Hot & Dry July by the Numbers

The official weather statistics for July have been tabulated and, as expected, the month was much warmer and drier than normal. The highlight of last month was the 103-degree temperature on July 22, which tied the all-time record high for southwestern Connecticut. Just one day later, the mercury soared to 96 degrees during the hottest part of the month.

The daily average temperature for July was 77.6 degrees, which is more than three-and-a-half degrees above the normal average (74) and less than a degree away from the record of 78.4 degrees set in 1994. There were five days which saw temperatures climb above 90 degrees, including July 11 (91 degrees), July 12 (95), and July 30 (91).

All but two of the first 13 days of July were warmer than normal. The hottest stretch happened from July 16 through July 24 when the daily average temperature was above normal for nine consecutive days. All told, there were only six days with cooler-than-normal temperatures, but five of those were just a degree below normal and one (July 25) was just two degrees cooler-than-normal.

Only two inches of rain fell last month, which is slightly better than half the normal rainfall (3.77") for July. There were only eight days with measured precipitation, but only four days with more than two-hundredths of an inch of rain. Two days featured at least a half-inch of rain, including July 26 (0.80") and July 8 (0.50"). The only other day with substantial rain happened July 18 (0.45").

Although August got off to a wild start with strong thunderstorms yesterday afternoon, a quieter day is expected. Today will be mostly sunny, quite warm, and somewhat less humid with afternoon temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s. Tonight will be partly cloudy and mild with a low near 60. A few scattered showers and possibly a thunderstorm are expected tomorrow with highs in the upper 70s to close to 80 degrees.

Paul

August Weather Traditionally Hot and Tropical

August is about to pick up where July left off. Today will be hot and humid with late-afternoon thunderstorms and a high temperature close to 90 degrees. Some of the storms may be strong with heavy rain, vivid lightning, and gusty winds. You'll certainly need to be aware of the weather if you're going to be outdoors today.

You may recall that last August was much warmer than normal. We experienced a heat wave the last three days of the month, and the average monthly temperature (75.1 degrees) was less than one degree from the record of 76 degrees set in 1955. Five years ago, we christened August with a heat wave when the first three days established record high temperatures of 95, 96, and 97 degrees, respectively, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford.

Traditionally, August is the second warmest month of the year with a mean average temperature of 73.1 degrees, just behind July's average of 74 degrees, based on 40 years worth of data. The mercury has actually climbed to 100 degrees twice --- on August 9, 2001, and August 27, 1948. In fact, the daily record highs for the month never dip below 90 degrees. The warmest August on record (1955) featured two of the most potent rainstorms on record.

However, there are subtle signs that Summer is in decline over the next four weeks. The normal high temperature falls from 82 degrees on August 1 to 78 degrees by the end of the month. The overall mean temperature drops from 75 degrees to 70 by August 31. In fact, the record low temperature on August 29 is 44 degrees!

Daily sunshine continues to dwindle, too. We'll enjoy 14 hours and 21 minutes of daylight today. But, by the last day of the month, the Sun is out for 13 hours and nine minutes. We lose about an hour and a quarter of daylight over the next 31 days. In fact, sunrise occurs at 6:18 and sets at 7:27 by August 31. Remember, on the first day of Summer, the Sun set at 8:30.

As far as rainfall is concerned, the month averages about 3.75" of precipitation. The wettest August happened in 1952 when 13.29" of rain fell. There have been some drenching rains in August, including 4.66" on August 19, 1991, 4.01" on August 27, 2006, 3.99" on August 11, 2000, 3.92" on August 12, 1955, and 3.69" on August 21, 1952. Remember, we are in the heart of hurricane season, and tropical moisture is always a threat.

Long-time area residents will never forget August of 1955 when two of the most memorable hurricanes --- Connie and Diane --- battered the Northeast. Hurricane Connie soaked New England with torrential rains on August 13, 1955. Just five days later, Tropical Storm Diane followed suit creating massive flooding not seen since the 1930s.

The combination of Connie and Diane yielded rainfall totals close to 25 inches in some areas, resulting in unprecedented flooding. Nearly all of the major rivers in the lower Connecticut Valley exceeded flood stage. Some rivers rose more than 20 feet over their banks. There was tremendous destruction in the Naugatuck River Valley, especially in the city of Ansonia.

Let's hope this August is somewhat quieter and more tolerable. After the thunderstorms roll through the region later this evening, some tranquil weather is expected tomorrow. Another shower or storm is possible Wednesday, followed by sunny and warm weather the rest of the week.

Paul

Carry an AM Radio to Detect Lightning from Approaching Storms

Another round of potentially strong thunderstorms is possible this afternoon as an approaching cold front plows into a very warm and humid air mass over southwestern Connecticut. In fact, daybreak temperatures were in the upper 70s, and the dew point was close to 70 degrees making it downright tropical outside.

If you're going to be outside later this afternoon and especially this evening, you'll need to keep an eye to the Western sky. Lightning can be a killer. However, if you don't have access to the latest radar, one of the easiest ways to detect nearby lightning is with an AM radio. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by the sound of static on AM radio during thunderstorms.

Each stroke of lightning sends out an electromagnetic radio wave that creates a "static crash" on your AM radio receiver. When you hear these static crashes on the radio, you are actually listening to the lightning in real time. In addition, when you hear thunder outside, you are listening to the time-delayed sound of the lightning.

When I was a child, I was glued to the AM radio. It was the only source of popular music, live sporting events, and local newscasts "back in the day." We didn't have any of the modern technology of today. I quickly learned that I could hear many powerful stations East of the Mississippi River late at night. That's when I'd listen to baseball games from Cleveland, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh.

What struck me as bizarre was that I could hear static from lightning in other parts of the country even though the weather was clear where I lived. That's because lightning is propagated as radio waves by the Earth's ionosphere. So, when I heard static on KDKA in Pittsburgh, I instantly knew why the Pirates' game was being delayed by rain and thunderstorms.

When thunderstorms arrive later this afternoon, why not give it a try. You can hear the sounds of lightning best on the lower frequencies of the AM radio band. Try to find a clear spot on the dial where you can't hear any signals from any radio stations. They will interfere with your listening for static on the radio.

Then, listen for the sounds of static. Radio scientists and engineers call these sounds "static crashes." They are actually the sounds of the lightning. Watch for lightning outside. You will notice that you hear lightning on your AM radio at the exact same time you see the lightning flashes. This is because radio waves and light both travel at the speed of light, which is about 186,000 miles per second.

Fortunately, we won't hear any static on the AM radio this weekend, at least locally. It will be mostly sunny, hot, and moderately humid tomorrow and Sunday with daytime highs in the upper 80s to close to 90 degrees and nighttime lows near 70. Believe it or not, I'll still have my AM radio with me when I take my daily walks. Some habits are hard to break.

Have a good weekend.

Paul

Viewer's Photos Tell the Weather Story

A powerful cold front, as expected, pushed through southwestern Connecticut late yesterday bringing two rounds of intense thunderstorms. The storms delivered locally heavy rain and gusty winds. Nearly one inch (0.80") of rain fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, bringing the monthly total close to two inches (1.81").

The high temperature climbed to 89 degrees at 3:14 p.m. before the storms brought gusty Northwest winds of 25 to 30 miles an hour and a peak wind gust of 36 miles an hour. As a result, the temperature dropped nearly 20 degrees in five hours. One of our viewers, Lori, took this photo of a rainbow in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport following the first thunderstorm.

The second round of thunderstorms brought heavier rain during the late-eveing hours. Once the storm exited, skies cleared and a Northwest wind delivered much drier air. Dew points dropped into the upper 50s at daybreak this morning, and it was certainly more comfortable. Another viewer sent this photo of a beatuful sunrise behind the sparkling water fountain at Commons Park at Harbor Point in Stamford.

Today will be the best day of the week. We will enjoy mostly sunny skies, lower humidity, and a warm afternoon with daytime highs in the low-to-mid 80s. Tonight will be clear to partly cloudy and mild with a low in the 60s. Tomorrow will become partly sunny and a little more humid with a high in the mid 80s. Thunderstorms are likely tomorrow night and early Friday in advance of hotter air which will arrive by the end of the week.

Paul

A Summer Reality Check

It finally hit me last night while taking a walk around the neighborhood. The Sun was setting a little earlier and slightly closer to due West. Yes, the days are getting shorter. Last Thursday marked one month since the Summer Solstice, and you've probably already begun to notice the subtle changes across southwestern Connecticut.

Here's another point to ponder. This Thursday marks the midway point of Summer vacation for schoolchildren across southwestern Connecticut. How is that possible? It seems like only yesterday we were helping them celebrate the last day of school. That was five weeks ago Thursday. In just a little more than five short weeks, the students and teachers will be heading back to the classroom once again.

The days are indeed getting "shorter." In fact, we have lost over a half-hour (35 minutes) of daylight since the first day of Summer. Sunrise on June 21st happened at 5:19. This morning's Sunrise was at 5:41, 22 minutes later. Sunset is now at 8:17, 13 minutes before the latest Sunset, at 8:30, on the Solstice.

By the end of the month, Sunrise occurs at 5:47, while the Sun sets at 8:10. Two weeks later, by mid-August, the shorter days become even more pronounced, with Sunrise and Sunset times at 6:02 and 7:51, respectively. The "shorter" days have to do with the Earth's revolution around the Sun, and the 23.5 degree tilt on its axis. By the end of September, the Autumnal Equinox begins a six-month period of longer nights and shorter days in the Northern Hemisphere.

Need further proof that we're moving through Summer rather quickly? NFL owners and players agreed early today to the terms of a deal to end the lockout. If players sign off on the agreement, NFL clubs would be able to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents tomorrow, and training camps would open for 10 of the 32 teams this Wednesday.

Today's weather will be quite different from last week's heat wave. Some showers and a possible thunderstorm are likely today as an East wind keeps the temperature in the 70s. More showers and a thunderstorm are possible tonight with lows of 62 to 68. Tomorrow will be partly sunny and warmer with a high near 85 degrees. The heat and humidity will build before the end of the week. Remember, it's still Summer!

Paul

Excessive Heat Warning in Effect for Entire Region

An Excessive Heat Warning and an Air Quality Alert are in effect through this evening. Today will be the hottest day of the year with high temperatures expected to climb between 94 and 100 degrees this afternoon. The heat index, or the measure of what it actually feels like, may reach or exceed 105 degrees. Use extreme caution if you have to be outside.

Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In fact, on average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse of the body's ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating or a chemical imbalance caused by too much sweating.

When the body heats too quickly to cool itself safely, or when someone loses too much fluid or salt through dehydration or sweating, his or her body temperature rises and heat-related illness may develop. Studies indicate that the severity of heat disorders tends to increase with age. Conditions that cause heat cramps in a 17-year-old may result in heat exhaustion in someone 40 and heat stroke in a person over 60.

More than 1,250 people died in a disastrous heat wave in 1980. In the heat wave of 1995, more than 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat. Between 1999 and 2003, heat-related deaths increased by 54 percent across the United States. During this time, 3,442 deaths resulting in exposure to extreme heat were reported for an average of about 688 deaths a year.

There are several risk factors to take into account. People who have access to three hours of air conditioning a day are less likely to die. Poor health, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are all factors for heat-related deaths. Older people need to be careful since changes in physiology affect how a person responds to heat as he or she ages, and older people don't sweat as much as younger people.

Take it easy today and tomorrow. Children, seniors, and anyone with health problems should stay in the coolest available place. Certainly dress for Summer by wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect heat and sunlight. Drink plenty of water or other non-alcohol or decaffeinated fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool.

Some relief is expected by the latter half of the weekend when daytime temperatures reach the mid 80s, and Monday will feature a high temperature close to 80 degrees, which is more in line with this time of the year. However, look for the mercury to climb back to the upper 80s by the middle of next week. It's still July!

Paul