Erick expected to rapidly intensify heading to Mexico landfall

Erick has consistently developed since formation early Tuesday, and it is slated to strike Mexico as a powerful hurricane Thursday. On the way, it could rapidly intensify. That’s a process of gaining at least 35 mph in wind speed over 24 hours or less.

Weather Watch

Erick eyes Mexico. Tropical Storm Erick is on the cusp of becoming a hurricane this morning. It will intensify, potentially rapidly, into landfall on Thursday. The storm is currently forecast to come ashore about 100 miles east-southeast of Acapulco — not far from Punta Maldonado — with sustained winds of 110 mph.

Big heat looms. A summer preview kicks off in the northeastern U.S. today after several cooler than usual ones. Following a weak late-week cold front, the intensity of heat will really ramp up. Record highs around Denver and into the Plains Friday and Saturday roll east and become numerous into early next week as temperatures around 100 reach D.C. and New York City.

Lightning links

Heatstroke alerts issued in Japan as temperatures surge.

'Cicada attack' blamed for car crash in Ohio, police warn drivers to keep windows up.

Shifting fire threat?

After a run of huge fires since late May, things have quieted a bit in Canada thanks to relatively widespread rain in the fire zones of recent.

Acreage burned as slowed to a comparative crawl the last week or so as many of the major fires come under at least partial control. With 3.9 million hectares burned, the country is already well past the annual average of 2.9 million hectares of scorched land.

A 5 out of 5 preparedness level persists as some of northern Canada enters into lightning season. Building high pressure that will nudge into the country should also get the threat rising again in provinces recently facing firestorms.

In the United States, the western fire season is getting going.

Significant wildfires were burning in several states, including New Mexico, Oregon, California and Arizona. The national risk is at level 2.

The NWS has parts of the Sierra Nevada to Great Basin in critical fire threat over coming days.

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Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster. Connecting weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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