PENNSYLVANIA - Pennsylvania is a state of four distinct seasons, known for its cold winters and humid summers. But on one blistering day in the summer of 1936, the heat reached an intensity that has never been matched since, setting the official record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Pennsylvania.
The Record-Setting Heat: The highest temperature ever officially recorded in Pennsylvania was a scorching 111°F (44°C). This record was set in the Chester County town of Phoenixville and was so intense that it was reached on two consecutive days: July 9 and July 10, 1936.
The Context: The Great Heat Wave of 1936
This record-setting temperature was not an isolated event but part of the devastating North American heat wave of 1936. This was one of the most severe and widespread heat waves in the continent's history, causing catastrophic droughts and setting all-time high temperature records in numerous states across the Midwest and the East Coast. The extreme heat in Phoenixville was a local manifestation of this massive and historic weather event.
An Enduring Record:
For nearly 90 years, the 111°F reading in Phoenixville has stood as the benchmark for extreme heat in Pennsylvania. While the state has experienced many heat waves since, none have officially surpassed the incredible intensity of those two days in July 1936. The record serves as a powerful reminder of nature's extremes and a significant moment in the Commonwealth's climatological history.
Sources:
- State Climate Extremes Committee (National Centers for Environmental Information - NCEI)
- Pennsylvania State Climatologist Office
- National Weather Service (NWS)
- Historical news archives and meteorological records from 1936
