Another Heat Wave Grips America’s Heartland

Dangerous heat warnings issued for 17 states from eastern Iowa to southern New England

Record-setting triple digit temperatures return to America’s Heartland, forcing National Weather Service (NWS) to issue another round of Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings across 17 states, with NO precipitation predicted for the central and southern Plains, the southern Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map. Source: NWS

Daytime high temperatures reached record levels at 8 locations, Tuesday, and tied records at 6 other sites, NWS reported. (The reporting locations were in Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Wisconsin).

• Excessive Heat Warnings were issued for southeastern Michigan, northwest Ohio, and areas along the Pennsylvania-New Jersey state line.

• Heat Advisories were in effect for parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey, NWS said.

• New York issued an Air Quality Alert for about 2 dozen counties in central, southern and eastern parts of the state.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• USA.  USDA has designated an additional 39 counties in 8 states as Primary Natural Disaster areas due to worsening drought, making up a total of 1,297 counties in 29 states.  Additionally,  several hundred other counties have been declared as contiguous disaster areas.
• Missouri, USA.  All 114 counties in the state of Missouri have been declared disaster areas due to the drought, Governor Jay Nixon said in a statement.

• Oregon, USA.   A state of emergency has been declared in Oregon following the damage caused by wildfires that have burned about 800.000 acres (1,250 square miles) in SE  Oregon, reports said.

U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records (July 2012)

TNO moved to the east!!? U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set in July 2012. Source: NCDC. 

• U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set on July 17, 2012:
  • Broken: 43 records (11 of the new records set were 3-digit temperatures)
  • Tied: 16
  • Total: 59

• U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records Set Between July 1 – 17, 2012
  

  • Broken: 2,245 records
  • Tied: 803
  • Total: 3,048

Highest temperature records for July 16 – 17

• WESSINGTON SPRINGS JERAULD,  SD. New record: 105.0°F set on 2012-07-17; previous record 104.0°F set on 2006-07-17

• SPRINGVIEW KEYA PAHA, NE.  New record: 107.0°F set on 2012-07-16; old record 106.0°F dated 2006-07-16

Global Temperatures

• For the second consecutive month, the global land temperature was highest on record in June, NCDC reported.
• June global land temperature was 1.93°F (1.07°C) above the 20^th century average of 55.9°F (13.3°C). [ Error margin of is ±0.23°F (0.13°C).]
• Global land and ocean surfaces average temperature for June was fourth highest on record for June, at 61.03°F (16.13°C) or 1.13°F (0.63°C) above the 20^th century average. [Error margin:  ±0.13°F (0.07°C).]

Wildfire

• Patras, Greece. The authorities have declared a state of emergency in Patras, Greece’s third largest city, after a wildfire threatened homes in nearby villages, prompting the evacuation of three communities and Patras University campus.

Links to Recent Related Entries

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• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012

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• U.S. Drought Expands, Intensifies Posted July 12, 2012
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• Continental US Experienced Warmest 12 Months in 117 Years Posted  on July 10, 2012
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• U.S. Corn Belt Hit by Drought, Heat Wave Posted on July 9, 2012

• Record Heatwave Kills Dozens in U.S. Posted on July 8, 2012
• Drought Disaster Declared in Montana Posted on July 5, 2012
• Colorado Declared Agri Disaster Area Posted on July 4, 2012

• Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States Posted on July 3, 2012
• Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S. Posted on July 2, 2012
• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises Posted  on July 1, 2012
• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population Posted on June 30, 2012
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand Posted on June 30, 2012
• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S. Posted on June 29, 2012
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado Posted on June 28, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012