Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Several More H-Words
Steve Scolnik @ 4:00 PM
HEAT ADVISORY EXTENDED UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY
HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY
The heat hovers heavily over the National Capital region this afternoon. All reporting locations were at 90 or above before mid afternoon. Except for a few upper 60s, dewpoints are 70 to the low 70s. The low temperature this morning made it only down to 75. The only precipitation on radar within a couple of hundred miles consists of extremely isolated showers.
Tonight, the lows will be 75 or above in the city, low 70s in the suburbs. Tomorrow will again be hot and humid, highs near 95.
Harvey Hops Onto the Scene
Tropical Depression 8 appeared last night between the Bahamas and Bermuda and became minimal Tropical Storm Harvey this morning. This afternoon's reconnaissance put the strength up to a maximum of 60 mph. With additional strengthening possible in the next 24 hours, it could briefly become Hurricane Harvey before weakening in the colder waters of the northern Atlantic. The forecast track puts it almost directly over Bermuda early tomorrow. At 5pm, a Hurricane Watch was issued for Bermuda.
Elsewhere in the tropics, a wave which moved off Africa and is now southwest of the Cape Verde Islands is being watched for slow development over the next couple of days.
Heavy Landing
Investigators are looking for the cause of an Air France Airbus A340 crash yesterday in Toronto. Miraculously, all 309 passengers and crew walked away after the plane skidded off the runway, broke apart, and burst into flames. Weather appears to be a likely culprit, since the area was experiencing heavy thunderstorms at the time. The airport was under a lightning alert. Besides a lightning strike, other possible causes include hydroplaning on a wet runway or windshear from a microburst, a strong downdraft which is frequently associated with severe thunderstorms.
Here is a report from Pearson Airport around the time of the crash, showing visibility of 1 1/4 miles in a heavy thunderstorm, with winds gusting to 33 knots (about 37 mph):
CYYZ 022004Z CCA 34024G33KT 1 1/4SM +TSRA SCT015 OVC045TCU 23/ RMK RA2SF2TCU5 CB ASOCTD
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