90s streak could end Wednesday
The long, long stretch of 90-degree weather Central Maryland has endured since July 17 looks like it will come to an end Wednesday. National Weather Service forecasters in Sterling, VA. are predicting a high Wednesday of just 85 degrees at BWI-Marshall Airport.
That would cap the streak at 17 days, including Tuesday, the third-longest consecutive string of 90-degree weather for Baltimore since record-keeping began. In all, July delivered 24 days with 90-plus weather, a record for any month in Baltimore.
After another high Tuesday near 95 degrees, with lower humidity, relief will come to us Wednesday in the form of a "potent" low-pressure system and a cold front. It's expected to reach the area after sunset Tuesday, and should deliver some significant rainfall on Wednesday.
The weather service puts the rain chances Wednesday at 50 percent, with as much as a quarter inch possible. Higher totals are possible in thunderstorms. A few isolated storms could be strong to severe, forecasters said.
Daytime highs will remain in the upper 80s through Saturday, if the forecasters have it right. The 90s could return to the forecast by Sunday, and more showers and storms are possible during the weekend as the next cold front approaches.
Last night's storms brought plenty of thunder, but widely variable amounts of rain to the region. Here are some representative totals from the CoCoRaHS Network:
Havre de Grace: 1.66 inches
Salisbury: 1.17 inches
College Park: 0.81 inch
Easton: 0.55 inch
Baltimore City: 0.38 inch
Sykesville: 0.35 inch
Jacksonville: 0.35 inch
Towson: 0.22 inch
Pasadena: 0.20 inch
Columbia: 0.10 inch
Comments
Mr. Roylance.
Is the official temperature at a site measured in shade or sun?
Thank you.
FR REPLIES: In the shade. The sensors are set in a housing that shades them from direct sunlight, but allows a free flow of air through it.
Posted by: Alan | August 2, 2011 1:06 PM
Good ol' global warming.
Posted by: JustMe | August 2, 2011 1:11 PM
I'd say there's a good chance the streak will end TODAY, not tomorrow.
FR REPLIES: I guess it's a semantics thing. It's already 92 at BWI, so I say the streak continues today (Tuesday). Ends tomorrow. Readers?
Posted by: GreenMeansGo | August 2, 2011 2:16 PM
Anything below 90 is a blessing. And rainfall- double blessing! So if we can count on a bit of relief tomorrow, no problem with the streak continuing today. At 9:15 PM in Annapolis, my backyard thermometer says 82.6. The indoor temp in my back room says 82.4 (because I'm keeping the main area of the house at 79). Don't scoff at what you can become accustomed to- with a floor fan blowing, I am perfectly comfortable in the back room which is over 82 degrees F.
Posted by: Carolyn | August 2, 2011 9:21 PM
Sounds good. Lets hope things went accordingly.
Posted by: Thunder | August 2, 2011 11:40 PM