Staying Behind Last Year

Today marks the halfway point of summer (July 15th) and thankfully, compared to last year, we're not on as blistering of a 90 degree day pace.   Through today, we will have registered "just" 17 days with highs of 90 or higher.  That's nine days behind last year's pace but it is still more than any year between 2003 and 2009.   It's still been a hot summer and the recent run of 90's (nine days so far in July) has helped this year's pace out quite dramatically.   Still though, 2011 is shaping up as a less hot summer to last.

Here on out, the most 90 degree days in the last 20 years belongs to 1995 as they put up 36 days of 90 or above between July 15th and the end of the warm season.  Even on that blistering pace, we would come up short to 2010 in 90 degree days (our total would end up at 53 if we somehow put up '95 type heat from here on out).   Last year featured 29 days of 90 or higher here on out, second most in that time frame.   The average summer since 2001 has had 15.6 more days of 90 or higher -- we would end up with a total of 33 (rounding up) at season's end if we merely held to average 90 degree days here on out.   A year end total in the mid 30's is a pretty realistic bet...40+ 90 degree days this year is a stretch but not out of the realm of possibility.

Ending The Heat For A Spell

Thanks to additional clouds and the instability that sparked this afternoon's downpours of thunderstorm activity locally, highs did not reach 90 in or close to the Philadelphia area.   It ends the season's longest heat wave to date for Philadelphia at five days.    Last year's longest heat wave was six days (twice), with four other heat waves of five days.

Year-to-date, Philadelphia has picked up 13 90 degree days, nine behind the pace set last year (22 through 7/8/2010).   It's pretty clear that breaking last year's record may be a tough act to accomplish at this point considering that July and August of 2010 combined for 31 90 degree days.