Why It's So Hot, When It Might End and Why We Should Count Our Blessings

[kentauros]

Why It's So Hot, When It Might End and Why We Should Count Our Blessings

By Jeff Balke Thu., Aug. 18 2011 at 3:01 PM

Polite elevator conversation usually includes something like, "How about that weather, huh?" Lately, that conversation might be more along the lines of, "Holy shit, I went outside and thought I was going to die!" Normally, summers in Houston turn the average resident into either a hermit, scurrying from one air conditioning source to another as quickly as possible, or a grumpy bastard who does nothing but complain about the heat to anyone who will listen, as if no one else has been outside since April, or some combination of the two. Unfortunately, this year, those responses are not just normal, they are justified.

Houston is currently suffering through what will turn out to be the hottest summer on record. We already broke July records and the average August temperature is three degrees higher than the hottest month in Houston history. It was 103 degrees on Wednesday -- part of a 17-days-and-counting streak of over 100-degree days breaking the previous record of 14 -- and there is even a chance we could see temperatures near 105 next week (the record highest temperature ever recorded in Houston, if you're curious, is 109). Normally, our hottest week of the summer is the last week in July with average temperatures in the upper 90s, so, yeah, this heat is sucking our will to live, but why has this year been so bad and when will it end?

Our unreasonably warm temperatures are the result of a dome of high pressure sitting over Texas that is so persistent, it has been given the nickname "bulldog" by some members of the meteorological community. This large mass of high pressure is also responsible for our record-setting drought. It generally prevents storm clouds from forming within the area and holds in heat like a pressure cooker, making us the chili (no beans, thank you very much).

~~~more at link~~~

Very good article from the Houston Press. I just posted this to a GD thread where the DUer was mentioning some big downpour in Nebraska and another asked that it be sent here! :)

[sonias]

1. " two weeks of this hell on earth" - End of times - No?

Some are pretty sure this has all been scripted for us. The fanatical wingers think these are all signs of the coming end of the world. And they are so eager to send us all there too. :(

Maybe the drought falls under "famines". Just guessing. :shrug:

What I think is funny is that I look forward to 95 degree days like those have now become "cool days" and I'm actually hoping for a hurricane season to pick up. Strange days indeed.

[kentauros]

2. I know what you mean about actually Wanting hurricanes!

One of the NHC sites I watch is this one: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo_atl.shtml

And I find myself "cheerleading" the storms to build into hurricanes and make it into the "chute". So far, though, they all veer off to the west into Mexico and Central America before even getting into the Gulf :(

[sonias]

3. You weather geek!

Hurricane Chute could be the name of a game. If enough of us played it maybe they would come.

Couldn't be any worse than Prayerapalooza for effectiveness right? :)

[kentauros]

4. I'm thinking we should ask the Native Americans for help.

I've used a ritual of theirs for protection from hurricanes. Seems like we could appease the same Spirits for help :)

And yeah, I admit it, I'm a mild weather-geek (not to be confused with a "mild-weather geek" :P). When I remember to, I read Dr. Jeff Masters blog on Weather Underground :D

[sonias]

5. I'm willing to try anything

Leave no rain deity untapped.

You can still be our DU-WU-Geek (DUWUK) since you stay more informed than the rest of us mundanes. :thumbsup:

[kentauros]

6. Cool!

:D :hi:

It's too bad the Weather forum here is basically useless. Their last post was in February?!? Good thing no one's relying on them for even week to week updates :P

[christx30]

19. When hurricanes head

toward the Gulf of Mexico, I'm glad for Cuba, acting as a speedbump. That brief pass over land weakens it enough that we don't get hit as hard as LO did with Katrina. But we still get plenty of rain.
But I am really wanting some rain. The trees in my front yard are starting to bribe dogs.

[WolverineDG]

9. Yeah, that little area between Cuba & the Yucatan

whenever I see a storm coming through that point, I start saying "Come to mama." Those storms are almost guaranteed to hit Texas at some point.

dg

[TEXASYANKEE]

7. "We've never had a hurricane after the end of Sept"??

Well, we've never had a summer as hot as this. I think we can start throwing the "never hads" out the window. This summer is not at all what the experts predicted, so who knows if hurricane season will forever after officially end on Sept 30. And if this weather is the new norm, we're all in some serious trouble.

[kentauros]

8. Historically, the Press is right.

We are coming into the peak of hurricane season; the whole season isn't over until November 30. It's during the peak that we can expect the strongest storms. After that, even with the extreme conditions we've seen this year, it's still a safe bet to expect the severity of the storms to drop off as cooler weather begins to get further down the continent to the Gulf. It's more than just temps, it's air pressure and wind shear, too :)

If you want to research it, here's a wiki page for all storms to hit Texas:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/history.shtml

[WolverineDG]

10. Remember cold fronts?

:spray: :rofl:

good find!

dg

[kentauros]

13. Thanks :)

There's also a sympathetic thread in GD!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1794118

It's kind of hard to read because there are so many sad stories about everything drying up and dying...

[tammywammy]

11. I was in the Beaumont-Pt Arthur area this weekend

Oh god. I thought I was suffering here in the DFW area, but dead god that humidity.... I was actually glad to get home today to the "dry" heat. I told my family, "well, I hope you all know, everyone up in DFW is hoping for a hurricane, not a big one, maybe just a baby Cat 1, but not a puny tropical storm like Don."

Many of my family members had their homes flooded during Ike. I said I didn't want it to hit Pt Arthur, but somewhere/anywhere in Texas would be good enough. :)

[Avalux]

12. I live in San Antonio. This summer has definitely been hellish.

I can't even describe what it's like to be working outside; running errands, etc. when the temp is 104; it saps your energy and leaves you feeling awful. I gave up on my grass and spend as much time as possible indoors. If it rained, I'm not sure I'd know what to do.

I was in Tampa FL last week for business with a temp of 92, and it felt cool (is that messed up or what?)

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. I'm in San Antonio too. This weekend 111/109. 104 would be welcomed I think.

I'm not sure I can take another two weeks of this. I can't remember what cool feels like. :shrug:

[Avalux]

15. Worst heat yet will be this coming weekend....

I plan on staying inside from noon until dark on Saturday/Sunday. I feel bad for the kids who started school yesterday.

[Catlover827]

16. We live in Sugar Land, and our evenings are mostly pleasant

My husband works at Texas Medical Center, and he often reports that it has rained there during the day, while Sugar Land remains dry. It's been interesting to observe the weather here.

[onestepforward]

17. I wish we could give our high pressure dome

to the east coast to protect them from the hurricane. :(

[kentauros]

18. Yeah, they could use a "deflector shield" about now.

I think the storm is having an effect on our weather, though. More clouds are "getting in" under that same dome...

[TxVietVet]

20. I live on Lake Livingston.

The lake is down about 4 feet. Some folks used to have lakeside property, now have beach front property. :yoiks: It's been over 100 degrees for days on end. Finally, it's coming down into the mid 90s. I rode my motorcycle from Nederland to Lake Livingston Tuesday night. It wasn't cool at all. I could have done it without a coat. It was in the high 70s. Summer has been hot, dry and like a furnace. I enjoy sitting outside and watching the hummingbirds. But, when I do, my body is covered in sweat. I ride my motorcycle just about everyday. It's like riding in a furnace exhaust. I have to make frequent stops to get water. Getting dehydrated is not a good thing.

[kentauros]

21. I know they're expensive,

(as in really expensive), but have you ever considered using one of those "cool suits"? I've seen vests that only cover the torso. The other disadvantage I've read about them is that they lose their cooling ability as the water circulating through them warms up. I had asked the safety manager around here a while back if the surveyors ever use them in the field, but he wasn't sure. Seems like just the kind of "safety equipment" they could use the most :)

And I was chuckling at how the filter on my kitchen tap says "Do not use water warmer than 85F." Yeah, like it's even possible to get "cool" water any more! So, I measured it coming out of the "cold" tap. 90F. Cold water here is around the right temperature for promoting the growth of yeast (when mixing bread dough, the water for the yeast has to be between 85F and 105F.) I need a way of putting ice in the water line in order to cool it down to be filtered! :crazy: