Friday, January 1, 1904
Coolest Julys in ChattanoogaThe average high temperature in July in Chattanooga is 90.2 degrees. Here are the coolest Julys the area has experienced, based on average high temperatures:1906: 84.0 degrees1912: 84.5 degrees1910: 85.0 degrees1971: 85.2 degrees1918: 85.4 degreesSource: National Weather Service, Morristown, Tenn.
Here's some cold comfort: Chattanooga is on track to finish its coolest July in 34 years.
A combination of cloud cover and heavy rainfall has kept the Scenic City shaded this month. The city's average high has been 85.8 degrees so far this month, nearly 5 degrees less than its historic July average and the lowest since 1979.
A whopping 7.78 inches of rain (so far) have kept Chattanooga soaked, yet soothed from the usual summer heat.
"When you've got a lot of rain, you'll have a lot of clouds," said Mary Black, National Weather Service meteorologist in Morristown, Tenn. "When the rain comes through, it cools the air down. It's definitely a contributing factor."
Rain had fallen in Chattanooga on 19 of 24 days as of Friday. July 7 set the all-time daily precipitation record at 2.21 inches, breaking an 85-year-old figure.
This July marks a drastic change from last summer, which saw an average high temperature of 93.3 degrees in July and two back-to-back record 107-degree days.
Contact staff writer Jeff LaFave at jlafave@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.