The last time Fargo/Moorhead has hit 100 degrees or higher two times during one summer was back in 1989.  Now that we’ve broken the streak of 11 years between 100 degree days (June 17, 1995 to July 15, 2006) we have a shot of two this year as it is looking very warm this weekend.

Currently, the StormTracker Weather Team is forecasting upper 90s on Sunday, so if current indications hold, there is a descent shot of hitting 100 again this summer.  Stay  tuned for the latest forecast.

If your curious over the title of Double "C", C is the roman numeral for 100.

Yesterday, July 24th, Fargo Hector Int’l Airport had 0.22" of rain.  That was the first measurable rain recorded at that site since June 24th, when 0.39" was reported, so it was exactly one month between measurable rain.  I say measurable because there were several days, both at the end of June and throughout July where trace amounts (less than 0.01") was reported.

During that 30 day stretch, other areas did receive rain, Hector is just one location, as a matter of fact, some part of the metro received a couple of rainfalls during that 30 day stretch, but it is a good example of how dry many areas have been this summer.

There is a shot of rain again today, so hopefully we won’t have to wait another 30 days to see our next measurable rain.

When you think of dry summers in the Red River Valley, the years 1936, 1976, 1988 and 1989 usually come to mind.  How is 2006 fairing in comparison to those years?

Below you will find the total rainfall in Fargo/Moorhead for June though July 15th (approxiate half-ways point of summer) for each year:

1936: 0.50″
2006: 1.34″
1989: 1.55″
1988: 1.68″
1976: 2.95″

So this year hasn’t been a record, but it certainly ranks right up there as one of the driest starts of a summer in the past 100 years.  All the years listed ended up dry, only time will tell if the summer of 2006 will finish as dry as it has started.

   As we enter what looks to be an extended period of 90+ temperature, here is a look at 90+ runs over the last 20 years.  Hitting 90+ for more then six days has only happened 5 times since 1986, they are the following:

Aug 14-19 2003
Aug. 3-8   2001
June 14-21 1995
July 26-31 1988
July 2-7 1988

and here are the 100+ days over the last 20 years:

June 17 1995 100
Aug. 3 1989 100
July 5 1989 103
Aug 16 1988 104
July 27 1988 105
July 6 1988 102
July 5 1988 106
July 31 1987 101
july 16 1987 101