Lehigh Valley Living: July 2011

High and Dry July

>> Saturday, July 16, 2011

I've often focused on the Allentown area even though I don't live in the actual Lehigh Valley. Other times I talk about Philadelphia, but technically I don't live in the Delaware Valley either. So for this post I will talk about my area, what I will call the Delahigh Valley or for definition purposes, the area in between.

Nobody can argue that this July has not been hot. Not unbearably hot, but warm nonetheless. One of those perfect months that people abuse pools and local fountains. The bigger issue however is the dryness. It's just hasn't rained. This is why I singled my specific area out this time. Both Philadelphia and Allentown have received over 1.25 inches of rain this July. Dry. But technically at the midway point of the month, not terrible. Reading this July? How about 1/2 an inch.

This is where I look into my crystal ball and make a prediction. And here it is. Reading will not hit an inch of rain for the entire month. And, the high temperature will hit at least 90 every day for the rest of the month. Anybody want to break down the odds on this one?

Regardless of 100% accuracy, I hope you can agree with the picture below. If not, stay inside for the next two weeks.

Before I end my heat discussion, I thought it would be a good idea to explain a little weather terminology. We all know what the wind chill is in winter. It's almost self explanatory. However, as we near the end of this coming week, the term heat index will certainly get thrown around. The heat index takes the actual temperature and the relative humidity percentage to give what most would call a real feel. In other words, when the humidity (amount of water vapor in the air) is higher, the air feels hotter. Evaporation is slower, which means it is harder for the body to cool itself through perspiration.

Walk outside Thursday or Friday and the air will hit you like a wall.

Cold Streak Coming

>> Monday, July 11, 2011

Just got home close to 11:00 at night and the heat index is currently 91. The Weather Channel says the high temperature tomorrow will top out at 99. Please let the air be filtering through the office tomorrow. Sweating at my desk with long pants, a dress shirt and tie on is not pleasant. But I don't think anybody summed up the forecast better than Accuweather. This is the actual forecast for the next three days. I'm not going to point out what I find amusing. I'm pretty sure you will see it.

Video: Remembering Joplin

>> Sunday, July 10, 2011

Very eye-opening video of a likely routine drive for most residents in Joplin. Take a look for yourself and catch up with the rest of my commentary below. You also might want to turn the volume down unless you are a Linkin Park fan.

I often here or read after a tornado that the area is unrecognizable to locals. This video at least helps to understand why that is. To think every landmark that you have been use to seeing for the last 10 or 20 or 40 years has been removed in the matter of minutes is unimaginable. To see the all the foliage along side the road turn into nothing but giant oddly shaped twigs is bizarre.

The second thing that stands out is what you see towards the end of the video. After minutes of driving passed flattened homes and buildings and piles of debris, you start to see buildings still in tact and trees with leaves. It's like driving into a completely different area.

Very very strange and sad that this happens to so many places every year. But it also shows that life is slowly moving on for the community even with all the fatalities. I still keep myself updated through various pages on Facebook (the one awesome thing that site is good for). Yesterday I saw a post that said the city manager has said that 60% of the debris has been removed. Think about that. We are approaching two months after the tornado hit and slightly more than half of the wreckage is gone. What a long process.

I said it before and I probably haven't stuck with it enough, but I plan on continually posting news, videos and pictures from Joplin and one of the worst tornadoes in recorded history.