Discover the Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded in Alabama

Alabama is a state in the Deep South, a region that is well-known for its hot, humid summer temperatures. Although the long, muggy days can make people miserable, the area is not known to get quite as hot as the American Southwest. Consider the hottest temperature ever recorded in Alabama and see how it stacks up to some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the entire country.

We will start by looking at the climate in the area and see how unusual it is to experience incredibly high temperatures in this region.

A Look at Alabama’s Climate

Alabama is in the southern United States, and it has a border with Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The state also has a small border along the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of its location and elevation, Alabama has mild winters and very hot summers with a great deal of humidity.

According to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, the entire state is considered a humid subtropical area. The state is one of the rainiest states in the U.S., receiving upwards of 55 inches of rain per year.  

Tuscaloosa is one of the hottest places in the entire state on average. Take a look at the following chart and see the average high temperatures in this region during the summer months.

While those average high temperatures are hardly close to those in places like Nevada, the weather feels suffocating with the combined heat and humidity. The hottest parts of the state can feel like a broiler when the temperature spikes over 100 °F. Alabama residents are fond of air conditioners, personal pools, and trips to the coast to get away from the brutal temperatures.

Unfortunately, the state’s location often makes it a landfall area for tropical cyclones. Many powerful hurricanes have struck Alabama throughout its history. With a grasp of the state’s climate, it is time to discover the day when the thermometers were the highest!

What Is the Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded in Alabama?             

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Alabama was 112 °F, and the temperature was recorded on September 5, 1925, in Centreville. The heat index on a day that hot in a state with high relative humidity could have exceeded 130 °F!

The city of Centreville is located about 40 miles southwest of Birmingham. Centreville is near the center of the state, removed from the coast where such elevated temperatures would be less likely to occur.

Large portions of the United States were impacted by heat waves throughout the summer of 1925. Over 60 people died from the June 1925 heatwave in New York alone, and a quarter million people slept in New York City’s parks to try to beat the heat.

Although September is usually a time when temperatures start to drop a bit, the heat was unrelenting in that month in Alabama. A dozen days in September rose above 100 °F, and less than an inch of rain fell on average throughout the state. September 5, 1925, was merely the high point of an incredibly long, hot summer.

Where Is Centreville on a Map

The town of Centreville is in central Alabama. The city is about 40 miles southwest of Birmingham and about 30 miles southeast of downtown Tuscaloosa. Centreville is a part of Bibb County.  

The city is in a portion of the state where the temperatures reach the highest on average. That should not be confused with the greatest average temperature in the state. The insulating effects of the coastal waters keep places like Mobile warmer at night. While coastal areas have a higher overall average since they do not get as cold at night, their record-high temperatures are not as high as the inland towns and cities.

How Alabama’s Record Temperature Compares to the U.S. Record

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Alabama was not even close to the highest temperature recorded in the United States. The highest temperature in the country comes from California. On July 10, 1913, Furnace Creek at Death Valley, formerly called Greenland Ranch, reached an incredible temperature of 134 °F.

That is the highest temperature recorded in the country. Moreover, the World Meteorological Organization considers that record the highest reliably recorded air temperature ever taken in the world.

However, several climate researchers have come out in opposition to this record. They believe that it was a false temperature reading. The future could see this record decertified. For now, though California’s record holds.

Centreville’s 112 °F is one of the lowest documented state records for high temperatures in the entire United States. Georgia, Michigan, and West Virginia share the same record temperature. Alaska has the lowest record high temperature of any state with a high of 100 °F recorded on June 27, 1915.

What Animals Live Near Centreville?

Alabama has diverse wildlife throughout its area. Although the area can get hot in the summer, Alabama’s temperatures do not necessitate unusual adaptations to thrive in the environment. However, they may change their behaviors on very hot days by searching for food in different spots and at different times. Many types of animals, like large mammals and reptiles, will decrease their daytime activity to reduce the weather’s impacts.

Some of the animals that live in Bibb County include:

• Deer
• Wild boars
• Northern cottonmouths
• Wild turkeys
• Gray foxes
• Swamp rabbits
• Coyotes
• Black kingsnakes
• Red salamanders

During the hottest day in Alabama, many of these animals would have stayed out of direct sunlight. They could have sought the cover of trees or scurried into burrows or beneath rocks. While animals like deer would have been uncomfortable, any cold-blooded animals would have had to stay under cover or risk dying.

The record for the hottest temperature ever logged in Alabama was set back in 1925. Since then, a few extremely hot days have come close to that record. The heatwave that produced the record temperature was deadly and enveloped much of the eastern United States. If a new record emerges in the state, it would probably be set somewhere in one of the inland cities like Centreville or Tuscaloosa.