Barb,
thanks.
That is the worst bottle. And all three are pushing their 2nd spear fast; I expect three total spears each the way they are going.
I gave them epsom salts a couple of months ago and should again soon. They have had osmocote and miracle grow. They are pot-planted. I moved one onto the patio and under the shade cloth last week.

The Canna have been flowering like crazy for weeks. Only Tropicanna and "City of Portland" came back, but they did early and have grown great.

The "siam ruby" was bought in May after seeing Jim's. It grew super fast until the intense heat came. I water and fertilize heck out of it but heat plus wind have not been to its liking. Yes, nice pups. I plan to treat it like an annual, though. 😳

That's nice growth for a Bottle, Erik.
They typically only carry from 3 to 5 leaves.

Those Ruby pups will be too nice to treat as an annual. 😉

My Canna shows no signs of flowering any time soon, but they're very thirsty.

Barb

The number crunching by the state climatologist is done. July 2011 was the hottest month for any of the 48 contiguous states since record keeping began in 1895.

Infernal details, in case you want something warm to read this winter:
---------------------------

Grover Cleveland was serving his second term as President in 1895. Victoria was
the Queen of England and Will Rogers was still a teenager. It is also the year
that statewide average temperature records begin for the United States. There
have been 1399 months pass by since 1895. Multiply that number by 48 and you
have 67,152 months of temperature records for the contiguous states. How hot
was it in Oklahoma last month? Of those statewide average temperature records
for the 48 states, none has been hotter than July 2011 in Oklahoma.

According to data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the statewide average temperature
during July came in at 89.1 degrees, more than 7 degrees above normal. High
temperatures alone were nearly 9 degrees above normal at 102.9 degrees. The
National Climatic Data Center's statewide average for July stands at 88.9
degrees with data still being collected. Both values shattered the country’s
previous record of 88.1 degrees held by another legendary hot month in
Oklahoma, July 1954.

The extreme heat is being fueled by one of the worst short-term droughts in
state history. The drought’s beginnings date back to August 2010 but
intensified beginning in the fall under the influence of La Niña. That climate
phenomenon, marked by cooler than normal water temperatures in the eastern
equatorial pacific, often means drier weather for the southern United States.
The statewide average precipitation total of 16.73 inches since October 1,
2010, is the driest on record at nearly 14 inches below normal. Parts of
southwestern Oklahoma have seen less than 6 inches of rain over that 10-month
period.

The loss of soil moisture and green vegetation has combined with the summer sun
to bake the state unmercifully. July was the hottest month in Oklahoma City’s
history, dating back to 1890. At 75 days through Sunday, Grandfield is quickly
approaching the state’s all-time record for days with highs above 100 degrees.
The record is 86 days, set at Hollis in the drought-fueled summer of 1956.
Unfortunately, the heat has only intensified during the first week of August.
The Mesonet has recorded a statewide average temperature of 92.1 degrees over
the month’s first seven days with an average high of 107 degrees and an average
low of 77 degrees. The state remains on course to record its warmest summer as
well. The statewide average temperature for the summer thus far is 87 degrees,
easily outpacing the current record of 85.2 degrees from 1934.

Unfortunately, widespread relief has yet to appear on the horizon. The latest
seasonal drought outlook from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction
Center (CPC) calls for drought to persist or intensify in Oklahoma through the
end of October. Farther out, the news is just as troubling. While the La Niña
event faded in late spring, the CPC issued a La Niña watch last week for
possible development once again this winter. The possibility of extending the
current drought further would be very bad news for a state already hit hard by
the heat and lack of rainfall.

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
(405) 325-2253
gmcmanus@mesonet.org

What an interesting and disturbing read, Erik.

And a forecast that La Nina might return this winter is bad news indeed for the Southern US' drought situation.

That's a very well written article, detailing what occurred in 1895 since records began.

I can't even imagine what it's like to endure 75 days of 100+ weather (Grandfield).

You're right, Erik, about "infernal".

Barb

/

The infernal "heat dome" has moved to south Texas and the rain Jim promised is here. About 2" so far today. 😀
For the next week, seasonal weather: highs in the 90s, lows in the 70s. I'm guessing plants will love it.

Thank God you got a cooldown and a whack of badly-needed rain, Erik.

As I type this, we're in the middle of a huge thunderstorm (computer should be off...oh well), and a downpour that flooded the garage.
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 😀
We sure needed that rain, it's been hot and windy (which dries the place even more than just straight heat).

Two inches of rain in Oklahoma would be most welcome.
I bet you considered running around naked outside just to celebrate!
I mean...which of your neighbors would report that, huh? 😛 😛

Enjoy your cooldown, albeit brief.
I am thrilled it's pouring rain...great big raindrops...can't walk 10 feet without being soaked to the skin.

Barb

Doesn't this forum have mods?
FTR, no one is naked here, ever. We shower in swimsuits. We may pay the Amish to train our horses for cart driving, but we think they are shockingly immodest 😳

😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Barb

It is a delightfully cool 103 F (40 C) as I type this. Ah, September! So nice that climatological summer is finally done. Why, just yesterday it was 106 F at this time. 😆

Oklahoma has just ended a hotter summer than any US state, ever. Details below. We have been in a contest with Texas, who just might beat us. For now, we are sweating in the glory of knowing that we have survived a hotter summer than any previous generation of Americans, anywhere. Details below....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Record August Puts Exclamation Point on Hottest Oklahoma Summer

To get a sense of the state’s legendary heat waves of its past, Oklahoma’s
youngest generation would normally turn to the stories of parents, grandparents
or great-grandparents. Tales of those summers from the 1930s, 1950s and even 1980
seemed as dated as rotary phones or changing the television channel by hand. They
will no longer need to ask older generations about harsh summers, however. They
now have their own stories to tell, and theirs will be from the hottest of them
all – the summer of 2011.

According to data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the state’s climatological summer –
June 1 through August 31 – ended with a statewide average of 86.8 degrees,
obliterating the previous state record of 85.2 degrees from the summer of 1934.
In fact, that previous 1934 mark was the warmest summer on record for any state
since records began in 1895. While Texas’ final summer statistics are still
preliminary, it is known that they also surpassed that 1934 record. It may take
weeks before the new record holder is known, however. The statewide average
high temperature through the summer was 100.5 degrees, topped by southwestern
Oklahoma’s average high of 104 degrees. The highest temperature during this
summer was 115 degrees, recorded in June at Erick and Hollis and in August at
Wilburton and Wister. Oklahoma City smashed its record for hottest summer with
an average of 87.5 degrees, besting the previous mark of 85.9 degrees set in
1934 and 1980. Grandfield’s three-month average of 92 degrees led the state
with Kenton the coolest at 79.5 degrees.

August put the final touches on the momentous 2011 summer. The statewide
average temperature was 87.7 degrees, 7.3 degrees above normal and the warmest
August on record for Oklahoma. The previous record was 87.2 degrees from 1936.
Southwest Oklahoma, the area hit hardest by the drought and heat, had an
average temperature of 91 degrees, 9.2 degrees above normal. That tops the
previous warmest summer for that region by nearly 3 degrees. The average high
temperature for the month in that corner of the state was 105 degrees.

The heat has not been confined to the climatological summer’s boundaries. The
Oklahoma Mesonet site at Grandfield recorded a high temperature at or above 100
degrees an astounding 97 times for the year from April 18-September 1. The
previous high count for one year was 86 days by Hollis during the summer of
1956. Several other locations have exceeded the previous record this year.
Oklahoma City surpassed its own record of 50 days at or above 100 degrees with
59 days through September 1.

(through yesterday)

The heat has been fed by extreme drought that began nearly a year ago. The
statewide average precipitation total from October 1, 2010-August 31, 2011,
finished at 18.59 inches, 14.29 inches below normal and the third driest such
period on record. That 11-month period was the driest on record for the
Panhandle, north central, west central and southwestern Oklahoma. The Oklahoma
Mesonet sites at Boise City, Grandfield, Goodwell and Hooker all recorded less
than 6 inches of rainfall since October 1.

August saw relief for some but a continuation of desperate times for others.
The northeastern quarter of the state led the way with 4-6 inches of
drought-relieving rainfall. Much of the state saw at least 1-2 inches but high
temperatures and sunny skies made short work of that moisture. As for the
southwest and parts of south central Oklahoma, they were left high and dry
once again. The Oklahoma Mesonet site at Tipton saw a miserable one-hundredth
of an inch of rain during the month.

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist

Holy jumpin' lizards!
Just think of the air conditioning costs of everyone there!
I'd stay in a cool bath tub for half the day !

And of course, you've heard by now that another (but weaker) la Nina is building, which means more extreme heat for the southern US...into next summer.

Seattle...it's NNW of you 😆

And close enough for a visit.
I'd like that.

Barb

I would absolutely hate that!!!! I die here with the 90s and high humidity all July....Our central air is on from may to October 1. I can imagine yours.....Ugh! 😯

So you wonder why I am eager for snow to get here? This is why:
--Erik

--------------------------------------------------------
A final note on Summer 2011

Word from NCDC's Climate Monitoring Grand Poobah and Original Entire Ticker Staff
Deke Arndt comes in today concerning our record-breaking summer. We have battled
Texas for the last three months for control of the title of "The Hottest Summer
in the U.S." as more and more of the temperature data from across the country
trickled in. Some of that arrives via carrier turtle, so there is somewhat of a
lag to get to the finalized data.

To sum up one of the worst-kept secrets in the world ... Oklahoma is the official
proud owner of the hottest summer (June-August) period for any state since
records began in 1895. I pass the baton to Deke:

"Based on "final" summer data Oklahoma edges out Texas by 2 tenths
of a degree after rounding (note: OK got rounded down; TX got
rounded up ... it's 0.267 when being over-precise with the averages):

OK Summer averages
Jun - 83.6
Jul - 89.3
Aug - 87.9
Avg - 86.9

TX Summer averages
Jun - 85.0
Jul - 86.9
Aug - 88.1
Avg - 86.7"

The previous hottest summer was Oklahoma's 1934 reading of 85.2 degrees. So we
walloped the old record by 1.7 degrees.

Remember, Oklahoma also won the prize for hottest MONTH ever in the U.S. since
1895 with July's 89.3 degrees. Previous hottest month was also Oklahoma's with
1954's reading of 88.1 degrees.

To quote Bugs Bunny ... incredible, ain't it?

Gary McManus
Associate State Climatologist
Oklahoma Climatological Survey

You had me convinced with the 115 F from your Sept. post. 😕

Oklahoma can keep its record...wow.

Barb

Goal is to spend zero summers here on out. Oregon coast is lovely; working on mountains of Costa Rica as a dream trip.