Was it 104 degrees, or 106?

By Joe McAdory

Published: August 10, 2007

Temperatures soared to 104 degrees in the Auburn-Opelika area Friday. Or was that 106? Or maybe 108? According to the official stats released by the National Weather Service recorded at the Robert G. Pitts Airport, Friday’s high topped at 104. According to the Lee County Emergency Management Agency’s Web site, the high was 106. According to the thermometer on publisher Jim Rainey’s truck, it was 108.

Will the correct temperature please step forward?

Since the NWS’ numbers are regarded as “official,“ the area’s high temp was 104.

But was that a record? Anyone?

After checking with the National Weather Service office in Birmingham (technically it’s Alabaster), there was no official record available in Auburn or Opelika. That’s quite frustrating for a reporter who’d like to add history in a newspaper article. Regardless, I’m not sure if I could tell the difference between 104 and 108 anyway.