A new record by .1°

Antique Thermometer 

The numbers are out and Grand Rapids set a new record for the coldest July ever. The average temperature, when you factor in both the highs and lows, was 67.1°. That’s 0.1° colder that the previous record of 67.2° set in 1992. The average temperature was 4.3° cooler than normal.
Below are the top ten coldest Grand Rapids July Mean Temperatures from the National Weather Service:
Rank    Value    Ending Date
1           67.1°        7/31/2009
2           67.2°        7/31/1992
3           68.1°        7/31/1950
4           68.2°        7/31/1996
5           68.5°        7/31/1945, 7/31/1967
7           68.6°        7/31/2000
8           68.9°        7/31/1920, 7/31/1924
10         69.1°        7/31/1947

To add insult to ijury the average afternoon high temperatures came in 5.4° colder.

Even with this record cold July, we’ve had near normal decade with an average temperature 0.03° above.
2000  -2.80°
2001  -0.10°
2002  3.50°
2003  -1.40°
2004  -0.90°
2005  1.40°
2006  3.30°
2007  0.85°
2008  0.75°
2009  -4.30°

2000 and 2009 were very cold but 2002 and 2006 were very warm.

In the end it all balances out.

In case you’re curious Muskegon only ended up in fourth place.
Below are the top ten coldest Muskegon July Mean Temperatures from the National Weather Service:

Rank    Value    Ending Date
1           64.2°         7/31/1924
2           64.9°         7/31/1920
3           65.1°         7/31/1996
4           65.9°         7/31/2009
5           66.1°         7/31/1992
6           66.5°         7/31/1922, 7/31/1950, 7/31/1915
9           66.8°         7/31/1930
10         66.9°         7/31/1927