July's heat wave set or challenged records across the region

The National Weather Service in Paducah looked back at July's heat wave where several all-time records were set or challenged across the region.

For two full weeks from July 16-30, we were literally in the bullseye of a massive heat dome that expanded and contracted over the eastern half of the country from the Great Plains to the East Coast, and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of America.

While temperatures were well above normal in the 90s, they were not record breakers themselves. It was the incredible amount and duration of humidity that set new standards.

It was the factor in Paducah reaching a 100-degree heat index for 15 straight days, the longest stretch since 16 days set in 1993. Paducah also suffered under a 105-degree heat index or higher for 8 straight days, just short of the all-time mark of 9 days set in 1989.

Cape Girardeau experienced 10 straight days of 105+ heat index readings, tying their all-time record set in 1999. Carbondale and Evansville had 9 straight days of 100+ heat index, just shy of their records.

The key indicator of humidity is the dew point, a measure of the actual moisture content of the air. In that category, Paducah set a new record of 18 straight days of a 75-degree dew point. That broke the record of 17 set in 2020, and 16 set in 1995 and 1951.

We also went through an incredible 49 straight days of uncomfortable 70-degree dew points from June 14 through July 31. That snapped the record of 47 set in 1958. Only five times in Paducah's near-century of record keeping has the dew point been that high for as many as 40 days or more.

You can see the NWS Paducah summary of July's hot streak here.


(AP file photo)