In light of the severe temperatures we have been experiencing here in the greater Houston area. I went and read the “Heat Advisory Warning” for today. It is an interesting and historical take on just what the big deal this weather is…
• Public Information Statement • Statement as of 8:58 am CDT on June 25, 2009
… yes… it’s been hot…
… yes… it’s been dry…Updated – the overnight low (june 25) at Intercontinental Airport was only 84 degrees. If the temperature does not fall below 84 degrees by midnight… this will be the warmest overnight low temperature ever recorded in the month of June and will also tie for the warmest overnight low temperature ever recorded for the city of Houston. The only other time the temperature fell to 84 degrees was on July 29th 1895.
There is no way to sugarcoat the current weather regime. It has been hot and it has been very dry. Let’s start with the temperatures. The month is not over yet… so much can change. At the current time… Houston is suffering through it’s 5th warmest June. At hobby Airport… this is the 5th warmest June. Galveston is enduring it’s 10th warmest June and College Station is enduring it’s 5th warmest June. To put this in perspective… the first seven days of June were cooler than normal so the intense heat over the last 17 days has made up the temperature deficit with change to spare. This latest heatwave shows no sign of relenting so the monthly average temperature will likely increase.
2009 avg temp warmest avg temp (entire month)
Iah 84.5 5th warmest 85.5 in 1998
hou 83.8 5th warmest 86.2 in 1998
gls 83.7 10th warmest 85.6 in 1881
cll 84.9 5th warmest 86.7 in 1998The temperature climbed to 104 degrees at Intercontinental Airport on June 24th. This is the warmest temperature ever recorded in the month of June and is also a new daily temperature record. The last time the Mercury soared to 104 degrees was on August 7th 2003.
The temperature in Houston has reached or exceeded 100 degrees 36 times in the month of June. There were 10 days in 1902 where the temperature reached or exceeded 100 degrees. Back in 1980… there were 8 days that reached or exceeded 100 degrees. More
miscellaneous trivia… there were 7 consecutive days with 100 degree heat in 1902 and 6 consecutive days in 1980. The longest stretch of consecutive 100 degree days occurred back in 1980. The temperature reached or exceeded 100 degrees for 14 consecutive days between July 6 1980 and July 19 1980. The temperature also reached 100 degrees or greater for 11 straight days between July 26 1998 and August 5 1998.Houston – number of 100 degree days in June
10 in 1902 (7 in a row)
8 in 1980 (6 in a row)
4 in 1906
2 in 1998
2 in 1934
2 in 1930
2 in 1911Houston – number of consecutive 100 degree days (all time)
14 07/06/1980 through 07/19/1980
11 07/26/1998 through 08/05/1998
9 06/25/1980 through 07/03/1980
8 08/29/2000 through 09/05/2000*
8 08/14/1993 through 08/21/1993
8 08/07/1962 through 08/14/1962* all time record high temperature for Houston occurred during this string off 100 degree days. The high temperature reached 109 degrees on September 4th 2000.
Below is a list of Houston warmest maximum temperature and warmest minimum temperatures for june:
maximum temp | minimum temp
96.3 in 1980 76.1 in 1906
96.2 in 1902 76.0 in 1953
95.7 in 1906 75.9 in 1998
95.5 in 2009 75.9 in 1958
95.3 in 1990 75.7 in 1965
95.1 in 1998 75.3 in 1944
95.1 in 2008 75.1 in 1963
95.1 in 2008 75.0 in 1964
94.3 in 1890 75.0 in 1962
93.8 in 1911 74.8 in 198173.4 in 2009
So it’s been hot!! but it has also been dry! How dry? Currently… Houston Intercontinental Airport has gone 31 consecutive days without measurable rain. The driest stretch of weather ever recorded for Houston was back in 1904. There was no measurable rain between January 8 1904 and February 16 1904 – 40 days! Below is a table with the driest periods on record
date number of dry days
01/08/1904 – 02/17/1904 40
09/11/1917 – 10/17/1917 37
09/20/1963 – 10/25/1963 36
05/01/1937 – 06/03/1937 34
09/22/1978 – 10/24/1978 3304/25/2009 – 06/24/2009 31*
* this ties for the 12th longest period without measurable rain. The last time Houston went 31 days without rain was from July 31 1990 through August 30 1990.
Other communities across southeast Texas have suffered a similar fate. College Station… Huntsville and Conroe have not recorded measurable rainfall during June. Angleton… Bay City and Edna have yet to receive 10 inches of rain this year. Extreme to exceptional drought conditions are affecting parts of Jackson… Matagorda… and Brazoria counties. May and June are typically two of the wettest months of the year so this building drought is of great concern.
2009 rainfall annual departure may/June 2009
Iah 16.85 -6.36 0.38
hou 21.27 -3.35 1.59
gls 10.86 -8.13 0.51
cll 13.97 -6.04 1.41Houston has received 16.85 inches of rain in 2009. The normal value through June 23 is 23.21 inches. This is 6.36 inches below normal and this deficit is likely to grow. If not for the freakish heavy rain at the end of April… the Houston area would be 10 to 12 inches of rain below normal. Since may 1… Houston has only received 0.38 inches of rain. This is the second driest may 1 through June 24 on record. Below is a table with the five driest may 1 through June 24 on record:
rainfall date
0.35 1906
0.38 2009
0.45 1931
1.15 1901
1.72 1915If accumulating rain does not fall at Intercontinental Airport through June 26th… it will be the driest period in history. If additional rain does not fall by the end of the month… this will be the driest may/June rainfall total in recorded history. Here are the five driest may/June in recorded history:
may/June rain
* 0.38 in 2009 (through June 23)
0.98 in 1931
1.78 in 1915
1.82 in 1934
1.87 in 1901
1.96 in 1906so is there any hope for rain? How does a vague “maybe” sound? A few showers developed over southeast Texas last night and few more are possible tonight. The expansive ridge which has taken up residence over southeast Texas is also forecast to shift northwest by the end of the month. This should weaken the capping inversion and allow diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms to develop by early July. Long range models have teased US before about the ridge weakening and moving west. But like an unwelcome house guest… the ridge shows no signs of leaving.
[ Taken from our local news station’s website: http://weather.khou.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?brand=khou&target=khou&query=77375&Submit=Submit#HEA ]
Be the first to comment