1 year ago we set the highest heat index on record

There isn’t much we can complain about with the weather we’ve been experiencing for mid-August. While it feels almost fall-like, let me transport you back to one year ago. The day we experienced the highest heat index on record, making it to a balmy 122°.

On August 21, 2023, the temperature climbed to 97°, not record-breaking or alarmingly hot. It was a dewpoint in the low-80’s that sent us over the edge. The dewpoint, added to temperature in the upper-90’s, made it feel shockingly muggy.

What led to this rare weather event? A week prior, heavy rain moved through the Ozarks. Some places picked up over 8″ of rain in three days. This left the ground saturated. There was also a summer ridge in place, where the heat dome was able to filter in hot air. The ridge became parked in the middle part of the country.

The hot temperatures, along with the wet ground, combined to cause evapotranspiration . Evapotranspiration is the process of water being transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation. Evapotranspiration leads to increases in humidity, only adding to the dew points on August 21, 2023.

It was a week-long event, battling the heat and humidity from August 20-August 21, 2023. The week was also the beginning of the school year for area schools. The extreme heat made it dangerous for outdoor sports and recess times.

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