This Summer vs. Last Summer

At this point in the summer, we are all ready for a break from the consistent heat and humidity.  The summer of 2009 was comsidered very cool whereas this summer has been one of the most consistently warm summers in decades.  Let's take a look why the sudden change in the pattern from summer 2009 to 2010.

We need to head to the steering current at 18,000 feet (the winds aloft) to see the large scale changes.

Notice the trough in the east last summer.  That kept cooler air over the Great Lakes and the heat south.

This year, the trough shifted west allowing heat to build in Northeastern Ohio.

The July temperatures in 2009 were WELL BELOW normal across the northern half of the country to include Cleveland.

This year, notice the temperature upswing across the Deep South and New England

Since APRIL 1st, last summer featured 56 days above 80 degrees through August.

This year, since April 1st, we've had 83 days above 80 degrees through August 17th.

What will this mean for this fall and early winter?  Remember this:  In late 2004, temperature in November and December through the middle of the month were WELL ABOVE NORMAL.  I cut my lawn on December 3rd.  What happened after that?  The pattern did a complete 180 degree turn producing more than 30 inches of snow over the last 15 days of December 2005.  So stay tuned.