Record heat: Nashville breaks temperature record set 127 years ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As summer nears its end, dangerous heat has continued to plague Tennessee, with the state’s capital breaking an over 100-year-old record at one point this week.

Following a string of 100-degree days, Nashville set a record high on Thursday, Aug. 29 as temperatures reached 102 degrees. The last time the city was that hot on that day was in 1897 when the high was 100 degrees.

The streak of hot temperatures is also something that hasn’t been seen in the area for over a decade. The last time Nashville saw three or more days of 100-degree or higher temperatures was in July 2012.

Coupled with dry conditions, the weather has sent much of Tennessee into a period of “extreme drought.” The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said 2.1 million Tennessee residents are in areas of drought, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The drought monitor report summed up the situation in Tennessee by stating, “In Tennessee, drought impacts include pastures providing little to no feed, drying or dried up ponds, creek levels very low, complete or near crop failure.”

The conditions have also prompted several communities to issue burn bans , with more than a dozen Middle Tennessee cities halting open-air burning until the weather improves.

Hot and dry conditions were expected to continue on Friday, Aug. 20. However, some reprieve may be in sight. Rain and storms are expected to move into Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky on Saturday, Aug. 31, followed by a possible cold front.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.