Wildfires have killed at least six people in Maui and prompted mass evacuations. Last month was the hottest month ever recorded on Earth — by a staggering margin. In Boise, the National Weather Service reports that the average temperature in July, reported since 1877, is 77.1°. By my calculations, the average temperature for the month of July in the 21st century is 78.8°. “Normal” summers have evaporated.
Even in Boise, this summer has felt like the mildest in recent years, but last month was actually the sixth-hottest July in recorded history. Here’s some perspectives on how this season has fit in with Boise’s climate records:
- 2021 was the hottest summer in Boise history, which also had the hottest July on record at an average 83.8°.
- July 2023 fell at the sixth-hottest July, at an average 81.4°. All the others in the top six have ocurred since 2006.
- Triple digit temperatures have been recorded on eight separate days this summer — though none have come in August yet.
- That seems to be where we’ve seen respite this year: In 2022, there were 23 days above 100°, the most ever, and in 2021, there were 18 days in triple digits, which is tied for the second most ever.
