By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Summer didn’t fizzle out. It sizzled out.
Bill Poole, a retired Salisbury mailman, has always held a keen interest in summer’s heat and winter’s cold, given his former occupation.
He hasn’t been able to break the habit, even in retirement. Poole charted this summer’s temperatures over a 60-day period, from June 26 through Aug. 24, using the Post’s weather data.
Here are his findings:
• Average temperature (for the 60 days): 92.
• Days with temperatures greater than 100: four.
• New records set: two – 104 degrees on June 29 and 30.
• Records tied: three – 100 degrees on July 5; 101 on July 8; and 96 on Aug. 2.
• Consecutive days when temperatures ranged from 80-89 degrees: 12 – from Aug. 7-16.
Consecutive days when the temperature ranged from 90-94 degrees; 17 – July 14-30.
Consecutive days from 95-99 degrees: 12 – June 28-July 9.
To put it another way, it was a hot summer, though not the hottest.
Poole reports that 1952 had five record-setting days for heat; 1954, six; and 1986, seven.