Only On The Walters Post

You know folks, I’ve learned over the years to pay close attention when the same kind of weather hangs around too long. Whether it’s cloud, cold, or heat, if it overstays its welcome, something’s bound to shift, and not always in a good way.

Lately, there’s been talk of a big heat ridge stretching across much of the States, and wouldn’t you know it, that stubborn thing is now starting to press up against us here in the north. Right now, it’s sitting mostly to the south and west of us, but the way it’s behaving, and dragging its feet and not in a hurry to move on, it’s likely we’re going to feel more of it as the days roll on.

Over the next week or so, I’d say we’re in for a steady run of warmer-than-usual weather. Highs could creep up to the low 30s C (that’s mid to high 80s F), especially if the clouds stay away. And with very little rain in the forecast, the sun’s going to have full reign across our gardens and fields. That’s great for the tomatoes and beans, not so great if you’ve got wheat in the fields or tender plants that still need a drink now and then.

You could say, it’s the kind of dry, baked heat that builds up when the skies don’t shift, and when you see the haze hanging just a bit lower on the horizon, that’s a sign the atmosphere’s starting to get squeezed out. By midweek, I wouldn’t be surprised if it feels even hotter than what the forecasts are saying. That sun’s not backing off.

Now, some of these specialists are hoping for a backdoor cold front to sneak in from the northeast in a week or so, but I wouldn’t count on it reaching us. Not with that ridge still holding firm over the southern U.S. Unless we get a helping hand from a storm rolling off the Pacific or something brewing in the tropics, chances are we’ll be sweating things out here through the first part of July.

Looking farther out, around the second week of July, there’s a chance the heat ridge could shift a bit to the southwest. If that happens, we might catch a break. But from the looks of the maps and how things have played out in years gone by, I’d say southern Ontario, especially places like ours tucked into the north, could stay in the warm zone. Nights may cool off some, but the days will keep the fans running.

And one more thing, it pays to watch the skies late in the day. With all this warmth and just enough moisture riding the edge of that ridge, we might get some of those pop-up thunderstorms rolling off the Shield and drifting across the lakes. Not long soakers, but the kind that rattle the windows, water the grass for twenty minutes, then head off as quick as they came.

So… in the days ahead, stay cool, check on the folks who might not handle the heat so well, and take your cues from the birds and trees. When the robins are hiding in the shade, and the maples stop fluttering, you know the air’s standing still.

That said, yes, it’s going to get warm — maybe even hot for a stretch. But let’s not lose our heads over it. We’ve seen this kind of heat before, and we got through it just fine. Back then, no one ran off in a panic or made front-page news out of it. Just another summer day, the way they’ve always come and gone.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. George Walters