Author Topic: Plains Heat (Read 13991 times)

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #25 on:** June 26, 2012, 08:37:45 PM »

We're still really dry here. Some of the corn has the leaves so curled they resemble thistle plants. It's no where near tasseling but is past the knee high by the 4th of July rule of thumb. Been great the last couple of days temperature wise but going to be 100F by the end of the week. It will be the first time since 1999 we reached the century mark.

Bunty · « **Reply #26 on:** June 26, 2012, 08:58:03 PM »

Well, when the heat dome here move east, hopefully that well cause the hi temps to drop to the mid to upper 90s for some small degree of relief.

Farmtalk · « **Reply #27 on:** June 26, 2012, 09:46:51 PM »

Not really seeing any relief here for our standards beginning Thursday which will be in the upper 90s...around 100 on Friday, upper 90s Sat, mid 90s Sunday, and low to mid 90s Monday-Wednesday, so far this year we have hit 90 degrees 7 times so it will be a shock to the system especially with the high humidity, i wouldnt be surprised if heat indeces Friday hit 110

wxman1952 · « **Reply #28 on:** June 26, 2012, 11:08:25 PM »

We may hit 97 here in Saginaw, MI on thursday. we hadn't had any rain lately either and sure couyld use some as others in the midwest and plains.

cospringswx · « **Reply #29 on:** June 27, 2012, 09:28:26 PM »

Grass fires have started out here due to the heat, wind, and low humidity.

ctccbc · « **Reply #30 on:** June 27, 2012, 11:41:41 PM »

So when the humidity is below 10 percent like that, do things "spark" when you touch them?

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #31 on:** June 27, 2012, 11:45:14 PM »

They had a hay field go up North of here and numerous other grass fires reported so far. They think the hay lit itself up in the sun as there were no other ignition sources. It had already been cut and was waiting to be bailed. So far no loss of property reported.

SlowModem · « **Reply #32 on:** June 28, 2012, 12:00:00 AM »

Then there was the farmer that was plowing his field. It was so hot the corn started popping! The mule thought it was snowing so it laid over and froze to death.

cospringswx · « **Reply #33 on:** June 28, 2012, 02:51:13 AM »

http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-grass-fire-burning-in-phillips-county-20120627,0,5057925.story

DaculaWeather · « **Reply #34 on:** June 28, 2012, 07:55:09 AM »

We're coming up on three or four 100 degree days starting tomorrow. High 90's today.

Farmtalk · « **Reply #35 on:** June 28, 2012, 08:01:14 AM »

Quote from: DaculaWeather on June 28, 2012, 07:55:09 AM

We're coming up on three or four 100 degree days starting tomorrow. High 90's today.

Our heat streak starts today as well with a forecasted high of 99

ocala · « **Reply #36 on:** June 28, 2012, 08:20:11 AM »

Quote from: Mark / Ohio on June 27, 2012, 11:45:14 PM

They had a hay field go up North of here and numerous other grass fires reported so far. They think the hay lit itself up in the sun as there were no other ignition sources. It had already been cut and was waiting to be bailed. So far no loss of property reported.

Is that even possible? The temperature in direct sun is no where near that of fire.

Aardvark · « **Reply #37 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:04:24 AM »

Quote from: Slow Modem on June 28, 2012, 12:00:00 AM

Then there was the farmer that was plowing his field. It was so hot the corn started popping! The mule thought it was snowing so it laid over and froze to death.

I love this one and may steal it.

Aardvark · « **Reply #38 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:10:56 AM »

the hay could have spontaneously combusted if there was moist rot below and the temp got warm enough, kind of like when some of those grain elevators exploding on their own, although rare in a field.

I have a friend in Wisconsin who said that "The boys were talking the other day they had to dig a hole 3' down at a local cemetery for a cremation and it was still dry 3' down."

It is going to be hot and dry today, I guess there is advantage of not having Chem Lawn kill the weeds in the yard.
1. The weeds will keep that nice lush green color
2. The grass won't brown out
3. I don't have to water those things that I cannot eat.

heh, heh, heh.

The only thing that really ticks me off that I can control, we work all day at cooling down the house, because it is also going to be hot today, the wife opens all the windows and we have to start over. I have been battling that for 33 years.

SLOweather · « **Reply #39 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:17:37 AM »

Quote from: ocala on June 28, 2012, 08:20:11 AM

Is that even possible? The temperature in direct sun is no where near that of fire.

Here's a link on spontaneous combustion in hay: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/dairy/pastures-management/haystack-fires-spontaneous-combustion

I'm still learning the best practices for running our compost pile, but still have seen the internal temperature get as high as 156°F. I can begin to see how, under the right conditions, ignition could occur.

ocala · « **Reply #40 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:58:27 AM »

Chris that article deals with spontaneous combustion in baled hay. Mark's post mentioned the hay field just caught on fire by itself.
Unless there was baled hay out there which in turn caught the field on fire.

gwwilk · « **Reply #41 on:** June 28, 2012, 11:37:34 AM »

Quote from: ocala on June 28, 2012, 10:58:27 AM

Chris that article deals with spontaneous combustion in baled hay. Mark's post mentioned the hay field just caught on fire by itself.
Unless there was baled hay out there which in turn caught the field on fire.

Haying may involve mowing the hay and leaving it in windrows that might provide the proper conditions for spontaneous combustion...or not.

cospringswx · « **Reply #42 on:** June 28, 2012, 12:28:58 PM »

They never said what caused the grass fires here. That might have occurred here as well

IMADreamer · « **Reply #43 on:** June 28, 2012, 02:07:33 PM »

Quote from: ocala on June 28, 2012, 10:58:27 AM

Chris that article deals with spontaneous combustion in baled hay. Mark's post mentioned the hay field just caught on fire by itself.
Unless there was baled hay out there which in turn caught the field on fire.

It can certainly happen a variety of ways. bales, windrows, etc. We don't do any haying any more but I remember having to be cautious in dry hot conditions.

Anyway, only 96 here today at 1pm officially although I have 99 on my weather station, I think we'll miss the forecasted 105 and probably top out around 102 today. Tomorrow may be a tad hotter.

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #44 on:** June 29, 2012, 01:48:51 AM »

My grandfather used to talk about one time they found some charring on the interior of the hay loft I believe it was my great grandfathers farm. Whenever we stacked the bales he always made me leave a big air gap around the sides and even between the bales so it could get good air circulation just in case. Every now and then a rolled bail will catch fire around here for no reason. I remember one guy that had the rolls all lined up in the field and lost a bunch of them before he could get them separated and the fire put out. I've heard of hay fires also blamed on sun shinning on some water droplets and focusing the rays like a magnifier on a dry spot.

Here's an article from a local paper in 2009 I Googled:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2009/07/15/barn_fire.html

I could not find the story I heard on TV about the hay field fire. I did find one about a wheat field that went up yesterday in the same area but they thought the wheat fire might have been a spark from machinery:

http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2012/jun/26/3/state-fire-marshal-warns-ohioans-be-careful-condit-ar-1084255/

We had a wet spring here so there is plenty of tall and now dry weeds and grass waiting to ignite from any source.

IMADreamer · « **Reply #45 on:** June 29, 2012, 10:20:51 AM »

We made it to 104 here yesterday, ST. Louis his 108.

Bunty · « **Reply #46 on:** June 29, 2012, 02:19:50 PM »

Quote from: hayskswx on June 27, 2012, 09:28:26 PM

Grass fires have started out here due to the heat, wind, and low humidity.

The rural part of my area is also subject to grass fires even though it's not as hot and humidity is higher. 25 acres recently burned. People better be careful with fireworks in this heat. http://www.stwnewspress.com/local/x1483811351/BREAKING-Grass-fire-burns-at-least-25-acres-near-108-South-and-44th-St.

cospringswx · « **Reply #47 on:** June 29, 2012, 04:28:17 PM »

Fireworks already banned here

DaculaWeather · « **Reply #48 on:** June 29, 2012, 08:08:51 PM »

I've set 4 yearly records so far today:
Highest Temp: 104.9F
Highest Heat Index: 110.5 F
Warmest Day (6am - 6pm): 92 F
Warmest Night (6pm - 6am): 82.9 F

About an hour ago I dropped below 103, first time since 2:45pm, almost exactly 4 hours above 103.

850mb temps at 26-27C right now over our area.

Dropped to 100º at 7:39pm and went to 99.9º one minute later, 6 hours and 24 minutes of 100 degrees or above.
We've also had 9.5 hours of 90º or above so far.

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #49 on:** June 29, 2012, 08:33:31 PM »

We got 0.77" of rain today! Only down side is I'm coming to you via Honda EU3000 power. Electric has been off about 2.5 hrs. Broke another record today with a high of 101F. Old record was 97F in 1944.

Funny thing is I have no dial tone (old analog wired phone) on the land line yet my DSL is still holding connection. Go figure ...

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Author Topic: Plains Heat (Read 13991 times)