RECORD HEAT REPORTED IN WESTERN USA

May 10, 2001 — "An early season heat spell created by a high pressure ridge across the West continues to bring record to near-record temperatures to many areas," said Rich Douglas, chief of Meteorological Services Division, NOAA's National Weather Service Western Region. "For the second day in a row, widespread record high temperatures occurred in areas from California to Arizona and Nevada. With the forecast calling for continued high temperatures Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologists said residents can expect more unseasonable heat for a couple of days." (Click the image to get the latest from NOAA's Excessive Heat Outlook.)

Douglas said temperatures could run as much as 20 degrees above seasonal averages in interior Northern California. Normal daytime high temperatures in the valley for this time of the year are in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees.

The mercury reached the century mark—100 degrees—in most locations in the San Joaquin Valley. At the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport, the maximum temperature was 101 degrees which breaks the previous record high of 98 degrees, set on this date in 1940. The second week of May is early for 100-degree heat, but it is not the earliest recorded occurrence of the century mark in Fresno or Bakersfield. The record earliest 100 degree reading in Fresno happened on April 23, 1910 and in Bakersfield on April 29, 1981.

In areas of Northern Arizona, several locations broke the record for the maximum high temperature on May 9. Additionally, several locations broke the record for the warmest morning low temperature. Sedona set a record high temperature on this date when it tipped the day's thermometer at 94 degrees breaking the previous record of 92 degrees set in1986. Earlier that day, residents awoke to the record morning low temperature, known as the highest low temperature, at 60 degrees. The previous record on this date was 54 degrees set in 1979.

Douglas added, "On May 8, similar records were broken elsewhere in the West. Temperatures from Sacramento to Redding were all in the upper nineties throughout the day."

Three California cities broke previous daily records: San Jose recorded 98 degrees (previous record of 94 degrees set in 1931), Livermore reached an all-time high of 98 degrees (previous record of 94 degrees set in 1936), and Indio saw the previous record of 106 degrees, set in 1963, toppled when the temperature reached 108 degrees.

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Tucson posted a new record for the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on May 8 when the high temperature was 106 degrees, which beat the old record high of 105 degrees set back in 1989.

The heat wave shattered many National Weather Service records on Wednesday, May 9. Forecasters are saying more records could be broken in the coming days.

STATION

Arizona
Sedona
Winslow-Lindergh Airport

California
Beaumont
Borrego
Cuyama
Elsinore
Lancaster
Cuyama
Idyllwild
Mount Wilson
Palomar Mountain
Paso Robles
Sacramento City
Thermal

Nevada
Las Vegas
Reno

RECORD
FOR MAY 9

94
92

97
109
96
101
98
96
85
82
98
109
98
109


100
87

OLD RECORD
FOR MAY 9
Arizona
92 in 1986
90 in 1962

California
95 set in 1984
108 set in 1989
90 set in 1984
98 set in 1984
95 set in 1960
90 set in 1974
82 set in 1984
79 set in 1993
80 set in 1989
97 set in 1987
96 set in 1987
105 set in 1984

Nevada
99 set in 1941
85 set in 1924, 1940 and 1960

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's Excessive Heat Outlook

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center's Extended Range Outlooks

National Weather Service Forecast Office in Tucson

NOAA's Heat and Drought Awareness

NOAA's Weather Page

Media Contacts:
Marilu Trainor, NOAA's National Weather Service Western Region, Salt Lake, Utah, or Carmeyia Gillis, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, (301) 763-8000 ext. 7163

 

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