Heat wave shifts to the Midwest; Waldo Canyon Fire still 5% contained
The ridge of high pressure causing this week's record-setting heat wave continues to drift east today, and will inflict extreme June heat across most of the central U.S. and Midwest on Thursday. Triple-digit heat (and heat indices) will be widespread from the Midwest (Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland) to the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys (St. Louis, Louisville, Memphis). Ann Arbor, Michigan has reached 100° as of 4pm EDT. Heat advisories spread from Kansas north to Michigan, and as far southeast as North and South Carolina.
On Wednesday, 16 all-time record highs were broken or tied from Wyoming to Kansas, and 47 month-of-June records were either broken or tied. 66 warm overnight low records were also tied, 8 of which were all-time records for the month of June. The temperature did not get below 81° in Lamar, Colorado Tuesday night. The overnight low temperature is an important barometer for public health and safety in extreme heat waves; if the mercury does not drop significantly, our bodies (the sick and elderly, in particular) cannot recuperate.
Figure 1. Heat advisories (pink) from Kansas north to Michigan, and as far southeast as North and South Carolina on Thursday, where heat indices are expected to reach 105, as much as 110 in some places.
Our Weather Historian, Christopher C. Burt, wraps up yesterday's significant temperature records:
• Lamar, Colorado hit 112°, which is the city's hottest ever reading, beating 111° measured a few days ago and also on July 13, 1934.
• Dodge City, Kansas finally broke free of its multiple 110° previous all-time records with 111° on Wednesday. Dodge City has one of longest periods of record in the United States, with temperature records beginning on September 15, 1874.
• Hill City, Kansas hit 115° as it did on Tuesday as well, again just 1° short of all-time Kansas STATE June record of 116° set at Hugoton on June 25, 1911.
• Tucumcari, New Mexico hit 108°, just 1° short of all-time record as was the case in Goodland, Kansas and many others.
Waldo Canyon Fire gains 5,000 acres, still 5% contained
18,500 acres (up from 13,5000 on Wednesday) have been consumed, and $3.2 million spent fighting, in the Waldo Canyon Fire which is burning northwest of Colorado Springs and encroaching on the city. The fire remains 5% contained. Around 32,000 people have been evacuated as of Thursday morning as fire fighters continue to battle the blaze, with some help from the weather. Colorado Springs is forecast to reach 97° on Thursday, though it will be slightly cooler in the hills where the majority of the fire is burning. The red flag warnings have been dropped as wind speeds calm to 5-10 mph out of the northwest. However, humidity will still be relatively low, around 15% at the peak heat of the day. Thunderstorms are in the forecast, which creates the threat of lightning-induced fires
A giant plume from the Waldo Canyon Fire hovers high above Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, Colo. on Saturday, June 23, 2012. The fire is zero percent contained and has consumed 2500 acres. Voluntary and mandatory evacuations were taking place across the west side of Colorado Springs. Tankers were dropping fire retardant in front of the advancing flames. (AP Photo/Bryan Oller)
In the Tropics…
An African easterly wave in the central main development region of the North Atlantic is still producing some disorganized thunderstorm activity. The circulation in the wave is moderate but somewhat displaced from the strongest thunderstorm activity, though given the moderate wind shear the wave is experiencing that's not surprising. Sea surface temperature is around average, 28° C (82° F), which is warm enough to support tropical development. The National Hurricane Center continues to give this wave a 10% chance of developing over the next 48 hours.
There are a couple more tropical waves expected to leave the coast of Africa in the next week or so, neither of which are showing any signs of development in the models.
Angela
Reader Comments
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looks like it already had a nice blow up today (Prolly the reason for the invest tag) so i dont see it happening again in the next 5 hours
Why do you have such an anti-Florida mentality?
I'm in Florida, and I'm not wishcasting 97L to come here....
You have to excuse SFLweatherman,I bet he has never experienced a Hurricane before.
* Warm Sea Surface Temperatures
* Low Wind Shear
* [Relatively] Moist Environment
but it also has two big negatives...
* No defined surface circulation
* Increased wind shear in a few days
SFLweatherman asked for it. its yours
no, that must be your CWAs criteria
Excessive Heat Warning - Extreme heat index making it feel very hot, typically above 105 °F (41 °C) for 3 hours or more during the day for two consecutive days or above 115 °F (46 °C) at any time. Specific criteria varies over different county warning areas.[27]
Heat Advisory - Extreme heat index making it feel hot, typically between 105 and 110 °F (41 and 43 °C) for up to 3 hours during the day and at or above 80 °F (27 °C) at night for two consecutive nights. Specific criteria varies over different county warning areas.
I bet he has. I like florida but i dont like the infestation of wishcasting from the hundreds of floridians that come back the days before a storm gets close.
That's what saving us today- 105 but humidity is 25%. No matter which, it's like being a peanut- either boiled, or dry-roasted ;)
97L just needs to stay on the Northern side of the Caribbean. I have no idea though how shear will be when 97L gets there though.
High.
It should be about 120 miles from the islands on Sunday this time, already well developed...and the depression is already supposed to have formed by tomorrow (according to SHIPS, one could assume a TS at 5:00 or 11:00, not that I support this, I think that is way too fast).
Heat Advisory
Issued within 12 hours of the onset of the following conditions: heat index of at least 105°F but less than 115°F for less than 3 hours per day, or nighttime lows above 80°F for 2 consecutive days.
if it can get a surface low, with the weak anticyclone above it, it may make it although it looks grim as the shear is around 40 knots
I like hurricanes themselves just not the mess they leave ha
live?
Look at the convection about to exit Africa
Even I, living 250 miles inland, have been through hurricanes and tropical storms. I never wish them anywhere but out to sea, I have had my fill. I think it's the risk-takers that like to see hurricanes- my older brother was living in New Bern NC during Hugo, and he and his friends rented a condo at the beach and hosted a hurricane party... pity they got skunked. I told them they were idiots, but at least were the safe kind of idiot. He learned a whole new respect for hurricanes when they tried to drive down coast to see what was happening.
Expect the models to shift a little North.
Chicago also has a lot of brick, but even less A/C than StL, so these temps do wreak havoc on elderly who worry about power bills or break-ins and don't run A/C even if have it, or open windows if they don't. I think a couple of years ago, Chicago actually had more fatalities that were heat related than StL did and were several degrees cooler w/ less humidity.
Explain Gro.
On another note, I'd like to say we are having great weather, clear skies, and 91-93 degree's temps.
A little?
I say this things goes to da Bahamas.
GIVE ME A COOKIE AND GeorgiaStormz eat crow
What is the earliest recorded Cape-Verde type storm recorded?
This could be a problem for Haiti if this invest holds itself together.
I have been seeing this here since 2004...just dont understand why.....?
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