Good Sunday morning bloggers,
Well, the heat wave and drought will worsen before we climb out of this. A large anticyclone, “The Heat Wave Creator”, will be building over the middle of the USA the next 3-4 days. Once it forms, it will not be easy to get rid of as we are now entering the hottest part of the summer. The only areas of the USA to get relief will be the summer monsoon areas in the southwest, along the Gulf coast and across the eastern Great Lakes and New England. The northeast USA will have weak cold fronts. See Maps #1 and #2 for the building upper level high.
MAP #1: 7 AM MONDAY
MAP #2: 7 PM FRIDAY
This is a menacing set up for very hot and dry weather.
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We know this summer has been hot and dry, but where does it stack up to some of the memorable hot summers during the 20th century. We counted the number of 90 degree days from April 1st to July 15th from this year, 2011 and the very hot summers of 1988 and 1980. We then broke down those 90 or higher days in to how many were 95 or higher and 100 or higher. Note, the corn crops in 1988 and 1980 suffered major losses. See maps 3 through 6.
MAP 3: SUMMER 2012
MAP #4: SUMMER 2011
MAP #5: SUMMER 1988
MAP #6: SUMMER 1980
As you can see we are right there with the extreme summers of 1988 and 1980. A couple of other notes that you cannot see on these graphs is that in 1988, in between the heat waves, there were 2-3, even 4 days with highs in the 60s, 70s and 80s. In 1980, May and June were not that hot, it started in July. So, this summer has been worse so far and is likely to continue.
Stay cool and have a great rest of your weekend!
Jeff
Jeff, you generally show the rainfall totals at KCI and it shows how below average we are. I know we have had more in Olathe. Do you know what that total is?
droughtwatcher,
It is about 10 to 15 inches, but much of that fell in 2-3 days, so it was not that beneficial.
Jeff
Jeff- how did the following fall and winter season play out after these hot summers? Wasn’t 1989 a winter to remember?
-Brian
brianjayhawk,
1989 was cold through December than warm. Each year is unuique and there is little correlation from season to season.
Jeff
We’re in deep…By the time we reach September, we will measure 2012 against the Dust Bowl years like 1933 or ’35. 1980 and 1988 will drop off the chart for comparisons by the end of this run.
2012 is costing all of us money, not just the farmers. Water and A/C bills are stacking up…
Supercell.
I just checked 1934 and we are not even close to that year. But we are certainly have a 1980 and 1988 summer.
Jeff
You’re right, not 1934 yet, but we will be by September. End of July and August have a very big kick to deliver to us…
Jeff,
If there is a tropical storm or hurricane in the Gulf in August, will this change the jet stream position and/or move/weaken the anticyclone? Were there hurricanes in the gulf during 1980 or 1988? Thanks.
mollieb345,
That is a good question. Hurricanes are not much bigger than thunderstorm clusters. They are too small to redirect the jet stream. They pretty much follow what os going on with the pattern. In 1980 Hurricane Alice come up towards the end of September and did help. In 1988 I do not recall a hurricane during the summer, but the last part of the summer was cooler and wetter. This summer may not be the case, but we can hope.
Have a great week,
Jeff
Is it true that George quit? I heard that George and Gary had a fight over the LRC because George didn’t buy into it so he quit. Is it true? I don’t believe everything I read and or hear so I figured I wojuld go the source.
I,m bet Nancy(Drew)would know
Your right! Does anyone have Mikes aka Nancy Drew phone number?
He is busy painting lawns right now, can i take a message
any data on the winters preceeding and following those hot summers
NWS in Pleasant Hill posted on facebook a while ago that some kansasns tonight and tomorrow night could see the northern lights. Just giving you all a heads up if you didn’t know about that.
Brad