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WeatherMatrix
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Prohibited. Usage logged.
From: WeatherMatrix Admin (admin{at}weathermatrix.net)
Date: Tue Aug 05 2003 - 07:28:08 EDT
FWD: From WX-TALK LIST
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2003 03:36:51 -0400
From: "William T. Reid" <>
Subject: Death Valley---July 2003
One of the hottest months for any station in United States history has gone
into the record books. For July 2003, the average maximum temperature at
the cooperative weather station in Death Valley in California was 120.2
degrees F. This is 5.3 degrees warmer than the (1971-2000) normal average
maximum of 114.9F. There are only four previous occurrences in our
nation's recorded climate history in which a station has had maximums
averaging 120F or greater during a month. In each instance, these were in
July at stations in or near Furnace Creek in Death Valley:
Greenland Ranch, July 1917, average maximum 121.9F
Greenland Ranch, July 1931, average maximum 120.5F
Cow Creek, July 1959, average maximum 120.2F
Death Valley, July 1996, average maximum 120.0F
and now,
Death Valley, July 2003, average maximum 120.2F
The average of 120.2F is based upon the Death Valley high temperature
reports from July 1 through July 31 that I have compiled via the web, and
is not official. (Unfortunately, I got the run-around when I called the
Death Valley Park headquarters on Friday, and was unable to get someone to
dictate the official daily extremes to me over the phone. I don't have the
daily minimum reports. Does anyone out there in WX-TALK-land have the
daily DV minimums for July 2003?) Ironically, the official average maximum
for July 2003 will likely be even hotter than 120.2F, as the official
observation time at Death Valley is 8 a.m. The lowest maximum during July
was on the 31st ---- 104F. This 104F maximum will belong to August 1,
2003. The maximum on June 30 will go into the books on July 1. If the
maximum on June 30 was around 115F (it was 115F on July 1...does anyone
have the June 30 max?), then the average maximum will jump up to 120.5F or
120.6F, about the same as that in July 1931 at Greenland Ranch. And (if
you are still interested!), my research shows that the maximum temperature
data from Greenland Ranch in July 1917 are suspect, as data from
surrounding stations do not support such a high average maximum. So, one
could say that the average maximum temperature at Death Valley in July 2003
is likely the hottest or second hottest (reliable) average maximum on
record for any month at any station in the United States. I'm just not
exactly sure what the figure is yet!
Here are the unofficial daily maximums for July 2003---
July 1-10: 115, 114, 116, 120, 121, 117, 117, 117, 121, 126
July 11-20: 126, 128, 124, 125, 125, 124, 124, 126, 116, 120
July 21-31: 124, 125, 122, 122, 116, 117, 120, 124, 117, 113, 104
The hottest maximum in July 2003 at Death Valley was 128F, on the 12th.
Three other days had 126F, three had 125F, and five had 124F. There were
19 days of 120F or higher. The coolest maximum, as noted, was 104F on the
31st, as monsoonal clouds and showers spread over the region. Only three
maximums during the month were cooler than the "normal" maximum of 114.9F.
There was an amazing 16-day stretch midmonth. Maximums for the 16 days
from July 9 through July 24 averaged 123.6F. The last seven days of the
month had an average maximum of 115.9F, and the first eight days of the
month averaged 117.1F.
Min/Max on July 23 was 102F/122F, and on July 24 was 103F/122F. I believe
that this marks the first time since at least 1930 that two consecutive
days remained above 100F in their entirety.
William Reid
Westlake Village, CA
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