When is the hottest time of the year? You might expect summer temperatures to peak in July, however, this is not typical for all regions of the United States. Take a look at your neck of the woods!
For most of the country, July is the hottest month of the year. Many regions in the United States—from the Rockies to the East Coast—follow this pattern.
However, this isn’t true for all regions. See the map below.
- While Northern regions usually reach their peak temperatures in July, oceans continue to warm until September. Warm wet Gulf air continues to warm Texas, Louisiana and Florida through August.
- If you live in most of the West or the Southern Plains, it will hit you in the next few weeks.
- And, if you are on the West Coast, you will have to wait a couple of months.
Summer heat peaks in different times of the year. Source NOAA. See enlarged map here.
Then, there’s the Desert Southwest which usually peaks in June. The welcome monsoon rains arrive in July and sheltering clouds cool the landscape.
Monsoon rains cool Southwestern summers through July and August. Source: Wikipedia
Finally, there’s California. The currents along the West Coast flow from Alaska. When the chill Pacific air hits the warm land, it creates cooling fog. Summertime can be quite chill. As a famous quote falsely attributed to Mark Twain goes, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
It isn’t until September, when northern oceans reach their peak, that most of the West Coast finally warms up.
The cool Pacific current off the West Coast creates a chilling fog for most of the summer. Source: NOAA
Of course, every year is different! How’s the summer temperature in your area this year? Please comment below.
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The heat wave has been pretty steady here in Wyoming, since the middle of June. We started off cool and wet then a huge change to steady heat. We have hit 115* , with the weather channel saying we were, really 102* Generally, when the weather channel says what it will be, we are always 10* hotter or cooler! This week we are now edging up into the low 100's. So we will see! Extreme drought in our area and a real challenge to have a garden. Stay cool everyone!
The NOAA map is pretty accurate for our area this year. We concluded our third heatwave (3+ days of 90 degree temps in a row) on July 17th. The third heatwave was 6 days long. 90 degree temps are expected next week as well. We are VERY thankful we don't hit the 100+ temps in our area very often. Unfortunately, rainfall is delegated to severe thunderstorm watches, with hit or miss precipitation. We continue to water the gardens. Hey . . . it's summer in S.E. Pennsylvania!
Here have been many 100+F days since June this summer. Now, a long string of days in the low 90’s. We’re in the Sierra foothills at 1600’ elevation. It’s hot!
Have lived in Florida for 42 years. This year has been typical for heat, but not for rain. Only 2 inches in July and although almost 7 inches was officially reported for June - not at my house!! My gardens are really drooping. I can't wait for cooler weather.
When I was a kid in the 50's and 60's, I wore short sleeves from Valentines Day until Halloween in Houston. Summer had brief showers and the raindrops were warm. Warm summer rain ended in the 90's. Then cool days extended from Valentines Day. By the 00's, warm days started in April, then May. This year, June was the end of spring. Only July was hot. And cool temps begin in Sep, not Nov, like my childhood. And spring has many non-humid days. Houston weather is getting better! (Couldn't get much worse!)
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