From record heat to Hilary’s fury: where summer 2023 ranks in Coachella Valley history
A summer of extremes in the Coachella Valley — from nearly three straight weeks of temperatures over 110 degrees to record-breaking precipitation and flooding — finally seems to be nearing an end this week.
The last two summers have tied for the hottest summers on record in the Coachella Valley, with an average overall temperature of 93.9 degrees from June through September in both 2021 and 2022.
So far in 2023, the average June through September temperature is 91.5 degrees, making it the 10th hottest summer on record in the valley. And below-average temperatures are expected over the next week, said Adam Roser, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.
Hottest June-September periods in Coachella Valley history:
2021 & 2022, average temperature of 93.9 degrees
2018, average temperature of 93.5 degrees
2020, average temperature of 93.4 degrees
2017, average temperature of 92.5 degrees
While this summer didn't rank as the hottest overall, it has claimed other records, including the hottest July ever, and near-record summer precipitation.
The average temperature in July was 98.5 degrees in Palm Springs, making it the hottest month since records began in 1922 and beating out the previous record of 97.6 degrees in July 2021. The high average temperature was driven by a heat wave that descended on much of the Southwest in July.
In Palm Springs, temperatures were over 110 degrees for 23 of July's 31 days, including a 20-day period where 19 days experienced a high of over 112 degrees.
Like the hottest summers, the valley's hottest months on record have also mostly occurred in recent years, reflecting a national trend that many climate scientists have attributed to the impacts of climate change. Five of the nine warmest months have occurred since 2020, and eight of the nine warmest have occurred in the past 10 years. Climate change is expected to push average high temperatures in the Coachella Valley up by 8 to 14 degrees by the end of this century.
Warmest average monthly temperatures in Palm Springs:
July 2023: 98.5
July 2021: 97.6
July 2018: 97.4
August 2020: 97.3
July 2006: 97.2
And after July's high temperatures, Tropical Storm Hilary brought near-record precipitation to the weather-weary Coachella Valley. Overall Palm Springs received 3.25 inches of rain between June and August this year, making this summer the third-wettest on record. The rainiest summers were in 1979, when Palm Springs saw 4.38 inches of rain, and 1983, which saw 4.32 inches of rain.
Typically, Palm Springs receives an average of just 4.61 inches of rain over the course of an entire year.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Hilary, record heat: Where summer 2023 ranks in Palm Springs history
