Just back from vacation, and I'm looking over the weather data for the last two weeks in Baltimore. It would seem that my record for altering the weather is intact. Let me explain...

On March 28 I wrote an article for The Sun about the drought conditions that had just been declared across much of the state in the wake of a dry autumn and winter. And almost immediately it began to rain. April, May and the first three weeks of July produce prodigious amounts of surplus rain. Lawns flourish.

So, on June 18, I write a story about all the wet weather, and the mosquitoes and the impact on crops and farms. And almost immediately the rain stops. From then until July 21 or so, barely a half-inch falls. My lawn withers.

On July 17, I write a story about how the dry weather had caused water use in the region to soar, complicating the city's efforts to keep water customers in northwest city and county neighborhoods supplied while utility crews rushed to complete some water main repairs. Water use restrictions are imposed. Two days later I leave on vacation and ... the heavens open up, dropping almost enough rain to bring the July total to normal.

And the return of the rains appears to have been pretty spectacular at times, witness the photos (above and below) of the Sunday, July 26 storms, sent to me from Hampden by William Amp B. Stifler.

There were no tornadoes during that event, but on Friday, July 31, an EF1 tornado touched down during a storm in Frederick County. Here's more on that one.  

Sorry I missed all the excitement.

Greg Hill wrote to me from Owings Mills about the July 26 storm: "The storm rolled through, and it seemed to be lightening up a little, and all of a sudden we had a big stroke of lightning over us, and the rain really started coming down.

"The wind picked back up, and then started swirling very hard around the house. Then it started hailing ... It lasted about four or five minutes. There are branches down all over the neighborhood, and pretty heavy lawn furniture that has been up-ended. For a couple of minutes, I couldn't see across the yard, it was blowing and raining so hard."

Take-home message: If Roylance writes about a weather trend, hold onto your hat, because it is about to end in a big way. I am already planning an early-winter story about the dearth of snow in Baltimore in recent winters. Hah!