HEAT WAVES IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
 1887-2002
CONTENTS:
Scroll through the file, or Click on any of the following topics:
Number of days 90 F or higher, last 5 years, 1936 and Normals
The most number of days 90 F or higher annually.
The most number of days 90 F or higher monthly.
The most number of days 100 F or higher.
The longest stretch of 90 F or higher days.
The longest stretch of 100 F or higher days.
The hottest day ever recorded in Lincoln.
The 13 hottest days ever recorded in Lincoln.
A photo of Lincoln during worst ever heat wave.
Graph showing number of 90 F or higher days since 1887.
Graph showing number of 100 F or higher days since 1887.
Listing of total number of 100 F days since 1887 by year.

Also check out: Lincoln's First 90 F or Higher, 1887-2002

Also check out Heat Wave Safety


The total number of days with the temperature 
90 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE 
(2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1936 - worst year ever and Normals).
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1936
NORMALS*
APRIL
1 day
0 days
0 days
0 days
0 days
0 days
0 days
MAY 
2 days
5 days
 6 days
0 days
4 days
2 days
2 days
JUNE
19 days
9 days
 8 days
4 days
9 days
17 days
8 days
JULY
22 days
20 days
11 days
20 days
12 days
29 days
16 days
AUGUST
13 days
13 days
 19 days 
9 days
12 days
23 days
12 days
SEPTEMBER
 7 days
4 days
 9 days 
4 days
9 days
11 days
 4 days
OCTOBER
1 day
0 days
1 day
0 days
0 days
0 days
0 days
TOTAL
65 days
51 days
54 days
37 days
46 days
82 days
42 days
NORMALS* (standard 1971-2000, 30-year normals)



The years with the most total number of days with
the temperature 90 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE.
YEAR
NUMBER OF
DAYS
RANK
1936
82
1
1934
79
2
1913
71
3
1983
68
4
1937
66
5
1980
65
6
2002
65
6
1939
64
8
1956
64
8
1988
64
8
1931
62
11
1941
62
11
1953
62
11
The years with the least total number of days with
the temperature 90 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE.
7 Days, 1889
9 days, 1915
12 days, 1902
15 days, 1992


The most total number of days with
the temperature 90 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE.
For June, July, August, and September.
YEAR 2002, JUNE = 19 Days; July = 20 Days; August = 13 Days; September = 7 days.
JUNE # 90 Deg. 
Days
JULY # 90 Deg. 
Days
AUGUST # 90 Deg. 
Days
SEPTEMBER # 90 Deg. 
Days
1933
22
 
1935
30
 
1947
27
1897 17
2002
19
 
1936
29
 
1913
26
  1990 16
1952
19
 
1974
29
 
1983
26
1895 15
1988
19
 
1916
28
 
1937
25
1927 15
1911
18
 
1934
28
 
1918
23
1939 14
1953
18
 
1901
27
 
1936
23
1931 13
1934
17
 
1940
25
 
1959
22
1947 13
1936
17
 
1980
25
 
1909
21
1933 12
1956
17
 
1919
24
 
1922
21
1908 11
1940
15
 
1954
24
 
1955
21
1922 11
1954
15
 
1955
24
 
1988
21
1936 11
1981
15
            1952 11
                1983 11
 & the least number of days 90 degrees or higher
JUNE:   0 days in 1915, 1928, 1951:
JULY:   2 days in 1891 & 1950; 
AUGUST:   0 days in 1915.


The years with the most total number of days 
with the temperature 100 degrees F 
or higher for Lincoln, NE.
YEAR
NUMBER OF
DAYS
RANK
1936
41
1
1934
39
2
1913
29
3
1901
25
4
1947
22
5
1974
20
6
1935
19
7
1940
19
8
1980
18
9
1988
18
10
YEAR 2002: 7 DAYS
(July 19, 20, 21 and 31; August  3, 4 and 5)

YEAR 2001: 4 DAYS
(July 6, 7; Aug. 5, 21)

YEAR 2000: 5 DAYS
(Aug. 12, 16, 28, 30, Sept. 2)

1999: 3 DAYS 
Normal annual total is 5 days



The Longest CONTINUOUS stretch with days
90 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE.
 DATES
NUMBER OF 
DAYS
RANK
7/ 8/1934--8/14/1934
38
1
6/24/1936--7/28/1936
35
2
7/ 5/1974-- 7/28/1974
24
3
7/ 6/1901-- 7/28/1901
23
4
8/23/1990-- 9/13/1990 
22
5
7/13/1935--  8/1/1935 
20
6
6/29/1955-- 7/14/1955
16
7
7/26/1983-- 8/10/1983
16
7
 7/18/1987-- 8/2/1987
16
7
6/18/2002-- 7/2/2002
15
10
7/28/1941-- 8/11/1941 
15
10
7/12/1982-- 7/26/1982 
15
10
2002: 15 DAYS (June 18-July 2)
The streak ended on July 2nd with a high of only 89 F on July 3rd. 
July 4-9 saw 90 degree weather again.  If July 3rd had only been 1 degree warmer, 
the streak would have extended 22 days long or the 5th longest on record. 

2001: 11 DAYS (July 29 - Aug. 8)

2000: 12 DAYS (Aug. 5-16)

1999: 8 DAYS (July 18-25)

 1998:   9 DAYS,  twice (July 13-21) AND  (August 16-24)



The Longest continuous stretch with days
100 degrees F or higher for Lincoln, NE.
DATES
NUMBER OF 
100 Degree DAYS 
RANK
 7/11/1934 -- 7/25/1934
15 
1
7/ 9/1936  -- 7/19/1936
11 
2
7/ 8/1901  -- 7/17/1901
10 
3
6/18/1988 -- 6/25/1988
4
6/29/1911 -- 7/05/1911
5
 7/26/1935 -- 8/01/1935
5
7/ 6/1980  -- 7/11/1980
7
7/13/1913 -- 7/17/1913
8
7/27/1917 -- 7/31/1917
8
6/15/1918 -- 6/19/1918
8
 7/16/1930 -- 7/20/1930
5
8
7/21/1941 -- 7/25/1941
5
8
8/16/1947 -- 8/20/1947
5
8
8/24/1955 -- 8/28/1955
5
8
7/ 9/1966  -- 7/13/1966
5
8
7/17/1974 -- 7/21/1974
5
8
7/18/1983 -- 7/22/1983
5
8
7/29/1987 -- 8/2/1987
5
8
7/10/1995 -- 7/14/1995
5
8
2002:  3 DAYS (twice) July 19, 20, 21 & Aug. 3, 4, 5
2001:  2 DAYS July 6,7.
2000:  Only one day in a row, 5 times.
1999:  3 DAYS July 28,29,30.

The hottest day ever recorded in Lincoln, NE:
July 25, 1936

High: 115 F Low: 91 F
Average temperature for the day = 103F !




The 13 hottest days ever recorded
in Lincoln, NE (All 110 degrees F or higher).
DATE
HIGH TEMPERATURE
July 25, 1936
115 F
July 25, 1940
113 F
July 15, 1934
112 F
July 17, 1936 
112 F
July 12, 1939
111 F
July 19, 1934
111 F
July 24, 1940 
111 F
July 24, 1936
111 F
July  4,  1936
110 F
July  5,  1911
110 F
July 20, 1934
110 F
August  8, 1934
110 F
August 18, 1936
110 F

JULY 25, 1936, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

 With an overnight low of only 91 F after a daytime 
high of 115 F, residents of Lincoln spent the
 night on the capitol lawn to escape the heat
inside their non-airconditioned dwellings.
(Photo courtesy:  Nebraska Historical Society)




Most = 82 days, 1936; Least = 7, 1889;
1971-2000 (30 year) average = 41 days.

Most = 41 days, 1936; Least = 0, 22 separate years;
1971-2000 (30 year) average = 5 days.


LINCOLN, NE
TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS
100 F OR HIGHER, EACH YEAR
1887-2002.
YEAR
 DAYS
 
YEAR
 DAYS
 
YEAR
 DAYS
 
YEAR
 DAYS
1887
2
1917
7
1947
22
1977
7
1888 2 1918 17 1948 5 1978 2
1889 0 1919 8 1949 0 1979 1
1890 5 1920 0 1950 1 1980 18
1891 0 1921 6 1951 2 1981 4
1892 2 1922 7 1952 8 1982 1
1893 0 1923 0 1953 13 1983 17
1894 2 1924 3 1954 16 1984 7
1895 5 1925 3 1955 17 1985 1
1896 0 1926 8 1956 8 1986 0
1897 4 1927 1 1957 9 1987 9
1898 1 1928 1 1958 0 1988 18
1899 2 1929 2 1959 2 1989 3
1900 1 1930 17 1960 2 1990 7
1901 25 1931 15 1961 2 1991 6
1902 0 1932 3 1962 0 1992 0
1903 0 1933 9 1963 2 1993 0
1904 0 1934 39 1964 6 1994 0
1905 0 1935 19 1965 1 1995 10
1906 0 1936 41 1966 8 1996 0
1907 1 1937 16 1967 2 1997 2
1908 0 1938 12 1968 1  
1998
 1
1909 2 1939 10 1969 2
1999
3
1910 2 1940 19 1970 6 2000
5
1911 15 1941 13 1971 4 2001
4
1912 6 1942 6 1972 0 2002
7
1913 29 1943 10 1973 2
1914 7 1944 3 1974 20
1915 0 1945 2 1975 3
1916 5 1946 3 1976 3

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