This month of July was one of the hottest and driest in Boston

As summer’s scorching days roll in and July turns into August, historical weather data shows that Boston-area residents have just experienced one of the hottest and driest months on record.

July’s average monthly temperature for Boston this year, 77.5 degrees, is tied for the third hottest on record in the region since 1872, when National Weather Service records began.

According to the NWS, the city’s hottest July was in 2019, when the average temperature reached 78.7 degrees. In 1983, the average temperature for July was 78 degrees. The months of July 1952 and 1994 also had an average temperature of 77.5 degrees.

The last 31 days have also been extremely dry. The NWS recorded a total of 0.62 inches of rain for July 2022 in the Boston area. The only driest Julys on record were 1952, 1965, and 1968. The years 1965 and 1968 saw 0.55 inches of rain during the month, and July 1952 had only 0.52 inches of rain .

Every part of Massachusetts is currently experiencing some level of drought. The worst of these conditions are felt by residents of the central and northeastern region of the state. State officials have now classified these areas, stretching from communities surrounding Worcester to the North Coast, as experiencing “critical drought”.

Cities and towns across the state are taking action to save water. In Pembroke, water levels have dropped so low in the past week that water pressure in fire hydrants has been affected. Firefighters have warned that it could lead to a dangerous situation if a fire breaks out somewhere near a fire hydrant with reduced water pressure.

More than 120 Massachusetts communities now have mandatory restrictions dictating the use of water from public sources.

This week, temperatures are expected to continue to climb. NWS forecasters predict a high of 91 degrees on Tuesday and a high of 100 degrees on Thursday. Meteorologists tentatively expect a series of much-needed rainy days to unfold from Friday or Saturday.