1980 United States Heat Wave - Effects

Effects

The drought and heat wave conditions led many Midwestern cities to experience record heat. In Kansas City, Missouri, the high temperature was below 90 only twice and soared above the century mark (100 °F/38 °C) for 17 days straight and in Memphis, Tennessee, the temperature reached an all-time high of 108 °F (42 °C) on July 13, 1980, part of a 15-day stretch of temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) that lasted from July 6–20, 1980.

In Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, high temperatures exceeded 100 °F (38 °C) a total of 69 times, including a record 42 consecutive days from June 23 to August 3. Dallas/Fort Worth reached an all-time high when the temperature hit 113 °F (45 °C) on three consecutive days on June 26–28. In all, the Dallas/Fort Worth area saw 29 days in which the previous record high temperature was either broken or tied. Dallas also had 28 days above 105 and five days above 110. Hurricane Allen helped to end the heat wave in early August. Some of the DFW records were eclipsed by the 2011 heat wave, but 1980 still stands out for its extreme heat.

On the northern rim of the high pressure ridge, several severe long-lived windstorms called derechos formed. The most notable was the "More Trees Down" Derecho that occurred on July 5. It raced from eastern Nebraska to Virginia in 15 hours, killing 6 and injuring about 70. The Western Wisconsin Derecho of July 15 caused extensive property damage.