stormy

The Atlantic ridge strengthens and pushes Chris to LA or TX

GEM shears Beryl out south of Cuba, then brings Chris from the same region northwest and north to threaten the southeast at 240.

Water use restrictions are already announced for some locations in the Mountain/Valley region. https://augustafreepress.com/news/drought-city-of-staunton-asking-residents-businesses-to-reduce-water-use/

52.5 this morning, 83/59 at noon.

For many in rural areas, "life" and agriculture are interwoven. Many in my region are rapidly approaching a profound effect on their lifestyle and the lifestyle of their livestock. Streams and ponds that supply life sustaining water are nearly dry. Pastures that supply food for livestock are brown and grass is in a non growing dormant state. Corn and soy bean crops are already severely stressed. Many in this area have received less than a quarter inch of rain during June. About an hour ago I traveled through an intensive agriculture area about 5 - 10 miles from where I live. There is a huge multi-million dollar dairy operation within this area. They are milking 1500 head of cattle and probably have at least a thousand acres of field corn that will be chopped to provide feed for these cattle next winter. I have never seen corn this severely affected by drought!! It is about knee high, all the blades are severely rolled up, many bottom blades yellowed out! A farmer tells me that if we don't get a decent rain of at least a half inch in the next week this corn will start dying. This operation is on the verge of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in crops. Irrigation is not an option for this operation. Many others who simply enjoy vegetable gardening as a source of food see their gardens drying up. "Major Water Supply Reservoirs" provide 0% of needed water for most in rural areas.

This is a complicated anomaly between the northern and southern jet streams. The Central Valley is often between the two with no anomalous variance. New Market is historically ground zero..

This Drought Warning while have profound effects on life in the warned area within the next 10 days unless significant rain falls.

Ha! Great until 10 below zero at noon on Jan. 10 with a 30 mph wind. Depending on atmospheric conditions, this is 20 - 30 degrees cooler than even the valley where I live.

.02" last night. .92" first 24 day days of June compared to a normal of 2.88". 83/59 at noon. 58 at 4862 Spruce Knob.

Yes, around 70 is impressive. 66 was the low at 5:05. The normal low is 61 for June 23..

71/69 at 7:30

64 degrees with rain at Spruce Knob............................

94/68 out in the valley at 4:15.

91/69 at 12:25

Blue skies even in a very hot and stagnant pattern such as this is indeed a breath of fresh air compared to earlier times when the smog reduced visibility to only a couple miles and the sun was dim in the sky. We're cleaning up our act but China's emissions are soaring. China now produces more than the U.S., Japan and the EU combined and we have no control over that.

Since you brought up C02, I have good news that should brighten your day. U.S. C02 emissions are down dramatically. They have dropped 17.2% since 2005.

You don't see that today because the air is so much cleaner than the 70's and 80's. That is a fact though some act otherwise.

Way out here in cool country it is 93 at 4pm. Record high was 97 in 1964, 60 years ago today.

The Drought Monitor update this morning reveals an expanding area of moderate drought across Virginia. Included are Roanoke, Lynchburg, Staunton, Waynesboro and Charlottesville. It comes in to about 15 miles west of D.C..

58 degrees at 6 am. That's a bonus during a proclaimed heat wave! 2 degrees below normal.

It was fine, my high was 86. 5 degrees above normal but certainly nothing unusual for June 19.

65 degrees early this morning. 5 degrees above normal. Looking ahead, it is positive to see the 597 heat dome cave to a digging trough from the Lakes by Monday. This could encourage some much needed convective activity by Sunday night or Monday.

86 degrees at 12:45. The record high on this date in Staunton was 95 in 1921.

Its way too early to speculate how this summer will stack up historically. The 1930's are generally accepted as the hottest decade since 1895. 1936 witnessed more than 5000 perish from heat. From NOAA:

I must live on the dry side of town for this one! Didn't receive a drop.