Five Straight In Heat
Philadelphia hit 95 again today...the fourth straight day of 95+ heat in the city. Philadelphia has had seven 95 degree days this year, which is the most since 2005's nine 95+ days. For those of you who like averages, Philadelphia averages just under five 95 degree days per year, based on the 1971-2000 thirty year average cycle.
Going back into the record books, the streak of four straight 95 degree days is hardly the longest in Philadelphia history. The last time we had a five day streak was at the end of July and beginning of August in 2002, a streak where we hit 98 twice and 99 on a third day. 2002 also featured NINETEEN 95 degree or hotter days, including four 99 degree highs during that summer. The longest streak of 95 plus heat was most recently reached in 1993, when in July we topped the magic 95 degree mark eight straight days and had sixteen such occurrences through the year. The July 1993 heat wave claimed 114 lives and was the impetus for the city to institute a heat emergency plan that was designed to increase awareness about heat-related deaths and create a plan to help those in need of cooling during emergencies.The first heat related death in the current heat wave was over the weekend, a 62 year old Philadelphia man who refused to use air conditioning. The city now has 20 heat related deaths on the year, much higher than last year's total of seven but lower than the total of 27 from 2006.
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