Summer Hot Weather Statistics

The heat wave of August 31-September 3, 2011 was very unusual.  There have been only 7 times since weather records began in 1871 that the temperature reached 99 degrees on 3 or more consecutive days.  The last time this occurred was July 6-9, 1988.  The only time this occurred later in the year was September 13-15, 1939. 

The temperature has never exceeded 100 degrees during the month of September since weather records began in 1871.  Previous to September 3, there had been only 5 times in September when the temperature reached 100 degrees...twice in both 1939 and 1953 and the last time on September 5, 1954.

The four-day heat wave of August 31-September 3 was the hottest for so late in the season since September 13-15, 1939.  The number of 90-degree days during 2011 is 42 as of September 13.  This is the most 90-degree days during a year since 1988.  The 100 degree reading on September 3 was the second for 2011.  The last time the temperature reached 100 degrees on 2 or more days in a year was in 1988.

The earlier heat wave of July 17-August 8, 2011 was also very unusual.  This 23-day heat wave broke the previous record of 19 consecutive days of 90 degree weather set in August 1936.  This 23 day period was the hottest of anytime since weather records began in 1871 except one...July 1936.  The average temperature for the 25 day period from July 4-28, 1936 was 85.0 degrees.  As indicated in the following table, the heat wave of July 1936 remains the hottest of record at Indianapolis, despite the fact that the temperature was only above 90 degrees for 15 consecutive days.

Indianapolis Area Extremes
Highest Average Average Temperature degrees F
Days: 1/1 - 12/31
Length of period: 23 days
Years: 1871-2011

Rank  Value  Ending Date
  1    85.2    7/28/1936, 7/27/1936
  3    84.9    7/26/1936
  4    84.7    7/17-19/1936, 7/25/1936, 7/29/1936
  9    84.6    7/24/1936
 10    84.3    7/20/1936, 7/23/1936
 12    84.2    7/21/1936, 7/22/1936
 14    84.1    8/ 8/2011

What follows are other hot summer weather statistics...
 
 ...Last Occurrence of 95 degrees and Higher at Indianapolis...

100 degrees on September 3, 2011
102 degrees on August 16, 1988
103 degrees on July 15, 1988
104 degrees on July 14, 1954
106 degrees on July 14, 1936

The highest temperature recorded at the Indianapolis airport is 107 degrees on July 25, 1934.  At this time the official weather station was located in downtown Indianapolis where the temperature reached 105 degrees.


...Last Occurrence of Low Temperature of 75 degrees and Higher at Indianapolis... 

  75 degrees on August 7, 2011
  76 degrees on July 29, 2011
  79 degrees on July 23, 2011
  80 degrees on August 23, 1936
  81 degrees on August 22, 1936
  82 degrees on August 19, 1936
  84 degrees on July 7, 1874
  85 degrees on June 28, 1874

 

Indianapolis Area 
Top 10 Occurrences of Consecutive Days with
Maximum Temperature 90 degrees F or higher
Years: 1871-2011

Rank  # Days   End Date
 1         23         8/ 8/2011
 2         19         8/26/1936
 3         18         7/30/1901
 4         15         7/17/1936
 5         14         8/13/2007
 6         14         7/24/1983
 7         14         7/20/1980
 8         14         7/ 6/1966
 9         13         8/30/1983
10        13         7/31/1940


Augusts with more than 10 Days of 90 Degrees and higher at Indianapolis
Year Number of 90 Degree Days
1983  23
2007  22
1936  21
1995  20
1947  19
2010, 1988  16
1944, 1900  15
1955, 1940, 1881  14
1941, 1985  13
2011, 1918  12
 2002, 1959, 1953 1916, 1896  11
Monthly Average   5.0


Julys with more than 16 Days of 90 Degrees and higher at Indianapolis
Year Number of 90 Degree Days
1901  25
1983  22
1916  21
2011, 1919, 1893  20
1966, 1936, 1934  19
1914, 1887  18
1980, 1954, 1913  17
Monthly Average   5.2
 

Maximum Days in a Month of 90 degrees and higher at Indianapolis
Month Average Maximum Year
April  0.0  1 1925, 1942
May  0.1  6 1941
June  2.7 18 1934, 1954
July  5.2 25 1901
August  5.0 23 1983
September  1.5 12 1891, 1897
October  0.1  2 2007
Annual 14.6 58 1983


Years with More than 36 days of 90 degree Weather
1983 58
1936 55
1954 50
1988 49
1934 46
1953, 1941 45
1894 43
2011,1933, 1913, 1895 42
1931, 1914 41
1952, 1944, 1919 39
1901, 1887 38
2010, 2007, 1966 37
Annual Average 14.6

 

Years with More than 9 days of 95 degree Weather
1936 31
1988 23
1887 19
1933 18
1934 17
2011, 1953 16
1983, 1954, 1941, 1930, 1914, 1913, 1901 14
1931 13
1881 12
1940, 1894 11
2010 10
In 57 years since 1871 the temperature did not reach 95 degrees.   0

Years at Indianapolis With Daily Temperatures of 100 Degrees
                            Year           Jun            Jul          Aug        Sep          Ann
1936 0 9 3 0 12
1934 4 6 0 0 10
1988 1 3 1 0 5
1954 1 2 0 1 4
1953 1 0 0 2 3
1881 0 2 1 0 3
1887 0 3 0 0 3
1901 0 3 0 0 3
1930 0 3 0 0 3
1939 0 0 0 2 2
1895 1 0 1 0 2
1911 0 2 0 0 2
1916 0 2 0 0 2
2011 0 1 0       1  2
1918 0 0 1 0 1
1913 0 1 0 0 1
1914 0 1 0 0 1
1940 0 1 0 0 1
1941 0 1 0 0 1
1952 0 1 0 0 1
1980 0 1 0 0 1
Record Total 8 42 7 5 62
Annual Average 0.1 0.3 0.1 0 0.4

Indianapolis Area 
Occurrences of 2 or more consecutive days with
Maximum Temperature 100 degrees F or higher
Years: 1871-2011

Rank  # Days   End Date
  1      9    7/15/1936
  2      6    7/25/1934
  3      3    6/29/1934
  4      2    7/ 9/1988
  5      2    9/ 2/1953
  6      2    9/15/1939
  7      2    8/22/1936
  8      2    7/28/1916
  9      2    7/ 4/1911
 10      2    7/22/1901
 11      2    7/18/1887
 12      2    7/11/1881


Statistics and Tables Updated at 8:30am  EDT September 14, 2011.

 



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