice before, on August 1 and 2, 1975, and again on August 5, 1955.
Big cities hit with triple-digit heat
According to data from the weather service, daily record high temperatures were set Tuesday, June 24 in several big northeastern cities, including Boston (102 degrees); Philadelphia (101); Newark, New Jersey (103); and New York City (99 degrees).
The 102 degrees in Boston on June 24 made it the hottest day in the city since July 22, 2011, when it reached 103 degrees. Philadelphia also notched its first 100-degree day since July 18, 2012, AccuWeather said.
June records also set
Many cities set June records on June 24. Stations reporting their hottest June temperatures on record include Newark, New Jersey, at 103 (tied); New York City (Kennedy & LaGuardia at 102 and 101, a tie); Islip, New York at 101; Portland and Bangor, Maine, at 99 and 98, a tie; and Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, at 93, recorded on Monday.
Boston's reading of 102 degrees was a June record, beating the previous record by 2 degrees. In Rhode Island, Providence also set a new June record by rocketing up to 100 degrees.
Erdman reported that seven states in the Northeast preliminarily tied or broke June all-time record highs June 23 and 24, according to weather records expert Maxmiliano Herrera. This includes Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. New York's all-time hottest June day was preliminarily set Wednesday at Baiting Hollow (103 degrees), according to Herrera.
A June record was tied June 23 in North Hartland, Vermont: This small town near the New Hampshire border soared to 101 degrees June 23, tying Vermont's June record with St. Johnsbury on June 4-5, 1919, according to Herrera and weather historian Christopher Burt.
Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, Paste BN