Ohio According to the National Weather Service, Ohio’s hottest temperature ever was recorded on July 21, 1934, when the mercury reached an incredible 113 degrees Fahrenheit close to Gallipolis in the state’s southeast.
As part of the notorious Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, the oppressive heat occurred amid one of the most severe heat waves in American history.
As cities had to deal with the severe drought and unrelenting sun, temperatures in Ohio and most of the Midwest that week smashed records and cost hundreds of lives.
The July 1934 heat wave wasn’t an isolated incident. Two years later, in July 1936, Ohio saw yet another epic scorcher.
Temperatures in cities throughout the state reached some of their highest points ever. The temperature in Columbus hit 106 degrees, which was the same as the previous record set in 1934.
The heat also reached Cincinnati, where temperatures rose to 108 degrees on several days in July 1934. On July 14, 1936, and July 25, 1934, Zanesville, another Ohio city frequently struck by extreme heat, recorded highs of 106 degrees.
Even though they didn’t approach Gallipolis’ extreme peak, other Ohio communities had scorching temperatures throughout these years. More recently, on June 25, 1988, Cleveland saw its warmest day, with temperatures reaching 104 degrees.
The July 1936 heat wave reached a peak temperature of 103 degrees in Youngstown. Prior to the widespread adoption of air conditioning, even these marginally lower numbers were sufficient to overwhelm populations and create widespread discomfort and risk.
The hottest years in Ohio’s history are still the 1930s, when some of the most extreme temperatures in recorded history was brought on by drought, poor soil, and stagnant weather patterns.
Since then, no location in Ohio has seen temperatures rise over the 113-degree milestone established more than 90 years ago, despite the state experiencing hot summers and brief episodes of intense heat.
Scientists warn that as worries about global climate change grow, Ohio may once more be put to the test by longer and more frequent heat waves.
However, as of right now, the highest temperature ever recorded in the Buckeye State is still the one achieved in Gallipolis in 1934.
