2011 North American heat wave
Encyclopedia
The 2011 North American heat wave was a deadly summer 2011 heat wave that affected the Southern Plains
South Central United States
The South Central United States or South Central states is a region of the United States located in the south central part of the country. It evolved out of the archaic southwest, which originally was literally the western U.S. South...

, Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....

, Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...

, and much of the Eastern Seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

 had temperatures reaching upwards of 131 °F (55 °C) on the Heat index
Heat index
The heat index is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature. The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating, which evaporates and carries...

/Humidex
Humidex
The humidex is an index number used by Canadian meteorologists to describe how hot the weather feels to the average person, by combining the effect of heat and humidity. The humidex is a unit-less number based on the dew point, but it is equivalent to dry temperature in degrees Celsius...

 ratings. On a national basis, the heat wave was the hottest in 75 years.

On July 21, 2011, hot weather over the past week culminated into record-breaking temperatures across the province of Ontario, also in Michigan, Ohio, upstate New York and Quebec, shattering long held records. Toronto reached 38 °C (100.4 °F) for the first time in nearly 10 years. The humidex reached 51 °C (123.8 °F) at the downtown station by late afternoon. It was deemed so hot that the unusual decision was made to close the dome at the Rogers Centre during the Toronto Blue Jays baseball game, usually done in the event of cold weather or rain.
The intense heat moved eastwards and peaked along the US I-95 corridor on July 22, 2011, with New York City breaking the record for the day at 104 °F (40 °C), which was the hottest temperature the city had experienced in over three decades. Newark, NJ also reached an all-time record high of 108 °F (42.2 °C), as did Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia at 105 °F (40.6 °C). Philadelphia surpassed its daily record when it reached 103 °F (39.4 °C), and Boston tied for the second highest temperature on record at 103 °F (39.4 °C), making it the hottest day in 85 years. The heat was blamed for at least 25 deaths across the Midwest and the Northeast. Daily high temperatures warmer than normal began on the southern plains during May 2011, accompanied by one of the most severe droughts ever recorded. The heat wave continued to intensify, with temperatures in north Texas exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C) most days beginning in mid-June.

As of August 10, Dallas/Fort Worth had recorded 40 consecutive days with high temperatures exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C), the second-longest streak on record (the record of 42 days was set during the 1980 United States heat wave
1980 United States heat wave
The 1980 United States Heat Wave was a period of intense heat and drought that wreaked havoc on much of the midwestern United States throughout the summer of 1980. It is among the most devastating natural disasters in terms of deaths and destruction in U.S...

). In addition, the area set a new all-time hottest minimum temperature of 86 °F (30 °C) on July 26 and tied it twice in August. Also by September 13, the area had endured 70 days with temperatures exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C), beating the record of 69 days set in 1980.

In Oklahoma, by August 3, several locations in the southwestern portion of the state had recorded 43 consecutive days exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C). Air temperatures exclusive of heat index exceeded 110 °F (43.3 °C) for much of the state on August 2 and 3, reaching 115 °F (46.1 °C) in Poteau
Poteau, Oklahoma
Poteau is a city in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,520 at the 2010 census, ranking fifth in the Greater Fort Smith Area. It is the county seat of Le Flore County...

 and Wilburton
Wilburton, Oklahoma
Wilburton is a city in Latimer County, Oklahoma, United States. The city has a population of 2,972 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Latimer County.-Geography:Wilburton is located at ....

 on August 3.

The National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC reported that the United States had the hottest summer on record in 2011. Since 1901, only the Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...

 era summer of 1936 was hotter. Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana all reported their hottest summer on record. Based on an index of residential energy demand, 2011 was the hottest summer on record. However, the states of Oregon and Washington recorded cooler than average summers, while California recorded its wettest.

The continuing heat and drought resulted in several lakes dropping to record lows, particularly in Texas and Oklahoma. This resulted in re-exposing old towns and other historical sites that were submerged by dam construction. The original site of Bluffton, Texas
Bluffton, Texas
Bluffton is an unincorporated community in Llano County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 75 in 2000....

 was re-exposed, revealing a town site that had been submerged under Lake Buchanan since a dam was completed in 1939. The town of Woodville, Oklahoma
Woodville, Oklahoma
New Woodville is a town in Marshall County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 69 at the 2000 census. Proposals to annex the unincorporated areas of New Woodville and McBride on the shores of Lake Texoma were considered in the past...

 was also re-exposed as Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, the 12th largest Corps of Engineers lake, and the largest in USACE Tulsa District....

dropped.
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