Today's Top Weather Stories
On Weather & Climate Through the Eyes of Mark Vogan
Hottest Day of the Year for South today!
Houston likely to reach 100 degrees for first time this year, even New Orleans may also top out at 100.
Live view from Grand Isle, Louisiana
LIVE COVERAGE OF TODAY'S SOUTHERN HEAT
LIVE FEED>>>
New Orleans, LA touches the 100-degree mark! Low tonight may fail to get below 82 degrees.
3.00PM CT: Gulfport, MS at 101 degrees, feeling like 113 degrees.
According to AccuWeather, New Orleans, LA is 98 degrees with a Feelslike of 117 degrees!
3.00PM CT: El Reno, OK at 106 degrees.
2.00PM CT: New Orleans, LA at 98 degrees, feeling like 108 degrees.
2.00PM CT: Boothville, LA at 95 degrees, feeling like 111 degrees.
2.00PM CT: Hammond, LA at 102 degrees, feeling like 119 degrees.
12.45PM CT: New Orleans, LA at 97 degrees, feeling like 107 degrees.
12.00PM CT: Gulfport, MS at 100 degrees, feeling like 113 degrees.
12.00PM CT: Boothville, LA (Miss Delta) at 93 degrees, feeling like 109 degrees.
12.00PM CT: Hammond, LA (north of New Orleans) at 99 degrees and feeling like 117 degrees.
INFO AND GRAPHICS COURTESY OF WWLTV NEW ORLEANS
Tropical Depression May Soon Form in the Atlantic
AccuWeather News
Death Toll from Floods in Pakistan Reaches 1,100
AccuWeather News
Warmest Month On Record For Las Vegas
AccuWeather News
Record Cool Weather in San Diego Among July Extremes
AccuWeather News
July 2010 was one of the wettest on record
ABC13 Houston Weather Blog
your america today forecast
by mark vogan
southern plains including southeast & florida
Another very hot, humid day as it appears we are at the peak of summer now both in terms of temperatures as well as on the calender. Use caution if your venturing outside after 12 noon until 6pm as highs will yet again push the upper 90s for the eastern region, as for the west, I'm calling for 100 degree plus in a boxe area from San Antonio (100) to Oklahoma City (103) across to Memphis (101) down to New Orleans (100), in between this box it's possible highs between Houston and Witchita falls may push 106. East of this area, much of central portions of Mississippi and Alabama including Jackson, MS & Montgomery are likely to top 100 also. Areas just north of I-10 from Houston all the way across to Mobile may endure an extremely oppressive day and downright dangerous to be outside in as air temps may rocket to between 100-105 degrees and combine this with oppressive mid to upper 70-degree dew points and you've got heat indexes that get into the 115-120 category! To the east across Georgia highs will be warmer than yesterday, perhaps a 96 for Atlanta as the front pushes slightly north and east, lowering cloud formation and raising temps at the surface. At least dew points will be in the more tolerable upper 60s.. South Georgia however will see dew points closer to the mid 70s, therefore making it feel like 105-110.. Savannah on the Atlantic coast may feel over 110 as dew points will likely near 80 degrees... The secondary high over Florida will be weaker today and therefore highs will be lower and in the low 90s, even across north Florida where it's been in the 100s. Thunderstorms are possible pretty much anywhere in the state, particularly into the afternoon when the land heating draws in those breezes from Atlantic and Gulf Coast and converge over central Florida. You folks in South Florida, expect PM storms, some heavy, highs at the beach of 90, inland 93. Lows across the Southeast will be in the mid-70s, low 80s at or near the coast!
northern plains
Today will have have a split weather map, Across the Dakotas hot, humid air will surge northbound and collide with a front over the western Dakotas, this will allow strong to severe thunderstorms to bubble up and becoming severe into the afternoon hours as highs push for a maximum of 88 in Minot, ND and 91 down in Rapid City, SD. This front will likely impact central and eastern Dakotas throughout today and push into western Minnesota by late afternoon, entering southern Minnesota, Wisconsin and down into Iowa by evening time, say 5pm onwards. So, Minnesota (except far western and northwestern Minnesota) should be sunny, modestly humid as the air flows from the Gulf (DP in the upper 60s to low 70s) and highs in Minneapolis should warm once again like yesterday towards 86-88 degrees. It won't be until mid to late afternoon where clouds associated with the front will enter the Twin Cities from the NW, therefore making it a nice Sunday. Chicago will remain sunny and pleasant with a high expected there of 87 degrees. WITH STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED IN THE DAKOTAS AND WESTERN MINNESOTA TODAY, STRONG, DAMAGING WINDS, SOME HAIL, LIGHTENING AND TORRENTIAL, POSSIBLY FLOODING RAINS ARE MOST LIKELY TO ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS. The I-70 corridor for a change will enjoy sunny skies and modest heat with highs topping out at around 90 for both Kansas City and St Louis. Lows tonight will fall into the 60s from Minot to Minneapolis, Chicago perhaps staying at around 70 for the low whilst Kansas City to St Louis falls to around 75.
northwest
Unfortunately for those either visiting or living along the beautiful Washington and Oregon coastline, your going to have a tough time finding that sun through at least the morning hours, even into the afternoon hours for some areas that typically hold on to marine cloud and fog longer. This will hold temps well down into the 60s and likely highs may struggle to top 66. As for the urban I-5 corridor. Look for lingering morning clouds and fog with even some drizzle in the thicker, denser clouds, burn off will be slow but should clear and allow those late morning 60s push towards a high of 72 in Seattle and only 76 down in Portland, if in the Cascades look for mostly sunny skies and highs in the 60s. East of the mountains and this will be where the warmth can be found with most areas getting into the 80s. The thicker marine layer and cooler highs is thanks to a trough down into the region, this should clear eastwards, giving way to higher pressure and therefore both a weaker marine layer and warmer temperatures. Expect lows uniformly down into the low to mid-50s and 30s and 40s in the mtns.
southwest
The trough continues to enhance the marine layer all the way down the entire West Coast of the US as the cooler air aloft reacts to thicken up those clouds and fog banks which march off the Pacific and onto the West Coast, fingering it's way into gaps, bays and low lying areas. From the CA-OR line to CA-Mexico line, if your living on or visiting the coastal cities. I'm affraid your going to start very cloudy, foggy and perhaps even drizzly, particularly areas from Point Conception northwards along the Central coast where temps are chilly and in the low to mid-50s! Clouds and fog may have a tough time clearing all day today, therefore highs will be limited to only the 58-65 degree range, some places may clear, especially for the LA to San Diego beaches, where highs should push 70. Downtown San Francisco may struggle to see sunshine until 1pm and breezes will keep the high to perhaps only 68, even if the sun shines. Downtown LA and San Diego should warm to 76 and 72 respectively after morning clouds burn off by around 11am. Inland East Bay areas as well as coastal valleys and canyons of Southern California should warm to the mid-80s with a few more sheltered areas seeing low 90s, including Riverside and Ontario! Only the deserts from Palmdale and Lancaster to the NE and Palm Springs to the SE of LA in towards the deserts will see 100s, perhaps a 104 for Palm Springs, 100 for Barstow, Lancaster, Palmdale and Mojave. Baker should push 106. Las Vegas will warm to around 105 but it's going to be stormier and therefore muggier but cooler for Arizona and New Mexico northwards up into the Rockies as the monsoon flow will kick up large thunderstorms by noon through 6pm as the heat helps produce those towering cumulonimbus clouds. Phoenix is likely to remain below 100 with thudnerstorms likely. The 96 degree expected high will feel over 100 because of the moistness of the Arizona atmosphere. The Central Valley should warm to 94 at Fresno, 93 at Sacramento and as warm as 98-99 between Red Bluff and Redding, where there is little marine influence thanks to the mountains on three sides. Lows tonight range from the cloud/fog induced 50s at the coast, upper 50s for downtown SF, 60-62 for downtowns LA and San Diego, mid-60s for coastal valleys, canyons and the SF East Bay, upper 60s for the Central Valley and Inland Empire. 70s across the deserts, mid-80s for Vegas, Phoenix and Death Valley (DV should top around 118 once again).
northeast & mid-atlantic
After a stunning beach day and day for catching up with some yardwork yesterday, today will see an increase in shower activity across the region as a front and associated low pressure system pushes across the region west to east throughout the course of today as that front and low should be out into the Atlantic by tomorrow morning. So, if you live anywhere from south of Washington DC all the way up to New England, expect plnety of off and on showers, perhaps a few embedded thunderstorms, especially as you get into the PM hours and you get some of that daytime heating. I expect some periods of sun, filtering in between clouds, so it's not going to be a complete dissapointment or washout. Highs should uniformly rise into the low 80s with a high of 82 for both Washington DC & Baltimore, 82 for Philadelphia, 80 for New York and 75 for Boston. Areas up towards Boston and into New Hampshire and Maine may see a mostly sunny day with low humidity making for a perfect first day of August here. Lows tonight will drop off into the 60s for the major cities with the exceptions of Boston where it should fall into the very pleasant mid-50s!
Today's Weather across America
From AccuWeather
Blazing Deep South Heat to Continue, Expand Northward
By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
Weather Talk
By Mark Vogan
GLOBAL WARMING OR THE POWER OF EL NINO?
A seemingly Global or Northern Hemisphere Heatwave in Summer 2010 raises the ugly head of Global Warming. Something that was silenced during the record cold and snowy winter of 2009-2010.
Graphic Courtesy of Wikipedia
The heat across the Northern Hemisphere mirrors the incredible cold we saw across the hemisphere last winter, though I must admit the heat appears to be easily outweighing the cold. That's not to say we won't see incredible cold in winter 2010-2011 and the winters of the next few years...
Anyway, what's amazing me is how many NATIONAL ALL-TIME RECORDS have fallen and these are the figures according to Wikipedia.
Of course all the media coverage of this hemisphere-wide heat wave appears to be pointed solely or mostly at Moscow. Highs have topped 100 degrees, breaking the old all-time capital city record of about 97 degrees. I've seen reports that temperatures hit 100, 101 as well as 102 degrees in the city, so which is the "actual or official" new high for the city is unknown to me.
European Russia apparently broke it's all-time record of 110 degrees on July 11 topping 111 degrees at Yakutia.
Pakistan, ASIA in May suffered a long and brutal heat wave as well as northwest India, this was what appeared to be the start of what would become a memorable Northern Hemisphere heat season and thus got off to a blistering start when not only would the all-time Pakistan record fall but also the Asian record A high of 128.6 degrees was recorded at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh province. The old record stood at 127 degrees recorded June 12, 1919. Amazingly the country that kicked off the hemisphere's heat is now suffering through the worst flood since at least 1929, some 1,200 people have now perished.
Basra, IRAQ set a new unofficial all-time record when on June 14, a temperature of 125.6F was recorded, this would break the old record of 125.1F.
Abdaly, KUWAIT reported a new unofficial all-time record on June 15 of 126.7F which would break the old record of 125.4F set on Jul 27, 2007.
SAUDI ARABIA apparently set a new unofficial all-time record at 125.6F, breaking the old record of 125.1F.
BAHRAIN set a new June record with a high on the 20th of 116F.
On the African continent we also saw new national all-time records set or tied, Chad topped a new record of 117.7F, Niger tied it's with a high of 117F and Sudan set a new all-time record with a high of 121.3F set on June 25.
Western Europe's June heat arrived fast and furious with 95 degrees in the Netherlands, 100 in Berlin, Germany, 100 in Madrid, upper 90s in France as well as Poland and this set the tone for what is now a brutal hellish Moscow and western Russian heatwave. All the fierce heat that brutalised central Europe was shifted east thanks to a large trough that moved in off the North Atlantic and Britain....
More to come on this story.
Vagaries of the Weather
India & Sub-Continental Asia Weather
By Rajesh Kapadia
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Focus on La-Nina:
"A developing La Nina effect will bring normal rain to the country in August and September", weather experts at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Some other forums and weather experts are also gung-ho about the develoing La;Nina, and have already concluded that the remaining 2 months of the monsoon will be of plentifull and bounty rains.
But wait, read the IMD wordings--"Developing" La-Nina. Meaning still
not yet developed fully. It can develop in a month, or may take as much as
3 months to fully blow up.
What is the current position of the La-Nina ? why is everyone suddenly talking about it now ? Most days, the population lives on without thinking about it.
But in a year like 2010, it makes headlines.
It's the weather phenomenon El Niño, or in this case, La Niña.Both have the same purpose but with different results.
La Niña is appropriately the opposite of the much discussed El-Nino. The Pacific waters are cooler than normal. Currently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association is providing data that suggests we are in a growing La Niña
phase, with water temperatures as much as 2 degrees below normal.
Typically, but not every time, El Niño and
La Niña alternate and match intensity and numbers. After a showing of a moderate El Niño last year, its counterpart has made a comeback and experts say it will just get stronger, or cooler in this year's case.
Current Situation:
Report from Australian Bureau:
The central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean continued to cool during June.
Tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures continued to cool over the past fortnight, and are now approaching levels typical of a La Niña. Similarly, other ENSO indicators are also at or exceeding La Niña thresholds. As computer models predict the central Pacific will continue to cool over the coming months, it is now highly likely that the Pacific is in the early stages of a La Niña event, and that 2010 will be considered a La Niña year.
Signs of an emerging La Niña event have been apparent in the equatorial Pacific for several months. Pacific Ocean temperatures have cooled steadily throughout the year and are now more than 1°C cooler than average in some areas on the equator. Trade winds continue to be stronger than average and cloudiness has remained suppressed over the central Pacific.
All of these key indicators are at levels typical of the early stages of a La Niña event.
The 30-day Southern Oscillation Index [SOI] to 24 July was +18, the highest value since 2 March 2009. Normally, value over +10 ,(for a period of 10/15 days) would indicate a developed La-Nina. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has increased in value and is currently around +14,
Effects of La-Nina:
During the northern hemisphere summer season, the Indian monsoon rainfall tends to be greater than normal, especially in northwest India. Drier than normal conditions are observed along the west coast of tropical South America, and at subtropical latitudes of North America (Gulf Coast) and South America (southern Brazil to central Argentina) during their respective winter seasons.
Some of the other weather effects of La Niña include abnormally heavy monsoons in India and Southeast Asia, cool and wet winter weather in southeastern Africa, wet weather in eastern Australia, cold winter in western Canada and northwestern United States..
La Nina is the exact reverse of El Nino, and has been traditionally associated with a good monsoon for India, though without direct cause-effect relationship.Never been certain of that !
To put this in perspective, the country faced the worst drought in three decades last year when an El Nino was in full swing in the Pacific.
In line with its La Nina outlook, the Tokyo-based Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC) has said that India would join a few other nations to be bracketed along for a watch on near-flooding rains in parts of the country.
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What's Reaching Today's Blogs?
Russia Heat Wave of July, 2010
Jim Andrews, International Expert, AccuWeather
Today's Extremes here at my house
High: 67 degrees
Low: 55 degrees
TODAY'S COND
A day which started promising and actually warm feeling with filtered sun, in between clouds, those clouds some blocked out the sun, became thicker into the afternoon and by 3-4pm onwards rain, some heavy with a stiffening breeze kicked in.
Thanks for reading.
-Mark
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