July was hot, not hottest

It seemed REALLY hot, but the State Climatologist says the month of Julydoes NOT rank in the top 10 hottest months ever in Iowa.Climatologist Harry Hillacker says his preliminary estimate is that July wasthe 14th hottest month in Iowa weather records.Hillacker had to go back to August of 1983 to find a month that was hotterthan this past July. That defies the trend, which indicates Iowa will get asuper-hot month once every seven years.Hillacker says some spots in Southeast Iowa had a dozen consecutive dayswith 90-degree-plus temperatures, but the record is 30 consecutive days.Hillacker says 1936 is still the king when it comes to which summer is thehottest on record.