First Day Of Fall...Where, Exactly?


You certainly can’t tell it’s the first day of fall here in Phoenix. The high today is expected to be 108. That’s hotter than most places get in summer! This has been the most uncomfortable summer that I can remember and I was here for the record 122 degree day.

I think two factors contributed to me just being so very, very done with the heat. One, is that we had a fairly moderate spring and beginning of summer. We were just blithely enjoying the nice weather until, wham!, it was hotter than hades. I don’t recall any gradual shift in the process at all. It was nice then it was hot. The end.

The other factor was August. Holy cow, was it brutal. Don’t believe me? Check out all of the records that were set:

113 °F on Aug 2 Tied Record High

112 °F on Aug 18 Set Record High

113 °F on Aug 22 Set Record High

114 °F on Aug 23 Set Record High

113 °F on Aug 25 Set Record High

117 °F on Aug 26 Set Record High

113 °F on Aug 30 Set Record High

90 °F on Aug 15 Tied Record High Low

90 °F on Aug 24 Tied Record High Low

92 °F on Aug 25 Set Record High Low

93 °F on Aug 26 Set Record High Low

90 °F on Aug 27 Set Record High Low

89 °F on Aug 28 Set Record High Low

91 °F on Aug 31 Tied Record High Low

Here are some more stats:

  • The average temperature of 98.3 F in Phoenix ties July 2009 as the hottest month (of any month) on record.
  • The average high temperature in Phoenix of 109.0 F makes August 2011 the fourth warmest month (of any month) on record as measured by average high temperature.
  • The average low temperature in Phoenix of 87.5 F makes August 2011 the warmest month (of any month) on record as measured by average low temperature
  • The high temperature of 117 F on 26 August 2011 set a new record as the hottest temperature ever recorded during the month of August in Phoenix (previous record was 116 F).
  • There were 13 days with a high temperature of at least 110 F in Phoenix, breaking the old record of 11 set in 1995 and 2009 for the month of August.
  • There have been 31 days so far this year in Phoenix with a high temperature of at least 110 F. The record is 32 set in 2007.
  • There were 8 days with a low temperature of at least 90 F in Phoenix, breaking the old record of 7 set in 2007 for the month of August.
  • The coolest temperature during August 2011 in Phoenix was the low of 81 F on August 2, making August 2011 the first month on record to not have a low temperature of at least 80 F or lower.

I can’t wait for it to cool off, I just don’t know when that will be. When it finally does and you find me complaining about being cold, punch me in the head. After this summer, cold will be very welcome. (Clarification to the punching offer, it’s only if I complain about Phoenix. I’m sure I’ll be bitching about Calgary soon enough.)

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