National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

July 2011 continued to be hot and dry for the Dodge City Regional Airport.  The average temperature was 86.9 degrees which was 7.1 degrees above normal.  This was the third warmest July on record.  The warmest was 87.3 in 1934 followed by 87.2 in 1980. 

The average high temperature was 102.4 degrees which was an all-time record for a month.  The previous record was 101.9 degrees in July of 1980. 

The average low temperature was 71.4 degrees which was the sixth warmest on record.  The warmest was 73.6 degrees in July 1934.  The highest temperature was 109 degrees on the 27th and the lowest was 62 on the 4th.  A total of six of records were either set or tied for maximum temperatures.  They were on the 10th, 15th, 16th, 20th, 21st and 27th.  There were records set for highest minimum temperature on the 20th and 27th.  On both of those dates the minimum temperature was only 77 degrees.  There were a total of 23 days that reached at least 100 degrees which broke the July record of 22 set in 1934 and tied in 1980.  Through July 31st there was a total of 35 days that reached at least 100 degrees.  That is the 4th most for a year.  The record was set in 1934 with 42 days.

Also, as of August 2, the average daily temperature at Dodge City has been above average for 35 consecutive days.

July 2011 only had 0.61 inches of precipitation which was 2.56 inches below normal.  This was the 14th driest July on record.  The driest was 0.09 inches in 1916.  Since January 1st there has been only 3.95 inches of precipitation which was 10.74 inches below normal.  At this time last year Dodge City was at 20.44 inches! 

This is by far the driest January to July period on record.  The second driest was 5.71 inches in 2002.  Records date back to 1875.  The highest 24 hour amount was 0.28 inches on the 24th and 25th.

In addition, July ended as the third driest 12 month consecutive period, right behind 12 month periods in 1956 and 1953.

Over the past 122 month period (since June 2001) there has been 201.53" of precipitation at Dodge City.  This is significantly less than average.  But how does this compare to the dry decade in the 1930s and 1950s?  The answer...not nearly as bad.

Finally, the average wind speed for July was 11.8 mph.  The highest wind gust was 47 mph from the west on the 28th.