Goodbye to the extreme heat, humidity, for now
Well, we made it through the extreme heat over the weekend and now we’ll see more comfortable conditions returning to southwest Ohio. Not only will the temperatures be less extreme, but the humidity will be more manageable, too.
The pattern shift includes a dip in the jet stream south into the Midwest, pushing the heat and humidity out of the region for a bit. This is a welcome sigh of relief after the July we’ve experienced thus far.
Dayton has recorded 11 days in the 90s so far this year and all of them have occurred in the month of July. The hottest temperature of the year was recorded this past Saturday for Dayton when the thermometer hit 93 degrees. While nearly 10 degrees above normal, this was not a record. The record high for the day was 101 degrees in 1934.
As we look forward to the week ahead, temperatures are expected to range from normal to slightly below at times. Typically for late July, the high should be peaking around the middle 80s. This is also when southwest Ohio should be experiencing the hottest temperatures of the year.
According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center (CPC) the break from the heat may only be
short-lived. There appears to be a better chance for above-normal temperatures than below through the remainder of the month. If that turns out to be true, the average monthly temperature for July 2019 may rank in the top 10 warmest on record. As of now, Dayton falls around No. 5 for warmest Julys on record and Cincinnati No. 10.
Statistically around July 27, the temperatures will slowly decline. This correlates with the diminishing daylight hours and angle of the sun as we transition closer to the fall season. As the earth continues to orbit around the sun, the days will get shorter and the height at which the sun reaches in the sky on any given day will decrease. This will continue until the winter solstice, the first day of winter when the days will progressively get longer once again.
The first day of fall officially begins in two months on Sept. 23. By that point, the average daytime high only reaches temperatures around the lower 70s. That’s more than 10 degrees cooler than today. Also, the nighttime low falls around the lower 50s. And, just in case you were wondering, the average high in late December is in the middle 30s.
As far as precipitation is concerned, according to the CPC, there appears to be an above-average chance to see more precipitation than normal through the remainder of the month. At this point in time, the region is already above normal for the amount of precipitation for the month so far. This, of course, adds to the overall surplus of rain the region has seen for 2019 to date. Dayton is more than 6 inches above normal while Cincinnati is more than 10 inches above average for the year.
As always, you can stay updated on the forecast by visiting the weather page on WHIO.com or checking the WHIO Weather app. You’ll find updated video forecasts, radar and what to expect for the next several days.