CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As relentless heat continues to plague the Carolinas this summer, there are still 57 days left until the beginning of fall.
After reaching the peak average high temperature of the year in mid-July, you may wonder if the worst of the heat is behind us, especially after long stretches of triple-digit heat.
June, July, and August are the hottest months of the year for both North Carolina and South Carolina during "meteorological summer," which is defined as the entire calendar months of June, July, and August annually regardless of what days "summer" actually starts.
The peak average high temperature for Charlotte over that three-month span is 91 degrees. Based on climate data, this is the hottest period of the year.
So far in 2022, there have been more than 40 days with temperatures at or above 90 degrees in Charlotte. Those numbers make this summer one of the warmest summers on record.
You may ask if it’s all downhill from here? The short answer is no.
The combination of heat and humidity is far from over. This combination can be dangerous for athletes training for fall sports during the month of August.
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A Climate Central report shows dew points, a measurement of how much moisture the air can hold, over 60 degrees can reduce your body's ability to cool down by sweating. Exercise produces 15-20 times more heat than rest.
As the average high temperature slowly trends cooler in the Carolinas, other areas of the country, including southeast Texas, Louisiana, and south Florida, don't typically hit their hottest period until early August.
Contact KJ Jacobs at kjacobs3@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.