It's been a cold July here and also below normal temperatures for several months.
The average temperature this month was 64 degrees, which was 4.5 degrees below average for the month of July, said Jim Tarasenko, research specialist with the North Central Research Extension Center south of Minot.
This is also the eighth straight month of below normal temperatures for Minot, Tarasenko said.
"There were only seven other July averages on record that were lower than this July. The record low monthly average temperature for a July is 59.7 degrees," he said.
Tarasenko said the only day this summer which has been 90 degrees or above was on July 24. "It was 90 degrees for a high temperature on that day," he said.
"Also, this was the eighth coolest July since we started record keeping," Tarasenko said.
Earth Changes
© Meg McGrath/Cornell
Green tomatoes affected by the spores of highly contagious fungus, called late blight.
Green tomatoes affected by the spores of highly contagious fungus, called late blight.
A highly contagious fungus that destroys tomato plants has quickly spread to nearly every state in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic, and the weather over the next week may determine whether the outbreak abates or whether tomato crops are ruined, according to federal and state agriculture officials.
The spores of the fungus, called late blight, are often present in the soil, and small outbreaks are not uncommon in August and September. But the cool, wet weather in June and the aggressively infectious nature of the pathogen have combined to produce what Martin A. Draper, a senior plant pathologist at the United States Department of Agriculture, described as an "explosive" rate of infection.
William Fry, a professor of plant pathology at Cornell, said, "I've never seen this on such a wide scale."
© Bob Jagendorf
Many cities in the east and central reported the coldest July on record and some cities a top 5 coolest June and July period. Here is one of the latter - New York City's Central Park.
With an average daily temperature of 72.7...3.8 degrees below normal... This is the sixth coolest July on record at Central Park.
Daily average temperatures have been at or below normal every day but two this month (the 28th and 30th)...for 46 of 48 days dating back to June 13th...and for 54 of the 60 days since June 1st.
Central Park has had only one day reach above 85 degrees so far this summer (86 on July 17th). This is the fewest number of days above 85 on record at Central Park since records began being taken in 1869. The old record was 7 in 1996.
Central Park has yet to reach 90 degrees this summer...for only the second time on record. The only other year not to have at least one 90 degree day in June or July was 1996.
For the months of June and July...the average temperature in 2009 is 70.1 degrees, making this the third coolest June and July on record in 151 years at Central Park. See story NWS here and New York Times here.
Although the Falklands can expect cold weather at this time of year, heavy snow which fell over the past week was a record for recent years.
Weatherman Justin Chamberlain said the Islands had been under the influence of a highly unstable convective south/southwest air flow originating in Antarctica, keeping air temperatures below freezing. At times the wind was strong or gale force, leading to blizzard conditions and snowdrifts.
The duration of the Antarctic showery feed was unusual, he said, due in part to an area of high pressure covering much of South America, which blocked the usual mobile westerly flow.
Weatherman Justin Chamberlain said the Islands had been under the influence of a highly unstable convective south/southwest air flow originating in Antarctica, keeping air temperatures below freezing. At times the wind was strong or gale force, leading to blizzard conditions and snowdrifts.
The duration of the Antarctic showery feed was unusual, he said, due in part to an area of high pressure covering much of South America, which blocked the usual mobile westerly flow.
© unknown
Due to atypical cool weather, Haeundae Beach in Busan is deserted on Thursday.
Due to atypical cool weather, Haeundae Beach in Busan is deserted on Thursday.
Korea is experiencing atypical cool weather in the middle of summer, which coupled with the summer rainy season has translated into fewer vacationers visiting the country's beaches.
The Korea Meteorological Administration on Thursday said the average temperature during July 18-24 was between 20 to 24 degrees Celsius or 2-4 degrees below average, while the average daily high was between 23 and 28 degrees or 2-5 degrees lower than average.
In Busan, where Korea's most popular beaches are located, temperatures did not rise above 30 degrees for a single day in July, as against seven days in July last year. From July 1 until Wednesday, 4.38 million people visited the seven beaches in downtown Busan, less than half the numbers seen during the same period last year. Vendors at the beaches have been hit with an unprecedented slump in sales during peak season. Haeundae Beach, which opened on July 1, saw 1.72 million visitors this month, just 48 percent of the number seen during the same period last year. A total of 1.24 million people visited Gwangalli Beach, just 47 percent of last July's visitors.
Winnipeg - The Canadian Wheat Board is reporting the highest wheat exports in nine years and the second-highest overall grain revenues in its history.
The organization reported Thursday that it exported 18.5 million tonnes of wheat, durum and barley during the crop year that ends Friday - one million tonnes more than last year and the highest level since 2000.
Much of the increase came from new wheat markets in countries such as Iran and Indonesia.
"This has been because of the poor crop that the Iranians experienced and their need for imports," said board president and chief executive Ian White.
"I'm pleased to say that we were able to capture a large part of the market share of the Iranian import market. We were the largest exporter to Iran ... compared with our competitors."
The organization reported Thursday that it exported 18.5 million tonnes of wheat, durum and barley during the crop year that ends Friday - one million tonnes more than last year and the highest level since 2000.
Much of the increase came from new wheat markets in countries such as Iran and Indonesia.
"This has been because of the poor crop that the Iranians experienced and their need for imports," said board president and chief executive Ian White.
"I'm pleased to say that we were able to capture a large part of the market share of the Iranian import market. We were the largest exporter to Iran ... compared with our competitors."
Des Moines, Iowa - This has been an unusually mild year in Tornado Alley, which is good news, of course, for the people who live here, but a little frustrating to scientists who planned to chase twisters as part of a $10 million research project.
"You're out there to do the experiment and you're geared up every day and ready. And when there isn't anything happening, that is frustrating," said Don Burgess, a scientist at the University of Oklahoma. But he was quick to add that he is pleased the relative quiet has meant fewer injuries and less damage.
Nationwide, there were 826 tornadoes this year through June 30, compared with an average of 934 for the same period during the previous three years, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla. Most twisters strike in Tornado Alley, which generally extends from Texas and Oklahoma to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.
During a remarkable 17-day lull from mid-May through early June, there were no tornado watches issued anywhere in the United States. And that is typically the height of the season in Tornado Alley.
"You're out there to do the experiment and you're geared up every day and ready. And when there isn't anything happening, that is frustrating," said Don Burgess, a scientist at the University of Oklahoma. But he was quick to add that he is pleased the relative quiet has meant fewer injuries and less damage.
Nationwide, there were 826 tornadoes this year through June 30, compared with an average of 934 for the same period during the previous three years, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Okla. Most twisters strike in Tornado Alley, which generally extends from Texas and Oklahoma to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.
During a remarkable 17-day lull from mid-May through early June, there were no tornado watches issued anywhere in the United States. And that is typically the height of the season in Tornado Alley.
So, where are all of the news stories about the fact we've had no tropical storms yet this year? As can be seen in the following graphic, as of this date in 2005 we already had 8 named storms in the Atlantic basin. And tomorrow, August 4, that number will increase to 9. In 2005 we were even told to expect more active hurricane seasons from now on because of global warming.
Of course, even though it is interesting that the 2009 tropical season is off to such a slow start, it may well have no significance in terms of long-term trends. But the lack of news coverage on the subject does show the importance of unbiased reporting when it comes to global warming. Let me explain.
© weatherstreet.com
Of course, even though it is interesting that the 2009 tropical season is off to such a slow start, it may well have no significance in terms of long-term trends. But the lack of news coverage on the subject does show the importance of unbiased reporting when it comes to global warming. Let me explain.
Across the United States, cities are experiencing low or record low temperatures. Some people are experiencing 48 degree (9 Celsius) weather in the morning and 70 degree (21 Celsius) weather throughout the day.
Many scientists who disagree with man-made global warming say this is another example of the global warming alarmism. Marc Morano, who runs Climate Depot, says that the Earth's temperatures flows from cool to warm and that it is natural climate change. He further discussed, "The reason Climate Depot is covering this is because every heat wave, every extreme storm, everything the media tries to promote when it's the other way -- every hurricane, every drought, flood...they always blame everything on global warming. So, all we are merely doing is pointing out some of the dramatic record low temperatures -- dramatic to the point where some meteorologists have dubbed 2009 the year without a summer."
Many scientists who disagree with man-made global warming say this is another example of the global warming alarmism. Marc Morano, who runs Climate Depot, says that the Earth's temperatures flows from cool to warm and that it is natural climate change. He further discussed, "The reason Climate Depot is covering this is because every heat wave, every extreme storm, everything the media tries to promote when it's the other way -- every hurricane, every drought, flood...they always blame everything on global warming. So, all we are merely doing is pointing out some of the dramatic record low temperatures -- dramatic to the point where some meteorologists have dubbed 2009 the year without a summer."
A strong 6.4-magnitude quake struck Indonesia's remote West Papua Sunday, the country's geophysics agency said.
The quake struck at 3:54 pm (0854 GMT) with an epicentre 127 kilometres (79 miles) northwest of the town of Manokwari in West Papua, the Jakarta Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.
It was measured at a depth of 12 kilometres.
The agency's technical chief Suharjono said there appeared to be no damage or injuries reported yet.
"The tremors, which lasted less than a minute, were strong enough to cause people to panic. They all ran out of their homes," he added.
The quake struck at 3:54 pm (0854 GMT) with an epicentre 127 kilometres (79 miles) northwest of the town of Manokwari in West Papua, the Jakarta Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.
It was measured at a depth of 12 kilometres.
The agency's technical chief Suharjono said there appeared to be no damage or injuries reported yet.
"The tremors, which lasted less than a minute, were strong enough to cause people to panic. They all ran out of their homes," he added.
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