Coldest July ever!
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:53 am by Bill Steffen under Bill's Blog, News, Weather
July 2009 goes into the record books as the coolest July ever in Grand Rapids, MI with an average temperature (an average of all the high and low temperatures for the month) of 67.1°. It’s also the first July when the temperature in Grand Rapids failed to reach 85°. July has been trending cooler, not warmer in recent decades. Four of the seven coolest Julys in G.R. have occurred since 1992. All ten of the warmest Julys occurred prior to 1956. Records go back to 1892. There’s no “global warming” evident in this long-term (118 years) July climate data for Grand Rapids and most of the Great Lakes and Midwest. Des Moines IA hasn’t set a record high temperature in July since 1955. It was also the coolest July ever in Kalamazoo (67.5°), Gaylord (61.3°), Houghton Lake (62.0°), Rockford, IL (67.0° – a full 2.0° cooler than the previous record coolest set in 1915), South Bend (68.3°- records began in 1893), Fort Wayne (68.9°), International Falls, MN (58.8°- not a single day warmer than normal and they didn’t hit 80° all month – on July 16 International Falls had a high temperature of only 53°!), Madison, Wisconsin (65.7°), Burlington IA (70.2°), Cedar Rapids (66.2°), Dubuque 65.5°) and Marion IA (68.6°). The highest temperature in Madison WI all month was only 82° – again the coolest monthly maximum ever. Chicago had the 2nd coolest July since 1942, when the city’s official thermometer was moved from the lakeshore to the airport in the western suburbs. Rochester, NY had their coolest July in 125 years (66.2°) and the coolest June-July period ever. Frankfort, KY had their coldest July (71.5°) and beat the old record by 3.7°. Cincinnati (70.1°), Saginaw (65.9°), Flint (65.6°) and Benton Harbor (68.2°) also had the coldest July in their history. Lansing MI ended up in 5th place for coolest July at 66.6° with an all-time record coolest maximum temperature for the month at 84°. Muskegon’s average July temperature of 65.9° made it the coolest July since 1924. Here’s an oddity…Pellston MI had as many nights in the mid 30s in July as they had days in the low 80s (2). Boston and New York had the coolest June/July since 1903. Looking at the map, I’d guess only 10 of 48 states saw warmer than average weather in July. I’m forecasting slightly cooler than average pattern for the Great Lakes through most of August, but it should warm up next week…to 85 if not close to 90.
I haven’t heard too many people around here complaining about the cool summer. Alot of people are glad that they don’t have to run their A/C. I am hoping for a warm October.
I have really enjoyed the summer! The only thing really missing was periods of warm/hot humid air. I don’t mind that one bit! I’m hoping this continues and yes I’d like a mild Fall! What does this mean for temp trends during this Fall and Winter?
It could be a cool to cold fall/early winter then warming up (maybe) but it could go either way and has in the past.
SlimJim
It was one very cool July. Not have to use the air (I did not turn the air on all month) was one saving grace for the month. Another was that the night time temps were not real cold so we did not have frost around here, the same can not be said about off to the north of here and we shall see how August goes.
As for complaining I will not complain if come some January we ever get so warm we do not have to turn on the heat! (like that will ever happen) but we could get a January where we do not have to shovel snow (it has happened in the past 1933 for instance) and that also would be a big plus. Although I am sure there would be all kinds of complaining going on LOL
SlimJim
I turned on the air twice this month, when it got into the mid-80s. I probably didn’t need to.
Im crossing my fingers for not having to shovel the snow this January Slim!
id count on a bad winter from what im hearing. that lake will be overflowing again next summer. what we really need is a very mild winter with little snow to let the lake waters level off. im still shocked we have had virtually no severe weather this summer at all? that very weird as far as im concerned. maybe we will get some when fall arrives? i also feel bad for the storm lovers and chasers this year.
its been horrible weather since may, cold and cloudy most times. no humidity, no storms, no nothing. i can only hope we have a late indian summer that lasts through late october, followed by a mild winter. knowing our luck, we will get a ton of snow and cold weather, so our heat bills will go through the roof to make up for not using the a/c this summer!
i also see more low to mid 70’s on the map for next week, why is it so cold, so frequently? i could deal with 80 but anything below that is spring or fall weather IMO.
im hearing it may drop below 60 this week? is that true bill? the minute it gets that cold in summer, im outta this state for good. how long will this weather pattern last? will we see this into next spring and summer too?
wdiv in detroit is forecasting low to mid 80’s for highs this week.
http://detroit.justweather.com/
apparently there is a BIG difference in temps on the east side of the stsate than here. why is that bill? wdiv is your affiliate aren’t they? maybe all of you weather people better get on the same page forecasting wise!
I don’t think that’s totally an inconsistency. A front is supposed to stall/slow down out over the central part of the state tuesday/wednesday. Some have Detroit in the warm sector and us…surprise surprise on the cool/dry side. Other forcasts show the front clearing Detroit but have the city only a couple degrees cooler than WDIV’s forcast.
The other side of the state gets very different weather for a variety of weather related reasons….. typically warmer and less precipitation all year long.
has anybody else heard about it possibly dropping below 60 this week? jesus i hope woodtv doesn’t forecast this today?
still a chilly 71 here in wyoming. what happened to the 78 we are suppose to see bill?
It hasnt been cool in Chicago I think. Maybe by their standards it has been but they have been in the low 80’s every day. My friend who lives down there was up for the weekend and said it has been alot warmer down there than up here and it actually has been pretty hot. In the city like that though those buildings really make it feel 10 degrees hotter than it is. I looked at the models and it looks like it will get really hot in Chicago, Milwaukee and Lower Michigan with temps in the mid 80’s to near 90 starting on the 11th.
July averaged -3.9° (69) in Chicago, and the warmest it got all month was 86° so still a cool month for them!
SlimJim
You’re predicting more of the same for August? You sure you want to go out on a limb like that?
Imagine what it would be like selling A/C in this economy and in the coldest July on record.
92 in Chicago by next weekend.
I just hope it doesn’t snow in August and Al Gore asks for more donations!
Actually snow is not uncommon for the U.P. in August. I have seen it snow a few times in August. One time the ground was completely covered. I think it was 1997 that happened. Next week will be well above normal temps for this time of year. Hitting 80 and 90 degrees is very rare in August. Usually in August you see temps take a major slide and normal highs are around 60 degrees in the U.P. and you see heavy frost a few times in the month.
[...] that we never hit 85 degrees, the first time this has ever happened in July. In fact, there were all kinds of weather records set throughout the Midwest and Great [...]
I’d love to see some predictions about this winter… Is it going to be as abnormally cold as this summer was?
I SURE HOPE IT IS WARMER W/O MUCH SNOW..!!
If you thought July was cold, look at the forecast for tomorrow! A high of only 58 with a low of 28! Better cover all the plants! Oh wait…. that is the forecast for APRIL 15 to 19. Someone must have hit a wrong button on their keyboard.
Don’t scare me like that…LOL
Anyone like summer any more? This has been the most hideous summer I can recall. Kids don’t want to swim. Boater’s are freezing. Just returned from Burt Lake for a week. Even the locals up there are scratching their heads. No one can recall such a cold, gray, damp summer. With the winter we just had, I was craving 90+ degrees. Better for the state’s economy, growing season etc. Tell Al Gore he better stay in hiding, like he’s been for some time now that this Global Warming concept has all but fell apart.
Hey, I agree with you…not a warm Summer at all.!! Rather boring…not even a good thunderstorm. It has been a cool/cloudy Summer-not much on heat. I was hoping for 90’s also. after this past winter…Brrr…..cool fronts kept barreling down and prevented any nice warm temps. Global Warming..??..sorry…eye will have to see it to believe it…Agreed….Al Gore should stay in hiding…LOL
I thought it was a cool July this year. Get into 80’s and then “bang” down comes another cool/cold front and there goes the heat
…up and down…mostly…down…lol