Summer's First Trimester Report Card

Summer officially began one month ago today. Now, the first heat wave of the season is upon southwestern Connecticut as temperatures soar into the lower 90s and the heat index approaches 100 degrees this afternoon. The hot and humid weather is expected to last through Saturday before some relief arrives by the end of the weekend.

Today's weather video and photos come from Ralph Fato in Norwalk. He wrote, "Many times this year the Sun is failing to burn through the layers. I took some pictures and video this morning with my Kodak Z990." You can almost feel the heat and humidity looking at these. The video can also be found on my Facebook page at facebook.com/piorek12.

So, how have we fared weatherwise since the Summer Solstice 30 days ago? The start of Summer was slightly cooler-than-normal with four of the first five days of the season featuring below normal average temperatures. In fact, the daytime high June 24 was 67 degrees, and the the mercury didn't reach 80 degrees the first five days of Summer.

This month has been a different story, however. Daytime highs reached 91 and 95 degrees, respectively, June 11 and 12, marking the only time we've hit the 90s this year. All but four days this month have been warmer-than-normal, and that trend will certainly continue over the next three days, boosting the 77.4-degree average temperature this month.

The last 30 days have been especially dry. In fact, only seven of the days brought more than one-hundredth of an inch of rain to the region. There was no measured rain over an eight-day stretch from June 30 through July 7, and there have been just two days in the last 12 with more than one-hundredth of an inch of rain.

July and August are traditionally the hottest months of the season with average daily temperatures of 74 and 73.1 degrees, respectively. We experienced a heat wave at the end of August last year. Both months average about three-and-a-quarter inches of rain, but we're nowhere near that this month. Let's see how the final two months of Summer play out.

Paul

First Official Heat Wave of Summer is Forecast for Region

The first official heat wave of the season will affect southwestern Connecticut tomorrow through Saturday as temperatures climb well into the 90s. Technically, a heat wave happens when the temperature reaches 90 degrees or more for three consecutive days. However, as dew points climb into the 70s by tomorrow afternoon, the heat and oppressive humidity will make it feel like 100 degrees or hotter each of the next three days.

An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Northern Fairfield and New Haven counties from Thursday afternoon through Friday evening. You'll need to take extra precautions if you're going to be outside for any length of time. You may want to reschedule certain activities to the early-morning or evening hours. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. Drink plenty of water, too.

The mercury has topped the 90-degree mark only twice this Summer at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, the official recording station for the National Weather Service. Daytime highs of 91 and 95 degrees were recorded July 11 and July 12, respectively. The temperature reached 88 degrees July 13, just two degrees shy of an official heat wave.

The last heat wave to hit southwestern Connecticut happened over a four-day stretch from late August through early September last year. The high temperatures for August 29 through September 1, 2010, were 91, 91, 94, and 93 degrees, respectively. The mercury topped 90 degrees four times last August, helping to push the average daily temperature for the month to 75.1 degrees, two degrees above normal.

Thus far this month, the average temperature is 76.4 degrees, which is 3.1 degrees warmer than normal. That's just two degrees shy of the hottest July on record (78.4 degrees), which happened in 1994. All but four days this month have delivered warmer-than-normal temperatures. The average daytime high temperature is 85.1 degrees, and the average nighttime low temperature is 67.7 degrees. The coolest temperature was 59 degrees on July 1.

In case you're wondering, the average temperature last July was 78 degrees, less than a degree shy of the monthly record. July of 2010 featured an unforgettable Independence Day weekend heat wave which featured high temperatures of 97, 93, 98, and 95 degrees from July 4 through July 7, respectively. In fact, there were seven days with high temperatures in the 90s.

Today will be mostly sunny with some puffy clouds and a high temperature in the mid 80s. Tonight will be mild and muggy with patchy fog developing and a low of 66 to 71 degrees. The heat wave begins tomorrow and will continue through the start of the weekend. Daytime highs will be in the 90s and nighttime lows will hold in the lower 70s. Stay cool.

Paul

Potential Heat Wave May Limit Outdoor Activity

Today will be another hot day with the mercury reaching for 90 degrees this afternoon. Although it will become slightly less humid late in the day, the temperature will be well above the 82-degree normal for this time of the year. If that's not bad enough, a potential heat wave is in the works for the end of the week with forecast highs of 90 or better Thursday through Saturday.

I like to walk at least two-to-three miles every day. However, the heat and humidity can take its toll quickly if you're going to be outside for any length of time in mid July. The first rule of thumb, naturally, is to avoid any strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day. That’s generally between 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. when the Sun’s rays are the hottest. The early morning and evening hours are the best time to exercise outside. Obviously, you’ll want to avoid any outdoor exercise when there is an Air Quality Alert or the air pollution is especially high.

When you exercise in the Summer heat you need to protect your body from overheating. Be sure to take precautions for a safe summer workout. Exercising outside in the Summer heat can be dangerous, or even fatal, to your health if you don’t use common sense. Of course, the logical alternative is to work out indoors in cool temperatures. But if you must exercise in the heat, here are some guidelines, courtesy of suite101.com.

Although keeping hydrated is important regardless of the temperature, it’s even more crucial in the hot Summer months. Besides drinking a basic requirement (at least six eight-ounce glasses) of water daily, include sports drinks both before and after a workout. Staying hydrated is especially critical if you plan to exercise for an extended period. Runners should always carry a water pack. Failing to do so could put you in jeopardy of circulatory failure.

As for clothing, wear light fabrics such as synthetics and silks that don’t retain heat, as well as release moisture from your body for good airflow. As for colors, select clothes with light colors, avoiding darks. Select fabrics that “breathe,” allowing moisture to be released from your body. Not only do hats shield your skin from the sun, but they also shield the sun from heating up the blood vessels lining your scalp. When wearing a hat in the heat, occasionally take it off to let the heat escape.

If your choice of exercise is a sport such as tennis, be sure to take short, frequent breaks. By doing so, you allow your body parts that are working hard to rest, reducing your odds of injury. Also, pay close attention to your body. For example, if you’re in the middle of a run and your body tells you to rest, then take a break.

When you feel the least bit faint or nauseous — which could be red lights for heat exhaustion — stop exercising. Failure to not rest in the shade and hydrate until you recover could result in a heat stroke or even worse conditions. If you work out for more than an hour, be sure to have some carbohydrates handy to eat because carbs are quickly metabolized in the heat. Some sports drinks also contain carbs.

Use precaution and common sense when exercising in the water. A pool or lake may cool you off on a hot Summer day. But you can still get dehydrated and overheated. If you’re planning a rigorous water workout, check the water temperature (75 to 78 degrees Farenheit is ideal). A pool temperature higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) is too hot and not suitable for a workout. Take breaks, drinking sufficient water to make sure you stay hydrated.

Stay cool.

Paul

Wonderful Weekend Weather Pattern Continues

We've been quite lucky with our weekend weather recently. Aside from just one-hundredth of an inch of rain each of the last two weekends, there has been only one weekend washout since the end of May. Our fair weather stretch will continue this weekend under mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures, and slowly increasing levels of humidity.

After looking at our weather record book this morning, I noticed that a little more than half of the weekends (54%) this year have been dry. Thirteen of the 28 weekends since January 1 have featured measured rain at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. The last complete washout happened the weekend of June 11 and 12 when over an inch (1.19") of rain fell.

In case you're wondering, there were five consective weekends without any measured rain from March 12/13 through April 9/10 of this year. The worst stretch of weekend weather happened in mid-to-late April with back-to-back washouts the weekends of April 16/17 (1.57") and April 23/24 (1.25"). Although there were three straight wet weekends in May, two of the weekends delivered only five hundredths of an inch of rain.

January, March, and June featured three dry weekends each while May delivered three wet weekends. Only two of the months (March and June) had just one wet weekend. Here is the month-by-month summary of our weekend weather this year:

• January: 2 wet, 3 dry
• February: 2 wet, 2 dry
• March: 1 wet, 3 dry
• April: 2 wet, 2 dry
• May: 3 wet, 2 dry
• June: 1 wet, 3 dry
• July: 2 wet, 0 dry
• Total: 13 wet, 15 dry

If your weekend plans include the beach, the golf course, a backyard barbecue, or gardening, you'll like the forecast. We can expect sunny skies and seasonably warm temperatures tomorrow and Sunday. However, the humidity will build by the end of the weekend. Daytime highs will reach the middle 80s and nighttime lows will hold in the mid-to-upper 60s to close to 70 degrees.

Have a great weekend.

Paul

Full Buck Moon Will Shine Brightly Tonight

I had company on my way to work this morning. Yes, the nearly Full Buck Moon smiled directly at me from a fairly low angle above the horizon as I drove westbound along I-95 in the middle of the night. And what a sight it was. You, too, may have noticed the light of the Moon filtering into your window last night.

In case you’re wondering, the Full Buck Moon happens at 2:40 Friday morning. July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer rush out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It is also often called the Full Thunder Moon, since thunderstorms are common during this time of the year. Another name for this month’s Moon is the Full Hay Moon.

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans in what is now the Northern and Eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

A Full Moon rises at about the same time the Sun is setting. Since the length of daylight is about 14 hours and 54 minutes today, the Full Moon will rise later and set earlier this time of the year. In addition, the Full Moon will appear lower in the sky since it won’t be visible nearly as long as during the mid-Winter nights.

For example, the Moon rises at 7:57 this evening and sets at 5:54 tomorrow morning. That means the Moon will be visible for nine hours and 57 minutes. Conversely, six months from now in January when the amount of daylight is at a minimum, the Full Wolf Moon will appear higher in the sky and be visible for about 17-and-half-hours. That’s over eight hours longer than this time of the year!

We'll enjoy a clear view of the Full Moon tonight as temperatures fall into the 50s inland and lower 60s along the immediate shoreline. Nice weather is expected to continue through much of the upcoming weekend with daytime highs in the low-to-mid 80s and nighttime lows in the upper 50s to mid 60s. Watch for the Full Buck Moon tonight!

Paul

Lawn Tips for Hot Summer Weather

How is your lawn doing? My lawn is beginning to feel the effects of the strong July sunshine and hot weather over the past couple of days. A record high temperature of 95 degrees was recorded yesterday at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, breaking the previous mark of 94 degrees set in 1966. Monday's high temperature was 91 degrees, nearly 10 degrees above normal for this time of the year.

To make matters worse, we've only had one day with more than one-hundredth of an inch of rain this month. Exactly a half-inch of rain fell last Friday when a cold front swept across the region. This month's rainfall total (0.52") is well below the normal (1.44") through today. Aside from an isolated shower or thunderstorm this afternoon, it should remain dry through the upcoming weekend.

The brown spots and dried-out grass are becoming more widespread on my lawn. I've started to water the lawn every day for the last week. According to allaboutlawns.com, the best time to turn on your sprinkler is about 5 o'clock in the morning. Why? "Early morning watering is best due to the lack of evaporation that takes place, low winds that can blow you lawn dry, high humidity, and morning dew that adds to the moisture.

"Early morning watering helps to prevent lawn diseases that can be caused by watering at night because it gives your lawn time to dry by night fall. Obviously, this can be best accomplished with a sprinkler system, unless you just can't sleep, especially during the Summer months."

Here's another tip. Try watering a day before you plan on mowing your lawn if you dislike the browning that forms on the tips of the grass afterwards. This will allow your lawn to recover from the cutting and help it to look nicer as a result. Did you know that during the hottest Summer months, the surface of your closely cropped lawn can easily climb two dozen degrees above the outdoor air temperature? Heat is a killer.

So is moisture loss, which occurs when the lawn is cut too frequently during high temperatures. Heat-stressed, dry lawns are extremely susceptible to insects, spotting, weeds, and root disease as they try to heal from literally being scalped. Many of my neighbors hire lawn cutters who appear at the same time every week to mow the lawns, whether they need it or not. I haven't cut my lawn nearly two weeks, and I'm glad I've waited this long.

According to allaboutlawns.com, it's important to realize that mowing actually creates a routine lawn injury. You can minimize the damage by using sharp blades and mowing in cooler morning or evening hours, but only when the lawn is dry. In the Summer months, you may have to mow more frequently, but always mow at a higher cut. If you're cutting more than 1/3 of the total height of the grass, you're scalping it.

Take care when mowing your lawn this Summer. Properly mowed lawns retain moisture, fostering deeper root growth, and the healthy blades of grass produce more of the nutrients necessary for your lawn to thrive in difficult conditions. So, even in the driest and warmest time of the year, it is possible to keep your lawn watered regularly and cut when needed.

Paul