Second Heat Wave Punctuates Hottest July on Record

Whew! Is it hot enough for you? Yesterday's high temperature of 95 degrees at 3:18 p.m. at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford broke the previous record of 94 degrees, which was set in 1952 and 1983. It was also the hottest temperature this month and marked the seventh time the mercury has climbed to 90 degrees or better in July. The heat wave will continue through the week before a strong cold front arrives late Saturday.

Not surprisingly, this is the hottest July on record in southwestern Connecticut. The average daily temperature at Sikorsky Airport through yesterday is 79.8 degrees. That's higher than the current record of 78.4 degrees set in 1994. It's also well above the warmest average temperatures for June (71.7 degrees) and August (76.0 degrees). So, this may very well end up as the hottest month ever on record. Here is the list of the hottest July months on record:

1. 2013: 79.8
2. 1994: 78.4
3. 2010: 78.0
4. 2011: 77.6
5. 1955: 77.4
6. 1999: 77.3
7. 2012: 77.3

Today will be the fourth straight day with temperatures in the 90s. The last time that happened in southwestern Connecticut was August 29 to September 1, 2010. That was nearly three years ago. In fact, the seven-day forecast calls for daytime highs to reach at least 90 degrees through Friday. Conceivably, that would extend the streak to six straight days. Take a look at the following graphic which illustrates the longest heat waves on record.

There have been three previous six-day heat waves at Bridgeport. The last one happened between July 7 and July 12 of 1993 --- 20 years ago. The other two six-day heat waves occurred in 1991 and 1953. There are two five-day heat waves on record. They happened August 6 through August 10 of 2001 and  July 6 through July 10 of 1994. This month most likely will finish at the top of the list.

What's making the heat more oppressive is the high humidity. The dew points were consistently at 70 degrees or more for the first week-plus this month. Whenever the dew point reaches the upper 60s to lower 70s, it is downright tropical. As a result, heat index values were 100 degrees or more the last two days. Fortunately, a sea breeze will kick in this afternoon, so it will turn slightly cooler along the immediate shoreline. For now, though, stay cool, and "weather" the heat for a few more days.

Paul

Citi Field Hosts Sizzling Hot MLB All-Star Game

The annual “Midsummer Classic” returns to New York City this evening for the first time in five years when Citi Field plays host to Major League Baseball’s All-Star game. It's the first time since 1964 that the New York Mets are hosting the game. The host National League defeated the American League, 7-4, at Shea Stadium in Flushing 49 years ago. In fact, the Senior Circuit is looking to win its fourth straight All-Star Game.

The weather forecast calls for a very warm and humid evening at the ballpark. Skies will be mostly clear at game time, but the temperature will be in the upper 80s with a light Northwest wind. There is virtually no threat of any showers or thunderstorms, but the heat will be an issue. Sunset is at 8:25 p.m. EDT in New York City.

Prior to 2010, the National League won just three All-Star games since 1988. The “Senior Circuit” won the 1994 contest in Pittsburgh, 8-7, in ten innings, and the next two years as well. However, the American League claimed 11 of the next 12 classics, with the only exception being the controversial 7-7 tie in Milwaukee 11 years ago. The National League is hoping to extend its winning streak to four games.

As for rainouts, perhaps the most memorable was the 1969 game in Washington. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 22, but a torrential rainstorm forced a postponement to the following day. I vividly recall the images of water flooding the dugouts at RFK Stadium in the nation’s capital. The outfield grass featured standing water and deep puddles. However, the next afternoon, 45,259 fans watched as the Nationals easily defeated the Americans, 9-3.

Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants was named the game’s Most Valuable Player by hitting home runs in the third and fourth innings. That tied the record previously set by Arky Vaughan (1941), Ted Williams (1946), and Al Rosen (1954). Johnny Bench also homered for the winners. Frank Howard, the hometown hero with the Senators, and Bill Freehan hit round trippers for the A. L. Oddly, the National League stretched its winning streak to seven games with the easy victory.

The first All-Star game I clearly remember was a “classic” in Anaheim in 1967 in which the National League edged the American League, 2-1, in 15 innings on a Tony Perez home run. Twelve pitchers were featured in the contest and each had at least one strikeout. There were 30 strikeouts in the game, an All-Star record. Tom Seaver of the Mets picked up the save by pitching a scoreless 15th inning for the National League.

Will the American League win again? Will Mother Nature play a role by turning up the heat? The Midsummer Classic means it’s time to relax, sit back, and enjoy major league baseball, just as long as the weather cooperates. Soon, it will be time to “Play Ball!”

Paul

Seventh Anniversary of Greenwich Tornado

There have been four confirmed tornadoes across Connecticut this month, including one in parts of Greenwich and Stamford on July 1. The weather pattern has been quite active. However, we also experienced wild weather throughout much of July of 2006 across southwestern Connecticut. One of the most unforgettable storms occurred late in the day on Wednesday, July 12, through early Thursday, July 13, 2006.

A "tornadic-like" thunderstorm roared through the region late Wednesday afternoon, July 12, delivering strong winds, heavy rains, and violent lightning. Meteorologists from the National Weather service confirmed that a tornado touched down in Greenwich. The photos below show the damage produced by the storm.

The most severe damage in southwestern Connecticut occurred on John Street in Old Greenwich. That's where residents said they saw a tornado touch down. Trees and utility poles were toppled, blocking access to John Street and several other roads, including Round Hill Road. Appearing on our morning newscast, Karen Olstein of Greenwich said, "I saw it (the tornado) uproot two of the trees and break off the branches. I saw it lift my pergola and dump it into my pool." As many as two thousand homes lost power during the height of the storm.

One witness says she looked out her window and saw a funnel cloud tearing its way through Riversville Road. The fallen tree created quite a mess in the area, forcing some residents to exit their cars on the roads and walk home. Crews remained on the scene for quite some time attempting to clear out the fallen trees.

Fortunately, quieter weather will be with us today and through the upcoming weekend. Today will feature plenty of clouds mixed with some sunshine and a chance of evening showers along the immdiate shoreline. It will be cooler and less humid with a high temperature in the upper 70s. The heat and humidity will return later this weekend, though, and a potential heat wave is shaping up for next week.

Have a good weekend.

Paul

Deadly & Destructive Tornadoes Hit Connecticut 24 Years Ago Today

One of the most unforgettable weather days happened 24 years ago today when a series of deadly and destructive tornadoes hit Connecticut on the afternoon of July 10, 1989. I was the early morning forecaster at the Western Connecticut State University weathercenter in Danbury back then. Although I predicted strong to severe thunderstorms for the region that afternoon, I never imagined the magnitude of the tornadoes which would strike Connecticut later that day.

I remember the storms began early that morning in upstate New York. A tornado hit Ogdensburg just before daybreak, injuring one person. One inch hail and wind gusts of over 50 miles an hour were a telltale sign that the approaching frontal boundary meant business. Many reports of wind damage in New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts occurred before noon.

Unfortunately, the timing of the storm had it moving into western Connecticut by the afternoon hours, when the atmosphere is most volatile due to the heating of the Sun. By midafternoon, as the atmosphere continued to heat up and the front moved eastward, the tornadoes developed. The first tornado, which may actually have been three distinctly separate tornadoes, started in the Northwest community of Cornwall, and leveled the Cathedral Pines forest.

The tornado continued south-southeast through Milton, leveling hundreds of trees and virtually destroying the village of Bantam before dissipating. A 12-year-old girl, who was on a campout with family and friends, was killed by falling trees in Black Rock State Park. Not much later, another tornado touched down in Watertown, passing through Oakville and northern Waterbury . That either damaged or destroyed over 150 homes and injured 70 people.

However, the most destructive tornado occurred in Hamden by late-afternoon. The path was only about five miles long, and it stopped just short of New Haven. The tornado destroyed almost 400 structures, and even cars were tossed into the air. Rows of houses and an industrial park were flattened as a result of the tornado. The storm was so strong that much of the area was without power for at least a week, and there were some trees still being cleared months later. The adjacent photo shows some of the damage in Hamden. This video was made for the Hamden Fire Department's Training Division the day after the tornado struck.



The powerful F-4 tornado which struck Hamden caused $100 million in damage and another $20 million in the Greater New Haven area. Forty people were injured in the tornado. After the tornado dissipated, a wind gust of 80 miles an hour was reported in New Haven. At about that time, another tornado struck Mount Carmel, tearing the roof off a condominium and injuring five people.

Of course, 24 years ago we didn't have the technology we do today, but I was still able to monitor the radar by the time I arrived home early in the afternoon. Remember, the Internet, News 12 Traffic and Weather, and access to instant local weather coverage didn't exist in those days. By the evening, the violent weather had ended, skies were clearing, and the damage had been done. It was certainly a day I'll never forget.

Paul

Lawn Care Tips During Hot July Weather

How is your lawn doing? My lawn is beginning to feel the effects of the strong July sunshine and heat wave over the long holiday weekend. Officially, the high temperatures for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were 92, 92, and 93 degrees, respectively, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. The hot weather will continue through much of the week ahead. Further, there has been very little rain this month. Less than a quarter-inch of rain (0.24") has fallen at the airport through yesterday. That's below the 0.63" norm through the date.


I've been watering the lawn every day for the last week. However, you may wonder when is the best time to water the lawn? 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 don't think I'll cut my lawn this weekend. It just doesn't need it.

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

Despite Heat, Earth is Farthest from Sun Today

Despite hot and humid weather this long holiday weekend with temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s across southwestern Connecticut, our planet is actually at its farthest point from the Sun today. According to the U. S. Naval Observatory, the Earth reached a point in its orbit called "aphelion" at 11 o'clock EDT this morning. The Earth's aphelion is the point where it is the farthest from the Sun than at any time during the year.

The Earth is typically about 93 million miles from the Sun. However, because our planet's orbit is not a perfect circle but an ellipse, it has a farthest point and a closest point to the Sun. In case you're wondering, the Earth's closest approach to the Sun is called perihelion, and that occurs in early January. The Earth is exactly 3,104,641 miles (or 3.28 percent) farther from the Sun than at its closest approach. The Earth actually receives about seven percent less heat at its aphelion than at its closest approach, according to researchers.

Although the date for both will vary from year to year, the Earth will always be closest to the Sun in early January and the farthest away in early July. Not surprisingly, that comes as a surprise to most people. At perihelion, our planet is about 91 million miles from the Sun. It moves outward to about 95 million miles from the Sun at aphelion. Naturally, some people have the mistaken impression that our seasons are caused by the changes in Earth's distance from the Sun, but this is not the case.

The temperatures and the seasons are not affected by the proximity of the Earth to the Sun or even the rotation of the planet on its axis. Rather, it is the tilt of the Earth that determines the climate. When it is at perihelion in January, the Earth is tilted away from the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sunlight is not "getting a direct hit" on the Earth's atmosphere. However, when it is at aphelion in July, the Earth is tilted toward the Sun.

Officially, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, the high and low temperatures today were 92 and 74 degrees, respectively, for an average of 83 degrees. That's ten degrees above normal. So, as you cool off at the pool, beach, or by the air conditioner today, take comfort in the fact that our planet is farther from the Sun today than at any other day of the year.

Paul