Putting the hot spell in perspective
It will be sultry for several days, but this is, in fact, July.
When the Democrats convene next week at the South Philly sports complex, we expect comments about the weather to rival the quantity of sports metaphors. (Please, no mas on the Rocky references.)
We expect the heat to be a popular subject, given that global temperatures in the month period have averaged about 3 degrees above the 20th Century averages, according to the federal database.
Locally, this is expected to be the most-sustained hot spell of the season so far, and given the sultry overnight temperatures, unfortunately the city's heat-related seasonal death toll might increase, and the "excessive heat" warning are justified.
Based on the forecast, Monday could see a record high for the date, which is 96, and temperatures could reach 90 or better for a week stretch.
But we see no triple-figure temperatures in the outlook, and we have had heat waves here in the past that have gone beyond two weeks.
In fact, we've had some beauts, in the 1950s, 1990s, and in 1988.
In the latter case, temperatures went above 90 every day from July 29 through Aug. 15, and that was after the official highs at Philadelphia International Airport had reached 100 five different times.
That was the summer that stoked the fires of interest in worldwide warming, which haven't cooled since. But no subsequent summers have matched 1988 for heat round here.
So far this season generally has been temperate in the Philadelphia region. Temperatures in June were about a degree above normal, and are running about 2 above this month, but the hot spells have been short-lived.
In all, the temperatures have reached 90 or better 16 times, That's a bit ahead of pace, the average for the entire warm season is 24.
However, in 1988, highs of 90 of better were recorded on 49 days, at the time a record. But that record was torched in 1991, which had 53 days of 90 or better, which was trumped (all puns accidental) by the 55 of 2010.
So, yes, it is going to be hot for several days, and as we like to say, that would be a much bigger story if it happened in February.