Summer 2023 Extreme Weather Review: Records, Disasters, and What Happened
Quick Reference: Summer 2023 Extreme Weather
- Hottest summer on record: globally, by NOAA and NASA.
- Phoenix: 31 consecutive days at or above 110 degrees F (July).
- Canadian wildfires: worst wildfire season in Canadian history, affecting US East Coast air quality.
- Hurricane Idalia: Category 4 Florida landfall (August).
- Mediterranean wildfires: Greece, Italy, and France hit with major fires.
- Maui wildfire: deadliest US wildfire in over 100 years (August 8).
Summer 2023 was officially the hottest on record globally and produced a string of weather disasters across North America. From Phoenix’s 31-day heat streak to the deadly Maui wildfires to Hurricane Idalia, the season set new benchmarks. Here is a recap of the major events that defined the summer.
Heat Records
Phoenix recorded 31 consecutive days at or above 110 degrees F in July 2023, the longest such streak in any major US city ever recorded. The previous record was 18 days, set in 1974.
Globally, the summer (June-August) was the hottest 3-month period in NOAA’s 174-year temperature record. July 2023 was the hottest single month on record.
Canadian Wildfires
The 2023 Canadian wildfire season was the worst in the country’s history, burning more than 45 million acres. Smoke from the Quebec and Ontario fires drifted south across the Eastern US in June, producing some of the worst air quality New York City and Washington DC had seen in 50 years. Schools closed in several states; major league baseball games were postponed.
Hurricane Idalia
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Big Bend coast on August 30, 2023, as a strong Category 3 storm with winds of 125 mph. It was the first major hurricane to strike Florida’s Big Bend region in over 100 years. Damage in Florida and Georgia exceeded $3 billion.
Maui Wildfire
On August 8, 2023, a wildfire driven by Hurricane Dora’s winds hundreds of miles offshore swept through the town of Lahaina on Maui, killing 102 people. It was the deadliest US wildfire in over a century. The Lahaina fire prompted national review of wildland-urban interface fire response and downed power line management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was 2023 really the hottest summer on record?
Yes. NOAA and NASA both confirmed June-August 2023 as the hottest 3-month period in the global temperature record, which extends back 174 years.
How long did Phoenix’s heat streak last?
31 consecutive days at or above 110 degrees F, from late June to late July 2023. The previous US record was 18 days.
What caused the 2023 Canadian wildfires?
An exceptionally dry spring and early summer, combined with multiple thunderstorm-lightning ignitions across the boreal forest, drove the worst wildfire season in Canadian history.
Did the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season set records?
It was above average but not record-setting. The biggest US impact was Hurricane Idalia in late August.
Caleb Weatherbee
Caleb Weatherbee is the official forecaster for the Farmers' Almanac. His name is actually a pseudonym that has been passed down through generations of Almanac prognosticators and has been used to conceal the true identity of the men and women behind our predictions.
- Caleb Weatherbee
- Caleb Weatherbee
- Caleb Weatherbee
- Caleb Weatherbee
For instance: “has not been this warm for the last 120,000 years.” THAT is pure hogwash. PURE NONSENSE. First of all she’s gonna have to prove to me and many other people that this earth is even 120,000 years old. Trying to prove this stuff with the layers of soil piled on top of each other and counting that as decades, just like counting tree rings, is pure fantasy.
The statements in this article about the widespread heat and the “global warming” nonsense is just that. NONSENSE.