E PA/NJ/DE Summer 2026 Obs/Discussion

[BBasile]

Wanted to capture a super red sunset, but the smoke is so thick the sun was completely blocked.  

[BBasile]

A friend of mine at the Phil's game sent me this photo.  Completely healthy atmosphere.  lol

[Albedoman]

padot comment letter06152026.pdfpadot comment letter06152026.pdf

[LVblizzard]

A lot less smoky out there today. I can even see some blue in the sky. Looking forward to this crap being gone by tomorrow afternoon.

[Violentweatherfan]

14 minutes ago, LVblizzard said:

A lot less smoky out there today. I can even see some blue in the sky. Looking forward to this crap being gone by tomorrow afternoon.

Yeah I don’t think it’ll be as bad as forecast today 

[ChescoWx]

Smoke will continue to be a problem through tonight. We should be several degrees cooler than yesterday with what looks like to me no temps near 90 degrees for at least the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow will be warm and humid with showers and thunderstorms across the area. We turn much cooler by Sunday with highs in the upper 70's to near 80. Nighttime lows by Monday morning will be in the 50's across many of our lower valley locations. Temperatures through the next week look to remain below normal through what is on average our hottest week of the year.

[The Iceman]

5% tor probs tomorrow.... actually a pretty interesting severe set up if we can avoid crapvection.

[BBasile]

2 hours ago, LVblizzard said:

A lot less smoky out there today. I can even see some blue in the sky. Looking forward to this crap being gone by tomorrow afternoon.

Unfortunately, it's still quite smokey here. Can still smell it, too.  As someone who is an outdoor runner and cyclist, and absolutely despises treadmills, this shit sucks.  Looking forward to it's exit as well.  

[BBasile]

Enhanced for tomorrow.  

[Chadzachadam]

AQI is much lower than 2023 but the news said this was the first code purple since 2008, confusing. Even still, AQI of 265 imby is grounds for staying inside all day

[JTA66]

1 hour ago, BBasile said:

Enhanced for tomorrow.  

Pass.

 

I threw out a crap ton of groceries the other week after the power outage. Can't afford to keep doing so  

[BBasile]

SPC has increased the risk of strong tornadoes for all of NJ and EPA.  

[JTA66]

Hearing thunder already from a cell just off to my west.

[Albedoman]

After weeks of relentless heat and drought, western Lehigh County finally received its first measurable rainfall in weeks this morning. The thunderstorm produced nearly 0.75 inches of rain, falling in several intense downpours that soaked the ground just in time.

For local agriculture, this rainfall was nothing short of a multi-million-dollar blessing. Corn fields had reached the critical tasseling and silking stage, when adequate moisture is essential to determine kernel development and final yields. Soybean fields were showing increasing signs of drought stress, with curled leaves and slowed growth becoming more evident each day. Without meaningful rainfall, crop losses would have escalated rapidly.

This storm likely saved tens of millions of dollars in potential agricultural losses across western Lehigh County. While it certainly does not end the drought, it arrived at one of the most critical periods of the growing season. Soil moisture has been replenished enough to relieve immediate crop stress, allowing corn and soybeans to resume active growth.

Beyond the water itself, thunderstorms provide another often-overlooked agricultural benefit. Lightning converts atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available nitrate compounds that are carried to the ground by rainfall. Although not a substitute for fertilizer, these natural nitrogen additions can provide a modest nutrient boost, helping crops recover more quickly after prolonged dry weather. Just as importantly, the rainfall washed dust, pollen, and other airborne particles from the atmosphere, improving air quality while refreshing plant foliage.

There is still a long way to go. Subsoil moisture remains well below normal, and additional widespread rainfall will be needed over the coming weeks to sustain crop development through pollination and pod filling. Nevertheless, today's storm represents a major turning point. For farmers who have watched their fields deteriorate under weeks of dry weather, this rainfall was more than welcome—it was timely, valuable, and may ultimately prove to be one of the most important weather events of the summer.

[Albedoman]

In addition to nearly three-quarters of an inch of much-needed rainfall, the thunderstorm also scrubbed weeks of smoke, dust, and other airborne particles from the atmosphere. The rain washed these fine particles onto the landscape while lightning naturally converted atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available forms that were carried into the soil. Although the amount of natural nitrogen is modest compared to commercial fertilizer, every pound helps during a critical stage of crop development. Just as important, the cleaner air and washed foliage allow crops to capture more sunlight, improving photosynthesis and helping fields recover from weeks of drought stress.

[ABE SnowObserver]

So far in East Allentown this morning by the airport it has been bone dry.  However, it poured for a good 20 minutes in Emmaus ( just my south) in the 8:30am timeframe.  Not sure if LVIA recorded any measurable precipitation yet today.  Radar to the west looks promising though.