Excessive Heat — Scott, Iowa

2012-07-04 to 2012-07-07 · Scott, Iowa

Event narrative

According to the Quad-Cities Online Dispatch-Argus, Genesis hospitals in the Quad Cities area treated 14 people for heat related illnesses on the 4th of July. However, most people took necessary precautions to avoid the heat. On Friday July 6, the eastbound lane of Interstate 74 near the 53rd Street exit in Davenport buckled due to the heat, causing a rather large pothole.

Wider weather episode

A very hot and humid airmass surged into the Midwest during the long 4th of July holiday. The dangerous heat began about noon on July 4 with relief from the heat and humidity finally arriving during the evening of July 7. During this period, afternoon and early evening temperatures soared into the upper 90s to lower 100s with nighttime temperatures remaining well into the 70s. Combining the heat and humidity created heat index values of 105 to 115 during the afternoon and evening. The hottest day was Saturday July 7 when many locations reported afternoon maximum temperatures of 100 to 105. In fact, a record high temperature of 100 degrees was tied at Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday July 7. The previous record was 100 set in 1936. Genesis hospitals in the Quad Cities area treated 14 people for heat related illnesses on the 4th of July. However, most people took precautions against the heat as excessive heat warnings had been issued to alert people of the stretch of dangerous heat and humidity.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 399699. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.