Hot or not?

August 10, 2009 10:14 PM

What was the hottest official temperature measured in San Antonio, Texas each year since the 1950s? Today San Antonio had its 45th day of 100+ degree weather this year. I remember years in the 1970s when SA had no 100 degree days at all, but a friend doesn't believe it.
posted by lukemeister to science & nature (11 comments total)

Try here for some of the records.
posted by slightlybewildered at 10:18 PM on August 10

This PDF from the above site has the record high for each year.
posted by slightlybewildered at 10:19 PM on August 10

slightybewildered,

Thanks a lot, but that isn't what I'm looking for. I'm looking for the highest temperature each year.
posted by lukemeister at 10:24 PM on August 10

You can get it if you don't mind plugging in each year individually at wunderground.com. You don't have to go back to the 70s, though: The highest temperature in San Antonio in 2007 was 98°F. In general wunderground is a great site for historical weather data.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:28 PM on August 10 [2 favorites has favorites]

In fact, when I went to plug in individual years from the 70s, 1977 and 1978 were the only years that decade that San Antonio did reach 100°F.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:34 PM on August 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

DevilsAdvocate,

Yes, I just checked it out. It's amazing that there were no 100 degree days for seven straight years. Thanks a bunch!
posted by lukemeister at 10:35 PM on August 10

You can also play with Wolfram Alpha which let's you enter queries like the one I just did there: "highest temperature in san antonio, texas in 2008" or high temperature in san antonio, texas, 2000-2009. Seriously, this thing is amazing.
posted by disillusioned at 11:11 PM on August 10 [3 favorites has favorites]

Since you've already answered my question ... any ideas on how to find the number of days of 100+ degree weather each year?
posted by lukemeister at 11:52 PM on August 10

Never mind ... I see that Weather Underground gives the daily highs and lows, so I can figure it out myself.
posted by lukemeister at 11:55 PM on August 10

Oddly, our local Houston weatherman on KPRC said yesterday that San Antonio had had 55 100+ days this year. Maybe he's referring to a different weather station...? The link in your OP does not bring up any data for me.
posted by Robert Angelo at 3:35 PM on August 11

Robert Angelo,

Hmmm ... I just clicked on the link in the original post and got this, after another 100 degree day today:

46 [100+ degree days] at San Antonio International Airport... and 56 at San Antonio Stinson Field.

The airport is on the north side of town and is probably a bit cooler than most of SA.
posted by lukemeister at 10:11 PM on August 11