Recall, extreme warmth was noted during March 2012, with the warmest March on record. Temperatures returned to normal in April, with several locations averaging a few tenths of a degree cooler than March.  Then, the heat returned during the summer of 2012.

The first round of 90 degree heat arrived on June 9 and 10.  Overall, there were eight days in the 90s during June at Green Bay. 

The longest and most dangerous stretch of heat began on June 27 and continued through July 6.  The heat peaked on July 5 and 6, with high temperatures of:

104 F at Wisconsin Rapids

102 F at Hancock

101 F at Waupaca

100 F at Shawano, Oshkosh and Appleton

99 F at Green Bay.

Even the lakeshore region was not spared from the heat with highs of:

94 F at Manitowoc

93 F at Kewaunee

Another stretch of extreme heat occurred from July 12-17. The heat peaked on June 16-17.  High temperatures on July 16 include:

100 F at Appleton, Shawano, and Wisconsin Rapids

99 F at Green Bay

98 F at Oshkosh and Wausau

Typical average high temperatures for the month of July are in the upper 70s to lower 80s. But, average high temperatures for July 2012 were an astounding.  Some of the most impressive average high temps included:

92.3 F at the Wisconsin Rapids Cooperative Observer Site

90.3 F at Hancock

90.0 F at Waupaca

89.1 F at Oshkosh

88.9 F at Appleton

88.0 F at Wausau

87.5 F at Green Bay.

Temperatures averaged 1 to 2 F above normal during August, but there were no significant heat waves during the month.

Overall, the summer of 2012 averaged 2 to 6 F degrees above normal.

Green Bay recorded an average temperature of 71.7 F, making it the 3^rd warmest summer on record (1995 was the warmest at 72.6 F).

At Wausau, the average temperature was 71.2 F, tying for the 2^nd warmest summer on record (71.3 in 1933 and 71.2 in 1995).

The heat was not as pronounced across the far north where Rhinelander recorded only the 34^th warmest summer on record.

During 2012, there were an unusually high number of days where the temperature reached 90 F or greater (see table below). For many locations, 2012 record the most days with high temperatures in the 90s since 1988.

The average number of days in the 90s is between 5 and 10 across north-central and northeast Wisconsin, although the average is lower near Lake Michigan.