Losing our sunlight quickly in August

When I was a kid, I always hated when the calendar flipped to August. It was the last month of summer vacation, and in fact, I was in school before the end of the month. I still do not love the approach of September. I admit, there is no better weather in Chicago than in September into early October. Flat out, it is the best weather you can have. But something about the loss of daylight, the cooler nights, the loss of summer, is a little depressing. If somehow we could skip the period from Nov 15th to March 15th, I think I would have no problem with it, but I haven't found a way to make that happen yet. haha.

So the very long days, abundant sunshine, and warm summer nights are coming to an end.

August is the month where the light rapidly decrease. We lose a little over an hour of daylight from Aug 1st to Aug 31st .. about 2 minutes a day.  From timeanddate.com

Rising and setting times for the Sun

			Azimuth		Length of day
Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Sunrise	Sunset	This day	Difference

Aug 1, 2011	5:44 AM	8:09 PM	65°	295°	14h 24m 52s	− 2m 06s
Aug 2, 2011	5:45 AM	8:08 PM	65°	295°	14h 22m 43s	− 2m 08s
Aug 3, 2011	5:46 AM	8:07 PM	65°	294°	14h 20m 33s	− 2m 10s
Aug 4, 2011	5:47 AM	8:06 PM	66°	294°	14h 18m 21s	− 2m 12s
Aug 5, 2011	5:48 AM	8:04 PM	66°	294°	14h 16m 07s	− 2m 13s
Aug 6, 2011	5:49 AM	8:03 PM	66°	293°	14h 13m 52s	− 2m 15s
Aug 7, 2011	5:50 AM	8:02 PM	67°	293°	14h 11m 35s	− 2m 16s
Aug 8, 2011	5:51 AM	8:01 PM	67°	293°	14h 09m 17s	− 2m 18s
Aug 9, 2011	5:52 AM	7:59 PM	68°	292°	14h 06m 57s	− 2m 19s
Aug 10, 2011	5:53 AM	7:58 PM	68°	292°	14h 04m 35s	− 2m 21s
Aug 11, 2011	5:54 AM	7:57 PM	68°	291°	14h 02m 13s	− 2m 22s
Aug 12, 2011	5:56 AM	7:55 PM	69°	291°	13h 59m 49s	− 2m 24s
Aug 13, 2011	5:57 AM	7:54 PM	69°	290°	13h 57m 23s	− 2m 25s
Aug 14, 2011	5:58 AM	7:53 PM	70°	290°	13h 54m 57s	− 2m 26s
Aug 15, 2011	5:59 AM	7:51 PM	70°	290°	13h 52m 29s	− 2m 27s
Aug 16, 2011	6:00 AM	7:50 PM	71°	289°	13h 50m 01s	− 2m 28s
Aug 17, 2011	6:01 AM	7:48 PM	71°	289°	13h 47m 31s	− 2m 29s
Aug 18, 2011	6:02 AM	7:47 PM	71°	288°	13h 45m 00s	− 2m 30s
Aug 19, 2011	6:03 AM	7:45 PM	72°	288°	13h 42m 28s	− 2m 31s
Aug 20, 2011	6:04 AM	7:44 PM	72°	287°	13h 39m 55s	− 2m 32s
Aug 21, 2011	6:05 AM	7:42 PM	73°	287°	13h 37m 22s	− 2m 33s
Aug 22, 2011	6:06 AM	7:41 PM	73°	286°	13h 34m 47s	− 2m 34s
Aug 23, 2011	6:07 AM	7:39 PM	74°	286°	13h 32m 11s	− 2m 35s
Aug 24, 2011	6:08 AM	7:38 PM	74°	286°	13h 29m 35s	− 2m 36s
Aug 25, 2011	6:09 AM	7:36 PM	75°	285°	13h 26m 58s	− 2m 37s
Aug 26, 2011	6:10 AM	7:34 PM	75°	285°	13h 24m 20s	− 2m 37s
Aug 27, 2011	6:11 AM	7:33 PM	76°	284°	13h 21m 42s	− 2m 38s
Aug 28, 2011	6:12 AM	7:31 PM	76°	284°	13h 19m 03s	− 2m 39s
Aug 29, 2011	6:13 AM	7:30 PM	77°	283°	13h 16m 23s	− 2m 39s
Aug 30, 2011	6:14 AM	7:28 PM	77°	283°	13h 13m 43s	− 2m 40s
Aug 31, 2011	6:15 AM	7:26 PM	78°	282°	13h 11m 02s	− 2m 40s

Heat? What heat? :)

One of the best things about living in a more northern type climate is that even when we have stretches of amazing heat, it is unlikely we stay hot for longer than a few weeks. While Dallas tries to attain its 38th straight day above 100 and most of the south and southwest continue to suffer from an insanely hot summer, we will be getting a major break.

Nice northwest flow will be setting up and here is the pattern by Friday ..

500mb Heights/Speeds from COD (website on image) -- click for larger image

Here is our forecast ..

CHICAGO METROPOLITAN FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
931 AM CDT MON AUG 8 2011

.REST OF TODAY...PARTLY SUNNY. A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S...EXCEPT 
AROUND 80 NEAR THE LAKE. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS BECOMING NORTHEAST 
AROUND 10 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. 
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. 
.TUESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S. WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH. 
.TUESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE LOWER 60S. NORTHWEST
WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH. 
.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. NORTH WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH. 
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE LOWER 60S. 
.THURSDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. 
.THURSDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE LOWER 60S. 
.FRIDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY.
A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE
LOWER 80S. 
.FRIDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S. 
.SATURDAY...PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. 
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 60S.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. 

It is almost impossible not to enjoy this type of weather. Anything you want to do can be done! From boating to hiking to sports to picnics. I plan on hitting the 9 mile trail for plenty of biking or walking/running as well as

tons of time with my son outside. If I could have a perfect day, it would be a high of 79, a low of 59, with dewpoints in the upper 50's. Gorgeous!

Meanwhile, everything's bigger hotter in Texas 

Click for full sized image -- image taken from http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/

When the Atmosphere Explodes

There is nothing more awesome than seeing convection explode on a visible satellite loop. To see air bubble up in a violent manner like this is amazing to me.  And with the sun setting, the angle gives us a great view of the overshooting tops on this convection. (Click to animate the image.)

Click to animate