July 2008 National Weather Summary
james...@verizon.net
JULY 2008
1st-5th…Dry weather occurred over a large part of the eastern U.S.
with the exception of the two extreme corners. Scattered storms
occurred across Florida, with another pocket of thunderstorms located
over New England. Both of these areas could experience a few strong
storms with brief gusty winds and hail into the early evening hours.
Clear skies across the East early this morning allowed temperatures to
drop to cool levels. A record low temperature of 54 degrees was set in
Augusta, GA this morning with Meridian, MS establishing a new record
with a low of 57. Active weather was seen over parts of the central
U.S. A seasonably strong cold front that runs from the Great Lakes
area into the Midwest and Central Plains will trigger numerous strong
to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and into the evening hours.
Strong storms developed during the mid morning hours over southwestern
Wisconsin and produced hail up to 1". In addition to large hail and
strong winds, brief heavy downpours could produce a quick 1-2" of
rain. The greatest threat for severe storms will extend from Lower
Michigan into northern Indiana, Illinois, southern Iowa, northern
Missouri, southern Nebraska and much of Kansas. The storms will likely
retain their intense nature through the night before weakening toward
daybreak on Thursday. Much cooler air will flow into the Northern
Plains and western Great Lakes behind this cold front. The heat
continued over parts of the Northwest, the Central Intermountain
region and the Desert Southwest. Afternoon temperatures will again
rise through the 90's in eastern Washington and Oregon with readings
in excess of 100 degrees expected over southern California,
southwestern Arizona and southern Nevada. Cooler air has slid over
eastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming, but this reprieve will be
temporary as the heat will expand back into those areas by late this
week. Scattered thunderstorms will develop over the mountains from
Montana southward into New Mexico. A few severe storms with large hail
are likely over eastern Wyoming today into this evening.
In the East on Friday, scattered to at times numerous showers and
thunderstorms were found along a stationary front over portions of the
Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley and into the Mid-Atlantic and parts of
the Northeast. There were some moderate to heavy downpours with the
activity but storms remained below severe limits. Elsewhere, a few
showers and thunderstorms developed by late morning over the Carolinas
and down through the Deep South and Florida. Lightning was frequent in
some areas. Dry conditions were found under high pressure from the
Great Lakes through northern New England. Over the central portion of
the country, flooding was observed in showers and thunderstorms over
portions of Missouri early this morning. Roads were closed due to high
water near the towns of Kirbyville and Ridgedale in the Show Me State.
The heaviest rain translated southward through Arkansas by mid to late
morning. Elsewhere showers and a few thunderstorms grew northward
across the southern half of Texas. Ahead of the wet weather, there was
a record low that was tied in Austin, Texas, this morning at 66
degrees. Dry conditions were observed over the Plains.
Across the West, isolated to widely scattered showers and
thunderstorms occurred across the Rockies and up into interior
sections of the Pacific Northwest. Activity began to increase some in
coverage by late in the morning. Otherwise, the heat was building in
the Southwest as temperatures soared toward 100 degrees. This morning
there was a record high minimum tied at Big Bear Lake, California, at
58 degrees.
6th-12th…In the East on Monday, typical garden-variety showers and
thunderstorms. A large complex of rain and thunderstorms progressed
across southern Wisconsin, Illinois, western Michigan, Indiana, and
northwestern Kentucky. Across the central part of the country, showers
and thunderstorms continued overnight into this morning in the Dakotas
to the Upper Midwest and the Central Plains. Most of this activity
produced weak and general thunderstorms but a severe storm did produce
1.00" hail near Davenport, North Dakota earlier today. In addition,
strong wind gusts brought damage to fences, light poles, signs and
corn fields near Independence, Iowa late last night. Rainfall has been
in the 0.25-0.75" range for most with heavier amounts across eastern
North Dakota and northern Iowa. Rain and thunderstorms also persisted
most of the night across far southern Texas with some areas picking up
an additional 0.50-1.00" overnight. Overnight lows were in the 60s and
70s for most of the region but a few areas of the Upper Midwest did
see lows in the 50s. In the West, monsoonal showers and thunderstorms
wound down overnight but some lingering showers remained across
southeast Arizona into New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and eastern
Montana. Additional rainfall of 0.10" or less was the norm. Scattered
showers and thunderstorms are starting to get going once again today
and, already, some areas have picked up 0.10-0.30" of rain. The rest
of the West remains dry and oppressively hot. Temperatures last night
fell into the 40s, 50s and 60s across the Intermountain West, West
Coast and the Pacific Northwest, while the Desert Southwest to
California stayed in the 70s and 80s. Needles, California had a hot
low temperature of 90 degrees.
A cold front swept through the eastern portion of the country on
Wednesday and triggered showers with some severe weather along its
path. The Northern Plains saw generally clear skies on Wednesday
because the cold front and associated showers moved to the south. The
South saw normal afternoon showers and thunderstorms as high pressure
dominated the region on Wednesday. This allowed for warm and moist
Gulf air to blow in from the south, which are favorable conditions for
thunderstorm development. The West remained hot and dry on Wednesday
because high pressure remained over the region. Excessive heat
advisories remain in effect for many areas of California and the
Pacific Northwest started to feel the effects of dry conditions. Parts
of the Southwest are under flood advisories due to continued high
scattered showers and thunderstorms.
13th-19th…In the East on Monday, a cold front produced isolated to
scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Eastern Seaboard,
eastern portions of the Mid-Atlantic region, parts of the Southeast,
Florida, and the Gulf Coast. No severe weather has been reported with
this activity. Rainfall amounts have ranged from 0.10-0.20 inches.
Elsewhere, mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies and dry conditions
dominated western portions of the Northeast, the Great Lakes region,
the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, and the northern half of the Gulf
Coast region. Across the western two-thirds of the country, scattered
showers and thunderstorms developed across portions of northern Texas
and into the Lower Mississippi Valley. Elsewhere, monsoonal showers
and thunderstorms began to develop during the late morning hours
across the Desert Southwest and the central Rocky Mountains. No severe
weather was reported with this activity, but Truth or Consequences,
New Mexico, received 0.48 inches of rain. Otherwise, mostly sunny to
partly cloudy skies and dry conditions dominated the Upper and Middle
Mississippi Valley, the northern and central high Plains, the northern
Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms occurred over a large part of
Florida. A weak low pressure system off the southwestern coast of that
state will drift slowly northward over the next two days. This storm
does not currently possess any tropical characteristics, but it will
need to be watched over the next 48 hours as there is some small risk
that it could become a weak tropical storm. An active period for
storms is underway across the Northern Plains and western Great Lakes.
Numerous heavy thunderstorms occurred from the eastern Dakotas
eastward through Minnesota and Wisconsin. Strong to severe storms will
occur today and tonight with the potential for large hail and damaging
wind gusts. Nickel to quarter-size hail was reported during the mid
morning hours over central Minnesota in west central Wisconsin.
Summertime warmth persists across much of the West, except for the
northwestern corner of the nation. Afternoon thunderstorms occurred
over the central and southern Rockies into the southwestern Plains
area. A few storms over New Mexico and southwestern Texas occurred and
produced heavy rainfall.
Weather that is typical for mid-summer will be found today over the
eastern part of the country on Friday. Most areas were warm and dry
with the exception of the far southeastern corner. A slow moving area
of low
pressure over northern Florida triggered showers and heavy
thunderstorms over Florida and the southeastern part of Georgia. Warm
weather also occur in the center of the country, but there will be
more organized areas of storms. The strongest thunderstorms developed
along a front from Nebraska northeastward into Iowa, southern
Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Early morning storms
dropped up to 2" of rain over
parts over eastern South Dakota, with large hail falling in parts of
extreme southern Minnesota. Thunderstorms will increase this afternoon
and last through the evening over the Rockies from New Mexico
northward into Montana. Warm temperatures prevailed from California
into the central intermountain region once again with high
temperatures in the 90's or lower 100's.
20th-26th…In the eastern two-thirds of the country on Monday, Tropical
Storm Cristobal has brought a few showers to the southern New England
Coast this morning, but much of the activity has remained well out
across the Atlantic as it continues to move northeast across the
Atlantic. Showers and thunderstorms have also pushed into the
Northeast. A few of these storms have become strong to severe with
quarter size hail reported in Wayne County, New York. Otherwise, a
complex of storms pushed out of Iowa and across Illinois this morning
and into Indiana bringing severe weather along with it. Damaging winds
swept across the area with numerous reports of 60-80 mph winds across
north-central Illinois and into northern Indiana knocking down trees
and power lines as well as taking down a power pole. A few areas
received slightly stronger winds with Princeton, Illinois, reporting
winds of 84 mph. Strong to severe storms have also pushed into
Kentucky early this afternoon with damaging winds already reported. In
the West, monsoonal showers and thunderstorms have developed across
the Desert Southwest, the Great Basin and Four Corner States. This
activity spread up through the Rockies and Northern Plains through the
afternoon and evening hours. A few storms became strong to severe with
isolated large hail, isolated wind gusts in excess of 50 mph,
occasional to frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall.
Dolly strengthened to a category two hurricane on Wednesday and made
landfall north of Brownsville, Texas. The area saw heavy rains and
strong winds, with South Padre Island, Texas reporting 0.84 inches of
rain in one hour with 49 mph sustained winds. The hurricane produced a
tornado which was spotted in San Patrico county on the Gulf Coast of
Texas. The tornado uprooted a few trees, collapsed three sheds, and
blew an RV on its side. To the north, a low pressure system over New
England has produced a cold front that extended along the East Coast
and south of the Ohio River Valley and into the Central Plains on
Wednesday. The front triggered showers and thunderstorms as it moved
southeastward, while some storms turned severe. Hail fell for 5
minutes in Fairlawn, Virginia and 60 mph winds maxed out a sensor in
Gates, North Carolina. Over the Northern Plains, another low pressure
system has developed and has produced a warm front that extended into
Minnesota and a cold front that extends southward into Wyoming. Both
fronts have triggered showers and thunderstorms along their paths, non
of which have become severe. The West Coast saw drier conditions and
clear skies on Wednesday with the exception of monsoon storms over the
Southwest. High showers and thunderstorms persisted and continued to
cause flooding problems in many areas of New Mexico.
Severe weather swept though the Upper Mid-West on Friday. The storms
were triggered by a low pressure system in the north that created a
cold front over the region. Strong winds with approximately 70 mph
gusts were reported in Brule, WI, while hail was reported nearby in
Burnett County, WI. The system has caused problems with flooding in
the Upper Mississippi Valley. A low pressure system north of New
England produced a stationary front that extended down the East Coast
and into the Mid-Atlantic states on Friday. The system has triggered
showers and thunderstorms along its path, none of which have turned
severe. Also in the Southeast, afternoon showers and thunderstorms
have developed due to high pressure over the region which brought much
moisture in from the Gulf. In the Southwest, the remnants of Dolly
pulled moisture into the region from the south, which triggered
scattered showers and thunderstorms. Although Dolly is no longer a
tropical storm, the system has abundant moisture to spread over
western Texas and New Mexico, as it continues on its westward path.
High pressure over the West brought sunny skies to California, with
some morning coastal fog. Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest saw partly
cloudy skies as a low pressure system approached from the Gulf of
Alaska.
27th-30th…A front triggered a line of severe storms across the
Northern Plains on Monday. These storms brought heavy rain and strong
winds to the area, and hail was also reported. Halliday, North Dakota
reported hail that lasted fifteen minutes, and some of the hail
reaching the size of golf balls. A 60 foot tree was also reported down
in the same city. Meanwhile, low pressure produced thunderstorms
across the Central Plains on Monday, primarily in Nebraska and Kansas,
with a few in northern Oklahoma. The Southern Plains remained mostly
clear. Temperatures in the Plains were in the 80s and 90s, and some
areas in the Southern Plains rose to the 100s. A trough over New
England produced some showers and storms across the region, and a few
of the storms turned severe. Hail and damaging winds were reported
along with the storms on Monday. Severe weather also moved through the
Ohio Valley, and numerous power lines and trees were reported down
across the area due to the high winds. The Mid-Atlantic remained
mostly clear. Temperatures across the Northeast ranged from the 70s in
New England to the 80s and 90s in the Mid-Atlantic. Storms popped up
across Florida, Georgia, and along the coast of South Carolina on
Monday due to onshore flow, while the rest of the Southeast remained
warm and mostly clear. Temperatures were mostly in the 90s, with a few
areas reaching 100. Seasonable storms developed across the Four
Corners on Monday, while the rest of the West remained mostly clear.
Temperatures ranged from the 70s in the Pacific Northwest to the 90s
and 100s in the deserts in the Southwest.
Thunderstorms developed across the eastern half of the country on
Wednesday. A trough extending from the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys,
through the Plains, and into Texas produced shower and severe
thunderstorms across the region. These storms brought hail and
damaging winds, and a tree that had been blown over onto a car caused
minor injuries in Portsmouth, Kentucky. To the north, a front
extending from the Great Lakes, through the Plains, and out to Montana
triggered showers and thunderstorms across Indiana and Illinois, plus
a few scattered showers across the Northern and Central Plains.
Temperatures across the Plains were in the 80s and 90s, with a few
100s in the hottest regions. Low pressure across the Northeast
produced clouds across the region and a line of showers and storms
through West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York on Wednesday. None
of the storms turned severe yet. Temperatures were in the 70s and 80s,
and a few areas in the Mid-Atlantic reached 90.
In the Southeast, seasonable showers and thunderstorms developed over
Florida and the Gulf Coast, as well as along the coast of Georgia and
the Carolinas on Wednesday. A ridge over the area pulled in warm Gulf
air into the region, which fueled the storms. Temperatures were mostly
in the 90s, although parts of the Carolinas hit 100. The Pacific
Northwest saw cloudy conditions due to an approaching trough, while
northern Idaho and Montana saw scattered showers. The rest of the
Northwest saw pleasant conditions. Temperatures across the Pacific
Northwest were in the 60s, while farther inland temperatures reached
the 70s and 80s. The Southwest remained dry and hot on Wednesday, with
the exception of seasonable showers and storms over Colorado and New
Mexico. Temperatures rose to the 80s and 90s across the region, while
the desert areas hit 110.
