http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMa ... rynum=1537The most significant weather event in the US on July 6, 2010 didn't show up on any radar. The geostationary satellites didn't see it in their constant watch over the Earth's atmosphere. Instead, the tale of this event was told by the thermometers, because the heatwave in the Northeast was the most significant event for July 6, and it will likely be the most important weather story for July 7.
The heat wave covers Pennsylvania to Maine, but Tuesday's worst was centered over New York City. All six of the stations used by the New York NWS office for climate reports (Central Park, La Guardia, JFK, Islip, Bridgeport, and Newark) set or tied the daily high temperature record. Newark and Central Park both reached 103 degrees F.
How unusual is this heat wave?
Figures 1 and 2 show how warm the highs and lows are compared to 30 year averages. Unless you were at the Great Lakes, the Midwest and Northeast have highs well above normal, with 10-15+ degree F differences over the coastal cities of the Northeast. Using my gridded temperature data, the low for New York City was 6 degrees F above normal, which should happen 30% of the time (1.1 standard deviations away from normal). The high was roughly 20 degrees above normal, which should happen only 0.29% of the time (3.04 standard deviations away from normal). This is an unusually strong heat wave.
Why it's hot
Basically, it's because there is "the Bull of a high pressure ridge [over the NE US]" to quote the Mount Holly NWS office forecast discussion. The large ridge of high pressure is forcing air to slowly descend across the Northeast, preventing clouds from forming. Without no clouds and plenty of daylight, the Sun heats the ground which then heats the air.
When will it cool down?
That's an excellent question. A trough of low pressure off the coast will bring onshore winds to the Tri-State area and MA by Thursday, so they should cool down a bit. The southern part of the heat wave, DC and Philadelphia, will have to wait for a cold front to arrive from the Great Lakes sometime Saturday to get relief.
Population affected
As Figure 3 shows, heat advisories covered most of the urban areas of the northeastern US. By my calculations, over 32 million people were under a heat advisory. Different offices have different guidelines for heat advisories. The NWS office responsible for New York issues a heat advisory if the heat index will be above 95 deg. F for two or more days or if the index will be above 100 deg. F for any length of time.
Radar Logic has a new report out that estimates the coming wave of Gumnut REO properties. The report suggests the GSEs will take a $333 billion hit on these. It should be added that the Federal Reserve and foreign central banks will also be heavily involved by extension and by the sheer size of their investment.
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/baltic ... y-declinesBaltic Dry Index Slides 5% To 14 Month Low, 30th Consecutive Day Of Declines
After slumping 4% yesterday to close at 2,127, the Baltic Dry has plunged yet another 5% today, to close just above 2,000 at 2,018. This is the lowest level for the index in 14 months since May 5 of 2009 when it last traded by 2,000 and a reason for all Chinese trade "resurgence" bulls to reevaluate their thesis. Did China outsmart everyone, with the Yuan "reval" coming at a time when planned foreign trade would be de minimis? In the meantime, this is bad news for Australia and Brazil, and especially the AUD and the BRL, but who cares about facts anymore.
More broadly, industry concerns over the pace of global economic recovery could hit shipping, given that about 90 percent of the world's traded goods by volume are transported by sea.
Illinois Bankrupt?
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archiv ... s-bankrupt
Water theft and the beginning of the end of independent and family cattle ranching
http://farmwars.info/?p=3253&utm_source ... rm+Wars%29
Food Thieves Prove Tough Times Are Here Already
http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/f ... y_07062010
Drug lobby showers money on its hero Harry Reid
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/ar ... :14:46:42Z
CNN) -- Two high-ranking public officials were shot and killed in Mexico late Wednesday, making for four such attacks in the past two weeks. Three of the deadly assaults happened this week.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/ ... or.killed/
Polish Troops Train To Take On American “Terrorists”
http://www.infowars.com/polish-troops-t ... errorists/
Gulf Water Samples Prove Toxic, BP Continues Spraying
http://theintelhub.com/2010/07/06/gulf- ... ve-deadly/