Summer Vacation, Heat and Drought

Although we've seen little more than 1/2 the 90s we did last year,
more are on the way!

While the calendar says Fall is near, the thermometer is still throttled forward! It is apparent this year's short Summer is not done with Iowa yet. The strong seasonality can be a bear, but I feel it is one of the best things about living in Iowa. Each season has it's time and merit and while I'm anxious for Fall, Summer doesn't care. It's still in full swing.

I didn't catch a thing in the fog. Although my stomach was hungy,
my soul was happy.

One of the best facet's of Summer is vacation. I was blessed this year with some very nice vacations. Most recently, Heather and I went down to Branson Missouri to explore the beauty of Ozark country and some of the finest Missouri trout streams I have seen. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it.

Apparently, '76 was hotter...

Back in Iowa, temperatures are planed out like a 16' fiberglass at 20 mph on the water. The mercury will be pegged in the 80s and 90s again this weekend. While not quite the heat of '76, this late season blast of searing sun is unusual. One of the strongest contributors to the heat is the expanding drought in the western ½ of the U.S.

Extreme heat fans the flames on the Rim Fire in California. This picture
is courtesy my friends at NASA and is a visible shot from space.
 This fire's so big, you could see it from space.

Drought is also expanding across Iowa and the severity is worsening every day. After a near record wet Spring, over 98% of the state is now in a drought.

Over 32% of Iowa is now in Severe Drought status.

We are in the midst of a drought cycle here in the Cyclone state. Dry ground feeds into the dry air and when combined with sunshine that means more heat. When it gets hot, things dry out faster and fields are sun-baked lawns across the state.

Rain would break the cycle down. Until then, we have to wait for
 the sun's intensity to Fall with the next season.

The latest blast of Summer exhaust may make it seem like hunting season is light-years away, but in a few short weeks I'll be sweating these temps out in a tree stand. And hopefully you will too. One thing's for sure, the heat makes me miss the mystic and solace you can only find fishing in the cool fog along the banks of a clear, cold-water creek. It also makes me miss hunting. So, I tip my hat to Thee, summertime, and at the same time pray for some cooler weather.

Table Rock Dam, Missouri. Ozark country.