July sets record as hottest month

The Daily Inter Lake

Have you had enough heat yet, Flathead valley residents?

The valley just sweated through the hottest July on record, according to the National Weather Service.

And it was not just the hottest July since record-keeping began more than a century ago - it was the hottest month, period.

The average daily high temperature during July was 92 degrees as measured at Glacier Park International Airport (where official weather measurements are taken).

That's half a degree higher than the previous record in 1960 and a whopping 11.8 degrees above normal.

There were 21 days where the thermometer topped 90 degrees; of those, on 11 days it reached 95 or above.

Both those marks also tied or set records.

There were 21 days above 90 in 1960, while the old 95-plus record was 10, also in 1960.

The hottest day of the month was July 6 with a record 102 degrees.

The coolest day was July 2 when the high was 83 degrees.

The Flathead Valley received .6 inches of rain in July, but that was .81 below normal.

So far this year, the Flathead Valley has received 7.4 inches of precipitation, 3.3 inches below normal.