This heat wave has kept us in the record vault for many hours in recent days.
After yesterday’s official high of 105 in Birmingham, I searched the database to see just how many times we have been this hot since reliable weather records started in 1895. The search revealed that we have been at 105 or higher on only 17 times in the last 112 years (counting yesterday).
Our hottest day was July 29, 1930 when the high was 107. We have reached 106 degrees on these days: September 5, 1925, September 6, 1925, September 8, 1925, June 29, 1931, July 25, 1952, July 29, 1952, and July 13, 1980. And, the high was 105 was on these days: September 4, 1925, September 8, 1925, July 10, 1930, July 23, 1952, July 28, 1952, July 7, 1977, July 16, 1980, July 17, 1980, and August 15, 2007.
We might as well look at some rain data while we are in the vault. Here is a list of five driest years on record in Birmingham:
30.90†in 1895
37.61†in 1896
34.32†in 1904
38.11†in 1908
36.14†in 1931
The rain total in Birmingham so far in 2007 is only 15.35â€; you have to wonder if 2007 will wind up in that top five list. It will probably take a major tropical system to keep 2007 out of the top five!
