July Almanac

Normal High & Low:

July 1       83° / 61°

July 31    83° / 63°

* The normals jump to 84°/63° July 14-25

Records:  105° (1936)  40° (1988)

Normal Rainfall:  2.80"

We lose 43 minutes of daylight during the month.

Cool Temps

It will feel more like May or September the next few days.  Highs will be in the mid 70s with overnight lows in the upper 40s/lower 50s.   Normal high the next few days is in the lower 80s, normal low is in the lower 60s.

The record lows the next couple of mornings look pretty safe for most spots.

Record Lows Wednesday AM/Thursday AM:

• Toledo               42/40


• Findlay             44/44


• Norwalk           41/41


• Tiffin                 42/44


• Adrian             41/41


• Defiance         41/43


• Lima                42/47


• Montpelier   41/44


• Napoleon     41/44


• Kenton         40/41


• Wauseon     40/40

Sunday Storm Reports

0625 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 E BOWLING GREEN -- SOME LARGE LIMBS DOWN.  

0650 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MOUNT CORY  -- PARTIAL STRUCTURE COLLAPSE  

0657 PM     75mph WND GST     5 S FINDLAY            
  
0700 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FINDLAY    -- TREE FELL THROUGH A HOUSE.  MANY TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.  

0612 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CRESTLINE   -- LARGE LIMBS DOWN.  
  
0707 PM     TSTM WND DMG     VANLUE       -- LARGE LIMBS DOWN.  

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW WASHINGTON    -- ONE TREE AND ONE LARGE LIMB DOWN.

0810 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GALION  --  A COUPLE OF TREES DOWN.  

0500 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 N TIFFIN  -- SEVERAL VERY LARGE LIMBS DOWN ON STATE ROUTE 53 BETWEEN  TIFFIN AND FORT SENECA.  

0740 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NE REPUBLIC -- TREES BLOWN OVER AND SOME SIDING TORN OFF OF HOME.

0744 PM     NICKEL HAIL, 55 MPH WINDS         CHATFIELD              

0700 PM     78mph WND GST     FINDLAY                

0423 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 S SANDUSKY  -- TREES DOWN. PENNY HAIL.

 0445 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW LONDON   -- TREES DOWN. PEA HAIL.

0725 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ALGER  -- ONE TREE DOWN.

0252 PM     72 mph WND GST     5 NW DEFIANCE          
  
0703 PM     62mph WND GST     1 WSW ALLENTOWN        



JUST NORTH OF VIEWING AREA IN MICHIGAN:

0231 PM     TORNADO          WILLOW  (WAYNE COUNTY)   

             
NWS SURVEY CONFIRMED A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST  SOUTHEAST OF CLARK AND WILLOW ROADS. EF1 DAMAGE WITH   
WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 105 MPH WERE NOTED ALONG WALTZ ROAD  AND JUST TO THE EAST. DAMAGE INCLUDED MULTIPLE HOMES WITH  ROOF DAMAGE AND TWO DESTROYED GARAGES. THE TORNADO ENDED  JUST EAST OF RUST RD. THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH WAS 1.4 MILES  FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. THE TORNADO WAS 200 YARDS  WIDE WHERE THE EF1 DAMAGE OCCURRED.   

0707 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W WADHAMS (ST. CLAIR  COUNTY)       

*** 1 FATAL, 4 INJURED *** WIND DAMAGE TO FORT TRODD  CAMPGROUND. SEVERAL CAMPERS OVERTURNED AND THROWN INTO  POND.

Cooler, tranquil week ahead

Humidity and temperature levels will drop significantly this week.  Highs Tuesday through Thursday will be in the 70s with overnight lows in the low/mid 50s (some areas north and west of Toledo may dip into the upper 40s).  This will be the coolest stretch since June 6-8.

Warm weather will return by next weekend.

Sunday Storms

The threat for thunderstorms will increase this afternoon into this evening as a cold front gets a little closer.  The air mass ahead of this front will be hot and muggy. 

Lines of storms will track through the area, and these storms may be severe.  The primary threat will be strong winds.  The tornado threat is very low, but an isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out.

Update On Alex

Alex has made landfall over the Yucatan Peninsula.  It will move back over the water (Bay of Campeche & southern Gulf Of Mexico) and strengthen to a hurricane.  It looks like it will strike northeastern Mexico next week.  The National Hurricane Center is forecasting the possibility that it may make landfall as a category 2 hurricane, which would have winds over 95 mph.

Monroe County Tornado Confirmed

A National Weather Service (NWS) storm survey confirmed a tornado touched down just north of the Cone Rd exit off US 23...about 2 miles south of Milan, at 10:06 PM June 23. The tornado lifted about 2 1/2 miles northeast of Maybee, near Steffas Rd between Scofield and Zink. The total path length was 11 1/2 miles with an average path width of 50 yards.

The tornado was rated an EF0 along most of its path, producing winds of 60 to 70 mph. However, EF1 damage with winds estimated at 90 mph was found near Tuttle Hill Rd in London Township -- a roof was torn off of a pole barn, and substantial tree damage was found. The width of this tornado had briefly extended to 100 yards in this location. Several homes also had roof and shingle damage - mainly in and near the town of Scofield.

The storm survey also indicated that straight line wind damage occurred to the east of where the tornado lifted and continued into the Newport area. This damage included some downed power lines, minor tree damage and plastic covering removed and aluminum frame damage on a green house.

The NWS in Detroit has put together a full page about the tornado here.

The Tropics Heat Up

As of Friday morning, there are two hurricanes in the eastern Pacific, just west of Mexico.  Hurricane Celia is a major category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph.  It will weaken as it tracks westward. 

Just east of Celia is Darby, but that hurricane isn't as strong.

There is an area of disturbed weather in the Caribbean.  This may become a tropical depression today.  If it becomes the first storm of the Atlantic season, it will be named Alex.

Some (not all) of the computer models take this storm into the eastern Gulf of Mexico.  This definitely bears watching considering what has been going on in the Gulf as of late.

A few computer models take it over the Yucatan Peninsula, and then have it dissipate in eastern Mexico or Texas.

You can follow all of this tropical activity in our Hurricane Tracker.

Storm Reports 6/23/10

0114 PM ¾” HAIL 3 mi SSE ELMORE

 0142 PM 1” HAIL 2 mi S FREMONT

 0153 PM 1” HAIL SANDUSKY

 0202 PM 40mph WND CLYDE

 0208 PM 1” HAIL SANDUSKY

 0230 PM WND DMG BERLIN HEIGHTS 

LARGE TREE DOWN AS WELL AS ELECTRICAL WIRES.

LARGE TREE DOWN ON STATE ROUTE 61.

0235 PM 40mph WND TIFFIN

 5 INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB DOWN IN EAST SIDE OF TOWN.

0250 PM WND DMG 2 ENE KALIDA

MULTIPLE TREES DOWN AT COUNTY RD M AND K-14 IN KALIDA

 0255 PM WND DMG COLUMBUS GROVE

24-36” DIAMETER TREE UPROOTED. NUMEROUS LIMBS DOWN. POWER OUT.

0314 PM WND DMG FINDLAY

WIRES DOWN AT US 68 AND STATE ROUTE 103.

0319 PM WND DMG RAWSON

WIRES DOWN AT 129 PARK STREET.

 0355 PM WND DMG 2 mi SE CLYDE

1 FOOT DIAMETER TREE DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD 236.

0830 PM WND DMG 4 SE CARLETON

1.5 FOOT DIAMETER TREE LIMB, 15 FEET LONG, FELL ON

POWERLINES ONTO TELEGRAPH ROAD ABOUT A QUARTER MILE SW OF

I-275. STATE POLICE ARE ON THE SCENE.

0930 PM WND DMG LITCHFIELD

FARM BARN FLATTENED AND PARTIAL ROOF OF FACTORY AT M49

AND HERRING RD....TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR

0938 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 6 mi SSE MANCHESTER

1011 PM WND DMG EDGERTON

FIRE STATION SUSTAINED DAMAGE. UNKNOWN NUMBER OF INJURIES.

COURT HOUSE DAMAGED. POSSIBLE TRAIN DERAILMENT AND TWO

SEMI RIGS RESTING AGAINST TRAIN...TIME ESTIMATED FROM

RADAR

1035 PM WND DMG DEFIANCE

SEVERAL TREES DOWN

1059 PM 62mph WND DELPHOS

1100 PM FUNNEL CLOUD DELTA

1103 PM WND DMG 3 mi E LIBERTY CENTER

POWER LINES DOWN AND POWER OUT AT CO RD T AND CO RD 4

1108 PM WND DMG 3 mi SW MCCLURE

TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN AT CTY RD M4 AND CTY RD 7

1125 PM 1.35” RAIN 2 SSW ONSTED

Storms -- 1 am Thur Update

Severe storms are now south of the area.  Leftover showers/isolated thunder possible the next few hours.

Storm & damage reports will be posted soon.

Storms Update - 9pm

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of the area this evening.  A line of severe storms is tracking towards the area.  The storms have been producing widespread wind damage with gusts exceeding 60 mph.

Isolated tornadoes have occurred in a few of the storms.

Some storms will skim our northern counties in Michigan the next few hours.  The main line of storms will cross the viewing area between 10:30 pm and 1:30 am.

Severe Storms Possible

Another wave of storms will approach the area late this afternoon into this evening.  Storms will be quite widespread mid/late evening into the overnight (8 pm onward).   There will be a lot of lightning -- make sure you have proper shelter as the storms approach.  [There are severe weather safety tips on the main weather page.]

We have a MODERATE risk of severe weather.  The primary threat will be damaging winds.  However, some large hail is also possible.  A few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

With the extremely muggy air in place, storms will unleash torrential downpours.  Areas that see repeated thunderstorms will accumulate a few inches of rain in short amount of time.

You can purchase a severe weather radio at Kroger for a discounted price.  More details can be found here:  http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=12681658

Unsettled and stormy

We will be in a very unsettled pattern the next few days.  Complexes of thunderstorms will continue to develop in the Plains and Midwest, and track into the area.  These occasional complexes will continue off & on through Wednesday night.

The clusters of storms will have the potential to create powerful wind gusts.  So, we continue with a slight risk for severe storms until about Thursday morning.

One other aspect that we will be watching will be heavy rainfall.  With the higher levels of humidity the next few days, the storms that do develop will be able to produce torrential downpours.  Locations that see repeated storms could see hefty rain totals until the pattern breaks.

Summer Begins

The summer solstice occurred this morning at 7:28.  This marks the northern most reaches of the sun's direct rays as it is positioned over the Tropic of Cancer.

First Day of Summer

The first day of summer this year is Monday, June 21st. Enjoy the warm and muggy weather!

Storm Reports

Comments emerged on our Facebook page asking why we were not reporting tornadoes that other outlets were reporting.
One "tornado" report came from a location that was not experiencing a storm at the time of the call (storms were one county to the west).

Other reports were based on wind damage.  Straight line winds can reach over 80 mph, similar speeds to that of tornadoes, but they go in a line versus a twist pattern (tornado).  Sometimes, straight line winds can produce damage worse and much more widespread than weak tornadoes.

All indications on the radar showed wind damage being produced, but no tornadoes.  That is why there were many severe t-storm warnings--for the winds.

We will not report every call about tornadoes since many are false or misidentified.  We have received viewer photos of "tornadoes in their neighborhood" when in fact they are sending in pictures obtained on the web.  Last summer, a viewer sent in a (very famous) picture taken in Florida in the 1990s claiming it was a local tornado.

The tornadoes from the other weekend showed up very well on radar, and we had multiple eyewitness accounts from trained spotters.  That was a completely different situation than tonight.

Friday Evening Storms

11 pm update:  all severe storms have pushed east of the area.  Another line of storms will approach from the west overnight.  They are weakening, but still will produce some gusty winds.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect the rest of the evening.

A line of severe storms tracked from Illinois into Indiana between 6 and 7 p.m., and moved into western Ohio just after 8 p.m.  The storms will continue tracking across the rest of the area through around 11:30 p.m.

These storms have a history of producing damaging winds as well as some large hail, prompting severe thunderstorm warnings.

Remember that a watch means the conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur.  A warning means that severe weather is occurring in your county, and you should take cover immediately.

This Week's Outlook

The threat for thunderstorms will continue through Tuesday night until a storm system passes the area Wednesday morning.  It will stay humid, thereby allowing heavy downpours.

We will dry out Wednesday, and it will turn less humid Wednesday into Thursday.  Heat builds by the end of week with highs near 90° and the chance of storms.  Sunday looks dry.

Friday Storm Reports

5:33 PM     TORNADO          1 Mile WNW LIMA/ALLEN COUNTY :   A WEAK AND SHORTLIVED EF0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE  
 NW SIDE OF LIMA NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF KENILWORTH AVE  AND RICE AVE. THE ONLY DAMAGE REPORTED WAS TO A   
 TRAMPOLINE.   

5:45 PM     TSTM WIND DAMAGE :  LIGHT POLE DAMAGED AT INTERSECTION OF METCALF AND ELM   

5:45 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD :    COLUMBUS GROVE/PUTNAM  COUNTY, REPORTED BY TRAINED SPOTTER   

0535 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD:     LIMA, REPORTED BY TRAINED SPOTTER

Oil Spill In Perspective

While we continue to clean up from the tornado damage from last weekend, the oil spill continues in the Gulf Of Mexico.

Here is a Google map with the current oil spill centered over Toledo.  You can see that in terms of areal coverage, the spill would encompass southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio.  Darker colors indicate where the oil is heavier.

Tornado Update

The strongest tornado to strike northwest Ohio in over three decades has now been determined to be and EF4 tornado with max winds in excess of 170-175 mph! Here is some of the official report released by the National Weather Service.

County: Wood & Ottawa
Location: East of Perrysburg
Begin Time: 11:20 PM EDT
End Time: 11:30 PM EDT

EF Scale EF4
Wind Speed 170-175 MPH
Max. Path Width: 300-400 yards
Path Length 8-10 Miles
Fatalities: 5
Injuries: Numerous



A team of National Weather Service Meteorologists performed an extensive survey of the tornado path in northeast Wood and western Ottawa counties. It was determined that a tornado with an intensity of EF4 with winds of approximately 170-175 MPH moved through the area.

The tornado first touched down near I-80 and Oregon Rd. (east of Perrysburg) at 11:20 PM EDT, moved across the south side of Moline, near Metcalf Airport, across the northwest side of Millbury, into Ottawa county following Trowbridge Rd., and finally lifting at 11:35 PM EDT just west of Clay Center.

The most intense damage occurred in two locations. The first location was at State Route 795 near Lake High School and then again on the northwest side of Millbury. The damage near Lake High School was rated a strong EF3. The damage on the northwest side of Millbury was rated in the EF4 category due to the extreme damage to structures. Five fatalities and numerous injuries were attributed to the tornado.

Additional Tornado Reports

MONROE COUNTY, MI



A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 233 AM AT THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF DETROIT BEACH. THE TORNADO TRACKED 5 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST...REACHING ESTRAL BEACH AT 239 AM BEFORE MOVING INTO LAKE ERIE. BASED ON THE CURRENT FACTS AND KNOWN DAMAGE...THE PATH WIDTH WAS 500 YARDS WITH ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH...WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AT AN EF1. THIS TORNADO IMPACTED THE FERMI NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY.



MONROE COUNTY, MI



A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM HAS CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 211 AM AT COUNTY LINE ROAD AND RANKIN ROAD IN MONROE COUNTY. THIS TORNADO THEN TRACKED EAST SOUTHEAST...MOVING THROUGH DUNDEE AT 217 AM. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 130 TO 135 MPH WHERE ESTIMATED JUST WEST OF DUNDEE...WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AT A HIGH END EF2. THE WIDTH OF THE TORNADO AT THAT TIME WAS 800 YARDS. AS IT PASSED THROUGH DUNDEE...THE TORNADO WAS STILL CLASSIFIED A LOW END EF2 WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 115 MPH. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED ANOTHER 7 MILES ALONG HIGHWAY 50 BEFORE LIFTING AT 227 AM AT THE DIXON ROAD INTERSECTION...CAUSING GENERALLY EF0 DAMAGE TO THE EAST OF DUNDEE. THE TOTAL PATH OF THIS TORNADO REACHED 13.5 MILES.



LENAWEE COUNTY, MI



A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 148 AM AT SOUTHARD HIGHWAY AND WOERNER ROAD IN LENAWEE COUNTY. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED 2.5 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST TO SPRINGVILLE HIGHWAY BEFORE LIFTING AT 152 AM. THE PATH WIDTH WAS 250 YARDS WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH AS IT CROSSED US 223...WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AT AN EF1. SEVERAL BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED BY THIS TORNADO.


FULTON COUNTY, OH



AN EF2 TORNADO BEGAN ALONG HIGHWAY 109 JUST NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD A AND CONTINUED NORTHEAST FOR 7.5 MILES WEAKENING AS IT PASSED INTO LUCAS COUNTY, OH. MAXIMUM WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 135 MPH.

Historic Tornado Outbreak

The tornadoes this past weekend was the worst tornado outbreak across our area in years and one of the worst this year in the entire country. With nearly a half a dozen powerful tornadoes, one of which responsible for taking 7 lives makes this outbreak the 2nd deadliest tornado outbreak this year across the entire United States!



Here is the latest information from the preliminary tornado surveys conducted by the National Weather Service for some of the powerful tornadoes that tracked across our area:

Fulton County:


Monroe County:


Wood & Ottawa County:


Additional Tornado Confirmations:

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 148 AM AT SOUTHARD HIGHWAY AND WOERNER ROAD IN LENAWEE COUNTY. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED 2.5 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST TO SPRINGVILLE HIGHWAY BEFORE LIFTING AT 152 AM. THE PATH WIDTH WAS 250 YARDS WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH AS IT CROSSED US 223...WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AT AN EF1. SEVERAL BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED BY THIS TORNADO.

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 233 AM AT THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF DETROIT BEACH. THE TORNADO TRACKED 5 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST...REACHING ESTRAL BEACH AT 239 AM BEFORE MOVING INTO LAKE ERIE. BASED ON THE CURRENT FACTS AND KNOWN DAMAGE...THE PATH WIDTH WAS 500 YARDS WITH ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH...WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AT AN EF1. THIS TORNADO IMPACTED THE FERMI NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY.

Night Sky: Planets Visible This Summer

If you're out any night this week an hour or so after sunset you can look to the western sky to catch a planetary triple play starring Venus, Saturn and Mars.

The first thing skywatchers will see — weather permitting — is the brilliant planet Venus, slightly north of west, in the constellation Gemini. Look for Gemini's twin first magnitude stars, Pollux and Castor, just above Venus.

As the sky gets darker, the planet Mars can be spotted to Venus' left as it appears in the constellation Leo very close to the bright, first magnitude star Regulus. Further still to the left will be Saturn shining in the western part of the constellation Virgo.



Click on the sky map above which shows how to spot all three planets as they appear across a 71-degree angle in the night sky. For comparison, your closed fist held at arm's length covers about 5 degrees of arc in the sky. Venus, Mars and Saturn are all currently appearing slightly north of the ecliptic, the path the sun appears to follow over the year, shown in green in the sky map.

Note the positions of these three planets in relation to the bright background stars, because they are beginning an interesting journey which you will be able to follow over the next two months.
In early July, Venus will have moved rapidly to the left, crossing Cancer into Leo so that now it is next to the star Regulus. Mars, meanwhile, will have moved somewhat to the left. Saturn appears to have hardly moved at all.

By then, the three planets will now cover only 37 degrees in the sky, only half the spread they showed in early June. A month after this, in the first week of August, the planets will be crowded into a 7-degree angle, and Mars will now be to the left of Saturn in Virgo. Venus, too, will have moved into Virgo.
All three will fit comfortably in the viewing field of a small pair of binoculars.

By August, Venus will still be brilliant, but both Saturn and Mars will have faded so that they just barely reach first magnitude. That's because Saturn and Mars are getting farther away from Earth, while Venus is getting closer.

More Storms Wednesday

Another system will move into the area Wednesday.  Storms turn more likely in the afternoon, and some of those storms could be severe with large hail and strong winds.  With the humidity levels jumping back up during the day, the storms will have a lot of moisture to work with.  This means torrential downpours are possible again, and we will have to keep an eye out for flooding.