Heatwave and Drought!

[The Baron]

It's turning out to be one heck of a hot and dry summer. We've had 3 weeks straight of 30+ degree heat (85+ F) / high 30's with humidex (100+ F). And on top of that we're experiencing a severe drought, having received less than an inch of rain (only 3 rainfall events) since June. The grass is brown and many of the trees now are turning brown and losing their leaves. I talked to a farmer friend last weekend who said if we don't get a significant amount of rain in the next week, the corn is lost and the soybeans aren't far behind. This is bad!

I think a lot of the northeastern US is in the same situation. How is it in your area? What do you think this will do to the mast crop this fall? If deciduous trees are drying up and starting to go into hibernation mode, I wonder if they will drop nuts early or maybe it's so dry there won't be any?

 

[Katahdin]

My apple,oak,crab apples are dropping their fruit every day in mass. the brook is dry and the hay is not growing very well. If you have a garden water it carefully, dipper at a time on the base of the plant and you will eat this winter,,going to be dark times..

 

[Choctaw]

In my part of Texas it is currently 98 degrees with a heat index of 104. It should top out today at 101 with a heat index of 107. It's pretty hot.

However, this weekend we are expecting a cold front with temperatures falling into the 80s and a decent chance of rain. :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

Here in my part of Va, we've been getting a good bit of rain. Temps have been high, however.

 

[Patocazador]

I just got home from the hospital from bypasses ... 5" total in the rain gauge for 10 days. I was happy to see it. Temps in the low 90s.

 

[wattlebuster]

Here in Hotabama it been about 3 straight weeks with temps in the upper ninety's to low 100s with heat index's at 108 to 110 but blowing up afternoon thunderstorms that give you 10 mins of relief until the sun comes back out. Then with all the humidity with the hot sun its the devil to pay :surrender:

 

[nwtradegun]

the free republic of ga., hi 80s to low 90s. we have rain so far every day. hog season opens on the 15th . this is keeping them hi in the mountains. gonna have out smart them if possible.

 

[Eric Krewson]

In N/W Bama it has rained every day for the last 3 weeks, this is after a month of drought.

 

[The Baron]

In N/W Bama it has rained every day for the last 3 weeks, this is after a month of drought.

From one extreme to the other, eh? This weather is getting nutty. :shocked2:

It's been too hot to shoot. I was totally on a flinter kick, but then it got so hot I only go outside when I'm getting paid. :surrender:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Our apple trees never set. Heat is WAY above normal, rain inches per month below for the last four. I'm worried about our well.

We have green frogs that have moved into the chicken and sheep water troughs because the creeks are bone dry.

I hate to think what the precarious wild brook trout population has sufferred with the heat stress. We've also lost about 80% of the spruce trees between the heat and fungus. Not good.

 

[Elkeater]

The El Nino has moved the moisture to the south.
We are usually dried out this late in summer but fortunately the grass is still green, the horse is happy.

We have had our far share of drought, especially from 2000 to 2005.

 

[hanshi]

Since I grew up and lived in Ga for 62 years, I KNOW what it's like. Here in Va recently the temps have been mid to upper 90s with heat indexes in the triple digits. This brings back fond memories of the milder, refreshing breaks we would get in late summer. I've gotten softer nowadays but when I go back to visit; I get to experience those mid 90s temps by 10:00 AM.

 

[eggwelder]

Went out cause i was extremely bored. second shot lit a fire in the short grass. i was lucky no wind, and brought my water pump fire extinguisher. went home after i was sure the fire was out, but not happy cause i only got two shots off. and i love this heat.

 

[Mad Professor]

Been very hot and very dry up until last week, now very hot and very humid with T/storms.

Our apples got screwed from warm weather early then a real cold snap.

I water my garden from collected rainfall from downspouts, my > 1000 gallon storage got used up. Since filled up.

Now it is slug friendly weather with dew points > 70 oF.

 

[Mad Professor]

It will be interesting to see what the mast crops are like this fall. I did see some acorns knocked down from one of the last thunderstroms. We had good red oak last year but not much beech. The reds are every other year so was surprised at the good sized nuts.

Hay was good early on before the dry spell, hope it comes back with some rain. Glad I've not had to mow the lawns though.

There is a spot that has an early strain of Hen of the Woods that I'll have to check soon if the rain/humidity keep.

 

[Spikebuck]

SE MN is getting lots of rain. Good rains several times a week. The dry wash below my house hasn't run for years...this year it's raged through there twice, and that takes 5 to 8 inches in a few hours. We had to put a new septic in my Dad's house and some of the digging was 12 to 14 feet deep and the ground was very wet all the way down. No shortage of moisture here.

 

[The Baron]

Our drought finally broke! We got a good 1.5"+ of rain in the last day. I haven't seen the official numbers, but it rained from about midnight Monday right through to late afternoon Tuesday, steady most of the time so it could even be 2"+. Today's high is forecast to be 77, but a breeze and lower humidity. What a relief!

 

[Choctaw]

85 in North Texas,and it's August! I'm loving this.

 

[ron wehmeyer]

Yep!!! DT

 

[Ames]

Hot, dry and strange in central Maine.
Lawn is crispy brown but the apples are the best in years. Deep rooted? Also a bumper crop of blackberries, but the blueberries are off. Hard time setting onions and carrots this year, but the lettuce and Cole crops love it. First year for peaches from my 3 year old plantings. They are huge and juicy. Very strange.
Winter squash is jamming with no water, Guatemalan blue have set fruit up and over 12 lbs.
For the deer I grow food plots and rake up apples to put out for them. My woods are very dense, hold moisture, and give you a 25 yard shot on average. I think they will get by okay.