Heat & dry conditions will pose risks…
June 27th, 2012 at 8:24 am by Jamie Jarosik under Weather
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.
