Mio records record temperature of 112 degrees
In the middle of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, the summer of 1936 brought with it an unforgiving heat wave that left much of North America sweltering. And on July 13, 1936, a small Northern Michigan town etched its name into the weather history books. That day, Mio, Michigan—tucked in the Au Sable River valley—hit an unbearable 112 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the record for Michigan’s hottest day. 🌞
And Mio wasn’t alone. That same day, Saginaw sizzled at 111°F, while other cities weren’t far behind:
- Kalamazoo – 109°F
- Grand Rapids – 108°F
- Alpena – 106°F
- Traverse City – 105°F
- Detroit – 104°F
🌡️ Scorching History
This wasn’t just a Michigan phenomenon—it was part of the 1936 North American heat wave, one of the most intense and deadly weather events in modern history. With over 5,000 deaths across the U.S. and Canada, this heat wave struck during a time when air conditioning was rare, and many homes and businesses had few ways to cool off.
Imagine living in the mid-1930s, trying to beat that kind of heat with just a fan—or a shady porch and a glass of lemonade. While modern Michiganders might joke about “heatwaves” in the 90s, the summer of 1936 was truly brutal. Interestingly, just two years earlier, Michigan had recorded its coldest temperature ever: -51°F in Vanderbilt on February 9, 1934. Talk about weather whiplash!
Today, as climate records continue to be broken, it’s worth remembering the extreme events of the past. The scorcher of July 13, 1936, stands out as a day when Michigan really sweated through history and is still Michigan’s hottest day recorded.
Learn more about the rich history of the Northeast Lower Peninsula.
