Category: heat

Mid-South drought conditions and the impacts of a lack of rainfall

July 19, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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agriculture, drought, heat, mississippi river

A few weeks ago, we posted about the worsening drought conditions as we headed into a pattern in which temperatures topped 100 degrees on a daily basis. After last week’s wetter pattern, how much did that rain impact the drought? Actually, very little. While it may have put a pause to the downhill trend, scattered…
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Heat returns to the Mid-South this week after a welcome respite

July 16, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat

After a lengthy stretch of 100-degree heat and worsening drought, the region got a very helpful respite this past week as a large-scale pattern change brought increased clouds, rain chances, and cooler temperatures. While heavier rainfall was generally localized, and we’re still far off from breaking our severe to extreme drought conditions, the past several…
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Major pattern shift will provide drought & heat relief this week

July 8, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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drought, forecast discussion, heat

It’s the week we’ve all been waiting for… No, not the series finale of American Idol or Super Bowl week. It’s “Heat Relief Week”! For 2 weeks, massive hot high pressure has squashed rain chances and brought eight 100-degree days to the Memphis metro. Drought conditions have become “severe” (by definition) or worse as the last…
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Heat Advisory in effect until Sunday evening (at least)

June 29, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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heat

URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN …DANGEROUS HEAT EXPECTED FOR THE MID-SOUTH THROUGH THIS WEEKEND… .THE COMBINATION OF RECORD BREAKING HEAT IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS AND INCREASING HUMIDITY WILL ALLOW FOR DANGEROUS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HEAT INDICES THROUGH SUNDAY. AN UPGRADE TO AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS POSSIBLE FOR SOME LOCATIONS. …HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN…
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Prolonged and dangerous heat wave beginning over the Mid-South

June 27, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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code orange, drought, excessive heat, heat

A prolonged heat wave began today with a high of 98 degrees and will continue for the majority of the next week, if not longer, including the July 4th holiday. This heat wave will include daily high temperatures in the triple digits. There is no rain in the forecast for the next week, which will…
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First mid-90s heat wave of summer 2012

June 17, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat, solstice

Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads out there! It’s been said that being a father is easy, being a dad is something entirely different… I’m grateful and blessed to get to work every day at being a great DAD! The weather this week is going to cause everyone – dads and all –…
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Arrival of a strong cold front will end heat (briefly)

May 29, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat, severe thunderstorms

Memorial Day weekend was just as advertised, and as we have come to expect in the Mid-South – dominated by heat! With temperatures in the lower to mid 90s for the holiday weekend, the only minor relief was that the humidity was not off the charts, so heat index readings didn’t quite reach 100. The…
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Summer arrives just in time for Memorial Day weekend

May 23, 2012

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat

Mid-Southerners have gotten a treat over the last couple days when it comes to the weather, thanks to some cooler temperatures and lower humidity, making for some very enjoyable afternoons and evenings. However, as you might expect as we head towards Memorial Day weekend, this pleasant weather will soon be over. Get the sunscreen and…
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How many ways is there to say “it’s hot??”

August 2, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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excessive heat, heat

Do all of the recent Heat Advisories, Excessive Heat Watches, and Excessive Heat Warnings have you confused and wondering why we can’t just say “IT’S HOT“?? I’ll get to that in a minute. First a few stats about the Memphis summer of 2011: Since May 28, there have only been 5 days that the temperature…
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Heat wave building over the region this weekend

July 8, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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excessive heat, heat

A very warm week is ending with the passage of a front (I refuse to call it a cold front). Ahead of that front, a complex of thunderstorms passed through the region in the early morning hours today. At Cirrus Weather Solutions in Bartlett, we recorded just over an inch of rain in about 2…
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String of above normal temps could end as summer begins!

June 20, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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heat, solstice, summer

Since May 28, the Memphis airport has had only one day in which the high did not reach 90 degrees (it was only 89 last Friday). In that stretch, the average high has been 94.5 degrees and the average low 73.5 degrees, for an average temperature of 84 (or about 7 degrees above normal). And…
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Two chances for thunderstorms, then even more heat

June 16, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat, severe thunderstorms

The Mid-South will have a couple of chances of thunderstorms over the next 12 hours or so, then a ridge of high pressure builds, bringing oppressive heat to the area for Father’s Day weekend. The first of a couple of thunderstorm chances is developing now. At 1:45pm, StormView Radar is showing a few cells already…
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Another “cold front” will affect west TN this weekend

June 10, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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forecast discussion, heat

Strong high pressure at all levels of the atmosphere has served up an extended heat wave over the past two weeks. Officially, we have seen 90 degrees every day since May 28 with no rain recorded. Unfortunately, extended range data indicates that the heat spell will continue for another week or maybe two, as strong…
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Hazy and hot will be joined by humid – and it’s only the beginning of June!

June 3, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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air quality, heat, ozone

The Mid-South is in the throes of weather normally reserved for August as the 3 H’s (heat, haze, and humidity) are combining to make things miserable across the region. The heat began last Saturday as we started a streak of 90-degree days that right now seems to have no end. With a week of 90-degree…
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Heat Advisory issued; more likely this weekend

June 3, 2011

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Erik Proseus

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heat

URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1120 AM CDT FRI JUN 3 2011 …VERY HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS RETURN TO THE MID SOUTH… .A SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE 90S TO APPROACHING 100 DEGREES.…
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Late season heat wave sets more records

September 21, 2010

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Erik Proseus

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heat, record temps

If you thought the record-breaking was a thing of the past, Mother Nature has something else in store! As discussed late last week, another heat wave has enveloped the Mid-South. The fortunate difference between this one and most of this summer is the much lower humidity values this time around. It’s a “dry heat!” The…
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One last blast of summer?

September 16, 2010

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Erik Proseus

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heat

Even though a “cool front” is moving through the region today, the only “sensible” effects will be a wind shift and a reduction in humidity values. Very little, if any, rain will fall with this system, other than the brief light rain that fell early this morning across parts of the metro and did nothing…
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Why has it been so hot? And when is it going to end?

August 21, 2010

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Erik Proseus

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education, forecast discussion, heat, upper-level

The Mid-South summer of 2010 will likely be remembered (after the flooding rains of early May) for the intense and prolonged heat and humidity. The vast majority of the comments and questions I get from folks run along the lines of “when is this heat/humidity going away?” This post will hopefully answer two questions for…
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Heat abates slightly for the upcoming week

August 15, 2010

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Erik Proseus

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excessive heat, forecast discussion, heat

A cold front will move through the Memphis metro area this evening and stall across north Mississippi, bringing an end to the near-100 degree temperatures and Excessive Heat Warnings of the past week. It will also help to lower humidity levels a little by Monday, which was the second factor (besides the heat) contributing to…
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Recap of the record heat wave – more on the horizon?

August 7, 2010

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Erik Proseus

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excessive heat, heat

The Mid-South suffered through a heat wave of record proportions this past week, the hottest since 2007. Due to a massive ridge of high pressure over the area, temperatures climbed into the triple digits for four consecutive days at Memphis International Airport and overnight lows remained in the 80s for five days as well. The…
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