Summer-like temperatures in early May near record high/low

SOUTH BEND, IN - With temperatures soaring into the mid to upper 80's earlier this afternoon, not only were we taking a double take at the calendar, but we also almost broke a record.  Mid-July is when we typically see 80 degree highs in Michiana, but it's not unusual for temperatures to creep into the summer-like heat in May.  In the record books for May 7th, the record high is still held by 1926 of 87°.  Today, we came within one degree of that record with the observed high of 86° at 2:41PM at the South Bend airport.  Take a look at Fig. 1 to see the top 3 highest temperatures for this day in history.

With temperatures nearing 90° today, we took the time to look up the statistics on the earliest date we've seen 90° in South Bend over the last 15 years.  Believe it or not, the earliest we've reached 90° since 2000 is last year on May 8, 2014.  Typically, the average first 90° day is in early June and we see about thirteen days with highs at or above 90° (Fig. 2).

Now looking ahead to tonight, it looks like temperatures will still remain well above normal.  The ABC57 First Warning Neighborhood Weather Team is forecasting 64° for the overnight low, but a quick look at the highest minimum temperatures for this date, we are coming within three degrees of the record 67° held by the years: 2000, 1979, and 1986 (Fig 3).

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