Summer's Excessive Heat!

It's hot outside, skies are sunny, and the heat shows no mercy and probably won't for several days to come. See the last blog entry for more on why it's so hot. This big upper air high pressure is definitely slow to move and could last for the next 2 weeks. Needless to say, keep the air conditioners going on full blast and do what you can to avoid the hottest part of the day, which falls between noon and 5 p.m. Anyone else ready for fall and for football season to start again?? It's no secret; I don't like long, hot stretches of dry weather because it just dries everything out.

I wanted to let you know that we have now added a LOOPING radar to our weather page on KWCH.com. Check it out (when it rains again here in Kansas) and be sure to let me know what you think. It is 90 minutes worth of radar imagery to help you follow storms across Kansas. We have been working very hard to get this information available to you and now we are interested in your feedback.

I'm headed back to the family ranch for the next few days and will be back to update you on the hot weather Saturday. Stay cool!!

Summer in High Gear!

It's been a busy week as we settle into a new month and it's only going to get busier as kids go back to school, sports practice begins, etc. I had a great time this week helping my sister move back to K-State and prepare for another semester of college. There are days when I miss that college atmosphere, but I don't miss the college calculus and physics that still haunts me today.

Wichita has not had 100 yet this summer, but we will make a strong run at it the next several days. We should prepare for a long, hot, dry spell that will continue through at least the next 7-10 days. Remember, the wind flows clockwise around high pressure, so the storms will track around Kansas through the next several days. Underneath of the high is where you find the excessive heat and we may see that next week in some parts of Kansas. I'm attaching another map from our computer models that shows the high pressure system directly over our state.

If you wondering about watering your lawn, well don't wait for Mother Nature. Rain and storms will be few and far between through next week so if you haven't had moisture already, you most likely won't get it until later in the month. Remember the heavy rainfall from earlier in the summer? It's amazing how fast 90 degree heat can dry things out, but we know it could be much worse. Stay cool and enjoy what is left of the weekend (and summer for those kids getting ready for school)

County/4-H Fair Week

Growing up as a kid in Ellsworth county, I always knew that summer was almost over when the 4-H Fair week finally arrived. That happens to be this week for the kids in Ellsworth county, but there are others going on this week too. Alright, so if you don't know what 4-H is, the Hs stand for "head, heart, hands, and health". It is a great program to teach young kids leadership, responsibility, community involvement, and there are so many different projects to get involved in that you are almost gauranteed to find something that will spark some interest.

It is a busy week for the kids and adults alike. Kids are excited show off their projects that they've been working on for 10 or 11 months and the parents are busy making sure their kids are getting things done on time. I was involved in the beef program, showed pigs for a few years, and even tried my hand at gardening for several years. My cucumbers, tomatoes, and potatoes were never eye catching, but it was fun to compete against other kids from across the area. I tried showing horses for a few years, but when my horse tried to buck me off in the show arena, I decided my horse riding skills were for the pasture and not for competition.

I miss those days and I have to admit, there are times when it would be fun to go back. I'll post a few pictures from my 4-H days and if you get some time to post a story about your 4-H experience, I'm sure they would be fun to read. Good luck 4-H kids!