Feeling unusually warm this summer? Through the mid point of this month we are on pace to break the all time record average temperature for July. In 2010, Hartford officially had an average temperature of 77.4 degrees in July, not including today we are at 79.8 degrees with four more days of 90’s coming up. Our fifth heat wave this summer is well under way and may finish with a consecutive string of seven 90+ degree days on Saturday. The record is ten days in 1995.  A heat wave is when we have at least three consecutive days at 90 degrees and over. The heat will be turned off temporarily on Sunday as a cooler dryer Canadian air mass finally pushes out the oppressive heat. Maybe a solid 3 or 4 days of beautiful summertime weather early next week.

In all the years observing weather, never have I felt a prolonged period of dew point temperatures in the 70’s (11 days),  and it’s just the beginning as Connecticut will kick off the start of a unprecedented 4th heat wave this summer on Sunday.  Dew point is the temperature to which a given parcel of air must be cooled, at constant barometric pressure for water vapor to condense into water. The condensed water is called dew. The dew point is a saturation point. Humidity is at 100% when the air temperature and dew point are equal. When the dew point reaches 70 degrees it’s very tropical feeling and uncomfortable.

Our short lived reprieve will end tomorrow as the cold front will move back over us as warm front. Tempertaures will look like this for the next six days starting this weekend… Sunday 91, Monday 94, Tuesday 96, Wednesday 97, Thursday 95 and Friday 90.

Just think, six months today we’ll be talking about how cold it is outside, so let’s enjoy summertime at its extreme for now.

Pre 4th of July weekend is here with the 3 S’s on the forefront weatherwise for the weekend. Sun, Showers and Steamy conditions will prevail for the next several days. Yes, many will be able to get in their barbeques, see a ball game or two, get in a round of golf, take a dip in the pool, but the threat will always be there on the western horizon. A huge trough of low pressure will be hanging aroung the eastern portion of the country with its frontal boundary stalling out offshore as small ripples along the front will bring periods of rain and thunder our way. Then it will clear out, the sun will shine and the steam will rise from the surfaces.

Bad hair days will stay for awhile.

Central Connecticut has just seen its second heat wave of the season. 3 days of temeratures 90 degrees and over is a heat wave. That persistent pattern has come to an abrupt end today as clouds dominated,  but the nagging humidity did not go away. Over the next week or so, a constant threat of showers everyday, some heavy causing flooding of lowline areas. Also, thunderstorms will be around for good measure too.

A wet pattern is very typical for New England this time of year as changeable weather conditions stall creating a roadblock in weather systems.  Unfortunately vacation season has begun and many will need to be creative to handle the wet and humid days the lie ahead.

Here’s a weather update for the 4th of July and Four activities  likely will be appropriate.

1) Go to the movies

2) Catch up on indoor chores

3) A stroll through the mall

4) A picnic under a tent or in a enclosed patio

Get the drift? Yes, right now it looks like we will be in a very wet pattern for the Holiday week that begins this weekend. We may squeeze out one good day on Saturday but after that there will be a threat of rain showers for several days next week. Remember the weather pattern we were in from the of May through early June. “Ditto”