The temperature at Camp Mabry reached 100 degrees early Wednesday afternoon, putting August 24th, 2011 into Austin’s weather history book.  It became the 70th day this summer the high temperature reached 100 degrees, beating the 86 year old record of 69 days from 1925.

Unfortunately, the record won’t stand for long. While some clouds and isolated showers are expected to keep the temperature below 100 Thursday, it will only be a one day reprieve.  At least another week of triple digit temperatures is in the forecast.  And, while the heat wave will certainly relent in September, it is entirely likely 100 degree days could continue, off and on, next month too.

On a positive note, even during the previous record setting year of 1925, there were only three 100 degree days in September. And, back in 2009–our previous hottest summer on record–there was only one 100 degree day in September–on the 3rd day of the month. So, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Prior to 2009, we often wondered whether Austin’s  heat wave records from the 1920s were really accurate. After all, we’d never even been close to experiencing 66 days of triple digit heat, as recorded in 1923, much less the 69 day record from 1925. In fact, until we recorded 50 days in 2008, the closest we had come was 42 days back in 2000. The summers of 2009 and 2011 have put the matter to rest.

Here’s more information on Austin’s 100 degree day history from the National Weather Service:

MOST 100 DEGREE DAYS IN A YEAR..

AS OF AUGUST 24th...2011 AUSTIN MABRY HAS HAD 70 100 DEGREE DAYS.

PREVIOUS AUSTIN MABRY MOST 100 DEGREE DAYS IN A YEAR 1898 TO 2010
  1.  69 IN 1925
  2.  68 IN 2009
  3.  66 IN 1923
  4.  50 IN 2008
  5.  42 IN 2000
  6.  40 IN 1963 AND 2001
  7.  38 IN 1998
  8.  34 IN 1924, 1956 AND 2006
  9.  33 IN 1951
 10.  32 IN 1980

MOST CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS…

AUSTIN MABRY MOST CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS 1898 TO PRESENT

  1.   27 - JULY 17 TO AUGUST 12, 2011
  2.   21 - JULY 12 TO AUGUST 1, 2001
  3.   19 – JULY 12 TO JULY 30, 1925
  4.   18 – AUGUST 6 TO AUGUST 23, 1925
  5.   16 – AUGUST 3 TO AUGUST 18, 2009*
  6.   14 – JULY 2 TO JULY 15, 2011*
  7.   13 – AUGUST 10 TO AUGUST 22, 1923
  8.   12 – AUGUST 13 TO AUGUST 24, 2010*
  9.   11 – JULY 24 TO AUGUST 3, 1986*
 10.   10 – JUNE 12 TO JUNE 21, 2011*

* - ALSO OCCURRED ON PREVIOUS DATES 

SUMMARY OF 100 DEGREE DAY INFORMATION…

THE AVERAGE DATE OF THE FIRST AND LAST 100 DEGREE DAYS, THE NUMBER OF 100 DEGREE
DAYS IN A YEAR, AND THE EXTREMES ARE LISTED BELOW FOR AUSTIN, DEL RIO AND SAN ANTONIO.
THIS IS BASED ON DAILY DATA FOR AUSTIN MABRY BEGINNING IN 1898; FOR AUSTIN BERGSTROM
BEGINNING IN 1943; FOR DEL RIO BEGINNING IN 1906; AND FOR SAN ANTONIO BEGINNING
IN 1885.

LOCATION       AVERAGE 100     RECORD   AVG. FIRST  AVG. LAST   EARLIEST/LATEST
              100 DEG. DAYS

AUSTIN MABRY      12        69 IN 1925   Jul. 11     Aug. 20    May  4  / Oct. 2
                            68 IN 2009

AUSTIN BERGSTROM  13        55 IN 2009   Jul. 11     Aug. 25    Feb. 21 / Sep. 28
                            50 IN 1998

ALL TIME AUGUST HIGHS…

ON FRIDAY...AUGUST 8...2003 AN ALL TIME AUGUST HIGH OF 110 WAS SET AT AUSTIN MABRY
AND 108 AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM.  THE ALL TIME AUGUST HIGH AT DEL RIO WAS 109 ON
SUNDAY...AUGUST 17...1969.  THE ALL TIME AUGUST HIGH AT SAN ANTONIO WAS 108
ON TUESDAY...AUGUST 19...1986.

ALL TIME RECORD HIGHS…

ON TUESDAY...SEPTEMBER 5...2000 AN ALL TIME RECORD HIGH OF 112 WAS SET AT AUSTIN MABRY
AND AUSTIN BERGSTROM.  THE ALL TIME HIGH AT DEL RIO WAS 112 DEGREES ON THURSDAY...
JUNE 9...1988.  THE ALL TIME HIGH AT SAN ANTONIO WAS 111 DEGREES ON TUESDAY...
SEPTEMBER 5...2000.