Cool Kids Having Fun While The Heat Is On

Thanks this morning to everyone at the Chickamauga Public Library for inviting me to come speak to the cool kids at their summer reading program. When Darla Chambliss first contacted me about coming, I said yes because I really enjoy visiting Chickamauga. What a great town. And I was surprised to see a packed house when I arrived. It was nice to see everyone, although afterwards I was told they had an Astro Jump inflatable playground set up out back. So I'm thinking the crowd was there for other reasons. At any rate the kids asked good questions and seemed to enjoy learning a little about the ocean of air we live in.
Wow was it hot for the first day of summer yesterday! That was the hottest it's been since July 26th, last year. If it would have gone to 98, it would have been the hottest since August 2nd, 2002. That's a testament to how dry the ground is right now. Only a trace of rain was recorded at Chattanooga's Lovell Field. So right now we are 2.71" below normal for June, 9.07" below since the beginning of the year.
Big time boomers knocked out power to about 5,000 Cleveland Utilities customers on Wednesday. A lot of big trees knocked over from the gusty downburst winds. This is something that we have to deal with frequently during the summer months. And it will be a possibility through the first part of next week.
Right now I think average rainfall amounts across the area from today through Monday could end up around 1". But this will come in daily rounds of scattered storms. So locally heavier amounts will occur, and some locations could get short-changed. But the overall pattern favors at least a little bit for everyone.
Today - Partly cloudy with hit and miss afternoon storms. Highs near 95.
Friday through Monday - Scattered mainly afternoon and evening storms. Highs Friday in the lower 90s. Highs Saturday through Monday - Mid to upper 80s.
That's it for today...........I'm off to find some popsicles.