New Orleans just had its hottest week in recorded history

Dear Friends,

If you have lived in New Orleans long enough, you either experienced the brutal summer of 1980 or you have heard old timers talk about it. I remember in the summer of 1997 when the venerable Bob Breck made it a habit of dismissing Margaret Dubison’s incessant cavils about the heat, which eventually became repining from her. “If you think this summer is bad, just remember 1980,” Breck, like an old fisherman pining for the days of Chilean grander swords, would say.

1980 has always been the measuring stick for New Orleanians when it comes to hot summers. The now deceased born in the first decades of the 20th century said it was the hottest summer of their lives. And younger folk like Breck and Uncle have flamboyant memories about that summer, a summer most in town say was the hottest ever in New Orleans. And when you scan the old almanac, there is something to be said about their memories of that fervid, suffocating heat blown in by a westerly Sirocco, which became a Zephyr by October of 1980, when temperatures were significantly below normal and Front Day came unusually early.

In our house, we have always counted New Orleans summer in the calendar as June 1 through September 30, though, of course, summer does not officially end until Front Day. In the summer of 1980, there were a remarkable 54 days out of 122 days that reached at least 95 degrees. In comparison, this summer, as of August 14, has already seen 45. Other remarkably hot summers in New Orleans, 2011 and 2016 had 51 and 41, respectively.

During those same four months in 1980, New Orleans had five days above 100, including the all-time record at MSY (records there began in 1947) of 102. Thus far in 2023, there have been seven days of 100 or hotter at MSY. Forecasts suggest we could get another five days of 100 or higher this year. In comparison, 2011 had two days at 100 and 2016 had just one day of 100.

Just as significant in my opinion as the high is the low. As the Gulf of Mexico encroaches on the NOLA Metro levees, our nights are becoming much warmer. In 1980, there were just 11 nights that failed to drop below 80. This year, there have been 29 nights that have not dropped below 80. 2011 had 13 such nights and the heater of 2016 had a record breaking (and let us hope not to be broken in our lifetimes) 43 nights that failed to drop into the 70s.

Uncle was saying at dinner tonight that he still thinks the summer of 1980, as hot as this year has been, was hotter. But time rusts and memories bend. I went to the almanac this evening and did some basic calculations to compare the two summers. It appears that Uncle’s memory is quite mistaken and this summer is considerably warmer than 1980. We shall see what September holds, because September was very hot in 1980.

As you can see here, 2023, when compared to 1980, has thus far had higher temperatures in seven of the ten weeks. This coming week will undoubtedly be another for 2023’s scorecard.



1980
June 1-7: average high 92.1; average low 71.9; average temp 82.0
June 8-15: average high 92.5; average low 70.4; average temp 81.4
June 16-23: average high 93.3; average low 72.8; average temp 83.0
June 24-30 average high 95.3; average low 78.6; average temp 86.9

2023
June 1-7: average high 89.9; average low 72.0; average temp 81.0
June 8-15: average high 93.8; average low 75.9; average temp 84.8
June 16-23: average high 94.1; average low 76.5; average temp 85.3
June 24-30 average high 95.7; average low 79.3; average temp 87.5

1980
July 1-7 average high 96.7; average low 76.4; average temp 86.6
July 8-15 average high 97.5; average low 77.8; average temp 87.6
July 16-23 average high 93.6; average low 76.8; average temp 85.2
July 24-31 average high 92; average low 75.9; average temp 83.9

2023
July 1-7 average high 94; average low 78.7; average temp 86.4
July 8-15 average high 95.6; average low 79.3; average temp 87.4
July 16-23 average high 96.3; average low 77; average temp 86.7
July 24-31 average high 96.0; average low 76.6; average temp 86.3

1980
August 1-7 average high 94.6; average low 76.6; average temp 85.6
August 8-15 average high 94.4; average low 77.8; average temp 86.1
August 16-23 average high 96.8; average low 76.5; average temp 86.7
August 24-31 average high 94.1; average low 73.3; average temp 83.7

2023
August 1-7 average high 98.7; average low 80.3 ; average temp 89.5
August 8-14 average high 99; average low 81.6; average temp 90.3

1980
September 1-7 average high 90.1; average low 76.4; average temp 83.3
September 8-15 average high 96.6; average low 74.3; average temp 85.4
September 16-23 average high 90.5; average low 74.1; average temp 82.3
September 24-30 average high 90.6; average low 74.7 ; average temp 82.7

If you concentrate and compare the numbers of 1980 and 2023 you see the two summers are not even close. 2023 is exceptionally warmer. While doing compiling this crude information, I came to the realization that we just lived through the hottest week in recorded New Orleans history, August 6-12, 2023. Below are average temperatures for this past week.

August 6: 90
August 7: 91
August 8: 89
August 9: 90
August 10: 91
August 11: 91
August 12: 91.5

Moreover, with an average temperature of 91.5 degrees F, or 306 Kelvin, August 12 of 2023 is officially the hottest day on record in New Orleans history. Before this year, the hottest daily average was August 22, 1980, the only day MSY has ever, in recorded history, hit 102. The low that day was 78, bringing the average daily temperature 43 years ago to 90. Look above, friends: six of this past week’s averages met or exceeded the previous all-time daily average high temperature. This past week, no matter what anyone tells you in New Orleans or southeastern Louisiana, has truly been exceptional. The averaged daily temperature for the entire week was 90.5 F, besting the previous single day all-time record. And let us not forget July 31 and August 1 of 2023, which also averaged 91 degrees.

Friends, let us read the wise words of Elihu, counselor to the afflicted Job, whose three friends lashed at him with religiosity. It was Elihu who said to Job and to us:

quote:

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Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:
He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

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Breathe on our lands, O God, a northerly wind. Bring Front Day to us soon.

Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU