July Rainfall Totals

It's worth noting that Indianapolis is going to have their driest July on record with only 0.47" total for the month (previous record was 0.49" set back in 1914). We've faired much better with 3.37" recorded at LAF this month...though 2.23" of it came in the first two days of July. So with Indy's record in mind, I went back and looked at the top 10 driest and top 10 wettest Julys at the West Lafayette COOP (data back to 1901).

Top 10 Driest July

1) 0.28"...1914

2) 0.44"...1901

3) 0.62"...1936

4) 0.78"...1924

5) 0.85"...1991

6) 0.90"...1931

7) 0.99"...1983

8) 1.07"...1974

9) 1.16"...1967

10) 1.29"...1944

Top 10 Wettest July

1) 11.11"...1992

2) 9.62"...1958

3) 9.25"...1962

4) 8.42"...1929

5) 8.10"...1953

6) 8.05"...1939

7) 7.90"...2003

8) 7.24"...1957

9) 7.11"...2000

10) 6.72"...1971

90º+ Days In July

Today will mark the 15th time the high temperature reached 90º or greater at the Purdue University airport this July. So how does this compare to the past?

90º+ days at LAF in July since 1964
25...1983
17...1988
16...1999
16...1980
15...2011
15...1977
15...1966
13...1995
13...1974
12...2002
12...1997
12...1987
12...1986
12...1972

Another Potential 90º+ Temp Streak Fails

Cloud cover and rainfall prevented us from reaching 90º yesterday (official high at LAF was 86º)...so another potential "long" streak of 90º+ high temps goes by the wayside. The 90º+ streak for Indianapolis is still ongoing, currently at 13 days. The record longest for them is 19, set back in August of 1936. Looks like they have a very good chance at breaking that record.

Updated forecast results below:

	WLFI	NWS	TWC	ACCUWX	MEX MOS	ACTUAL
WED 7/27	93 (+1)	92 (0)	94 (+2)	90 (-2)	90 (-2)	92
THU 7/28	97 (+2)	95 (0)	96 (+1)	94 (-1)	92 (-3)	95
FRI 7/29	97 (+11)	92 (+6)	92 (+6)	88 (+2)	89 (+3)	86
SAT 7/30	97	88	89	90	90
SUN 7/31	95	88	89	88	91
MON 8/1	95	91	91	90	93
TUE 8/2	87	87	90	90	92

 

80º Low Temp At LAF Overnight/This Morning

LAF was the only location in Indiana to not drop below 80º overnight/this morning. A head start on another scorcher of a day. Storms are firing up just to the north of here in Benton, White, and Carroll counties this morning...but looks like they'll remain north, missing LAF.

	WLFI	NWS	TWC	ACCUWX	MEX MOS	ACTUAL
WED 7/27	93 (+1)	92 (0)	94 (+2)	90 (-2)	90 (-2)	92
THU 7/28	97 (+2)	95 (0)	96 (+1)	94 (-1)	92 (-3)	95
FRI 7/29	97	92	92	88	89
SAT 7/30	97	88	89	90	90
SUN 7/31	95	88	89	88	91
MON 8/1	95	91	91	90	93
TUE 8/2	87	87	90	90	92

Heat Advisory In Effect: Hottest Day Of The Week Today

Mid to upper 90's with heat indexes over 105º today. The misery continues...

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
319 AM EDT THU JUL 28 2011

...DANGEROUS HEAT RETURNING...

.INCREASING WINDS WILL BRING VERY HOT AIR TO INDIANA FROM THE
SOUTHWEST THURSDAY.

INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-281530-
/O.CON.KIND.HT.Y.0004.110728T1600Z-110729T0000Z/
CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY-
BOONE-TIPTON-HAMILTON-MADISON-DELAWARE-RANDOLPH-VERMILLION-PARKE-
PUTNAM-HENDRICKS-MARION-HANCOCK-HENRY-VIGO-CLAY-OWEN-MORGAN-
JOHNSON-SHELBY-RUSH-SULLIVAN-GREENE-MONROE-BROWN-BARTHOLOMEW-
DECATUR-KNOX-DAVIESS-MARTIN-LAWRENCE-JACKSON-JENNINGS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAFAYETTE...FRANKFORT...KOKOMO...
CRAWFORDSVILLE...ANDERSON...MUNCIE...INDIANAPOLIS...TERRE HAUTE...
SHELBYVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...COLUMBUS...VINCENNES...BEDFORD...
SEYMOUR
319 AM EDT THU JUL 28 2011

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING...

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING.

* TEMPERATURES: HIGHS ARE FORECAST TO BE IN THE MID AND UPPER 90S.
  HEAT INDICES WILL RANGE FROM 105 TO 110.

* IMPACTS: THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT
  STROKE IN THIS WEATHER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN
POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO EARLY
MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE
AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK...THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY
HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE
IS AN EMERGENCY...CALL 9 1 1.

Results from yesterday:

	WLFI	NWS	TWC	ACCUWX	MEX MOS	ACTUAL
WED 7/27	93 (+1)	92 (0)	94 (+2)	90 (-2)	90 (-2)	92
THU 7/28	97	95	96	94	92
FRI 7/29	97	92	92	88	89
SAT 7/30	97	88	89	90	90
SUN 7/31	95	88	89	88	91
MON 8/1	95	91	91	90	93
TUE 8/2	87	87	90	90	92

7 Day Forecasts For Lafayette

Here are the high temperature forecasts from various sources for the next seven days.

Forecasts from July 26 at 6:00PM.

	WLFI	NWS	TWC	ACCUWX	MEX MOS	ACTUAL
WED 7/27	93	92	94	90	90
THU 7/28	97	95	96	94	92
FRI 7/29	97	92	92	88	89
SAT 7/30	97	88	89	90	90
SUN 7/31	95	88	89	88	91
MON 8/1	95	91	91	90	93
TUE 8/2	87	87	90	90	92

Week Two (August 3-9) Outlook

This from the Climate Prediction Center: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

Greater chance for above normal temps and precipitation in the August 3-9 timeframe.

Hot For The Next 8 Days...

...but not as bad as last week it appears. Thursday looks like the hottest/most uncomfortable day with heat index values of 105 to 115. For kicks, we'll see how well the GFS MEX MOS does for temperature forecasting for the next 8 days, including today...

LAFAYETTE           
 KLAF   GFSX MOS GUIDANCE   7/26/2011  0000 UTC                       
 FHR  24| 36  48| 60  72| 84  96|108 120|132 144|156 168|180 192      
 TUE  26| WED 27| THU 28| FRI 29| SAT 30| SUN 31| MON 01| TUE 02 CLIMO
 X/N  89| 66  91| 72  93| 72  89| 70  90| 69  89| 69  90| 70  92 64 84
 TMP  82| 69  85| 75  86| 75  82| 73  84| 72  83| 72  84| 72  85      
 DPT  69| 67  71| 71  74| 71  75| 70  72| 69  72| 69  72| 69  72      
 CLD  PC| CL  PC| PC  PC| PC  OV| PC  PC| CL  PC| PC  PC| CL  PC      
 WND   6|  6   8|  5  10|  5   6|  3   8|  4   6|  4   7|  5   7      
 P12   7|  4   9| 21  20| 32  41| 34  17| 18  14| 21  24| 24  17999999
 P24    |     15|     36|     54|     45|     27|     38|     30   999
 Q12   0|  0   0|  0   0|  0   1|  0   0|  0   0|  0    |             
 Q24    |      0|      0|      3|      1|      0|       |             
 T12   9|  3  12| 18  29| 32  36| 35  32| 12  23| 22  23| 15  26      
 T24    | 12    | 24    | 49    | 55    | 35    | 44    | 38

90º+ Streak Halted

Yesterday failed to reach 90º, so the heat wave/streak ends at 7 days. Storms and clouds helped do the deed...and in terms of rainfall, 0.74" was recorded at LAF bringing the July total to 3.25" (9.74" since June 1st).

July 17th: 93º
July 18th: 94º
July 19th: 97º
July 20th: 98º
July 21st: 101º
July 22nd: 98º
July 23rd: 95º

Rain, Glorious Rain

0.65" so far at LAF through 1:00PM today. Much needed, plus it's a nice temporary reprieve from the heat.

7 In A Row...And Counting

The 95º high temp yesterday made it the 7th day in a row with temps of 90º+. The NWS has bumped predicted highs on Monday and Tuesday to 90º, instead of the earlier thought mid to upper 80's. So it looks like the streak will go on for the foreseeable future.

0.08" of rainfall was recorded at LAF yesterday. Decent chance today and tonight of some more rainfall, but not a sure thing. Keep your fingers crossed...

Current heat wave statistics
High temperatures:
Sunday: 93º
Monday: 94º 
Tuesday: 97º
Wednesday: 98º
Thursday: 101º
Friday: 98º
Saturday: 95º

High dewpoint readings:
Sunday: 76º
Monday: 77º
Tuesday: 81º
Wednesday: 80º
Thursday: 78º
Friday: 78º
Saturday: 79º

The Heat Wave Marches On...

More heat and high humidity through the weekend, with temps in the mid to upper 90's. Maybe a slight "break" by Monday and Tuesday (upper 80's to 90) before the next wave of intense heat arrives by the middle of next week.

Current heat wave statistics
High temperatures:
Sunday: 93º
Monday: 94º 
Tuesday: 97º
Wednesday: 98º
Thursday: 101º
Friday: 98º


High dewpoint readings:
Sunday: 76º
Monday: 77º
Tuesday: 81º
Wednesday: 80º
Thursday: 78º
Friday: 78º