TERRE HAUTE —
If today’s forecast is on the mark, July 2012 will lock up its spot in the history books.
“We are on track to have the hottest and driest July on record in Terre Haute, if we don’t get rain [today],” said Earl Breon, meterologist with the National Weather Service at Indianapolis.
The record average temperature for July is 81.4 degrees, set in 2011. Through July 29, the average temperature is 84.1 degrees, “so it is almost 3 degrees above average,” Breon said.
Heat combined with below-normal rainfall totals have resulted in the U.S. Department of Agriculture declaring Vigo County a natural disaster from drought conditions.
Through Monday, there were 28 days in July where temperatures hit at least 90 degrees at the Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field, according to preliminary monthly data from the National Weather Service. Of those, 12 days were 100 degrees or more.
With the forecast for 96 degrees, today could make it 29 days to hit at least 90 degrees in July.
The high temperature at the airport, a NWS reporting station, was 106 degrees on July 5, 6 and 7; 105 degrees on July 25; 104 degrees on July 23; 103 degrees on July 4, and 102 degrees on July 1.
It also recorded four days at 101 degrees and one day at 100 degrees. It also brought two days at 99 degrees, with most of the rest of the month in the upper 90s. There were eight high temperatures records, according to the NWS.
The coolest day of the month, through July 29, was 86 degrees on July 20. The only other day of the month to stay in the 80s was July 14 at 88 degrees, according to the NWS.
Severe to exceptional drought conditions were experienced across 90 percent of Indiana in the last week of this month, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, with more than half of the state in extreme drought conditions.
Because of that, nearly all of Indiana’s 92 counties, including Vigo County, issued burn bans. The state of Indiana also issued its first water shortage warning, asking for a voluntary reduction in water use.
As of Monday, Terre Haute had a record shortage of rainfall, with just 0.47 inches at the airport. The previous record of 0.55 inches was set in July 1997.
“We are not looking for much of anything and while we do have some weather moving into the area, it is nothing really set to impact Terre Haute,” with just a 20-percent chance of rain today, Breon said.
“However, it would not take too much rain to upset that apple cart” for a record low rainfall, Breon added.
Terre Haute was 14.32 inches below normal for rainfall for the year as of July 28, the most recent data from the NWS. Terre Haute had received just 12.98 inches of rain for the year as of July 28, according to the NWS. For the month of July, through July 29, rainfall was 4.1 inches below normal, according to the NWS.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
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