Hot and Crispy

That's what the lawns and fields of central PA are becoming!  With the low humidity and the hot July sun, the lawns are now showing their stress in these hot and lack of rainfall days that have been numerous here in July (we are -1.18" to date for rain in the month of July).  The heat has not been too abnormal, but this week we will have temps above 90ºF everyday except maybe Tuesday.  I do believe that either Thursday or Friday we will hit 100ºF at KMDT, especially if meaningful rain does not fall in the interim.  Below is a map of the forecast max temps for both Thursday and Friday.  First Thursday...note the smattering of purple colors >100ºF just south of us.  There could be some 100ºF readings in PA as well.

Here is Friday.  Note the larger region of purple indicating a generally hotter day than Thursday.  There is a possibility that clouds from thunderstorms may help cap the heat Friday, but nonetheless, we are looking at 2 awfully hot days with humidity to boot!  But for those of you who are observant; note the large O Canada high looming in Manitoba and with it is relief that will gradually make it here by early next week. 

Here is the upper air pattern for Sunday.  The dip in the jet stream will allow for some moderation in the extreme heat, but real relief will not be felt until mid-week when a stronger vort max spins down from our neighbors to the north.  Also note the center of the heat is now centered over the 4 corners...where it belongs quite frankly.

By next Thursday, the upper air should be diving into PA and points south...so relief will be both in terms of heat and potentially numerous opportunities for rain from the middle of next week on......that is one deep trough for this time of the year! 

Here is the rainfall progged over the SE US for the next 8 days.  It does appear that aside from a few showers and storms that may try to bubble up due to the intense heating of the low levels and try to boil up into the very warm air aloft (not easy to do!), there will be little chance for rainfall until the middle to end of next week.  So keep those tomatoes wet!  PA looks to receive less than an 1.0 inch of precip for the next week.  Ouch!  The areas to our south where the dead front will stall creates an area of weakness in the atmosphere and this boundary will serve as a focus for convection, but not for you! 

My wife jokingly speaks of the "umbrella over Etters!"  Well, last evening, the NWS from State College had my immediate area as many of your areas as well under a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING.  Well, all the atmosphere could muster for us was a TRACE of rainfall....that's it!  A trace!  I'm sure some of you received a little more based off the radar returns...but a few small drops at that...these drops were puny.  So be sure to keep those plants, especially new plantings, wet during this heat and get out there and do the rain dance to fight off Elaine's nemesis.

There is a tropical storm that may strengthen before it departs ENE away from the coast, but it will be of no help to bring rainfall to the mid-Atlantic states either.  Here is the current satellite depiction of Bret.  He's pretty wimpy....

In closing, it will be warm today and becoming hotter and more humid as the week progresses.  The heat will peak Thursday and Friday.  So get ready for some Lovin Spoonful weather although the country bumpkin seen below has no clue about the city even though the back of his redneck gets dirt and gritty!

Have a great week...it's most certainly a poolside week of weather!

Smitty

AA:  Hot today and getting hotter (maybe 100ºF either Thursday or Friday around here!) with little chance of rain.  Temps will finally fall below 90ºF for highs by Monday I do believe.