October 2, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
Photographer states :: Dense fog blankets Chicago on October 2, 2007 reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile
October 2, 2007
0231 z
UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite (click for loop at title)
August's heavy rains no relief for Lake Michigan's low water level (click here)
Tom Skilling
October 2, 2007
Hydrostatically, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are one lake because the water level in both lakes is nearly the same--and the water in those lakes has fallen to a level that is causing widespread concern, inconvenience and cost. This comes as a surprise to Chicagoans and, more generally, to residents of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, many of whom were dealing with flood and high water conditions during August's excessive rains. Where did all that water go? Not into Lake Michigan. Most of southern Wisconsin and almost all of northern Illinois lie within the drainage basin of the Mississippi River system, and water from those areas makes its way ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico.
Tom Skilling
October 2, 2007
Hydrostatically, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are one lake because the water level in both lakes is nearly the same--and the water in those lakes has fallen to a level that is causing widespread concern, inconvenience and cost. This comes as a surprise to Chicagoans and, more generally, to residents of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, many of whom were dealing with flood and high water conditions during August's excessive rains. Where did all that water go? Not into Lake Michigan. Most of southern Wisconsin and almost all of northern Illinois lie within the drainage basin of the Mississippi River system, and water from those areas makes its way ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico.
Lake Superior, October 2, Lake Superior Water Levels Reach New Low (click here)
Despite rain fall in September, Lake Superior still is in drought.
Lake Superior is reaching new lows it's never seen before.
Since the last week of August, Lake Superior has been at record low levels.
According to the National Weather Service, in September, Superior was at 600.4 feet, breaking the 1926 September record low of 600.8 feet. And meteorologists say even though we've had some rain in September, it's a drought to the West and North of us that's affecting Superior.
"The rainfall for here that actually falls in the U.P., most of it falls into the Lake Michigan Watershed. So in order to bring the water levels back up in Lake Superior, we have to get a lot of rain in northeast Minnesota and southwestern Ontario," said Greg Michels, NWS Meteorologist.
Michels says both lakes Michigan and Superior are expected to be at or below record lows at least until February of next year.
Despite rain fall in September, Lake Superior still is in drought.
Lake Superior is reaching new lows it's never seen before.
Since the last week of August, Lake Superior has been at record low levels.
According to the National Weather Service, in September, Superior was at 600.4 feet, breaking the 1926 September record low of 600.8 feet. And meteorologists say even though we've had some rain in September, it's a drought to the West and North of us that's affecting Superior.
"The rainfall for here that actually falls in the U.P., most of it falls into the Lake Michigan Watershed. So in order to bring the water levels back up in Lake Superior, we have to get a lot of rain in northeast Minnesota and southwestern Ontario," said Greg Michels, NWS Meteorologist.
Michels says both lakes Michigan and Superior are expected to be at or below record lows at least until February of next year.
Yeah, pumpkins are going to be at a premium. There are problems this year with pollination due to the disappearance of bees. Some are calling it a virus or something. I think the bees have an internal mechanism that warned the hive of low pollination in the air, due to poor rain and low flower blossums. I think it's more than a virus. At any rate, get your pumpkins when you can, they may be more scarce this year than another other October.
Pollination by bees has been down across the USA, actually. North Carolina has a very low honey crop this year. No bees to pollinate the flowers.
Low Pumpkin Production Forecast As Droug (click here)
By TIM HUBER – 1 day ago
BUFFALO, W.Va. (AP) — There's trouble brewing in the pumpkin patch.
Scorching weather and lack of rain this summer wiped out some pumpkin crops from western New York to Illinois, leaving fields dotted with undersized fruit. Other fields got too much rain and their crops rotted.
Pumpkin production is predicted to be down for the second straight year. U.S. Department of Agriculture figures show a slight production decrease from 2005 to 2006 in what the department estimates is a $100 million-a-year industry.
"If you've got to have them for your 5-year-olds, I certainly would not wait a long time to get them," said Steve Bogash, a Penn State University horticulture educator who works with about 1,600 Pennsylvania vegetable growers.
Pennsylvania, the nation's No. 2 producer, harvested what Bogash calls a beautiful early crop. But he said the state's midseason pumpkins were a bust and the fate of late-season pumpkins depends on decent weather holding on well into October.
A lack of rain in July and August seems to have hurt the most....
By TIM HUBER – 1 day ago
BUFFALO, W.Va. (AP) — There's trouble brewing in the pumpkin patch.
Scorching weather and lack of rain this summer wiped out some pumpkin crops from western New York to Illinois, leaving fields dotted with undersized fruit. Other fields got too much rain and their crops rotted.
Pumpkin production is predicted to be down for the second straight year. U.S. Department of Agriculture figures show a slight production decrease from 2005 to 2006 in what the department estimates is a $100 million-a-year industry.
"If you've got to have them for your 5-year-olds, I certainly would not wait a long time to get them," said Steve Bogash, a Penn State University horticulture educator who works with about 1,600 Pennsylvania vegetable growers.
Pennsylvania, the nation's No. 2 producer, harvested what Bogash calls a beautiful early crop. But he said the state's midseason pumpkins were a bust and the fate of late-season pumpkins depends on decent weather holding on well into October.
A lack of rain in July and August seems to have hurt the most....
