The Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded in Michigan Was Brutal

So far, Summer 2026 has treated Michigan like a convertible with leather seats, parked roughly five feet directly under the sun's surface. Mid-Michigan temperatures are expected to approach 97 degrees this week, with several additional days hovering around 90.

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Once temps reach this point, the air feels hot enough to chew, steering wheels feel like oven coils, and every parking lot and sidewalk serves as a grill. But with Michigan summer seemingly set to broil, will we come close to a record high temperature this year?

Michigan Summer 2026 Is Hot, But Is It Record Hot?

man face with water droplets

Still, this summer's heat has felt like a long, sweaty climb up a ladder while Michigan reaches for a new all-time high temperature record. The National Centers for Environmental Information reports that the highest recorded temperature in the state was 112 degrees, reached in both Mio and Stanwood on July 13, 1936. That's actual temperature, not heat index padded with humidity for dramatic effect.

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As scorching as that may sound, that's still over 20 degrees lower than the hottest day on Earth. That belongs to The Ranch at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California, with a brutal 134.1-degree day on July 10, 1913.

The 1936 Heat Record Still Owns the Crown

The thermometer shows a very hot temperature.

So yes, summer 2026 has been roasting Michigan like a gas station hot dog. However, until the thermostat reaches 112, the summer of 1936 remains our undisputed heavyweight champion of unnecessary heat.

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But at least you don't have to shovel 'hot.' We've got that going for us, Michigan.