Weather Watch-People Are Asking "How Hot Is It Really?"

As the first week of October 2007 ends with unusually hot temperatures over the eastern two-thirds of the nation, husbands and wives, office workers, graduate students and others notice that, while the leaves are changing for fall, the temperatures aren't. In a week that felt more like August and with a nation more concerned about global warming than ever before, the question of what's going on with the weather is a truly "hot" water cooler topic.

So, how does the perception of the weather compare with the reality of the weather? Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratation's Climate Map Tool relates not only the temperature but the normal temperature for major cities. A look at randomly selected cities in the northern hot zone of the US reveals the disparity between the actual highs for Saturday, October 6th and the normal highs for that date.

Temperature and Climate Report: Saturday, October 6, 2007

Albany, NY High: 85 Normal: 64 Departure from normal: 21 degrees

Philadelphia High: 82 Normal: 69 Departure from normal: 13 degrees

Grand Rapids High: 87 Normal: 64 Departure from normal: 23 degrees

Baltimore High: 85 Normal: 71 Departure from normal: 14 degrees

Boston High: 80 Normal: 65 Departure from normal: 15 degrees

Chicago High: 87 Normal: 67 Departure from normal: 20 degrees

Madison, WI High: 87 Normal: 64 Departure from normal: 23 degrees

New York City High: 83 Normal: 67 Departure from normal: 16 degrees

Minneapolis High: 87 Normal: 64 Departure from normal: 23 degrees

Omaha High: 86 Normal: 70 Departure from normal: 26 degrees

Des Moines High: 85 Normal: 68 Departure from normal: 17 degrees

Washington, DC High: 82 Normal: 71 Departure from normal: 21 degrees

It seems that when it comes to weather this early fall 2007, perception does equal reality.

Read about changing perceptions:

Global Warming Is A Primary Issue For 40% of US Primary Voters

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