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How Hot Can It Get?
Thu Jul 10, 2003
Listen in RealAudio 
The Dust Bowl Years of the 1930s are well known for drought and blowing topsoil. But what
happened in 1936 has not been matched to this day. Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather
Notebook.
In 1935-36, the US shivered through its second coldest winter up to that time. But the
following summer, a hot and humid airmass stagnated over the eastern half of the
continent.
The swelter began in June. Lincoln, Nebraska saw a 35-day run with highs more than 90F,
peaking on July 25, at 115F. That day's low temperature was 91. On July 6, Steele, North
Dakota reached 121 degreesstill the state record.
Similar heat covered the nation from the Rockies to the East Coast. Fifteen states set
all-time highs. Kansas City broke the 100-degree mark on 53 days that summer. Many other
cities reported record 100-degree strings. Lincoln had eleven straight days, Chicago, eight:
Detroit, seven.
July 12 through 14 was the hottest three-day period in US history, averaging 88.5F, beating
the record set three days earliertemperature records fell like dominos. July 14th was so hot
in Iowa, that its 113 recording stations averaged 108.7F. Elsewhere in the Mid-West, Illinois
and Missouri recorded 118-degree highs, Wisconsin and Minnesota, 114; Michigan, 112.
The heat waves of 1936, cost nearly 4800 lives.
Canada was not spared. The Canadian heat wave that began July 9th killed more than 1,000
people.
Thanks to our contributing writer, meteorologist Keith Heidorn. The Weather Notebook is funded
by Subaru of America, and The national Science Foundation.
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