On this day in 1988, D.C. soared to 102 degrees, reaching the triple digits for seventh time that summer. It marked the 11th record high tied or broken that year, although it was later surpassed in 1997.
And on this date in 1997, after a calendar-day record high of 105 degrees, severe thunderstorms blasted the area.
“A blistering heat wave made yesterday the hottest day in Washington in 61 years, before giving way to torrential thunderstorms that pelted the area,” The Washington Post reported.
The storms cut power to 23,000 homes around Herndon, Great Falls and Oakton in Virginia
“Lightning struck near three employees at Dulles International Airport, leaving their ears ringing and sending them to a hospital for checkups,” The Post wrote. Dulles clocked a wind gust of 63 mph and recorded 3.32 inches of rain.
The high of 105 in D.C. tied its second highest temperature ever observed. But temperatures dropped suddenly into the 70s as the storms came through.
Here are other notables from this day:
- Average high: 88
- Average low: 71
- Record high: 105 (1997)
- Record low: 51 (1902)
- Record rainfall: 2.39 inches (1879)
