Thursday, August 16, 2007

In case you think I'm just whining






















via Wikimedia Commons


NOAA has officially declared this an exceptionally nasty summer:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
939 AM CDT THU AUG 16 2007


...HEAT WAVE CONTINUES WITH RECORD TEMPERATURES...

THIS HEAT RIVALS THE HOT AND DRY TIMES WE EXPERIENCED BACK IN
1952 AND 1954.

TODAY WILL LIKELY BE THE 5TH CONSECUTIVE DAY OF 100 DEGREES
OR MORE IN NASHVILLE. THE TEMPERATURE YESTERDAY HIT 104 DEGREES IN
NASHVILLE BREAKING THE RECORD FOR AUGUST 15TH OF 102 DEGREES SET
BACK IN 1954. EIGHT OUT OF THE LAST NINE DAYS IN NASHVILLE HAVE BEEN
100 DEGREES AND ABOVE. WE HAD 6 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF TRIPLE DIGITS
IN JUNE 1988. THE MOST CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 100 DEGREES AND
ABOVE IS 8 IN JUNE 1952.

WE`VE HAD 8 DAYS OF 100 DEGREES AND ABOVE IN NASHVILLE THIS MONTH.
THIS IS THE MOST EVER...IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST.


And of course, August is only half over. The weather elves go on to say that it's the driest summer on record. Not that we didn't already know, but it's nice that it's official. (Thanks to the friendly lurker who emailed me the report.)

If I were a different sort of witch, I'd be trying to round up warm bodies to help wake the Spirits of the West (or East, depending on which tradition you belong to)--but I'm the solitary, fatalistic sort. I think my job is to accept what nature does, and bring consciousness to the suffering. Giving the garden to the critters and putting out buckets of water is a good idea, too.

(Click here for a special alert to all you non-lovers of the serpent.)

2 comments:

chayaruchama said...

I knew you weren't 'whining', my sister.
Other friends in Tennessee have lamented the same thing.
My heart goes out to all.

Sending you wet vibes, and moist hugs, with prayers for rain...

BitterGrace said...

Hey, it rained about a dozen drops early Friday morning. I think you're getting through. Keep praying...