COLUMBIA, S.C. — Astronomical Fall is only 9 days away which means cooler weather becomes more common. When it comes to the Midlands, heat can last well towards the end of the month and even into October.
Our average last 90-degree day occurs on September 22nd. Last year we were very close to hitting that mark on that exact date when we ended up hitting 99 degrees.
Interestingly that average date has crept up from the 27th during the mid-1900s which might seem to go against our warming climate.
If we take a closer look though, those last 90-degree days have been getting much hotter. From averaging around 91 during that same period, those last hot days have now reached around 92 degrees with years since 2010 averaging another degree warmer.
Even past our last 90-degree heat, our partners at Climate Central say that warm weather is still becoming more common during our fall months. Since 1970 we’ve seen an 8-day increase in warm days.
Thankfully with cooler days ahead, we can stay away from the 90s for the foreseeable future.