We had a storm come through last night and we THINK a lightning bolt hit our neighbor's tree. We were all jolted awake at 5am from a very loud crack of thunder. This afternoon when we went out we found chunks of bark all over our yard and discovered that the bark off the side of their tree was missing. At the top of the bare spot was a metal rod sticking out to hang a potted plant or bird feeder or something. So we think it hit that. So much excitement. 

Wow, fantasia, excitement, indeed!!

We continue our extended heat wave here. It is not unusual for us to have a ten day heat wave in July (our hottest, most humid month), but this has been going on for over three weeks now.  Not pleasant. So grateful for A/C! But, to put things in perspective, I am currently reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, so, yeah: working in fields down south under that burning sun for hours upon hours, often with little food, water, breaks, care, is beyond imaginable. Having said that, I am eagerly anticipating the cooler temperatures, which should begin in August, especially at night, at first. Drinking lots of water these days; eating 'tons' of black cherries ; getting out in the gardens in the very early morning hours, and I still come in sweating buckets.

Most of the past three weeks have been utterly dry (the farmers are finding this very hard), except for a couple of afternoons this week, when some good rainfall came through. Much more needed precipitation is to come this weekend and into next week, so, yay!

Posted by: @johobbit

Much more needed precipitation is to come this weekend and into next week, so, yay!

And this has come to fruition, hurrah! A steady, long, all-day rain has settled on us today, after weeks of dry weather (around a month), except for that 'tease' downpour a few days ago. We are all in good spirits here, because the gardens and acres of farmers' fields are all so happy now. Not only that, but the brutal humidity has gone, with more seasonable temperatures now—mid 20s Celsius / 77 F compared to the past three+ weeks of 32 C / nearly 90F, with humidex added on to that.  

The last time we had a nine+ day stretch of over 30°C was back in 1999. So, hopefully we have had our extended dry, ugly hot spell for this summer, and can now not melt every time we walk outside. Not that we won't have any shorter-lived humid spells, but I think the very worst is over now.  

Our heat has also subsided for the moment, settling down into the average range (average high right now is the warmest for the year, 84F/29C).

But we've had frequent rain, often every few days, so everything remains lush and green (sometimes mid- or late-summer here can be rather dry). Unfortunately, we also have a lush crop of mosquitoes due the heat and moisture.

More rain, possibly heavy or severe, is expected tonight. Last week Minnesota suffered its first tornado fatality since 2011, when an EF-4 tore through the northwest part of the state.

Wow, extreme heat is fun to read about in mid winter. We have a frosty start today with clear sky and with 10 degrees promised I'm preparing to hang laundry on the washing line as I have no dryer. 

Sunshine in winter gives me energy!

That sounds refreshing, coracle! I hung my laundry out today, but it was far above 10C. As in 33C / 91.4F, with a humidex of 39C / 102.2F. Tomorrow's feel will be 41C / 105.8F. But with rainstorms coming, thankfully. This heat wave is a lot shorter than our nearly month long one mentioned in my last post. On Monday there is relief already, yay!

There are the usual annoying mosquitoes, yes, but it is the fireflies that have been extra active here. 'Tis so magical looking out when dark has fallen and seeing them flicker all around. ♥

I read on our Weather Network that tomorrow the Western Sahara region is going to be one degree cooler than us here in SW Ontario.  

Posted by: @coracle

We have a frosty start today with clear sky and with 10 degrees promised I'm preparing to hang laundry on the washing line as I have no dryer. 

I remember the years 1978-81 when I lived on the West coast of Norway. I don't think there was a dryer either, but small things could be hung to dry in the kitchen or in the bathroom - but sheets and larger laundry had to go out on the washing lines in the garage, even in the frost (usually milder than 10 minus, though).

I remember my big sheet, stiff as a large piece of cardboard - but over a few days, it would dry completely, and be soft and nice to use again.

Sorry, I failed to clarify that it's 10 degrees Celsius!  Perhaps not as cold as you were imagining. 

We are currently in the "dog days of summer", or at least we're supposed to be, but honestly, it's not all that hot out for this time of year. The highs this week are in the low 90Fs and I even see a high of 87F coming up this weekend. That's quite something for right now when we're normally in the 100Fs. I even remember 9ish years ago when I hosted a mod moot at my house and it hit 114F if I recall correctly.    

I remember that moot, and how hot it was!  I'm melting just at the thought of it (it was a great time, however).

After the recent heat we had the coolest day in 2 months today, with a high of only 67F/19C. Very refreshing!  Unfortunately the heat will be on again this weekend.

Posted by: @coracle

Sorry, I failed to clarify that it's 10 degrees Celsius!  Perhaps not as cold as you were imagining. 

I expected it in fact to be Celsius. I'm not quite sure whether I thought it to be plus or minus, but it's likely that I wanted to tell that laundry can dry even at 10 minus, not only at 10 plus.

What would 10 F be in Celsius (as I'm too lazy just to look it up)?

That's just 50 F. Not too bad, especially in winter.
Today it got to 8 or 9, with cold winds and some drizzle, rain and hail making an appearance. I postponed a couple of outdoor activities I had been planning.

West of the Tasman Sea, it has been quite as bleak as in NZ last weekend, after 6.00 AM temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius. Huddling near the heater is the best place to be. The sort of weather I've witnessed just after Midsummer Day in 1997, on the Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire, after I left my nice cosy jacket at home in Australia. Hubbie was nostalgic to revisit his place of birth. Well it really is winter here, with another month to go.

The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius, & the freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius. It is really a hot day if maximum temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius.

The equivalents in Fahrenheit are 32 degrees for the freezing point of water, the boiling point being 212 degrees. It is still a very hot day if temperatures go much higher than 120 Fahrenheit. 

10C is just about my ideal outside temperature, especially if the sun is shining. We get a few weeks of weather like that each year, in autumn as temps drop toward winter, or in spring as they are warming for summer.

We're past our warmest time of the year (on average), though August can be hot and humid. This week is offering very pleasant weather, for summer, with highs around 83F/28C and lows around 65F/18C - right on average. The humidity is bearable and the crickets have begun their loud late-summer evening songs.

10C is such a lovely temperature, yes. For me, it's great gardening weather.  

Our extended heat wave has now vamoosed, hurrah! Temperatures will be in the mid—even lower—20sC / 77F (lower around 71F) for the next week or so. Not sure what the forecast is after that, but it's August, so things will already start cooling down, particularly at night. So much nicer for sleeping. Windows can be opened, instead of a closed up house with the A/C on. ('Though I am very grateful for the A/C on 40° days, don't get me wrong  ), but I greatly prefer having windows thrown open to fresh air.

We can still have some hot, humid days in August, but never the loooong, 'never-ending', nasty heat waves. Autumn, here we come!  

We are still lacking rain. However, this Sunday, a full day's precipitation is in the forecast—albeit much needed. Of course, this is the day some of our family will be here, and we were really hoping to eat outside, but will adjust and be careful with distancing inside.

 stargazer wrote: The humidity is bearable and the crickets have begun their loud late-summer evening songs. 

So grateful for the first; and love that comforting sound of the second!