When is Memphis at its boiling point?
Memphians feel the sweltering heat from the hot southern months all summer long, but there are historically a couple of weeks that could be labeled as "the hottest."
With information provided by Phillip Baker with The National Weather Service, Memphis usually experiences its hottest period of time between July 1 and mid-August.
During that time, Memphians usually experience warm days that see normal lows between 72-74 degrees, and the normal high temperature is around 92 degrees. High temperatures are known to rise in periods of droughts when the ground is dry from long periods of no rain.
Baker said that the city's sweltering summers are caused by upper-level high-pressure ridges, which produce warmer, less
dense air, which is known to produce harsh heatwaves, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Memphis saw very hot July
July alone saw over 15 days where the temperature reached above 90 degrees, with at least six of those days finding themselves above 95 degrees. So far, the hottest day of the year was July 21, when it reached right at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The hottest day ever recorded in Memphis was July 13, 1980, when it reached a high of 108, not including the heat index, during the infamous 1980 heat wave.
It is a very humid time of the year, and with that humidity, temperatures over the years have normally stayed stable and rarely ever cool down. Around Aug. 20 is when the temperature starts to gradually fall off, and Memphians can start to look forward to the fall weather around that time again this year.
Some advice provided from a National Weather Service page for staying safe in hot weather:
- Stay hydrated,
- Pace yourself and cut down on exercise if you are not accustomed to working out in a hot environment,
- Eat light and choose easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salads,
- Apply sunscreen regularly, and
- Dress in lightweight and light-colored clothing.
Joel Haley is a news reporter at The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Joel.Haley@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis is still in its hottest stretch. Here's when it will cool down
