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July outlook - Midwest drought? - 06.27.07
Will the coming months be a memorable drought for the US heartland? Doc W looks at the potentials in this forecast.
The summer of 2007 looks to be a memorably dry one for the High Plains and the western sections of the Corn Belt. Starting in the first week of July, a drying trend should start in the southern High Plains. This will be instigated by a shift of the lunar node that puts high-pressure on both Atlantic points and Saturn that should put a series of ridge patterns across the Pacific. The sequence should be a ridge formation over southern Japan, another over the Sea of Ohotsk, another over the middle of the Gulf of Alaska and a final one over the Rockies and High Plains. These patterns should dominate the weather scenario for July and August of 2007 bringing strong drought potentials for both the High Plains and then later on for the western Corn Belt and western Central States.
In the middle of July the lunar node goes on station between the eastern eclipse pair. In this position it will be aspecting the two points at high-pressure values. The node stays in this degree until late September 2007. Even though other planets will influence these two points from time to time the lunar node will essentially dominate the continental pattern for most of the months of July, August and September. Unfortunately it will most likely create a situation in which the Gulf of Mexico monsoon will be diminished due to the north to south circulation around the established high in the High Plains. The southeast and possibly the northwestern sections of the Mountain states may receive greater than normal precipitation at this time. Look for cooler than normal temperatures in the NE as the north to south circulation brings cool air down from Canada into the eastern third of the country.
Fig.1
week 1 Saturn and the node should combine to produce a pronounced shift in the patterns over the continent. Look for a high-pressure ridge to form over the southern High Plains with troughs over the northwest and over the southeast.
West Coast- Cool / fronts PNW; mild / dry to the S
Mountain/High Plains- Warmer and dry / N; monsoon to S
Mid-Continent �" Cool / fronts in the Gt. Lakes at mid-week; dry to S
East Coast-Late fronts NE and Mid Atlantic states; dry to the SE
Fig.2
week 2 Along with the node and Saturn at opposite ends of the chart Venus is a strong influence during the summer this year. Venus is approaching the eclipse points and will support high-pressure over the eastern Pacific at the beginning of the week. Look for the block over the southern High Plains to continue to grow.
West Coast- Warm and dry PNW and south
Mountain/High Plains �" Dry / warm N.; monsoon to S
Mid-Continent- Weak fronts, Gt. Lakes, early; dry to S
East Coast- Weak fronts, Mid Atlantic states to NE; Dry to SE
Fig.3
week 3 a Saturn influence in the PNW should bring the jet down into California for some fronts this week while the Plains continues to be the source of blocking patterns. Look for a strong monsoon to erupt west of the Continental Divide.
West Coast- Jet to S; cooler with fronts into CA
Mountain/High Plains- Warm / dry; N ; monsoon to S
Mid-Continent �" Cool Gt. Lakes; dry / warm Central States
East Coast- Cool / fronts NE and Mid Atlantic states; dry / hot SE
Fig.4
week 4 The node is stuck in the doorway and is the source of strong blocking energies again over the High Plains. Look for continued turbulence in the Northwest, Southwest and the Northeast.
West Coast- Cool / fronts PNW early, then dry; dry / mild to S
Mountain/High Plains- Fronts to N in Mts., early; / dry, N and wet to S, late
Mid-Continent- Dry and warm to west and central, fronts / cool NE
East Coast- Dry / warm to SE; cool / fronts to NE