If you can remember this, you're older than me. A screenshot of the Aug. 1, 1980 front page of the Tulsa World.
This is not the hottest July in Tulsa (yet). This is just a tribute.
I had a reader inquire about the July 1980 weather records, noting our Aug. 1, 1980, front page headline proclaiming it the "HOTTEST July IN HISTORY."
July 1980 averaged the highest temperatures for that month in Tulsa history (records date back to 1905), at 91.7 degrees. Through July 13 of this year, Tulsa has averaged 89.3, gradually getting higher as we trek further into summer.
However, July 1980 did not have the most days reaching into the 100s. That honor (dishonor?) still belongs to 1934, at 27.
And like all records, they're made to be broken. Tulsa has already broken two calendar date records (104 on July 7, 107 on July 10) this month.
So, how did it end? According to the Aug. 18, 1980, edition of the Tulsa World: rain. The first sentence of the front page article "It's Wet... It's Real... It's Rain!" reveals a little bit more about what made July 1980 a record setting hot month:
"Tulsans reveled in the rain Sunday after almost eight weeks without any measurable precipitation." Fortunately, we didn't have to wait eight weeks. As Jerry mentioned earlier,
Tulsa, along with much of Oklahoma, received rain this week. However, without more rain, it is still possible that 1980's "HOTTEST July IN HISTORY" title may be passed on to 2011.
Even so, 1980 will still lay claim to many weather records, especially on
this page.
--Althea Peterson
PS: I bet you'd love to see those front pages from Aug. 1, 1980 and Aug. 18, 1980 now that I mentioned them. OK!
Here they are. Enjoy!
