A Second Chance at Summer!

A Second Chance at Summer!

The summer of 2015 will be remembered as cool with good reason.  Each month June, July and August had temperatures well below normal readings.  Here is just one way to look at it.  A count of high temperatures in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s from June 1st to August 31st:

So here we are in September and the heat is on - along with very high humidity levels.  The normal high temperature during the first week of September is in the upper 70s.  Check out highs for Wednesday, September 2nd:

Not quite 90° in Toledo thanks to thundershowers moving through at midday.  So will we hit 90° Thursday?  Probably not, thanks to scattered showers and thundershowers.  Thursday should be a repeat of Wednesday's weather:

Highs will reach the mid and upper 80s by early afternoon.  Showers and thundershowers will keep highs below 90°.  The humidity level remains very high for September.

This pattern will not break until Wednesday Sept. 9th.

-Robert Shiels

Summer is Over!

Well not exactly over.  The first week of September will rival the warmest weather of the entire year.  Hazy, hot and humid "mid summer" weather will be expected through the Labor Day Weekend.

Upper 80s to near 90° through Labor Day

 Welcome now to Fall -- Meteorologically speaking summer consists of the months of June, July and August.  These three summer months make up the warmest three months of the year.  The summer of 2015 will be remembered as a "Cool" and "Wet" summer.  The temperature only reached 90° or warmer twice this summer in late July.  Next to 1908, where we never recorded a 90° reading that summer, this was the latest date in recorded history to reach 90°.

Summer 2015 Scorecard

The more telling numbers to describe this summer was the cooler weather.  An astounding 7 days over summer only had highs in the 60s.

June 1st

June 2nd

June 27th

July 8th 

July 9th

August 25th

August 26th

The entire summer averaged -2.0 Below Average, statistically, this is a very significant margin. In fact, all three of the summer months were Below Normal.

June Average Temp: 68.0°

Below Normal: -1.5°

July Average Temp: 70.7°

Below Normal: -2.8°

August Average Temp: 69.9°

Below Normal: -1.6°

The overall summer averaged well above average with rainfall:

June Rainfall: 7.22"

Above Normal: +3.65"

July Rainfall: 6.16"

Above Normal: +2.93"

August Rainfall: 3.05"

Below Normal: -0.10"

Summer is "officially" in the books, but plenty of summer like weather lies ahead.  Soon to follow will be the cooler and crisp fall weather that many look forward to feeling!

~ Follow Meteorologist Chris Vickers on Facebook

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Tropical Storm Erika

For the second time in the past few days, a storm has formed in the central Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Danny has now faded and is gone. In his place, Tropical Storm Erika has formed. 

As of 8 am Tuesday morning, Erika had winds of 45mph and is expected to slowly strengthen over the next 5-7 days. The SE US, especially Florida and the Carolina's will need to watch this one. 

IF (still a very big IF) Erika made landfall as a hurricane on the US shore it would be the first time in nearly 10 years. 

Download the StormTrack Weather App, you can track Erika from your phone with the latest tracking information:

 iPhone: http://bit.ly/1tEoHlD
Android: http://bit.ly/1zua7Ag

Perseid Meteor Shower Peak

It's the brightest and most robust meteor shower of the entire year...the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower is here!  If you want to see it, expect it to be quite easy.  Find a dark area tonight away from city lights and gaze away into the night sky.  Better viewing will be after midnight. The "radiant" or point of origin will be in the northeast sky, however the meteors will streak in various directions across the sky from there. 

2015 Perseid Meteor Shower

The cause of the annual Perseid meteor showers is the debris field from comet Swift-Tuttle.  The orbit of earth through this field is approximately July 17th through August 24th.

Earth's orbit passes through the comet debris of Swift-Tuttle

More detailed reading and information can be found HERE

~Meteorologist Chris Vickers

Large Lake Erie Algae Bloom

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) on Lake Erie have developed in line with earlier forecasts of another large bloom this season.  Pictured below is the MODIS Visible Satellite view from July 27th that clearly pictures the harmful blue green algae that has developed in the western basin of Lake Erie through the island and up to Pelee point.

 

 

MODIS Visible Satellite -- July 27th

Current detectible microcystins have been measured near the Toledo water intake.  At current levels, this is NOT a threat to the treated city drinking water.  As a first step precaution, the city of Toledo has elevated the city's dashboard from "Clear" to "Watch" -- but still highlighting that the city's water is still safe to drink. 

The warmer and sunny weather has played a recent role in the development and expansion of the algae bloom on the lake.  Our current light easterly wind under high pressure today will keep the algae bloom nearly stationary with a slow surface current slightly offshore.  Typically an east wind is not a good sign, this would transport and direct the algae bloom closer to shore and toward the Toledo water intake.

Forecast Surface Winds this evening.  East winds 5-10 kts.

 

Our weather is set to change tomorrow afternoon as a cold front approaches.  The most important feature late tomorrow is a shift in the wind direction to a sustained westerly wind. 

Cold Front Approaches Wednesday Evening

A westerly wind would favor water surface currents shifting east, directing higher concentrations of algae and microcystins back into deeper lake waters and over toward the Lake Erie Islands.

Forecast and predicted winds Wednesday evening.  West winds 5-15 kts.

Forecast and predicted lake surface currents Wednesday evening.  Westerly movement of surface water.

No need for panic, again the city of Toledo states that the water is safe to drink.  Please rely on responsible information from WTOL and the city of Toledo and be prepared to take action if, or when told to do so.

~Meteorologist Chris Vickers

Historic Summer Flooding

Historic late June rains have brought some of the most significant flooding ever seen on the Maumee River during the summer months of June, July or August.  Current river heights are at the highest levels ever seen for this time of year.  The reason why?  An astounding estimated 200 to 300 BILLION gallons of rain fell in the Maumee River Watershed fell on Saturday alone!  Rainfall alone over the past 7 days has been 400 to 600% of normal!

Rainfall % Normal the past 7 Days

Maumee River @ Defiance

CURRENTLY:  18.83' (3rd highest on Record -- Greatest Summer Crest Ever)

Maumee River @ Defiance

Historic Crests

(1) 26.00 ft on 03/26/1913

(2) 20.50 ft on 03/15/1982

(3) 18.50 ft on 02/25/1985

(4) 17.97 ft on 02/08/2008

(5) 17.65 ft on 03/12/2009

(6) 17.50 ft on 02/16/1950

(7) 17.44 ft on 12/01/2011

(8) 17.36 ft on 05/27/2011

(9) 17.20 ft on 01/01/1991

(10) 16.90 ft on 03/23/1978



Maumee River @ Waterville

CURRENTLY:  13.98' (11th highest on Record -- Greatest Summer Crest Ever)

Maumee River @ Waterville

Historic Crests

(1) 19.90 ft on 03/28/1913
(2) 16.17 ft on 02/12/1959
(3) 15.31 ft on 01/01/1991
(4) 15.21 ft on 02/26/1985
(5) 15.00 ft on 02/29/1936
(6) 14.96 ft on 03/14/1982
(7) 14.92 ft on 03/20/1978
(8) 14.60 ft on 01/25/1999
(9) 14.52 ft on 02/16/1950
(10) 14.16 ft on 03/11/2009

Maumee River @ Grand Rapids

CURRENTLY:  18.87' (16th highest on Record -- Greatest Summer Crest Ever)


Maumee River @ Napoleon

CURRENTLY:  18.87' (16th highest on Record -- Greatest Summer Crest Ever)

5 Years After Tornado Outbreak

It has been 5 years since 6 tornadoes touched down in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Tonight, we look back 'Through the Lens'.