Record Temps - Galveston

[GalvestonDuck]

The following report is intended for press release by media outlets in the
Houston/Galveston Metropolitan Area with credit applied to the Jamaica
Beach Weather Observatory.


Record Temperature Report
Issued by the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory
4:45 PM CDT Wednesday, April 13, 2005

...Record high temperatures were set at Jamaica Beach and Galveston today...

Unusually dry Westerly winds significantly lowered humidity over Galveston Island this
afternoon allowing the mercury to soar to record levels at Jamaica Beach and Galveston.
This was also the hottest day so far this year at both of the island's weather stations.

At 2:32 PM CST (3:32 PM CDT)...the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory (JBHT2)
recorded a high temperature of 84º. This set a new record for the date when it broke
the previous record high temperature of 81º set most recently on April 13, 2001 and
previously on April 13, 1992.

At 3:00 PM CST (4:00 PM CDT)...Scholes International Airport in Galveston (GLS)
recorded a high temperature of 86º. This set a new record for the date when it broke
the previous record high temperature of 85º set on April 13, 1943.

Although a Westerly wind is the direction most associated with record heat on Galveston
Island...these winds must first traverse the cooler waters of West Bay that lie to the
immediate West of the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory. Therefore, temperatures
tend to be a few degrees cooler at this location than at Scholes International Airport
which is located 10 miles to the Northeast and slightly more inland on Galveston Island.

Official National Weather Service meteorological records have been kept at Jamaica
Beach since 1990 and at Galveston since 1871.

Jim O'Donnel
Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory