Musings While On Cloud Nine

A month of unrelenting heat and humidity makes you forget how nasty winter weather can be … but isn’t that what summer is all about here in New England?

 

We have friends who are moving to Florida in August. I swear that the weather gods are just prepping them for what’s ahead for them in the Sunshine State.

 

Weather Trivia Question: Statistically, on average, what is the date of the warmest day of the year? And while we’re at it, what is the date of the coldest day?

 

Curious. As the weather heated up, the Red Sox cooled off. Of course we Sox fans can blame the injury bug but that pitching staff should have gotten them at least a few more wins. In short, no excuses. The Rays and Yankees just look like much better teams right now. BUT … that can change. I think. I hope.

 

The water in Narragansett Bay usually heats up into the 70s by August. But this year it’s been topping out at 75-80 degrees for a couple of weeks already. Anyone for a warm bath?

 

Cool Quiz: How much snow did we have last winter? And when did the biggest storm occur? How soon we forget, huh?

 

Have any of you been checking out the Tour de France on the Versus network? I know that the three-hour broadcasts can feel like watching grass grow, but like soccer, I really appreciate the conditioning and guts of the riders. If you try, you can really get into the strategy and drama of the stages. The coverage by Versus is first class and the scenery is gorgeous and only enhanced by the sweeping helicopter shots. BTW. Old hands are saying this has been one of the hottest Tours in history with temperatures daily in the 90s!

 

I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Maybe I miss the soothing thrum of the droning vuvuzelas to lull me to sleep! NOT!

 

The consensus is that this growing season has been at least a couple of weeks ahead of schedule this year, if not more. I was mildly shocked when the forsythia was done blooming by late March, rhododendrons were done in May, the hydrangeas were blooming in June and I spotted blue blueberries on my bushes in early July! BTW, blueberry picking is already in full swing at many spots hereabouts.

 

It’s easy to get in touch with how the Gulf Coast residents feel if you just imagine Scarborough, Matunuck, Misquamicut, Second Beach or Horseneck slathered in slimy, sticky, gunky, putrid oil blobs.

 

I’m actually wondering if and when more candidates will begin to drop out of the political races. Patrick Lynch was the first casualty. But this is a rare political season, and it’s hard to tell how many more will opt out between now and Election Day. Right now there are nine candidates for Governor, nine for Lieutenant Governor, seven for Attorney General, three for Secretary of State and two for Treasurer. In the Congressional Districts, there are 13 vying for Patrick Kennedy’s District 1 seat and 10 who want Jim Langevin’s District 2 slot.

 

The tropics, which had been very quiet for the past several days, are beginning to become more active once again. As tropical waves begin to pulse up over the next couple of weeks look for an increased chance of developing tropical systems leading to named storms.

 

Weather Trivia Answer: Statistically July 24 is the warmest day of the year with an average high temperature of 83.3 degrees. The coldest is January 21 with an average high of only 36.7 degrees.

 

Cool Quiz Answer: Officially at T.F. Green in Warwick the total snowfall was 30.5”, just below the 30 year normal of 33.4”. Almost half the winter total fell in one storm on December 20 … 14.3”.

 

Gotta go … there’s rumor that the Tour de France will be rolling through the neighborhood sometime soon.