On July 6th a Dew Point reading of 82° was reported at Marshal, Michigan Brooks Airport. That location has an automated weather station and from time to time there can be errors from those stations and according to the NWS office that is what happened. On that date Mookie posted that the current DP reading at Marshal was 82° that would be either a record high or near record for the state of Michigan. I asked the NWS office if that was the case and here is their reply for that.
“Hi James,
After a review of the temperature and dew point data for July 6, the 82 degree dew point reading is an error. It appears the equipment may have taken a lightning hit or experienced some sort of malfunction during a heavy rain shower on July 5 at 4:17pm, after which point the temperature and dew point readings were identical until the morning of July 7. We see these errors from time to time from automated weather stations, though it is unusual for airport stations to exhibit these types of errors. Thanks for the question.”
Brandon Hoving
Observing Program Leader / Meteorologist
National Weather Service
Grand Rapids, MI
So no record Dew Point for that location on that date. There are many of these automated weather stations around the country and while they are part of the NWS systems of reporting stations any records have to be verified before they become official. Here is a list of the Automated Reporting Stations that are located at small airports around Michigan’
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/weather/asos/?state=MI
here is a national map
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/weather/asos/
So far this July has been much warmer than average with every day above 80° there have been 4 days of 90 or better and 4 more of 89 and above. And yes it has been humid.
So far this July the mean temperature is 76.2 and that is a departure of +3.8 the warmest so far is 91 and the coolest so far is 57. So far there has not been a day when the high did not reach at least 80. With that mean of 76.2 Grand Rapids at this time is on track for a top ten warmest July’s on record we will see how the next 20 days of this month play out. Also of note is that there have only been 3 thunderstorm this month and with just one in June the thunderstorm drought continues,
I know that many of the crops have not done well this year but here at my house my tomatoes are doing just great so far, It is the best they have done in years here and the flowers are doing well also.
Slim
You’re the man, Slim!
Good as always Slim! Could feel the humidity rising again today as the dew points approach 70. Feels terrible at work. I know you mentioned before that last year we had 20 some days in a row over 80 degrees, and it appears we will once again reach or top that this year. Do you know what the record is for longest streak? Has there been a July before that never had a day under 80 degrees? 2 days we’ll be in the mountains. No 80’s, 90’s, or humidity up there!
Yes, July 1955 all 31 days were 80 or better. And in 2012,1988, 1921 and 1916 there were 30 days of 80 or better. For August 1947 had 30 days and for June 1919 had 25 in both June and July of that year. The most in a year was 96 in 2013 with 94 in 1991 in 2nd place with 93 and there were 92 in 2016, 1900, 1899 and 2016. Enjoy your trip.
Sllim
Thanks! I don’t remember 2016 being that warm all the time, guess the years are all blending together. And wow, only 1 year where the temp was over 80 every day! Not really a record I want to see tied but we’re almost halfway there.