Hot, Hot Heat — Nashville Breaks The Record For 90-Degree Days

Humans are moaning, dogs are panting, and pumpkins are practically blistering.

For the 97th day this year, Nashville’s temperature has surpassed the 90-degree mark, much to the chagrin of everyone who dressed in a favorite fall sweater.

That smokes the previous record of 96 days back in 1954, says Brendan Schaper with the National Weather Service in Nashville.

In other words, Nashville can’t beat the heat this week (it was 95 and sweaty at the time of this post’s publishing). But at least it’s beaten the heat record.

Does that make 2019 the hottest year ever? Not quite, Schaper says.

“As far as average temperatures — at least last month in September — we were a degree shy,” he says. “We were at 80.3 degrees. The No. 1 rank is 81.3 degrees, set in 1925.”

Blame the consistency of heat on a “big bubble of high pressure that hasn’t really moved” away from the Southeast, Schaper says. This isn’t uncommon for late summer, he says, and it is expected to clear out soon: A minor cold front is expected Friday, which could lower the daily highs a few degrees — although more 90-degree days are still forecast.

But relief is in sight, Schaper assures: By early next week, temperatures are expected to drop to the low 70s, “even possibly upper 60s.”

Get your sweaters ready.