Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Eleven days of 90+ in July!

   We did it again today (Wednesday)! We hit 90 degrees again today here at the Weather Center. This marks the 11th day this month we have hit 90 or better. Toss in June and we are up to 12 days of 90+ along with three days of 89.
   This will be our last 90 degree day for July, but we will probably add on another couple in August.
   When all is said and done, this summer will go down as one of the warmest on record...somewhere in the Top 10, perhaps even the Top 5.
   Enjoy the cool down for the rest of the week and the weekend.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

10 days of 90 plus!

   My electric bill is gonna be huge this month thanks to my air conditioning. Oh, well. I just wonder how our pioneer forefathers put up with this as they traveled across the plains.  Maybe that's why they all died before 50.
   So, how hot has it been this month?  Officially at the NWS observation station at Akron-Canton Airport we are running about 4 degrees above normal (+3.9 degrees) as of today. Meanwhile, here at the Weather Center, yesterday represented the 10th day this month that we hit 90 degrees or higher...
 
     4th - 90
     5th - 93
     6th - 93
     7th - 94
     8th - 95
     15th - 91
     17th - 90
     18th - 90
     23rd - 94
     24th - 92

   In addition, we had two other days when the mercury hit 89 degrees. That's almost as good as 90. LOL

   We will get a slight break for a few of days the first part of this week, then a couple hot ones midweek.  That will be followed by a pleasant cool down back into the lower and middle 80s for the end of the week and the weekend. Gads, you know it's a hot summer when we refer to the lower and middle 80s as cool.

Just remember this heat come January when many of you will be complaining about the cold. Too bad we can't save a bit in a box or something and use it later.

Enjoy!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Extreme clouds and colors

   I got a call from my friend Bruce tonight about 8:30pm. He told me go out and look to the northwest at the clouds.  He described it as looking like an oil slick or a gasoline spill in water except it was in the sky. It was pretty awesome.
   These were definitely some of the most interesting colors I have ever seen in the clouds.  I was especially taken aback by the blue-green colors.  Reds and oranges are not that unusual around sunset, but the blue-green colors were amazing.
   The situation was that we had some storms with very high tops out over Lake Erie. The tops of these clouds were made of ice crystals (cirrus clouds) and sheared off.  With the sun about to set, the prismatic affect of the sun and ice crystals produced these really neat colors.
   I took these pictures from downtown Streetsboro looking northwest between 8:30pm and 8:45pm tonight (Friday).

(In the first two pictures you can seen the blue-green colors mixed around the pinks and reds. In the third picture you not only have the blue-green effect around the top of the dark cumulus cloud, but you also have rays of sunlight being blocked by the heavy cloud structure. If you want a better look click on the pictures to make them bigger.)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hot and hotter!

If you have any outdoor plans for this weekend, Sunday would be the best day. Friday and Saturday are going to be hot and hotter. Temperatures on Friday will be in the lower 90s.  Afternoon temperatures on Saturday will be in the lower 90s at least with some area of NE Ohio hitting the mid-90s. Whew! That's hot! Just thought I'd let you know it's coming in case you missed the bottom-of-the-hour weather.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Behold the endless summer?

   If you like hot, then you are enjoying this summer...and you could have a lot more to enjoy. Those guys who play football and soccer may like this. Gosh, I remember those end-of-season soccer games standing out there on the sidelines with the winter coat and gloves on while sleet was falling from the skies.  What was worse was the cold rain that accompanied it. Probably not gonna happen this year.
   I was looking over some of the 30-day and 90-day forecast charts this weekend. I think we may be in for an extended summer this year.  Temperatures from mid-July through mid-August are going to run above normal.  That's pretty much a given at this point. But, if we project out from the current time into mid-October, our forecast models are still calling for temperatures here in NE Ohio to be running above normal.      
   As for the winter months, right now it's looks like the warmer than normal trend will continue. We could end up with above normal temperatures for the season. Hmmmm...that could mean more of ice and less snow. We shall see.

Temperatures are running well above normal...it's hot!

   This is turning into quite a summer. It will likely go down as one of the hottest summers in recorded history.  Probably not the hottest, but one of the hottest.
   As of today (Sunday) the month of July is averaging about 3 degrees above normal.  In fact every month since February has been above normal. Check this out:
     March +3.9 degrees
     April +5.9 degrees
     May +3.8 degrees
     June +2.9 degrees
     July +3.0 degrees (as of July 18)
   So, looking at the summer months of June and so far July, we are running about 3 degrees above the norm.
   As for rainfall, you may recall that June was very wet. Well, July is turning out to be the opposite. So far we are only at 17% of our normal rainfall for the month and we are past the halfway mark.
   I think we may be talking about this one for a few years to come. "Hey, remember the summer of 2010? Wow! That was a hot one!"
   Stay cool!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The long, hot summer continues

   Here we are in the middle of July and the unseasonably hot temperatures continue. At the Weather Center in Streetsboro we have hit the 90 degree mark 7 times so far this summer...once in June and 6 times in July.  The hottest day so far has been July 8th when we topped out at 95 degrees.  Officially, at the Akron/Canton Regional Airport the mercury only hit 90+ four times prior to today.
   If you like it hot there is much more to come! After a brief respite with temps only in the mid-80s over the weekend, most of next week (with the likely exception of Monday) will produce daytime highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s.
   Those of you who were displeased with the cold winter we had, are you happy now?   LOL

Monday, July 12, 2010

More MUGGY is on the way

   I've been away a bit, but I'm back now. Also returning, which has nothing to do with me, is going to be the humidity.
   This week will start off rather pleasant, although scattered showers and storms are in the forecast for the first couple of days, but then the dew points are going to kick up into the uncomfortable and at times oppressive zone. This should start on Tuesday and continue into Friday.
   Looking back at last week, we had those really hot daytime highs.
For the record:
Monday 93
Tuesday 93
Wednesday 94
Thursday 95
That won't happen this week, although we could touch 90 toward week's end.
   Get out there and have fun!

Monday, July 5, 2010

The heat is on!

   We've only just begun. We have a few more days of this heat pump before we cool down for the weekend. This heat reminds me of my visits to Texas.  It's like this all summer down there.  You just move quickly from air conditioned building, to air conditioned car, back to air conditioned building. It's easy once you get the hang of it.
   So the temperature today (Monday) hit 93 here at the Weather Center.  Having lunch with some of our AlterNation staffers and discussing the heat, I found out that some of them did not know that the real temperature (the one we report) is taken in the shade. So, when I say it was 93 degrees today, that means 93 degrees in the shade.  It was about 15 degrees hotter in the sun. How does that make you feel?  LOL
   The heat will remain with us through Thursday as a nice HIGH pressure system over the east coast pumps warm...well, let's call it hot...air up from the south.  We will also begin to experience an increase in humidity.  Today wasn't bad, but that's gonna change.
   A cool front will drop in the end of the week sending us back into the "cool" 80s for the weekend. Meanwhile, enjoy your summer!

(Graphic courtesy of Accuweather.com)

Saturday, July 3, 2010

I told you it was coming

Back in early June I mentioned that we should look forward to a very hot July. Well, here ya go! Following a mild day today (Saturday) in the mid 80s we are looking for 90 degrees or so Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and probably Wednesday.  Thursday and Friday look to be only in the upper 80s. A bit of a cool down, wouldn't you say? LOL

Woohoo!  IT'S SUMMER!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Get your swim suit ready

The cool and pleasant weather is almost over.  "HOT" is coming back into the forecast as we head into the holiday weekend. Temperatures will hit the mid 80s on Saturday and then 90 or above on Sunday and Monday.  The good news is that I don't see it getting very muggy.  It will be warm and somewhat humid, but not oppressive.  Should make for a nice holiday.  If you have any outdoor cookouts planned or intend on visiting the local fireworks, you're on!  Enjoy!