Cornell news release

Northeastern cities set 38 new daily high-temperature records and tied 15 old ones in recent heat wave

FOR RELEASE: Aug. 15, 2001

Contact: Blaine P. Friedlander, Jr.
Office: 607-255-3290
E-Mail: bpf2@cornell.edu

ITHACA, N.Y. -- How hot was it?

It was so hot that on Aug. 8 and 9 the record high temperatures for the date on Mount Washington, N.H., were smashed. Throughout the Northeast last week, 38 new high- temperature records were set and 15 old records were tied, according to the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.

On Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, the Aug. 8 temperature at the summit reached 64 degrees, breaking the 63-degree record set on the date both in 1966 and 1998. The following day, the temperature soared to 67, two degrees above the previous record set in 1998. On Aug. 6, the temperature at the summit had tied the record of 66 degrees set in 1947.

Even Caribou, Maine, one of the coolest places in the region, saw three records tumble in last week's oppressive heat.

Newark, N.J., Bridgeport, Conn., and Binghamton, N.Y., all endured record high temperatures four days in a row, Aug. 6-9.

Atlantic City, N.J. also had four consecutive days of new records, Aug. 7-10.

Concord, N.H., saw three consecutive days of record temperatures on Aug. 7-9.

Atlantic City (103 degrees on Aug. 9), Syracuse (100 on Aug. 9) and Binghamton (95 on Aug. 9) set record high temperatures for the month of August. Newark and Hartford (Windsor Locks, Conn.) tied their highest August records.

City                          New Record   Old Record/Year Set

High Temperature Records/ Aug. 6

Newark, N.J.                  97           96 in 1989
Hartford, Conn.               95 (tie)     95 in 1931
Syracuse, N.Y.                95           94 in 1965
Bridgeport, Conn.             90 (tie)     90 in 1989
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Binghamton, N.Y.              88 (tie)     88 in 1962
Mt. Washington, N.H.          66 (tie)     66 in 1947
Caribou, Maine                91           90 in 1988


High Temperature Records/ Aug. 7 

Newark, N.J.                  100          95 in 1955
Atlantic City, N.J.           97           96 in 1983
Bridgeport, Conn.             94           90 in 1984
Providence, R.I.              95           91 in 1973
Burlington, Vt.               95           93 in 1947
Concord, N.H.                 96 (tie)     96in 1965
Binghamton, N.Y.              90 (tie)     90 in 1966
Portland, Maine               93           91 in 1965
Caribou, Maine                89 (tie)     89 in 1947

High Temperature Records/ Aug. 8

Newark, N.J.                  101          97 in 1983
Central Park, N.Y.            99           96 in 1980
Atlantic City, N.J.           100          96 in 1983
Hartford, Conn.               98           96 in 1983
Philadelphia                  100          96 in 1983
Syracuse, N.Y.                96           94 in 1930
Bridgeport, Conn.             93           92 in 1983
Scranton Wilkes-Barre, Pa.    94           92 in 1980
Concord, N.H.                 95           93 in 1983
Allentown, Pa.                95 (tie)     95 in 1980
Binghamton, N.Y.              91           90 in 1983
Mt. Washington, N.H.          64           63 in 1998
Rochester, N.Y.               96 (tie)     96 in 1930


High Temperature Records/ Aug. 9 

Newark, N.J.                  105         100 in 1949
Central Park, N.Y.            103         100 in 1949
Atlantic City, N.J.           103          98 in 1983
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Hartford, Conn.               102          98 in 1949
Philadelphia                  101          95 in 1949
Syracuse, N.Y.                100          96 in 1949
Bridgeport, Conn.             100          96 in 1949
Providence, R.I.              100          96 in 1949
Burlington, Vt.               99           93 in 1949
Scranton Wilkes-Barre, Pa.    98           96 in 1949
Concord, N.H.                 98           97 in 1872
Allentown, Pa.                98           97 in 1949
Albany, N.Y.                  96           94 in 1949
Binghamton, N.Y.              95           89 in 1973
Portland, Maine               95           94 in 1949
Mt. Washington, N.H.          67           65 in 1998
Williamsport, Pa.             98 (tie)     98 in 1930
Dulles Airport, Va.           97 (tie)     97 in 1980
Ithaca, N.Y.                  97 (tie)     97 in 1949
Rochester, N.Y.               96 (tie)     96 in 1930
Caribou, Maine                90 (tie)     90 in 1998


High Temperature Records/ Aug. 10

Atlantic City, N.J.           97           93 in 1981
Philadelphia                  98 (tie)     98 in 1949
Dulles Airport, Va.           96           95 in 1979

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