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From: Thomas Giella KN4LF (kn4lf{at}tampabay.rr.com)
Date: Thu Jun 24 2004 - 12:04:34 EDT
Here in suburban SW Plant City, FL east of Tampa the maximum temperature hit 100 deg. yesterday. During the heat of the day the dewpoint
dipped to 61 deg. and the relative humidity 27%, very unusual. The is the first 100 deg. maximum temperature I've observed since June 1998. Other regional maximum temperatures include 100 deg. at Valrico, 99 deg. at Venice and 98 deg. at Punta Gorda.
Yesterday's culprit was high and mid level subsidence (sinking and compressing air) and dry air advection in association with the Bermuda high pressure ridge axis lying across the central peninsula, as well as no local seabreeze penetration. During the day only a few cumulus clouds were visible and hard to discern from clear sky due to haze.
However late yesterday evening some heavy thunderstorms did erupt in the Tampa Bay area, as the Bermuda high pressure ridge axis moved northward into the north central peninsula and the atmosphere became somewhat uncapped. Though I only measured a race of rainfall I witnessed quite a lightning light show.
Though not unheard of, maximum temperatures of 100 deg. are higher are rare here in my area due to proximity of Tampa Bay and the Gulf Of Mexico and associated cooling seabreezes. 100 deg. plus maximum temperatures are actually fairly common though further inland along the ridge country. To demonstrate the rarity of 100 deg. maximum temperatures in the Plant City area note the following previous occurrences in the past 23 years.
6/16/81 102 deg
6/17/81 101
6/18/81 100
6/03/85 101
6/04/85 104
6/05/85 100
6/06/85 100
6/07/85 100
6/08/85 100
7/26/96 102
7/27/96 102
6/14/98 101
6/15/98 100
So far the normal summer monsoon rainy season has been Jekyll and Hyde. The average beginning of the rainy season is May 21st but this year it did not start until June 2nd. I did measure 7.42" of rainfall between June 2nd and 15th but only 0.23" since June 16th. Other localities measured 13-18" of rainfall during the same period. The 8 day dry spell has occurred due to the stronger then normal Bermuda high pressure ridge axis parking itself over the peninsula, in response to a very negative Southern Oscillation Index (Temporary El Ninoish conditions) and associated persistent deep troughing along 90 deg. west longitude. However north Florida and most of the deep south has seen excessive rainfall in association with an endless series of 500 mb shortwave troughs rounding the base of the longwave trough persisting along 90 deg. west longitude.
I had expected another rainy season much like 2003 with endless splitting and backing troughs into the Gulf Of Mexico creating endless deluges across the peninsula from the SW. I also wonder if we may be heading into another weak to moderate El Nino but it's to early to tell?
73,
Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF
Plant City, FL, USA
Grid Square EL87WX
Lat & Long 27 58 31 44N 82 09 51 98W
NWS Tampa Bay, FL SKYWARN Observer # HIL-249
SWFWMD Rainfall Network Observer #574 Thackery
CWOP Weather Station #CW2111
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