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Old 07-13-2016, 02:37 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
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There doesn't appear to be much rhyme or reason to the persistence or intensity of heat waves in Pittsburgh relative to other major cities in the Northeast or Midwest. For example, the summers of 1983, 1990, 2001, 2006 and 2013 are often regarded as hot summers east of the Rocky Mountains, but Pittsburgh was largely left out of them. On the other hand, the summers of 1966, 1987, 1993, 2002 and 2007 don't seem to get the same regard, but all turned out to be at least moderately hot in Pittsburgh. In fact, Pittsburgh had more than twice as many days of 90°F temperatures in 1987 as it did in 1983, illustrating just one example of what I'm talking about. For that matter, last summer was regarded as tepid by many, but it was pretty normal in Pittsburgh, while this summer is regarded as significantly hotter, though the difference in Pittsburgh compared to this time last summer is negligible, if not nonexistent. The summer of 2012 was legendary, and Pittsburgh had its share of extreme heat that summer, but the summer of 2011 was more consistently hot from beginning to end, and July 2011 is the hottest month in Pittsburgh so far this decade, instead of any month in 2012.

The seeming randomness of it all makes me wonder if there's actually a pattern to it that I'm not detecting. If I had to guess, I'd say that the origin of a heat wave has to stay east of the Mississippi River in order for Pittsburgh to really cash in, like during the summers of 1993 and 2007 (also the early summer of 1994). On the other hand, if the origin is west of the Mississippi River, then I'm guessing that Pittsburgh is more prone to being left out, like during the summers of 1983 and 2006. These are just guesses of mine, though. Does anybody know what the teleconnections and oceanic oscillations were like in 1993 and 2007? Were they similar to each other? I know that 1993 featured a very static summer pattern with strong Bermuda high. What drove that? For that matter, what drove the pattern that produced such an extreme drought in the South in 2007? Do the summers of 1966, 1987 or 2002 compare closely to either 1993 or 2007 in terms of teleconnections and oscillations? As for this summer, it seems like there's a persistent trough somewhere near the Canadian maritimes that's affecting the pattern, but correct me if I'm wrong about that.

Anyway, bear in mind that some of the nomenclature can go over my head, and that I can't afford to purchase weather data right now, so I kind of need people's help to see if there's any pattern that I'm missing. I'm just trying to see if there's an explanation for Pittsburgh overachieving in some summers and underachieving in others. One resource I've been looking for is a map of monthly temperature departures from normal across the U.S. that goes back pretty far into the past. Like if I wanted to see a departures map for July 1966, where could I do that? It'd be awesome if I could find out where.
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Old 07-13-2016, 03:00 PM
B87
 
Location: Surrey/London
11,769 posts, read 10,552,827 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi View Post
For example, the summers of 1983, 1990, 2001, 2006 and 2013 are often regarded as hot summers east of the Rocky Mountains, but Pittsburgh was largely left out of them. On the other hand, the summers of 1966, 1987, 1993, 2002 and 2007 don't seem to get the same regard, but all turned out to be at least moderately hot in Pittsburgh.

The summer of 2012 was legendary, and Pittsburgh had its share of extreme heat that summer, but the summer of 2011 was more consistently hot from beginning to end, and July 2011 is the hottest month in Pittsburgh so far this decade, instead of any month in 2012.
Your good and bad summers are the total opposites of ours. All our bad summers were ruined by strong northern blocking, which displaced the jet stream further south than usual and allowed Atlantic lows to ruin the summer.

1983 had the 2nd warmest July on record.
1990 had a warm July and a hot August.
2001 was average.
2006 had a warm June and the hottest July on record.
2013 had one of the top 5 warmest Julys, and a warm August.

1966 had a cool and cloudy July/August.
1987 had a shocking June, and the rest of the summer was also cool and cloudy.
1993 didn't even reach 30c, and was the worst summer of the 90s.
2002 was a bit below average and fairly boring.
2007 was one of the worst summers on record, with extreme rainfall, cloudiness and low temperatures. Failed to reach 30c.

What were your summers like in 1976 and 1995?
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Old 07-13-2016, 03:31 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
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What are you hottest July and August on record?
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Old 07-13-2016, 03:39 PM
B87
 
Location: Surrey/London
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Botev1912 View Post
What are you hottest July and August on record?
June: 1976
July: 2006
August: 1995
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Old 07-13-2016, 03:57 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
14,172 posts, read 22,621,524 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B87 View Post
Your good and bad summers are the total opposites of ours. All our bad summers were ruined by strong northern blocking, which displaced the jet stream further south than usual and allowed Atlantic lows to ruin the summer.

1983 had the 2nd warmest July on record.
1990 had a warm July and a hot August.
2001 was average.
2006 had a warm June and the hottest July on record.
2013 had one of the top 5 warmest Julys, and a warm August.

1966 had a cool and cloudy July/August.
1987 had a shocking June, and the rest of the summer was also cool and cloudy.
1993 didn't even reach 30c, and was the worst summer of the 90s.
2002 was a bit below average and fairly boring.
2007 was one of the worst summers on record, with extreme rainfall, cloudiness and low temperatures. Failed to reach 30c.

What were your summers like in 1976 and 1995?
Pittsburgh essentially didn't have a summer in 1976. It was the coolest summer on record, and the temperature never even reached 90°F (32°C). On the other hand, 1995 was hot. That was the last time the temperature reached 100°F (38°C) in Pittsburgh, and August 1995 was the second-hottest August on record.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Botev1912 View Post
What are you hottest July and August on record?
In the last 50 years (1966-2015)...


76.9°F - July 2011
76.9°F - July 1988
76.8°F - July 2012
76.0°F - July 2002
76.0°F - July 1999
75.7°F - July 1995
75.7°F - July 1993
75.7°F - July 1987
75.6°F - July 2010
75.6°F - July 1966

77.7°F - August 1995
75.1°F - August 1988
74.5°F - August 1980
74.4°F - August 2010
74.4°F - August 1991
74.1°F - August 2002
74.0°F - August 2007
73.7°F - August 2005
73.2°F - August 1973
73.1°F - August 2001


The hottest July on record was July 1887 (80.3°F), and the hottest August on record was August 1900 (78.7°F), but somehow I'm guessing that they don't have teleconnections or oscillations on record from that long ago.
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Old 07-13-2016, 04:09 PM
B87
 
Location: Surrey/London
11,769 posts, read 10,552,827 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi View Post
Pittsburgh essentially didn't have a summer in 1976. It was the coolest summer on record, and the temperature never even reached 90°F (32°C). On the other hand, 1995 was hot. That was the last time the temperature reached 100°F (38°C) in Pittsburgh, and August 1995 was the second-hottest August on record.
Our hottest summer on record was in 1976. 1995 had a hot July and the hottest August on record too.

1976 temp thresholds.

Days above 35c/95f: 1
Days above 32c/90f: 10
Days above 30c/86f: 21
Days above 27c/80f: 38
Days above 24c/75f: 65
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Old 07-13-2016, 04:41 PM
 
Location: Broward County, FL
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I would assume Pittsburgh's somewhat higher elevation tempers heat waves a bit, and maybe the hilly/mountainous terrain blocks hot air from the south and west from reaching Pittsburgh a little bit?
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Old 07-13-2016, 04:50 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B87 View Post
Our hottest summer on record was in 1976. 1995 had a hot July and the hottest August on record too.

1976 temp thresholds.

Days above 35c/95f: 1
Days above 32c/90f: 10
Days above 30c/86f: 21
Days above 27c/80f: 38
Days above 24c/75f: 65
I've heard before that temperatures in Great Britain are usually opposite those of the eastern United States relative to normal, but I can't explain 1995. That was the hottest summer in Pittsburgh since I've been alive, based on average temperature. The summer of 1988 had more extreme heat than the summer of 1995, but somehow the average temperature was almost two degrees lower. I guess the summer of 1995 was either more consistently hot, or hot for a longer duration.
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Old 07-13-2016, 04:54 PM
 
Location: Near the Coast SWCT
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On phone, I'll pull some maps later but right away I just will say UHI helps. Instead of 88 or 89, extra urban heat will make it 90 or 91 with same pattern and theres your extra heat waves.

Same happens with Hartford where they are the hot spot many times. Rochester is winning this year. Its the only hot spot hitting so many 90s.

As far as Pittsburgh you have to check the suburbs and it will raise your eyebrows about the main Climo site itself. I remember seeing Pitts in winter so much warmer.

https://twitter.com/tan123/status/573818046151663616
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Old 07-13-2016, 05:36 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
14,172 posts, read 22,621,524 times
Reputation: 17339
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cambium View Post
On phone, I'll pull some maps later but right away I just will say UHI helps. Instead of 88 or 89, extra urban heat will make it 90 or 91 with same pattern and theres your extra heat waves.

Same happens with Hartford where they are the hot spot many times. Rochester is winning this year. Its the only hot spot hitting so many 90s.

As far as Pittsburgh you have to check the suburbs and it will raise your eyebrows about the main Climo site itself. I remember seeing Pitts in winter so much warmer.

https://twitter.com/tan123/status/573818046151663616
Are you saying that Pittsburgh is less prone to the urban heat island effect than other cities in the Northeast and Midwest? If so, then that makes sense to me, because there's not much development in the vicinity of KPIT, and virtually none to the west. On the other hand, KCMH, KCLE, KBUF and KROC all have much more development nearby, though KBUF still gets screwed out of heat waves because southwesterly winds go the length of Lake Erie before arriving in Buffalo. The temperature in Buffalo has actually never reached 100°F, probably because of its location relative to Lake Erie.

I don't know that any of that explains the randomness, though. Just to use an example, Cleveland and Rochester are currently well out in front of Pittsburgh when counting 90°F days this summer, but Pittsburgh doubled up Cleveland and Rochester last summer, and even had more 90°F days than Columbus. And in 1993, Pittsburgh virtually doubled up Chicago. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason.
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