102 Today Shatters Old Record

We expected a record high today and did it ever live up to the billing. The old record high for this date is 99 back in 1980. The official high was 102 at Lovell Field which raises the bar as a new record for this date. It is the hottest that we have been since 2000. And, the last time we were higher was in July 29, 1993 when we topped out at 104. The all time record high for Chattanooga is 106.

Who Will Be On Dean's List?...TD5 Develops in Gulf

At 11pm, the National Hurricane Center assigned Tropical Depression 5 status to the system in the Gulf. It is heading west and should affect the Texas coast by Thursday as a moderate tropical storm. Our local area will not see any affects from this system.
I will give credit where credit is due for the first headline. Our news producer Dan Lehr posed that question to me as to where "Dean" might go. TD4 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Dean Tuesday morning as it is gradually gaining strength. It could become the season's first hurricane by the end of the week. The tropical season is almost right on schedule as today marks the average date of the first hurricane of the season. It is still too early to say where Dean might end up. But, the 5 day forecast cone shows a slight nudge west-northwest which is consistent with most of the computer model guidance. By Day 5, there could be a gap between pressure ridges that could allow this west-northwest turn. All the while, the environment for strengthening should continue. The one big question mark remaining is what path will it take in the northeastern Caribbean. A pass over the higher terrain of Hispanola has been known to shred apart developing storms. We will just have to see if Dean tries to become a mountain climber, or skirts around and strengthens near the Florida Straits and Bahamas. Only time will tell.

TD4 and Maybe More!

Right on schedule, the tropics have awakened and a pulse of activity is about to begin. Tropical Depression 4 should soon be upgraded to a tropical storm (Dean) and eventually a hurricane as it nears the Caribbean Sea. It is too early to say where this storm might end up, but a visit to the southern Gulf is possible into next week. Speaking of the Gulf, another flare up of activity could be underway near the Yucatan, Pressures are falling in that region and the parent tropical wave is drifting west. Should a system form, it could become the 5th tropical system of the season and should drift west toward the Texas/Mexico coast. More details to follow in the days ahead!

Here Comes The "Mars" Email Again!

Every August, I start receiving email from viewers anxious to know more about the "Mars Spectacular". Most of you who have emailed me are wondering if this is true, or is it another urban legend. The email message that is circulating around offices and homes across the web claims that on August 27th Mars will be as big as the moon in the sky. Simply put, this is yet another urban legend. There is a small grain of truth to how the story got started. Mars "did" reach its closest point to earth on August 27, 2003. At that time, Mars appeared 6 times larger than it usually does. This means that instead of a "tiny" red dot in the sky, it was briefly a "small" red dot in the sky. If Mars ever did appear as large as the full moon, we would have all sorts of gravity and tidal issues. There will be a large bright object in the sky on the nights of August 27 and 28, but that will be the Full Moon.....not Mars!

The email is fascinating and "scientific" sounding in its context, but alas it is just another email that needs to be deleted instead of forwarded.

Meteor Shower This Weekend

We are in dire need of rain, and it will be several days before showers return to the forecast. However, there is one shower that we can always count on every August, the Perseid Meteor Shower. We should have nearly perfect conditions for this event which peaks Saturday night just after midnight. With a New Moon phase currently, the darkened sky will make the perfect back drop for the Perseids as they streak across the sky. Also, with dry air in place, there will not be any haze to block the view. The Perseid Meteor shower is a great astronomy event which the whole family can enjoy without the need of binoculars or a telescope. You will want to be in an area away from the city lights and you should be able to see up to one meteor per minute. Again the peak time is just after midnight Saturday night through the predawn hours. The next several nights through next week will still exhibit some meteors, but not at the rate that will be possible Saturday night. Enjoy!

100 Degrees Thursday...But Not A Record

Whew....Yes, it was a scorcher Thursday as the temperature reached the expected high of 100. While it was a rare day of triple digit heat for the Tennessee Valley, it was not quite a record. The record high for Thursday was 103 degrees which was set in 1980. Here are some other high temperature readings from Thursday around the region:
Nashville: 104
Atlanta: 103
Rome, GA: 102
Huntsville, AL: 101
Dalton, GA: 97
Ft Payne, AL: 97
Murphy, NC: 94
Crossville, TN: 93

The Heat Index peaked at 105 Thursday afternoon, with the 100 degree heat and humidity in the 35% range. Thursday's high of 100 marked the first time we have reached the century mark since August 4, 2006. And, it was only the second time in the past 5 years we have recorded triple digit heat. I did a little research to see how many times we have recorded 100 degrees or higher since 1980. The results might surprise you. Even though average temperatures have risen slightly over the past couple of decades, the number of days 100 or above have dropped off. Here is what I found:

Number of Days 100 degrees or higher per decade:

1980 to 1989: 24 Days 100 or higher
1990 to 1999: 17 Days 100 or higher
2000 to August 9, 2007: 3 Days 100 or higher

The overall pattern will change little over the next few days. Morning temps may be slightly cooler from 70 to 72, but afternoon readings should still average above 95 through early next week. This pattern could continue for the next 2 weeks. The only way we might be able to see a bust in this pattern and get more rainfall is dependent on any tropical development. The European and Canadian models are indicating some rumblings beginning in the tropical breeding grounds and a pulse of activity could be just around the corner. The Caribbean Sea and extreme southern Gulf could be areas to watch by the weekend and early next week.

Heat Advisory Through at Least Thursday

99 was the official high temperature in Chattanooga on Wednesday. The record high was set in 1980 with 102 degrees, so no record Wednesday, but still well above normal. The Excessive Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8pm Thursday and could get extended into Friday. The upper level ridge that has dominated our region lately will shift west through Saturday. This could bring about a "slight" change in temperature as we go through the weekend. "Slight" meaning 3-5 degrees difference. The most noticeable change will be during the morning hours. Morning temperatures will average in the upper 70s Thursday morning, but ease back to near 70 for the weekend. Afternoon high temperatures should still average well above normal, but stay in the middle 90s as opposed to near 100 Thursday. So, it's not much of a change, but it's the best we can hope for over the next few days. Showers chances will remain slim and limited to only a few isolated showers during the weekend.