Extreme summer heat dots the Northern Hemisphere

Heat is a big story across the Northern Hemisphere as we close out July. Records recently stretched multiple continents and that continues to open the week. Other summertime happenings are… happening… as well.

Weather Watch

Europe to Asia heat. Turkey broke its national record, again. The high was 123 degrees (50.5 C) in Silopi on Friday. It’s part of an extensive heat wave from the gateway of Europe and the Middle East to China and Japan.

Derecho weather. The Storm Prediction Center is calling for a derecho to develop Monday. Focus appears to be eastern South Dakota, where wind gusts of 75 mph or higher are expected to be most numerous.

Tropics re-awakening? Iona was named in the central Pacific Ocean on Sunday — it’ll briefly reach hurricane status and contribute to high winds in Hawaii as it passes well to the south of the state. The sort of slow (but not really that slow) start to the season in the Atlantic Ocean shows no immediate sign of lighting up, but things may change as August progresses.

Lightning links

Firefighters In ‘Titanic Battle’ As Wildfires Rage In Greece. (Rebecca Schneid, Time)

Significant tornado strikes South Dakota Sunday. (Brandon Copic)

On the Road with NOAA As They Face Uncertainty in Their Agency and the Weather. (Colleen Hagerty, Rolling Stone)

Insect boom for UK after warmest, sunniest spring on record. (Elizabeth Rizzini, BBC)

Lightning Kills 320 Million Trees Every Year, Scientists Say. (Wyatt Williams, Weather Channel)

Hail scar from July 20 storm in North Dakota stretched more than 40 miles. (National Weather Service)

Monday morning weather maps

Close to 200 million are under heat alert Monday as the current event remains near peak. Multiple zones of extreme heat warning are in place, including cities like Omaha, Des Moines, St. Louis, Memphis, Jacksonville and Raleigh.

On Sunday, Tampa hit 100 for the first time on record. It was one of several spots to do so in the Sunshine State and into states north. Some other daily records set Sunday include 100 in Jacksonville, 97 in Fort Myers and 92 at Cape Hatteras.

Dozens of additional records are likely in the Southeast and Florida on Monday, as well as scattered about in the central U.S. and Mid-Atlantic. It’ll be the same general story through Wednesday, although heat may begin to ease as soon as Tuesday in many places.

If you’re sick of it — hold tight, a legitimate cool down is coming to much of the eastern U.S. to open August.

About

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

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