Severe Storms Across Chicago; Approaches Kalamazoo MI

5:00pm UPDATE
1 death was confirmed from today's severe complex of storms. It was in Cutlerville MI. Here are some video footages of the storm's aftermath.
Click here

Meanwhile, our heat indices have reached the mid 110's this afternoon. 80+ dewpoint readings quite common, including my location at 4:15pm.
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12:00pm UPDATE

Since there is so much storm damage in the Michigan area, I just copied this from Bill Steffen's weather blog.

STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES AND STAY OUT OF LAKE MICHIGAN!  ONE FATALITY IN CUTLERVILLE, 38-year old man ON 68 ST. EAST OF DIVISION – TREE ON A HOUSE WITH PARTIAL BUILDING COLLAPSE.  The man was outside.  15-20 places with wires down in Kentwood alone.  Damage assessment team heading to Kentwood.    Gust to at least 55 mph at the Ford Airport.  MAJOR THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS CONTINUES SOUTH OF A LINE FROM THE LANSING AREA TO PORT HURON SOUTH TO FORT WAYNE AREA TO FINDLAY, OHIO.  Estimated sustained winds of 70 mph in the Hope College area of Holland, according to former Mayor McGeehan.  Windows blown out in Holland with numerous trees uprooted.    Roof blown off commercial building in Berrien Co.  Benton Township – tree on a house.   Major wind Damage at Hope College.  Wires down 5812 S. Division with smoke in a building.  Wires down at Kalamazoo and 32nd. Wind damage in Cutlerville. Strongest winds moving through the Lansing and Jackson areas at 11:30 PM.  Over 600,000 customers without power in the Chicago area. EF-1 DAMAGE reported in the Chicago area.  Trees, wires down in Sturgis, Colon, Constantine, Portage, Vicksburg and Three Rivers.  US 131 closed near Schoolcraft…trees across the road.  Closings:  M216 Marcellus and M-60 near Three Rivers.
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11:40am UPDATE
Serious damage in western Michigan. Looks like Holland and Cutlerville reporting most of the damage so far. At least 1 fatality reported in Cutlerville. Many trees down across these areas including trees on homes. Obviously, many power outages. Updates soon.
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10:35am UPDATE
At least 80,000 ComEd customers without power in the Chicago vicinity. Probably more by now. Some train lines were temporarily suspended. Reports of at least one tree across tracks. Lots of trees down in the suburbs. Looks like another busy day for cleanup crews for their area.
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I'm following a bowing line of intense thunderstorms this morning. I watched LIVE streaming video at Wrigley Field and wasn't too impressed. However, O'Hare airport recorded a 63 mph gust and Midway airport a 75 mph gust.

If the line holds together, it will approach Kalamazoo MI in about an hour from now (9:45am edt). I will post updated power outages in Chicago and follow the action on police scanners for Kalamazoo, if the situation warrants.

MS

Beat the Heat...Ice Cream for a Treat

Despite the atrocious heat, I can't think of too many ways to cool off other than to celebrate Ice Cream month. Although I can't find any 'free' deals for this upcoming Sunday, July 17, National Ice Cream Day, there are still several brands/chains giving some attention to it.

Here's Turkey Hill's Web site along with some fun facts:
I like this one from Fact #66 about what happens when you eat your ice cream a little too fast...
Find out more here.
Keep checking back at their site for more ice cream facts each day of Ice Cream month. Leave a comment there and you could win some free ice cream from Turkey Hill.

Otherwise, hopefully some storms will halt the heat or at least keep the bulk of the heat confined to the western parts of the state during the next couple of days.

MS

M

That's Stats

Happy Chocolate Day and National Strawberry Sundae Day!

Today is Day 188. We are in the middle of Week 27.

The weather has been a bit repetitive; therefore, I've selected a few stats to kind of update us on how we've been doing so far this spring/summer...

90 Degree Days:
Louisville (SDF) - 16
Louisville (WFO) - 13
Bowling Green - 18
Lexington - 7

Days of Measurable Precipitation (since January 1)
Louisville (SDF) - 77
Louisville (WFO) - 79
Bowling Green - 78
Lexington - 85

Other locations outside of Kentucky with measurable precipitation of at least 0.01" include:
Seattle has recorded 106 days
Forks WA has recorded 142 days, or every 3 days out of 4.

Days of Measurable Precipitation >2.00"(since January 1)
Louisville (SDF) - 6
Louisville (WFO) - 5
Bowling Green - 4
Lexington - 1

Here's an interesting stat. Annual snowfall amounts are calculated and tallied ending June 30 of each year. Therefore, as of July 1 2011, our snowfall amounts have been reset to zero. Unfortunately, snow is not in the forecast; however, this is how we did last year (July 1 2010 - June 30 2011)...

Days of Measurable Snowfall (again, from July 1 2010 - June 30 2011)
Louisville (SDF) - 20
Louisvlle (WFO) - 21
Bowling Green - 15
Lexington - 23

Total Snowfall Amounts For the Period (July 1 2010 - June 30 2011)
Louisville (SDF) - 17.7"
Louisville (WFO) - 19.5"
Bowling Green - 21.2"
Lexington - 27.8"

MS

July's "Other" Holidays...

Here is a breakdown of this week's 'holidays'. Obviously, yesterday was the 4th so we won't include that one.

First, let's mention that July is National Hot Dog Month and National Ice Cream Month (although I believe every month is Ice Cream Month in my household).

Therefore, congrats to Joey Chestnut, now a 5-time winner of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island.

July 5 - Work-a-holics Day (if you live and breathe that stuff one calls work, you need a day off)
July 6 - National Fried Chicken Day (now that's what I'm talkin about)
July 7 - Chocolate Day (would be a nice day to visit Hershey PA)
July 7 - National Strawberry Sundae Day (after/before your chocolate experience?)
July 8 - Video Games Day (if this isn't great enough, there's a National Video Games Day on Sept 12th; Whoa!)
July 9 - National Sugar Cookie Day (you know, I do have a dentist's appointment later this month)

Have a nice week!
MS

Latest Sunsets in U.S. Eastern Time Zone...

Recently, I noticed that our days have now begun to shorten. However, our sunset here in Louisville still remains at 9:10pm edt. Starting this Thursday, sunset will be at 9:09 and it's all downhill from there.

Have you wondered what the latest sunset is in the Eastern Time zone?

First, here is a map...



On the map above, notice that the U.P. of Michigan resides in the westernmost part of the Eastern Time zone. In addition, it is located pretty far north. So I tried to locate the most western AND northern points of the Eastern Time zone and came up with these results...

Isle Royale National Park MI - 10:00pm
Ontonagon MI - 9:56pm

This time, click on the map above. Notice Ontonagon, then locate Ironwood to the southwest. Ironwood resides in the Central Time zone. Isle Royale National Park is a small island located about 48 miles northwest of the U.P. mainland. It has to be one of the farthest northwestern points within the Eastern Time zone.

Here are some honorable mentions for sunset times within the Eastern Time zone...
Calumet MI - 9:54pm
Houghton MI - 9:54pm
Marquette MI - 9:47pm

MS

Will Storms to Our West Affect Outdoor Events?

Storms across the St Louis region are packing a lot of fireworks of their own. Sporadic reports of  tree and powerline damage coming in across police scanners.

It appears from RADAR imagery that storms are firing along a boundary oriented from west to east. The storms are making some eastward progression while additional cells are developing along the unstable boundary line.

While the most likely scenario seems to favor a lesser chance for storms here, at least this evening, I would not be surprised by some formation of isolated storms in the area. Just keep an eye to the sky. Best chances for storms are across the western part of the states of Indiana and Kentucky.

MS

Golf and Baseball in the Windy City...

Ok, we're not actually talking sporting events here in Chicago, but the conversation piece they'll be talking about for a while was the storms that blew through parts of Wisconsin and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area.

Lots of damage reported in Kenosha Wisconsin along with injuries and even a fatality. Some wind gusts over Lake Michigan were reported over 90 mph. Add to that, golf-ball size hail pelted downtown structures in Chicago with some reports of baseball-size hail in the region.

Here's the official story...Click here.

MS