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Heat Waves: Heat Waves in the Barren River Area
Heat waves develop in the Barren River Area when warm, humid weather
persists during the summer months. Based on the historical climatic
record dating back to 1894 for Bowling Green, the Barren River Area
experiences an average of 57 days per year with daily high
temperatures at 90°F or above and an average of four days with daily
high temperatures at 100°F or above. As shown in Figure 7-1, nearly one
in every ten years has recorded at least 85 days with a daily high of
90°F or above. Likewise, about ten percent of years have recorded ten
or more days with daily highs reaching 100°F. While temperatures
exceeding 90°F are relatively uncommon before April and after October,
they are regular occurrences during the summer months. June averages
12 days with high temperatures of 90°F or above, July averages 17 such
days, and August has an average of 15 days at 90°F or above.
Figure 7-1. Frequency of hot weather, Bowling Green.
The Barren River Area has experienced heat waves on many occasions.
Strings of 14 consecutive days in excess of 90°F have occurred 53
times since 1894 in 41 different years. Extended heat waves - strings
of three weeks with above 90°F temperatures each day - have occurred
17 times since 1894 (Table 7-1). The most extensive heat wave occurred
in 1921 when 57 consecutive days reached or exceed 90°F. Meanwhile,
the heat wave of 1930 was the most intense with an average daily high
temperature of 101°F. The effects of heat waves have often been
compounded by drought conditions.
Table 7-1. Extended heat waves, Bowling Green.
Beginning
Date |
Ending Date |
Number
of Days |
Maximum
Temperature
(degrees F) |
Mean Daily High
Temperature
(degrees F) |
Precipitation
(inches) |
06/11/1921 |
08/06/1921 |
57 |
102 |
96.1 |
5.69 |
06/14/1931 |
07/20/1931 |
37 |
105 |
97.6 |
2.69 |
07/17/1919 |
08/20/1919 |
35 |
104 |
96.8 |
1.41 |
07/25/1913 |
08/20/1913 |
27 |
101 |
96.7 |
2.69 |
07/09/1995 |
08/04/1995 |
27 |
100 |
94.1 |
1.88 |
06/09/1894 |
07/04/1894 |
26 |
104 |
97.7 |
0.10 |
07/09/1901 |
08/03/1901 |
26 |
108 |
99.8 |
0.17 |
07/14/1916 |
08/08/1916 |
26 |
99 |
95.2 |
3.29 |
07/16/1930 |
08/10/1930 |
26 |
113 |
101.1 |
0.20 |
08/02/1918 |
08/25/1918 |
24 |
106 |
99.2 |
1.05 |
07/07/1932 |
07/30/1932 |
24 |
100 |
96.7 |
1.04 |
06/15/1901 |
07/07/1901 |
23 |
104 |
97.0 |
0.76 |
07/16/1999 |
08/07/1999 |
23 |
103 |
96.1 |
0.37 |
07/26/1896 |
08/16/1896 |
22 |
99 |
95.5 |
0.62 |
06/17/1933 |
07/08/1933 |
22 |
102 |
97.0 |
0.36 |
07/22/1941 |
08/12/1941 |
22 |
98 |
93.5 |
1.93 |
07/18/1955 |
08/07/1955 |
21 |
98 |
93.9 |
2.45 |
Residents of the Barren River Area experienced two extended heat waves
during the 1990s. The more recent one affected the area in 1999.
Bowling Green experienced a stretch of 23 consecutive days from July
16 to August 7 with temperatures above 90°F. Fifteen of these days
were at or above 95°F, with the highest temperature of 103°F occurring
on the 29th and 30th of July.
With attention focused on the issue of global warming and its possible
implications for Kentucky, it is worth noting that the decade of the
1990s was not extraordinary. The decades of the 1910s and the 1930s
each experienced extended heat waves in four different years, and 14
of the 17 extended heat waves since 1894 occurred before 1942.
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