July in Tooele County was the 14th hottest on record, according to data from the National Weather Service.
“The average high for this July in Tooele was 93.5 degrees,” said Christine Kruze, meteorologist for NWS. “July was the hottest month ever for Salt Lake City at the airport, with an average daily high at 97.6 degrees. It was cooler out in Tooele.”
She said the NWS records go back as far as 1896 for Tooele and 1874 for Salt Lake City.
Tooele’s precipitation was below normal for the third consecutive month. July’s precipitation ended at .67 inches compared to a normal of .92 inches, according to Ned Bevan, cooperative weather observer for the NWS.
Tooele’s normal precipitation for the combined months of May, June and July is 3.94 inches. This year’s precipitation for the past three months was less than half of that at 1.90 inches.
“Normally, our monsoon season kicks in around the Fourth of July, but this year we’re seeing a delay in the monsoon season,” Kruze said. “The next few days should continue to be hot and dry.”
Kruze said the monsoon season usually brings in a series of thunderstorms. According to the NWS, that weather pattern could arrive Saturday night with a chance of thunderstorms and a low of 65 degrees. Highs for next Sunday and Monday are predicted to be about 85 degrees.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service released its Utah Climate and Water Report on Tuesday. It showed that precipitation in July was below average at 74 percent for Tooele County and the West Desert, which brings the seasonal accumulation for October through July to 113 percent of average. Soil moisture is at 17 percent compared to 8 percent last year. Reservoir storage is at 58 percent of capacity, compared to 36 percent last year.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows much of western Tooele County to be abnormally dry, yet slightly better than moderate drought conditions. The only moderate drought conditions currently in Utah are in eastern Juab County and portions of Uintah and Duchesne counties.
Bevan reported total precipitation for the water year at the end of July is 18.29 inches compared to normal precipitation for this time of the year at 16.13 inches.
Despite low precipitation the past three months, Tooele’s precipitation was significantly above normal from November through April.
The average high temperature for July was 93.5 degrees, and the average low temperature was 65.3 degrees. Tooele hit a high of 102 on July 5, and the maximum low temperature was 85 degrees on July 26.
The minimum high temperature was 76 on July 19. The minimum low for the month was 56 on July 1.
An air monitoring manager for the Utah Department of Air Quality said ozone levels increased in July in Tooele Valley.
“Ozone for July as measured at the Erda site exceeded the standard of 70 parts per billion 13 times last month, which is just one under the Salt Lake and Bountiful monitors at 14 times,” said Bo Call of DAQ.
He said the level reached a high of 76 ppb at the Erda site during the month
The air quality index shows the range from 76-95 ppb to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. The moderate range of 60-75 ppb means that sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
Zero to 50 ppb is considered good air quality.