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Records fall in blistering heatwave; relief in sight
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Some relief from the 100-degree temperatures in the Black Hills over the past few days is in sight beginning Thursday, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.
Meteorologist Susan Sanders said that over the past week, record highs have been recorded at the Rapid City Regional Airport, and western South Dakota has surpassed Las Vegas and Phoenix in daily high temperatures.
Death Valley National Park in California was still the hottest place in the nation during the past week, with highs between 115 and 120 degrees.
"They beat us by a little bit," Sanders said.
Sanders said Rapid City and the surrounding area will cool down a little beginning Thursday as a front moves in late tonight, bringing highs in the eighties for Thursday and Friday and a high of about 90 degrees for the weekend.
Sanders said despite this week's intense heat in the Rapid City area, only two weeks ago, a record daily low was recorded. On July 11, the temperature dipped to 46 degrees, the lowest on record for that date since as far back as 1942.
Sanders said as of Tuesday afternoon,there had been 10 days this year on which the temperature at Rapid City Regional Airport had surpassed 100 degrees. The average number of days in a year that reach more than 100 degrees is four.
Last year, there were 15 such days, and the record is 16 in 1988.
"So far this year, we've had a lot," Sanders said.
She said the heat isn't unusual.
"Most of ours comes this time of year," she said. "The timing is typical."
Areas in western South Dakota and North Dakota have nearly topped the nation's charts for high temperatures in the last week.
"The Northern Plains has been the hottest part of the country, which happens occasionally this time of year when we get high pressure systems in this area," Sanders said.
She said the reason western South Dakota was hotter over the past few days than two of the nations hottest areas -- Phoenix and Las Vegas -- is that the southwest is beginning its monsoon season.
Sanders said the monsoon, a change in wind circulation, produces somewhat cooler temperatures and more moisture in the Southwest.
She said the fire danger might be lowered from extreme to very high or high as the temperatures get cooler.
But Sanders said fuel conditions will remain dry.
"So we'll see a slight improvement, but not enough to be able to stop worrying about wildfires," she said.
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. reported Tuesday that it had reached a demand peak exceeding 500 megawatts at 5 p.m. Monday. The former demand peak was 485.5 megawatts, established July 12, 2006.
The company's integrated electric system serves about 105,000 customers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana.
"We are a summer-peaking company, which means our customers' highest demand for electricity occurs in the summer months - typically, July or August," said Andrea Stomberg, Montana-Dakota Utilities vice president for electric supply. "The peak results primarily from the high heat and humidity we've experienced during the past few days, which increases our customers' air-conditioning needs."
Stomberg said the company has not experienced any unusual operating difficulties caused by the high usage.
Rapid City Regional Hospital officials said there have only been a couple of hospital visits for heat-related reasons.
Toni Oliver, manager of Rushmore Waterslide, said the park has been busy during the past few hot days, but that is the norm this time of year.
"It's been steady," Oliver said.
She said on 100-degree-plus days she encourages sliders to limit their exposure to only a few hours instead of all day.
"Lots of sunscreen and lots of water," Oliver said. "And moderation is key."
Records fall
Several daily high-temperature records have been broken in the past week in the Rapid City area.
Saturday, July 21 -- 106 degrees; previous record was 104 degrees in 1964.
Sunday, July 22 -- 106 degrees; previous record was 103 degrees set in 1987.
Monday, July 23 -- 106 degrees; previous record was 105 degrees in 2005.
Tuesday, July 24 -- No record; 104 degrees, 109 is the record.
Contact Katie Brown at 394-8318 or katie.brown@rapidcityjournal.com
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