1980 heat wave
The 1980 heat wave was a prolonged summer heat wave that ranks as the worst on record in Scott County, beginning in July and continuing through the month of August, with temperatures exceeding 100°.
June 1980
Temperatures were relatively cool in Scott County for most of the month of June. In fact, the nighttime temperature dropped to 39° in Oneida on June 10, one of the rare occasions when a sub-40° temperature reading has been recorded in Scott County during the month of June.
By the end of the month, however, there were signs of the impending heat wave. The temperature hit 92° on June 29 and 90° on June 30.
July 1980
The heat wave intensified in July, with temperatures hitting 102° on July 17 and 100° on July 18. It was the first time in Scott County’s history, though records only date back to the 1950s, that a 100° temperature reading was recorded.
The heat continued with readings of 98° on July 19, 97° on July 20, 95° on July 21 and 97° on July 22. By that point, Scott County had experienced 11 consecutive days with temperatures at least in the 90s, which was a record at the time.
In all, the temperature was at least 90° on 18 of 31 days during the month of July. The average high temperature for the month was 90.6°, almost five degrees warmer than normal.
August 1980
The heat wave continued to intensify in August, with readings of 96°, 97° and 94° during the first three days of the month. The high temperature for the month was 101°, recorded on August 10, after a reading of 100° on August 9.
Overall, the temperature was 90° or greater on 24 out of 31 days during the month of August. The average high temperature for the month was 93.5°, nine degrees warmer than normal. That included a stretch of 11 consecutive days with temperatures of 90° or greater to end the month.
September 1980
When the temperature hit 96° on September 1, 1980, it marked 12 consecutive days of temperatures at least 90°, which broke the record that had been set just a month earlier. A 92° temperature on September 2 made it 13 consecutive days, a record that stood until August 2007, when Scott County experienced 16 consecutive days with temperatures of 90° or greater.
Overall, temperatures hit 90° on eight of the first 16 days of the month before a major cooldown finally occurred. Temperatures were only in the 60s during the final four days of the month, as the heat wave finally ended.
The national picture
The 1980 heat wave made major heat waves in the Midwest and the Southern Plains, where severe drought accompanied the prolonged heat wave. Many cities in the Midwest experienced record heat. In Kansas City, Mo., the high temperature was 100° for 17 straight days. In Memphis, the high temperature was 100° or greater for 15 consecutive days. In Indianapolis, Ind., the temperature hit 100° for the first time since 1954.