Here’s  a break down of July by the National Weather Service.  Warning, lots of numbers… but nice!

July 2009 at Indianapolis will go into the record books as the second coolest of record.  The average monthly temperature is near 71 degrees…about 4.5 degrees below normal.  This is about 0.5 degrees higher than record cool mark of 70.6 degrees set in 1947.  The average maximum temperature of 79 degrees is a record…besting the previous mark of 81 degrees set exactly 100 years ago.  For a comparison…the average temperature for July is 75.6 degrees with an average maximum temperature of 85.6 degrees.

All of July’s daily average temperatures have been below normal except for the 10^th and 28^th.  The average temperature was normal on the 29^th.  The temperature  failed to reach 90 degrees in July for the first time since 2004. This is the 9^th July since 1871 to not reach 90 degrees. Typically 7 days in July reach 90 degrees.

Indianapolis has seen only 3 days with a temperature of 85 degrees or higher. This has never happened since weather records began in 1871.  The previous record was 7 days set in 1875.

Highs today will reach about 80 degrees with sunny skies.

Saturday, add a few degrees to that with highs in the low 80s.  Late Saturday into Saturday night there’s a chance for showers and thunderstorms. 

For the championship round at the U.S. Senior Open Sunday, the rain should clear in the early morning, making way for partly cloudy skies with highs in the low 80s.

Today, look for a mixture of sun and clouds and mild temperatures as high pressure moves into the area ending on of the coolest July’s on record. August begins mild on Saturday with rain returning on Sunday. We could see some scattered showers or thunderstorms during the closing round of the US Senior Open in Carmel at Crooked Stick Sunday.

- Chuck Lofton

We have system to our north, and another to our south, if they stay that way throughout the day, mainly dry conditions should stick around Central Indiana.  Highs today are expected to reach about 80 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds.  There’s a chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms south of I-70.  No severe weather is expected.

Friday, looks perfect to kick off the weekend!  Sunny skies with highs in the low 80s.

We increase the temp Saturday, but leave the sunshine.  Highs are expected to hit the mid 8os Saturday.

Sunday, a 30% chance for showers and storms ends our dry streak.

Rain and storms will be coming to an end later this morning, and we could end our day with a little sunshine!  Highs will reach the upper 70s to around 80 degrees.

Tonight, we continue to let the grass soak in the rain under partly cloudy skies with lows in the low 60s.

Thursday, another chance for showers and storms as highs will be close to 80 degrees.

Friday and Saturday the temperatures stay the same, and partly cloudy skies are expected.