“Summer” 2010 – The Second Warmest On Record
Back in May, I forecasted a warmer than normal summer, but I had no idea it was going to be this warm. Meteorological summer is defined as the months of June, July, and August. This year, all three months were warmer than normal.
This summer, one of the nicest that many can remember, turned out to be the second warmest on record in Providence. The only summer warmer than 2010 was 1949 – a few years before the record keeping began at TF Green Airport. That summer was almost a half a degree warmer than this one.
Compared to last year, 2010 seemed even warmer. 2009 was a relatively cool summer, with very little extreme heat. This year, there were 18 90° days through Sept. 6. Last year, there were only two 90° days.
We managed to get a near-normal amount of precipitation, with an above-average number of thunderstorms – something that I predicted in my summer outlook.
Here is the complete rundown of all the major reporting sites in Southern New England. All of this information was compiled by the National Weather Service.
-Fred
...CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER OF 2010 WAS WARMER THAN NORMAL WITH NEAR NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVERALL... ...CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010...A CONTRAST TO CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009... THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 WHICH INCLUDES THE MONTHS OF JUNE...JULY AND AUGUST RESPECTIVELY. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE PREVAILED ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD DURING MUCH OF SUMMER 2010...UNLIKE 2009 WHEN A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH DOMINATED THE AREA UNTIL ABOUT AUGUST OF THAT YEAR. ALTHOUGH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND HIGH TEMPERATURES PARCHED LAWNS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2010...PRECIPITATION FREQUENCY AND TOTALS WERE NEAR NORMAL DUE TO A HIGH FREQUENCY OF THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY LEVELS AND APPROACHING WEAK FRONTS IN JUNE AND JULY AND THE COURTESY OF A FOUR DAY NOREASTER DURING AUGUST 22-25 2010. BOSTON/S LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN EAST BOSTON MA OFFICIAL RECORDS SINCE 1872 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER WITH COMPARISON TO 2009 TEMPERATURE - 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 73.6F...DEPARTURE +2.2F...THIRD WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD. - IT IS THE WARMEST SUMMER SINCE 1994 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 73.9F. THE WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD IS 74.1F IN 1949. - 25 DAYS IN 2010 HAVE HAD 90 DEGREE PLUS HIGHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH...DEPARTURE + 11 DAYS. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 IS 4.5 DEGREES WARMER THAN SUMMER 2009 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 69.1F - 2009 ANNUAL DAYS WITH 90 DEGREE OR HIGHER MAXIMUMS TOTALED SIX. PRECIPITATION 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER TOTAL PRECIPITATION 11.59 INCHES...DEPARTURE +1.94 INCHES - DAYS OF THUNDER IN JUNE 6 DAYS...NORMAL 3 DAYS. - WITHIN THIS THREE MONTH TOTAL...THE AUGUST 22-25 NOREASTER PRECIPITATION AMOUNT TOTALED 4.48 INCHES. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...28 DAYS...DEPARTURE MINUS ONE DAY. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 38 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 13.36 INCHES. PROVIDENCE/S T.F. GREEN AIRPORT IN WARWICK RI OFFICIAL RECORDS SINCE 1905 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 WITH COMPARISON TO 2009 TEMPERATURE - 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 74.0F...DEPARTURE +3.1F...SECOND WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD. - IT IS THE WARMEST SUMMER SINCE 1949 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 74.4F AT THE OFFICIAL CITY LOCATION. T.F. GREEN AIRPORT RECORDS BECAME OFFICIAL AFTER MAY 1953. - 18 DAYS IN 2010 HAVE HAD 90 DEGREE PLUS HIGHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH...DEPARTURE + 10 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 IS 4.5 DEGREES WARMER THAN SUMMER 2009 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 69.5F - 2009 ANNUAL DAYS WITH 90 DEGREE OR HIGHER MAXIMUMS TOTALED TWO. PRECIPITATION 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER TOTAL PRECIPITATION 10.30 INCHES... DEPARTURE -0.15 INCH - DAYS OF THUNDER IN JUNE...8 DAYS...NORMAL 4 DAYS - DAYS OF THUNDER IN JULY...5 DAYS...NORMAL 4 DAYS - WITHIN THIS THREE MONTH TOTAL...THE AUGUST 22-25 NOREASTER PRECIPITATION AMOUNT TOTALED 2.31 INCHES. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...29 DAYS...DEPARTURE NORMAL - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 42 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 16.93 INCHES. HARTFORD/S BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN WINDSOR LOCKS CT OFFICIAL RECORDS SINCE 1905 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 WITH COMPARISON TO 2009 TEMPERATURE - 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 73.7F...DEPARTURE +2.4F...THIRD WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD. - IT IS THE WARMEST SUMMER SINCE 1949 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 73.8. THE WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD IS 74.4 DEGREES IN 1973. - 33 DAYS IN 2010 HAVE HAD 90 DEGREE PLUS HIGHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH...DEPARTURE + 15 DAYS. THIS IS THE FOURTH GREATEST TOTAL ON RECORD. RECORD NUMBER IS 38 DAYS IN 1983. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 IS 3.8 DEGREES WARMER THAN SUMMER 2009 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 69.9F - 2009 ANNUAL DAYS WITH 90 DEGREE OR HIGHER MAXIMUMS TOTALED ELEVEN. PRECIPITATION 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER TOTAL PRECIPITATION 9.52 INCHES... DEPARTURE -1.98 INCHES - DAYS OF THUNDER IN JUNE...5 DAYS...NORMAL 4 DAYS - DAYS OF THUNDER IN JULY...5 DAYS...NORMAL 5 DAYS - WITHIN THIS THREE MONTH TOTAL...THE AUGUST 22-25 NOREASTER PRECIPITATION AMOUNT TOTALED 1.67 INCHES. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...29 DAYS...DEPARTURE MINUS 3 DAYS. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 47 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 20.29 INCHES. WORCESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT IN WORCESTER MA...ELEVATION NEAR 1000 FT OFFICIAL RECORDS SINCE 1892 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 WITH COMPARISON TO 2009 TEMPERATURE - 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 70.5F...DEPARTURE +2.8F...SEVENTH WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD. - IT IS THE WARMEST SUMMER SINCE 2005 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 70.8F. THE WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD IS 71.9 DEGREES IN 1949. - SIX DAYS IN 2010 HAVE HAD 90 DEGREE PLUS HIGHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH...DEPARTURE + 3 DAYS. - A HEAT WAVE WAS RECORDED JULY 5-7 2010...FIRST TIME SINCE AUGUST 26-28 1993. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 IS 4.2 DEGREES WARMER THAN SUMMER 2009 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 66.3F. - 2009 ANNUAL DAYS WITH 90 DEGREE OR HIGHER MAXIMUMS TOTALED ZERO. PRECIPITATION 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER TOTAL PRECIPITATION 10.98 INCHES... DEPARTURE -1.32 INCHES - WITHIN THIS THREE MONTH TOTAL...THE AUGUST 22-25 NOREASTER PRECIPITATION AMOUNT TOTALED 2.71 INCHES. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...33 DAYS...DEPARTURE PLUS 1 DAY. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 47 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 20.13 INCHES. BLUE HILLS OBSERVATORY...MILTON MA...ELEVATION 635 FT OFFICIAL RECORDS SINCE 1885 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 WITH COMPARISON TO 2009 TEMPERATURE - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 71.3F...DEPARTURE +2.2F...WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD...BEATING 1949 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 70.8F. - IT IS THE WARMEST SUMMER SINCE 2005 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 70.2F. - 21 DAYS IN 2010 HAVE HAD 90 DEGREE PLUS HIGHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH 2010...DEPARTURE + 14 DAYS. RECORD IS 23 DAYS SET IN 2002 AND 1949. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 IS 3.8 DEGREES WARMER THAN SUMMER 2009 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 67.5F. - 2009 ANNUAL DAYS WITH 90 DEGREE OR HIGHER MAXIMUMS TOTALED FOUR. PRECIPITATION 2010 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER TOTAL PRECIPITATION 12.74 INCHES... DEPARTURE +1.01 INCHES - WITHIN THIS THREE MONTH TOTAL...THE AUGUST 22-25 NOREASTER PRECIPITATION AMOUNT TOTALED 7.59 INCHES. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...31 DAYS...DEPARTURE NORMAL - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 41 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 16.27 INCHES. NWS TAUNTON MA CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 73.4F...DEPARTURE +2.3F WARMEST SUMMER SINCE LOCAL RECORDS HAVE BEEN KEPT IN 1997...BEATING 73.0F IN 2005. THE TEMPERATURE HAS REACHED OR EXCEEDED THE 90 DEGREE MARK 34 TIMES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH...IN 2009 THERE WERE 13 DAYS. CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 PRECIPITATION TOTALED 10.88 INCHES...DEPARTURE MINUS 1.11 INCHES...4.22 INCHES OF THE TOTAL FELL DURING THE AUGUST 22-25TH NOREASTER. - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2010 DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION...34 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 TOTAL WAS 48 DAYS - CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMER 2009 PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 16.94 INCHES.
