Midweek highs could threaten records
We're looking at some serious 90-plus heat this week, Maryland. NWS forecasters out at Sterling are calling for highs on Wednesday and Thursday that could threaten records at BWI-Marshall 
Airport. I suspect some spots in the city could toy with the 100-degree mark.
The chances for a thunderstorm to cool things off, at least temporarily, look pretty slim - none at all today, then no better than 30 percent through Wednesday night, then rising only to 40 percent on Thursday as a weak front slides by. After that, it's all sunshine and more 90-degree heat.
The city did not extend Sunday's Code Red Heat Alert to Monday. (An earlier version of this post said, erroneously, it did.) The region also remains under a Code Orange Air Quality Alert (map left). Hot air, sunshine and vehicle exhaust combine to cook up plenty of ozone, making the air we're breathing outdoors unhealthy for vulnerable groups. That includes the very young, the elderly and those with heart and respiratory problems. The forecast for Tuesday is no better.
Here are the highs forecast for this week for BWI, and the record highs for those dates. (UPDATED FORECASTS @ 5 P.M. Forecasters knocked 2 degrees off their forecast highs for Weds. and Thurs.)
MONDAY: 91 degrees forecast. Record 100 degrees in 1923
TUESDAY: 91 degrees forecast. Record 100 degrees in 1988
WEDNESDAY: 94 degrees forcast. Record 97 degrees in 1894
THURSDAY: 93 degrees forecast. Record 98 degrees in 1966
FRIDAY: 90 degrees forecast. Record 99 degrees in 1997
SATURDAY: 90 degrees forecast. Record 99 degrees in 1954
SUNDAY: 94 degrees forecast. Record 99 degrees in 1952
Since March 1, the airport has been running an impressive 4.8 degrees above the long-term averages. We have accumulated 13 days of 90-degree-plus weather, with another six straight in the forecast. And we haven't yet reached July, which is statistically the hottest month of the year.
The long-range forecast - for July, August and September (map above) - indicates there is a greater-than-average chance that temperatures in the mid-Atlantic states will continue to exceed long-term averages.
Comments
Here come the global warming proponents...
FR: As predictable as the skeptics when we're hit by three blizzards.
Posted by: Jeff | June 21, 2010 2:55 PM
Somewhat ironic that you use the term "global warming proponents." I do not think many people would be proponents of global warming.
Now, if we are talking proponents of the scientific theory of global warming, then yes, higher average temperatures (including higher average temperatures this past winter, despite the unusual weather patterns) do support the scientific theory of global warming.
Kind of in contrast to the people who are proponents of the political theory that the scientific theory of global warming is bunk.
FR: Actually, extreme precipitation events, including heavy snowfall - are also consistent with GW theory. Not proof by themselves, just consistent. See also, China floods, southern France floods in the news today.
Posted by: NH | June 21, 2010 4:55 PM
Partially because of people like Jeff who apparently have not tried to understand any of the science, I prefer to call it Global Climate Change.
After all, one of the things predicted is that global warming will alter or shut down the Gulf Stream, which is the major reason southern Ireland and England (among other geographic locales) are warmer than their latitude indicates they should be. If the Gulf Stream's warming effect is altered and thus doesn't warm southern Ireland and England as is done currently, there can be NO dispute that the climate has changed. Why it changed can be disputed, but if the climate has changed, well then, it has changed.
Also, Global Climate Change cannot be used as a rhetorical battering ram (as the term 'global warming' is done now) when the weather in a specific locale is much colder than normal (like Baltimore in February when all the snow fell), or the rainfall/snowfall is well above or below normal, etc., as current theory indicates will happen. Current theory indicates that the climate will drastically and dramatically change, mostly warmer, but some areas will get colder, and/or drier, and/or wetter, and/or etc. Thus Global Climate Change is the (in my opinion) much more accurate description.
Posted by: Mike | June 22, 2010 4:29 AM