D.C. hits record 104 amid most intense heat stretch since Dust Bowl

The ongoing heat wave in Washington keeps making history.

The District tied a record high of 104 degrees Tuesday while surpassing the century mark for the third straight day, matching the longest such streak on record set in 1930 at the beginning of the Dust Bowl.

On Sunday, temperatures soared to a record of 101, and on Monday they reached a record 102.

The temperature climbed to 104 just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, matching the previous record for the date set in 1988. It marked the highest temperature in the District since a high of 105 on July 7, 2012. The heat index, which factors in humidity, registered as high as 108.

There have been only 12 other days in Washington weather history with temperatures of 104 degrees or higher. The all-time maximum of 106 occurred in 1918 and 1930.

Baltimore also hit 104, also tying the record set in 1988. Many other locations around the region topped the century mark, including Front Royal, Va., (102), Martinsburg, W.Va., (101), Dulles Airport (100) and Frederick, Md., (100).

The heat in historical context

The flurry of 100-degree days marks a sudden change from recent summers. The District had gone nearly eight years without reaching 100 until June 22, when it again touched the century mark. This summer, only about half over, has seen four days reach the triple digits.

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There’s even an outside chance that it hits 100 (or higher) again Wednesday for a fourth day in a row, when a heat advisory is in effect. A four-day streak at or above 100 would match the longest on record.

These multiple 100-degree days have contributed to the District’s hottest first half of summer on record. Here are the most impressive heat benchmarks so far:

• With an average temperature of 81.5 degrees, this summer is the hottest on record to date, surpassing 80.9 in 2010.
• The 28 days at or above 90 degrees thus far is 10 above average, tied for second-most on record to date, and more like the number typically expected around Aug. 6. There were 32 days at or above 90 degrees in 2023.
• D.C. has reached 98 degrees or higher on 10 days, tied for most on record to date. The most on record in a summer was 15 days in 1930, followed by 14 as recently as 2012.

• Record-warm lows were set Sunday and Monday at 79 and 81, respectively. Those followed two others in July, two in June and two in May. There have been no records for cold this year.
• The six excessive-heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service so far in July are the most on record in a month since at least 2006, according to statistics from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. An excessive-heat warning is issued when heat indexes near or above 110 are expected.
• The District’s highest heat index so far this summer is 111.
• Six days have had lows of 80 degrees or higher this year, including Monday, the second-most on record. The annual record is seven, set in 2016 and 2011. If Tuesday’s low temperature stays at or above 80 degrees through midnight, 2024 will move into a tie with 2016 and 2011.

When will the heat wave end?

After a cold front sweeps through the region late Wednesday, temperatures should return closer to normal Thursday through Saturday. Temperatures may rise some after that, but there are no immediate signs of more triple-digit heat. Forecast highs between Sunday and early next week are mostly in the low 90s.

D.C.’s expected average high is 90 for another 10 days before it begins to drop. August — on average — is a somewhat cooler month than July. But the first half of the month, in particular, is known to sometimes produce punishing heat waves.

The ongoing blast of heat will end up shorter than some we’ve experienced this summer, but its intensity is unmatched. The Climate Shift Index from Climate Central, a science communication firm, indicates that human-caused climate change has made the heat three to five times more probable.

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