Miami Valley residents continue to clean up today following yesterday’s powerful squall line that impacted the entire area. The Dayton International Airport recorded a 82 mph wind gust with the line went through! As of this morning, Governor Kasich has declared a State of Emergency for the entire State of Ohio following yesterday’s violent storms. Here is a look at the storm reports that were received by the National Weather Service.

Temperatures are already creeping up this morning. As of 12:00 p.m. the temperature at the Dayton International Airport was 83 and I’m forecasting a high temperature this afternoon of 93.

With plenty of moisture still in place, it will feel “muggy” out there today and the dewpoints combined with temperatures in the lower 90′s will once again lead to high heat index values. By the middle to late afternoon hours, heat index values should climb back into the upper 90′s to near 100. For that reason, the National Weather Service has the entire Miami Valley under a Heat Advisory except Montgomery County and Dayton where an Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect.

More showers and thunderstorms are possible this afternoon as a weak disturbance and boundary remains laid out across the Ohio Valley. As temperatures heat up by the mid to late afternoon hours, the atmosphere will again become unstable and thunderstorms will be possible. Any of the storms that do form could be strong or severe with damaging winds, hail and frequent lightning. For that reason, the Storm Prediction Center has placed the entire Miami Valley in an elevated risk for severe thunderstorms.

If you have pictures of damage from yesterday’s storms or the clean up process today, don’t forget you can always share your pictures with us via Facebook, Twitter or ReportIt.

Stay with 2 News and Storm Team 2 throughout the afternoon for the latest on the heat and potential additional severe thunderstorms.

Brandon Redmond
Brandon.Redmond@WDTN.com

The National Weather Service has upgraded the Heat Advisory that was in effect for much of the Ohio Valley to an Excessive Heat Warning through 8:00 PM.

As of 12:00 p.m. the temperature had already climbed to 92 degrees in both Dayton and Springfield with the heat index already near 100 across much of the Miami Valley.

Strong and severe thunderstorms are developing across Northeastern Illinois where several severe thunderstorm warnings are already in effect. A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued just West of our viewing area for much of Northern and North Central Indiana until 7:00 p.m.

Stay with 2 News and Storm Team 2 throughout the afternoon for the latest on the severe weather and dangerous heat! Stay cool!

Brandon Redmond
Brandon.Redmond@WDTN.com

A weak cold front and disturbance is located across portions of the Upper Ohio Valley and Lower Great Lakes this morning. South of that cold front, strong heating is taking place, including here in the Miami Valley where the temperature at Dayton as of 9:00 a.m. was already 81 degrees!

The heating will cause the atmosphere to become very “unstable” and with the weak cold front near by, there will be the potential for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. The National Weather Service has placed the Miami Valley under an Elevated Risk for severe weather with the potential for large hail, damaging winds and frequent lightning.

Heavy rainfall will also be possible due to very high dewpoints and plenty of moisture in place. Any rain that does fall will likely be heavy in nature and fall in a short amount of time, but with the drought conditions we are currently experiencing, any rain is better than no rain.

Today will be another hot day across the area with temperatures climbing into the middle to upper 90′s. Tara is calling for a high of 97 this afternoon with heat index values climbing above 100. A Heat Advisory is in effect for the entire Miami Valley with an Excessive Heat Warning in effect for Montgomery County and the city of Dayton through this evening.

Stay with 2 News and Storm Team 2 throughout the day for the latest on the potential severe weather.

Brandon Redmond

We told you it was going to be hot yesterday and wow was it.  We hit 102° in Dayton this broke a couple of records.  Not only did we tie the record for the day but also for the month of June.  It was also the first time we hit the century mark since August of 1988.

Today we won’t see triple digit heat however it will still be hot and humid.  Dew points will be in the middle and upper 60′s which means it’s going to feel muggy (and of course this means a frizzy hair day for me)

There’s still an excessive heat warning in effect for Montgomery county and a heat advisory for the rest of the Miami Valley.

Heat index values will continue to be in the 100-105 range.  Be sure to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks and get out of the sun when you can.

There’s no big relief in sight.  The heat looks like it’s here to stay for a while.  Temperatures will drop slightly and stay in the lower 90′s for most of next week.

With all of the heat and humidity there are several chances for showers and storms to pop up in the afternoon.  So you may want to keep the umbrella handy.

Tara
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While I was forecasting last weekend I saw the heat building this week and I knew Thursday would be the hottest day of the week.  Now we’re here to Thursday and the reality is this is going to be a dangerous day.

There is a excessive heat warning in effect for Montgomery county and a heat advisory in effect for the entire Miami Valley until Friday 8pm.

Heat index values or the feels like temperature will be into the triple digits.  This will start soon after lunchtime.

There are several cooling centers open across the Miami Valley.  Click here for a map of the centers.

Today’s high will be in the low 100′s.  This is very close to Dayton’s record for the day.  The last time we saw triple digit highs was back in August of 1988.

Not only will we be in the triple digits but most of the United States will be feeling the heat.  Take a look at some of these highs across the US.

As you can imagine we have burn bans and air pollution advisories in effect.  So if you have small children or maybe know those who have breathing problems make you check on them.

The heat isn’t going to let up anytime soon.  Temperatures will stay in the 90′s for the weekend.  Make sure you take extra precautions and stay safe!

Tara
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One look at the dry, crunchy brown grass across the Miami Valley, and you know we could use a little rain.  OK, a LOT of rain.  We have a big deficit for the month, and a huge deficit for the year… that just keep growing:

Unfortunately, as temperatures rise… rain chance remain fairly low.  Today, we’ll be warmer than yesterday, with highs climbing into the upper 80s.  And everything is coming together for a near-100-degree day on Thursday.  According to the NWA, Dayton has only hit the century mark 13-times since 1950… and the LAST time we got that warm was back in 1988.  So it’s a pretty rare event, but we will come close this week.

We have already been placed under a HEAT ADVISORY for Thursday:

Heat index values should be at if not just above 100-degrees.  So use extreme caution when outdoors during peak heating… do not overexert yourself, and drink plenty of water.  If you do not have air conditioning, find some cool spots to spend the afternoon if you can… a friend’s house, a movie theater, a library.  If you are out in the sun (which we will see plenty of)… it could even feel 10-15 degrees WARMER.  Not a day you want to spend much time outdoors at all!

We are still expecting HOT conditions on Friday, but we may be a few degrees cooler… just depending on cloud cover, and rain potential.  While rain chances are there… they are low.  Just a 20-30% chance Friday through Monday.  We desperately need it, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog.  The dry conditions have increased the fire danger in the region… and a FIRE WEATHER WATCH is also in effect for most of the area on Thursday.  As we’ve already seen this week, fires will be able to spread quickly and get out of control.  Wayne County, IN has issued a burn ban for the entire county.  The city of West Carrollton has also set a fire ban.  Even if you are not in one of these communities, burning anything–fires of any sort–are NOT a good idea right now.  That means campfires… and use extra caution even when just cooking on the grill… and especially with cigarettes, if you are a smoker.  When we’re this dry… a BIG fire can start with a LITTLE butt.

Jamie
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What a refreshing morning!  Temperatures have been 15 to 25 degrees cooler this morning than this same time yesterday… see how everyone has dropped in this airmass:

Here’s a look at 7am temps, and how low we were:

After this cool start, it will turn into a pleasantly warm afternoon.  Today will actually be the last really comfortable day this week!  Look for sunshine and highs in the upper 70s to right around 80.  Tonight will be clear, calm and cool, as high pressure drifts right over us.  Then, the high moves east of us on Wednesday, and that will allow a southerly flow to set up… AND help to usher in a warmer airmass:

Mid-80s will be the rule Wednesday afternoon, so it will definitely feel warmer.  Then we get out of control Thursday and Friday, with highs climbing well into the 90s!

Friday could very well make it into the upper 90s once again, but it will be dependent on cloud cover and/or any showers in the area.  We’ll keep you posted.  Right now the rain chance isn’t looking very promising, but it is at least showing up… so some of you may see something brief.  Unfortunately, what we need is a good long soaking rain… something that’s not showing up even as we head into next week.  We will also remain hot into next week, with highs in the lower 90s from Saturday and beyond.

So get your yard work… your workouts even… done early this week!  If you need to get out towards the end of the week, the early mornings will be your best bet, but  it will still feel quite humid at that time.  I am not looking forward to putting in my long run over the weekend, and am considering going at like 5am.   I continue to train for the Air Force Half Marathon, which is in September.  My whole life, I’ve been a 3-to-4 mile runner… so doing this long distance is a huge deal for me.  So far, I am up to 8.5 miles… the longest I’ve ever run!  Ever!  It felt good to get the distance in over the weekend.  I typically take one or both kids with me on the short runs, but the long runs I do solo.  It is amazing the ground I covered!  I usually feel pretty good until mile 6 or so… that’s when I really start to feel it.  I also have a pseudo knee injury… dull knee pain that comes and goes irregularly.  I sort of think it may be related to arthritis. It doesn’t happen every time I run, but sometimes it’s there the whole time.  During the most recent 8.5, I did not feel it all all!  BUT the next day I was BEAT.  And my son was battling a cold… which, in my worn-down state, I then picked up.  Now with some pretty great running weather today, I likely won’t be able to go…boo!!  Frustrating when you’ve got to keep on track!!

Hope you enjoy today!
Jamie
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A cold front passed through the area early this morning, but it didn’t bring much rain to the region.  I counted four small and isolated showers on Live Doppler 2X, that quickly built and dissipated.  And THAT was our only chance of rain for several days, so the drought conditions we’ve been talking about will likely expand this week.  The good news, at least it is going to feel nice and comfortable out there for a couple days… before the heat builds late-week!

Today and tomorrow, we’ll be under the influence of high pressure.  It’s building in from Canada, and with the northerly winds around this high, we’ll see cooler and less humid air build in:

Yesterday’s high made it up to 91-degrees… but today will not feature a big swing from morning to afternoon.  We will only get up near 78-degrees.  Sunshine will be in full force, however, so rain chances are nonexistent.  Open up those windows for this great sleeping weather tonight:

After that refreshing start, it will be another picture perfect afternoon, with sunshine and upper 70s again.  Then the heat builds… with mid-80s on Wednesday!  It looks quite warm for the Lite Listeners Lunch, put on by 94.5 Lite FM & Miami Valley Hospital South:

But we will stay dry for this fun outdoor event that offers FREE FOOD!!

We are forecasting UPPER 90s for both Thursday and Friday, as another heat wave begins.  Here is a look at a few heat stats for Dayton:

The next chance of rain will be late Friday, but again it doesn’t look like much.  AND it doesn’t do much to break the heat.

Jamie
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As I drive down many streets in the Dayton area I notice one thing – brown grass.  I guess I didn’t notice it until the other day.  While parts of the Miami Valley had some rain (and even a little too much rain) in the last two weeks Dayton like most areas is dry.  The latest Drought Monitor has most of the Miami Valley in “abnormally dry” conditions but areas north and west of Dayton are now under a “moderate” drought.

Sunday night a cold front will move through the area but the showers are going to be scattered and won’t bring us the several inches of rain we need.  If you don’t get the rain we won’t have another chance until Friday.

Due to the dry conditions make sure you double check with your community before you have any fires.  There was a grass fire that shut down I 70 Sunday afternoon.   So be careful when burning and if possible don’t burn at all.  Mother nature is providing enough heat

While not everyone may get rain the one thing we’ll all see and feel are cooler temperatures.  Highs on Monday and Tuesday will stay in the middle to upper 70′s.  I have decided to call that refreshing!

Unfortunately these wonderful temperatures aren’t going to last long.  A large area of high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere is going to head right over the Miami Valley.  This will allow our temperatures to climb into the upper90′s by Thursday and Friday.  I would not be surprised if this pattern holds up to see one or several locations reach the century mark.

I did some research and found out the hottest temperature in June was on the 25th in 1988 where the mercury soared to 102°.  The last time Dayton hit 100° or more was on August 17, 1988.  It was 102°.  This kind of heat can be very dangerous.  So make sure you are prepared and that your AC is working properly!

Tara
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This weekend’s weather has been beautiful not only because of the temperatures, sunshine and low humidity but because what was in the sky this afternoon.  Trent Buehler was at his sun’s baseball game in Dayton around 2pm when he looked up in the sky and saw a beautiful rainbow around the sun.  He snapped this photo and used our report it feature to send us the image.

Trent Buehler – Dayton

This “ring around the sun” is called a sun halo.  It occurs when light is refracted from ice crystals.  High in the sky this afternoon we had cirrus clouds which are made up of tiny ice crystals.  These clouds were one of the reasons we had a beautiful ring around the sun. 

Janice Kilian – Bellbrook

I remember several months ago there was a similar sight in Dayton but instead of a ring around the sun there was a ring around the moon.  The same principles apply.

In order to get a great shot of these halos you have to find something to block out the bright spot (sun or moon).  In these photos the clouds were used.  I have seen other photos where a building or tree blocked the main light so you could see the ring.

In case you saw this same thing today now you know what it was.

Tara
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The cold front that moved through the Miami Valley overnight brought SOME rain… but not ENOUGH rain.  Doppler estimates are below:

We continue to dry out across the area, and as I tweeted yesterday, much of the Miami Valley is now under a moderate drought.  Here is the updated Drought Monitor for the week:

Our farmer friends up in Fort Loramie were really hoping for some rain for the fields–as I’m sure many of you were for the lawns & gardens.  Unfortunately, they were one of the spots that didn’t get anything at all.  Now we dry out for another few days.  Wayne Co, IN has actually implemented a BURN BAN for the entire county.  I’ve posted more from Wayne Co EMA below… as the grass is getting brown in most spots… this is good for everyone to read…

Due to continued dry conditions that promote rapid fire spread; the Fire Chiefs of Wayne County have ordered a ban on open burning.  Open burning is now banned in all areas of Wayne County.

TO ALL RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF WAYNE COUNTY INDIANA:

The Townships of — Abington, Boston, Center, Clay, Dalton, Franklin, Green, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, New Garden, Perry, Washington, and Webster
The Towns of — Abington, Boston, Cambridge City, Centerville, Dublin, Economy, Fountain City, Greens Fork, Hagerstown, Milton, Webster, and Williamsburg

NOTE: The Richmond Fire Chief has also ordered a ban on open burning in the City of Richmond and all of Wayne Township.

The Fire Chiefs responsible for fire protection in the above described areas of Wayne County, Indiana have determined that the lack of rainfall has created excessively dry conditions which significantly increases the risk and promotes the rapid spread of fire and; that such situation poses an immediate and continuing hazardous condition for the residents and property owners in these areas that requires immediate action to limit and control fire sources. 

Effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in the above described towns and townships:

1)    Campfires and other recreational fires, unless enclosed in a fire ring with dimensions of 23 inches in diameter by 10 inches high or higher; and

2)    Open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood, or other combustible matter, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane; and

3)    The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities; and

4)    The discarding of matches, ashes or other burning materials from a vehicle.

Burning will be allowed in burn barrels with a 1/4″ mesh top from dawn to dusk only in townships and incorporated and unincorporated towns that do not have current burn ordinances in place.

Charcoal from permitted grills shall not be removed from the grills until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished.

In addition, we strongly encourage our residents to attend public displays of fireworks and limit their personal use of fireworks to those that do not leave the ground, and that refrain from using aerial firework devices.

This order shall not prohibit the use of gas or charcoal grills used solely for the preparation of food; fires within fireplaces or non combustible fire rings; or fires within incinerators permitted by state law as long as all such fires are closely attended while burning, sufficient fire extinguishment provisions are maintained and the fires properly and thoroughly extinguished. 

This ban on open burning will remain in effect until sufficient rainfall is received to adequately relieve the hazardous condition. The ban will be reviewed weekly.

This action is taken pursuant to the Indiana Fire Code, Section 307.1.1 and 675 IAC 22-2.4-4 which states “The Fire Chief is authorized to require open burning to be immediately discontinued if such burning constitutes a hazardous condition.” Those persons who are found to be in violation of this order may be fined and/or billed by the fire department and possibly subject to additional criminal penalties.

So ordered this 20th day of June, 2012 at 9:00 PM.   For more information contact your local Fire Department.

Behind our cold front, cooler and less-humid air is heading our way.  It still feels muggy out there this morning, with dew points in the mid-60s… but looking to the northwest, there are lower values–mid-50s in Chicago & Peoria:

During the afternoon, that air arrives, so we’ll see lowering humidity as the clouds give way to plenty of sunshine.  Highs will be about 10-degrees cooler than we have been, with near-normal values in the lower 80s.  The evening looks absolutely delightful, as temperatures drop into the mid-70s through the Dayton Dragons game.  Overnight will be pleasantly cool–nice enough to open up the windows again.  But there WILL be a slow warming trend over the weekend:  mid-80s Saturday… and upper 80s on Sunday.  The next rain chance comes Sunday night, but at this point it doesn’t look like much to get excited about.

Have a great weekend!
Jamie
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Once again, we’re starting off with stuffy conditions out there.  Temperatures are in the low-mid 70s this morning, and it certainly feels muggy with dew points in the mid-60s.  We expect to see a lot of sunshine, as highs climb into the lower 90s again, which would officially make it another heat wave for our area–which is three days in a row at or above 90.  Here’s a look at this heat event:

So we are meeting the minimum criteria for heat wave here… JUST doing three days.  The last time we had a heat wave it was also a short-lived event, back in May:  May 26th, 91… May 27th, 91… May 28th, 92.   You can see the cold front to our west, and a significant cool-down behind that front:

Friday will be quite the pleasant day, with temperatures about 10-degrees cooler than we have been.  Near-normal highs in the lower 80s will certainly be welcome, along with lower humidity.  So what about rain chances with the front?  Well, they are THERE, that’s the good news.  The bad news is that coverage will probably  not be 100%.  A broken line of showers and thunderstorms moves in after 5pm, with the best chance of rain being in the northwest counties:

As the rain starts in the late afternoon, a few of the thunderstorms could produce some stronger wind gusts, although wide-spread severe weather is not expected.  The problem with the timing of the front, is that during the evening we also start to lose our daytime heating.  So we’ll likely see some decrease in coverage of rain as it moves from northwest to southeast across the area.  We will keep you posted of any warnings we get on Channel 2, and at wdtn.com.

If you’re a summer-weather-lover… enjoy this last day in the 90s.  And for those of you that want relief… it will be here tomorrow!
Jamie
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Good morning, Miami Valley… and happy Summer Solstice!  Summer officially begins at 7:09pm today, and as you know… it really FEELS like Summer out there!  Today’s highs will once again climb into the lower 90s (the record is 98).  With the heat index, it will feel like the mid-90s during the middle part of the afternoon, so definitely take it easy if you have to be outdoors.  We also have an Air Pollution Advisory in effect today:

Air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups–those that have breathing problems and/or asthma.  I do not have either, but on days like this when I go running, I definitely notice that it’s harder to breathe.  Here is some more information on ground level ozone (smog)… and how you can help limit the amounts in our area today…

Smog is an irritant to the respiratory system formed when bright sunlight mixes with emissions from vehicles and small gasoline-powered engines.   These emissions collect in a stagnant air mass and form smog.  It’s important that everyone takes action to reduce ground-level ozone especially on days when these notices are issued.  Residents are encouraged to follow these actions: 

• AVOID DRIVING IF POSSIBLE.  Carpool/vanpool or take the bus.   Vehicle emissions cause almost 50% of ground-level ozone.  For short trips, walk or ride a bike.
  

• REFUEL YOUR VEHICLE ONLY AFTER 6:00 P.M., OR IF POSSIBLE, DON’T REFUEL AT ALL WHEN AIR POLLUTION ADVISORY NOTICES HAVE BEEN ISSUED.  Vapors from gasoline contribute to the smog problem.  By refueling after 6:00 p.m. when it’s cooler, smog doesn’t form as easily.  Make sure your gas cap fits tightly so gas fumes don’t escape and contribute to the smog problem.
  

• IF YOU MUST DRIVE, try to combine running errands or delay them until the Air Pollution Advisory notice is lifted.
  

• DRIVE A CAR THAT IS WELL-TUNED.  Avoid “jackrabbit” acceleration and excessive idling, especially at drive-thru windows. If you have to wait for 2 minutes or more, it’s better to turn off the engine and go inside.
  

• AROUND THE HOME, limit your use of small gasoline-powered equipment such as lawn mowers, chainsaws, power trimmers and shredders.  Operating a gasoline-powered lawn mower for one (1) hour produces the same amount of pollution as driving a car for eleven (11) hours!   Try a “push” or battery-powered lawn mower instead.
  

• MOW YOUR LAWN AFTER 6:00 P.M. when the sunlight is not as strong and smog is less likely to form. 

Some relief from the hot conditions arrives late Thursday in the form of a cold front.  This front will bring in the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms beginning in our northwest counties late Thursday afternoon.  The front (and any areas of rain) will push southeast as the evening goes on, with the chance of rain lingering into the overnight hours.  Check out what is to follow that front:

Relief from the heat!  Highs on Friday will be in the lower 80s–pretty close to normal.

Now for a look at life on the farm!  Amy & Jason Hoying have a farm up in Fort Loramie… and she frequently checks in with me to let me know how things are going during the all-important growing season.  As we have mentioned in past blogs, parts of the Miami Valley are “abnormally dry”… borderline drought conditions are in place for the northwest half of our viewing area.  Fort Loramie is very much included in this dry zone, but the good news is that they got an early start.

Most corn is about knee-high… and it’s not the 4th of July yet!  That means, things are ahead of schedule.  This is mainly because of the mild start to the season–everything was planted early… AND there was ample moisture at that point.  While these fields look good now and continue to grow, rain is going to be extremely important as they start filling their pods/ears.

Below, you can see just how dry the ground is.  This causes the corn to curl up a bit, because it’s stressed.

Another shot illustrating how dry it is in some of the northern counties… look how brown the grass is!

The grass here in southern Montgomery county isn’t as green as it could be, but at least we have had some rain here and there, and it doesn’t look THIS bad.  The green field beyond the grass is the alfalfa field.  That plant has deeper roots, so it’s able to tap into a little moisture farther down into the earth.  Amy tells me eventually this, too, will slow in growth.

Last, the amber waves of grain!  With the dry weather, many local farmers are busy harvesting their wheat fields… and baling straw.  That’s just what they are doing on their farm week.  A hot one for all the farmers for sure!  Here’s a look at the combining:

They will bale the straw, which will then be used for bedding for their animals.

Hopefully everyone will get some much needed rain later this week for the crops… gardens… and lawns that have also started to seem more like straw than grass!

Jamie
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And the 90s are back!  We are forecasting three days in a row of 90 or above, so another heat wave for the area.  Humidity will also be up there, and heat index values could be into the mid-90s… especially on Wednesday.  Look for a lot of sunshine both today and tomorrow, as high pressure is taking control of the region at the surface and aloft:

Definitely feeling like Summer, as the season officially begins at 7:09pm on Wednesday.  The next chance of rain comes with a front on Thursday… but it doesn’t move in until LATE day, so we will start with sun and see increasing clouds.  Highs still should be able to make it up near 90-degrees before the front moves in.  Behind the front on Friday, cooler and slightly less-humid air will build into the region.  Aaaahhhh… that will feel nice after the mid-week scorchers!  And just in time for the Dragons to be back home!  They’re taking on the Bowling Green HOT Rods… but thankfully, it won’t be that HOT at the game

Stagnant airmass = short blog.  Everyone have a great day!

Jamie
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GOOD MORNING, Miami Valley!  I hope you all enjoyed the weekend, and that all the dads had a great Father’s Day!  I am happy to be back from vacation (pictures below) and I’m ready to jump right back into forecasting.  And what a HOT forecast it is this week!  Here’s what’s going on…

Already today we’ve had some very heavy rain in parts of the Miami Valley.  Some thunderstorms worked through–mainly our southern counties–early this morning.  Here are some Doppler rainfall estimates:

Going into the afternoon, the chance of a thunderstorm or two will continue… through at least 3 or 4pm.  Not everyone will see the rain, but if you do, there’s a very good chance of HEAVY rain.  There’s not a huge threat of widespread severe weather, but any thunderstorm will have the potential to strengthen to near-severe limits.

After today, a big ridge of high pressure builds in for a few days.  This will allow the heat and humidity to build!

Remember, three days at or above 90-degrees makes a heat wave, and we have a good shot at this Tuesday through Thursday, with highs at 90 and even into the lower 90s possible.  SUMMER officially begins Wednesday at 7:09 PM… and it will certainly FEEL like Summer!

I had a lot of summer-ish fun with my family over vacation.  First, we went to Chicago to do some touristy things downtown, and to visit some family.

Brave little boy at the top of the Willis Tower

Waiting for the ‘L’ train.

Think the big city tired out the kids?

When we got home, we spent MANY afternoons at various splash pads here in the Miami Valley.

My son celebrated his second birthday, with a Sesame Street birthday party:

And we had a good Father’s Day, too, with breakfast with my  husband… and a nice family dinner with my dad.  I hope you all had a great week, and maybe I will see you at one of our splash pads!  It will certainly be great weather for that!

Jamie
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The hot and humid weather is allowing for a few isolated showers and thunderstorms to pop up this evening across the Miami Valley.  We even had one cell produce some pretty gusty winds in Greene and Clark counties.  Not everyone will see rain this evening but those that do will pick up a decent amount due to the slow movement of the storms.

There was one severe report that came in via the National Weather Service.  Around 3:38pm a thunderstorm knocked down a tree, a chimney and ripped apart some siding off of a house near Bowersville.  Shortly after the NWS issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Clark and Greene counties.  I saw a couple of comments on the WDTN facebook   page that sirens were being sounded.  I am not sure *why* the sirens were sounded.  The local emergency managers of your county or municipality sound these sirens.  Each manager has specific guidelines as to when they set them off.  There is no universal code such as “only when a tornado warning is issued” or “when winds of 60mph are recorded.”  I really wish there was because this creates a lot of confusion.  All I can tell you is if you do hear these sirens and are outside take them seriously and get inside.

While there was only one damage report Live Doppler 2x did show that some of these thunderstorms put down a good amount of rain.

If you didn’t see rain today there’s a much better chance of everyone seeing rain on Sunday.  A cold front is going to move through and the computer models we use have come to a much better compromise on the path of rain.  It looks like we’ll see mostly cloudy skies through much of the day and the best chance of rain will be later in the afternoon.  Here’s a look at our Future Trac computer model.

Temperatures are going to be a bit lower Sunday than what they were on Saturday.  Did it feel hot today?  Well we *almost* hit 90°!

I hope you are used to the hot temperatures because we’re in store for many more over the next week.  The heat and humidity stick around in the 7 day forecast and 90 is a popular number next week.

Tara
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So I’ve been talking about it all week – it’s going to be HOT and HUMID this weekend.  Today while the temperatures will be in the middle 80′s the humidity won’t be all that bad.  If you’re heading to the pool don’t forget to slather on that sunscreen.

I have the “heat is on” song stuck in my head this morning and that’s because temperatures will be inching toward 90 this weekend.  Our storm track or jet stream pattern is ridging northward which means we’re going to be out of the main storm path.  This allows for lots of sunshine and of course the heat to rise.  Because of our stagnant air mass we do have an air pollution advisory in effect today for parts of the Miami Valley.  So if you do have respiratory problems be extra careful this afternoon.

I know many of you are wondering when we’re going to see some rain.  We really need the rain and our best chance will come on Sunday as a cold front approaches the area.  Many of the computer models are coming together showing there’s a better chance of rain.  I’ll make sure to do my rain dance.

And speaking of dancing….the studio is under construction as we get ready for high definition.  This morning when I came in the half of the floor was in.  Since I’m all alone in the studio while the anchors are in the newsroom the promter operator and I have been jamming out to some great tunes.  I’m thinking with the new floor in place we should have a dance party.

Have a FANTASTIC weekend!
Tara

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I will admit yesterday was a great day weather wise but I had to take a quick nap.  I love working the morning shift and I usually can get into a great sleep routine by the second day however I can’t get into a groove.  However last night I got a solid 8 hours sleep and I feel great!  No nap for me today I am going to enjoy the nice weather today.

Today’s highs will be a few degrees warmer than yesterday.   Even though it will stay in the lower 80′s the strong sun angle means you’ll have to lather on that sunscreen if you’re hitting the pool.

Get out and enjoy it because the heat will be on for the weekend.  Our jet stream or storm track is going to lift northward allowing the heat and humidity to increase across the Miami Valley.

I asked yesterday for people to share how they are enjoying the nice weather by using our report it feature and sending me a photo.  Here are a couple I thought I would share with you. Please keep them coming!  I enjoy using them in our weather blogs or on the air.  Please be sure to include your name and location.

This is from Brittnay Walters who was enjoying a nice walk with her dog at the park.

Jeremy Roadruck sent this photo.  He said a group a Boy Scouts were at Indian Riffle Park who were learning about martial arts.

The sun has been shining but one thing we haven’t seen is rain.  I know many people especially farmers are looking for rain.  It doesn’t look we’re going to see any raindrops soon.  In fact part of the northern portions of the Miami Valley have been highlighted in the latest drought monitor.

It doesn’t look like we’re going to see any significant rainfall.  There’s a slight chance for showers on Sunday and Monday but I don’t think it’s going to be enough to help out.

Tara
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Wow! We are store for a wonderful Wednesday.  The humidity levels will be very low today.  No more “air you can wear” dew points are in the lower 50′s so a much cooler air mass has moved over the Miami Valley. We are going to stay in the middle 70′s today which is slightly below our normal high of 80.  While we were slightly cooler this morning it was near freezing in parts of Michigan today!  There was a frost advisory in effect for the Upper Peninsula.

The chilly 30′s are going to stay well north of us.  You won’t have to worry about your gardens or plants freezing.

While we are going to see a gorgeous day today with comfortable temperatures highs will slowly rise into the middle and even upper 80′s for the weekend.  This is because our jet stream or storm track will move northward and allow the heat and even humidity build back into the area.

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday and enjoy the sunshine!

Tara
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As I was making my way to work this morning (VERY early) I could just feel how sticky the air was.  Our dew point or basically the way we measure how much moisture is in the air started out in the middle and upper 60′s.  YUCK!  Dew point readings begin to fall later this morning and by this afternoon will be at a more comfortable level.

The reason we are seeing so much moisture is the cold front hasn’t moved through yet.   This is the same system that brought us the rain yesterday.  While some of the farmers are still looking for some more rain it looks like that’s it for the week.  Our weather checkers called in and had about a half an inch in the rain gauge.

Today no rain in the forecast.  We’ll see clouds decrease and the afternoon will shape up to be a great one!  If any of you are heading to the Reds game here’s the forecast:

The comfortable humidity and temperatures are not going to stick around for long.  It looks like our long term forecast will bring in higher temperatures for the end of the week and the weekend.  Temperatures will rise into the middle and upper 80′s for the week as a hot and humid air mass moves in from the west.

Have a fantastic day!

Tara
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