Mid-summer break
Here it is mid-summer already.
Actually meteorological summer runs from June 1st until the last day of August and better fits the actual weather we experience here in Southwestern Pennsylvania. With that in mind we usually see the beginning of the fall season just after the first of September.
This is welcome news for those who tired of the heat and humidity and sad news for those who love summer. The nice thing about our summer weather is that we usually get several breaks from the heat and humidity just like we did this past week when we woke to temperatures in the 50s on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and we had beautiful sunny days most of the week before the heat and humidity returned.
These spells of cooler and drier air visit us from Canada and are a welcome break for most of us.
Last summer was an exception to these cool spells from Canada as we had 29 days with temperatures of 90 degrees or better and the worst part was we had so little rain and were in a drought.
On five of those days the temperature soared to 97 degrees .Our last 90-degree day happened on Aug. 31. So far this season we have observed 17 days above 90 with the highest of 96 recorded on June 24th.
Ninety degree weather can be experienced on any day until the end of September, however the likelihood decreases after the 15th and 90-plus weather in September is usually just for a day or two. The latest 90 degree observed was on Oct. 10, 1949 when we had a temperature of 91.
Weather records for Uniontown go back to 1913 and the average number of 90-degree weather days had been 10 per season. The last decade saw this edge upward to 13 probably as a result of our changing climate and the increase is widespread affecting nearly all parts of the country and most of the planet.
Heat is on the rise and it is the biggest weather killer of humans.
You may have noticed that the amount of sunlight has dropped off a bit as sunrise is now 6:10 a.m. and sunset at 8:41p.m. On June 21 it was 5:50 a.m. and 8:51 p.m. It takes the planet a little extra time to begin the cooling down phase as the average temperature for summer reaches its peak here at 86 degrees for the high and 64 for the morning low but not until the 23rd of July.
After that temperatures head downhill until around the first of February.
Looking ahead, this coming week looks to see temperatures mostly in the 80s with lots of sunshine and a couple of rounds of showers and a storm or two.
The first week of August calls for normal temps and below normal rainfall as another visit from a friendly cool dry front from Canada heads our way.