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Was the summer of '94 hotter than the summer of '60? I was thinking 1960 had 23 days of 100 degree plus weather and 1994 had only (ONLY??) 21. Hope we don't see either again. Thanks, Chris K. SLC
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By visiting the climate pages of the NWS hopefully can get this information without having to pay for it. The summer of 1994 had 21 days of 100 degree heat, the + symbol next to the 1994 on the NWS table indicates that 21 days of 100 degrees has ALSO happened on other years. This summer we've had 9 days of 100 degrees or higher already.
In July of 1960, there were 23 days in that month alone that were at 95 or higher. This would make July of 1960 one very hot month in our history. When we consider summer averages in weather we use the months of June July and August to calculate those averages.
The summer of 1994 had the warmest summer average at 78.6, this factors in the overnight lows as well. The summer of 1960 with average highs and lows together, doesn't even make it into the top 7 hottest summers. However, it was still very hot!
The hottest July(s) ever were 1993, 2002, and then 1960. August of 1994 claims the title of warmest August ever. Remember, this is considering daily averages, not just highs.
Now, let's talk about daytime though, because that is when we're outside, sweating it out or wanting to know when that warmest period was. July of 1960 boasts an average high temperature of 98.2 making it the hottest July in SLC for HIGH temperature averages (not daily averages). The coolest high temperature average for July was 1993.
If the summer of 1960 had 23 days at 100 or greater it would be written down in the records, but it is not. The summer of 1960 was certainly hot, every day in July 1960 was above 90!
In short, the average HIGH temperatures for July 1960 make it the hottest July in history for SLC for daytime highs. But Summer of 1994 boasts more 100 degree days and computed with daily averages of highs and lows, comes out as the warmest summer. Yes, the summer as a whole of 1994 was warmer than the summer of 1960 when using daily average temperatures.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
