Michigan scorched under record-breaking heat 89 years ago
On July 13, 1936, exactly 89 years ago, Michigan experienced its hottest day on record. A blistering 112°F (44.4°C) was recorded in Mio, a small town located east of Grayling, marking the highest temperature ever officially observed in the state.
The Dust Bowl era fueled extreme heat across the region
That summer unfolded in the midst of the Dust Bowl, a devastating period of drought and intense heat that gripped much of the Central and Northern United States. States in the Plains, Upper Midwest, and across the Great Lakes region were hit particularly hard. 1936 remains one of the hottest years ever recorded in U.S. history, with several all-time records still standing nearly nine decades later.
Detroit endured its most intense heat wave
Between July 8 and July 14, Detroit lived through its deadliest and hottest week on record. For seven straight days, high temperatures soared to 100°F (37.8°C) or more. According to the National Weather Service, the average daily high during that stretch was a scorching 102.1°F (38.9°C) — a staggering number that remains unmatched. It was a brutal and dangerous week that left a lasting mark on the city’s climate history.
