If we are not carfull it could be the END of rain here in Georgia!!! For that much, lakes and ponds as well....


By MIKE TONER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 05/09/07

Peak summer temperatures in Atlanta and the Southeast could reach as high as 110 degrees if climate change continues at its current pace, NASA scientists warned Wednesday.

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A new computer analysis by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York suggests that during July and August, maximum daily temperatures could average 100 to 110 degrees in cities like Atlanta and as far north as Washington and Chicago, making once-rare temperatures more commonplace.

The hottest temperature recorded in Atlanta in the last 77 years was a stifling 105-degree reading on July 13, 1980. Elsewhere — most recently in Greenville, in Meriwether County, in August 1983 — the temperature has actually reached a scorching 112, which is the all-time state record.

Based on the latest NASA analysis, however record setting temperatures like those could become regular features of summer heat waves.

Although models of global warming often predict higher average temperatures as the world warms, the latest study is one of the first to look at potential weather extremes on a regional basis.

The findings, in fact, are so recent that they were not included in this year's report on the impacts of warming issued last month by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"Our analysis shows that there is the potential for extremely hot summertime temperatures, especially during summers with less-than-average rainfall," said NASA researcher Barry Lynn.

Daily high summer temperatures throughout the eastern United States currently average in the low to mid-80s, but the NASA researchers found that if greenhouse gases continue to increase, the peak temperatures of summer heat waves would average 10 degrees higher by the year 2080 — a level that previous studies have warned could alter the shape of agriculture, power consumption, and human health.

The researchers say the projected increase would push the maximum summer temperatures throughout the eastern United States, from Florida to Pennsylvania, to as high as 100 degrees — and to as high as 110 in a smaller area that includes Georgia, the Deep South and Texas.

Assuming that carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at the current rate, about 2 percent a year, the researchers analyzed a host of interrelated factors, ranging from soil moisture, land and sea-surface temperatures, rainfall, cloud cover, and the projected increases in heat-trapping gases.

"Using high resolution weather prediction models, we showed how greenhouse gases enhance feedbacks between precipitation, radiation, and atmospheric circulation that will likely lead to extreme temperatures in our not-so-distant future," says Lynn.

Big pond, one good hurricane in the right place and water levels could be all good in Georgia for the rest of the summer.

Welcome to TEXAS

Hum, maybe I will move north east and start a A/C business.

Dang.

DY, 6 ft is not deep enough any more looks like more depth is needed to survive the water loss during the summer months just like in the lone star state.

How much difference would it make if the pond was surrounded with 80-90 foot tall trees around 15 - 20 feet from the edge?

DY, if your girl friend is going to have the 3 to 4 acre lake, just use that new portable irigation pump and keep your smaller fishing hole filled up.

I saw that story on TV about future temps between 100-110 in Atlanta. Our weather guessers can't even get the weather right for the weekend, and the locals are getting upset about a predictons for 75-80 years away :rolleyes: Even if they are right, it's not like it happens overnight. Our kids, grandkids, etc will figure out a way to deal with it. That's what we do!!

Keep on smilin'

Very philosophical, rmedgar, and so true.
If it gets too hot for CNBG they could always raise.......fill in the blank.

We haven't had a decent rain in 3 months in Grady county, and the creek that runs through our place is now a series of puddles. Our neighbor says this has happened only once in the last 50 years.

BTW, everyone around here has a pond almost, or 2, or 3 and most of the ponds look to be only 1 or 2 feet low and some are at full pool. Is this a function of good soils and water table? Should I be encouraged?

Here's an aerial of our place including about 4 sq miles, which shows the number of ponds. I assume that the vast majority of them are constructed.

I have not had a drop of rain in 25 days and only 2 inches in the last 60 days. I am below normal for the year about 10 inches.

I wish the folks in Texas and mid-west could share some.

Frank

My favorite John Anderson song "Red Georgia Clay"
I'd be encouraged!

rt: Thanks for the encouragement.

Frank: How's the level of your pond?

Boy i watch the wheather EVER 2 hours for some hope. The way I see it the only way we could get ANYTHING is through a hurrican! In fact we have not had a Good hurrican come through Georgia in almost three YEARS!!! Man this thing could turn to Arizona Desert!!!!

The little branch that will feed Cindy's 4-6 acre pond hasn't been running for about three months now. In a normal weather pattern it will run most of the time. That branch is mostly fed by the 60 acre watershed from the neighbors property. Even though it stopped flowing there are still pools in the proposed pond basin that are at least 12" deep.

damn yankee
I am down approx 10 inches. I think I must have a spring somewhere cause other nearby ponds are down more like 18-24 inches.

Forecast is 40% chance of rain for Sat - I sure hope we all get some.


Frank

I been thinking about you guys and the lack of rain

I just came up from my pond area rather disgusted. I came in to cool down when I sat down and read this thread.

Some of us just have to step back and realize just how fortunate we really are.

I was attempting to mow the grass down by the pond. I am now heading back down with my tractor and a chain so I can pull my lawn tractor out of the muck behind my pond.

My water level has been at or above the standpipe since the end of September last year. Last summer it only dipped below the standpipe from about mid-August to mid-September, when it was down a maximum of about 12 inches.

Those of you in the Southwest, Southeast, and North Central area have my sympathies.

Snow in mid-April, and muck and high grass in mid-May is good, even if we don't think so at the time.

There was a nice line of thunderstorms that moved through Georgia with many areas getting some much needed rain. I received 0.37 inches which is the first rain I have had in 27 days. Maybe that will clear some of the smoke from the south Ga fires.

Frank

Frank is you pond full or low ?

Eric

I am below full pool 10-12 inches. I believe there is a spring somewhere because my pond never drops as much as other nearby ponds.

Local news Sat night reported rainfall from one to three inches in parts of middle & south Georgia. I hope it helps put out some of the fires or at least knocks the smoke down.

Today there was heavy smoke and smell in the air - and I am 150 miles north of the fire area. That blew my mind to see so much smoke in the air that far away!

Frank

Barely got any rain here. I sure do miss having the creek running.

May 2007 will set a record for Macon GA with NO rain for the month. Not a drop at the offical recording station st the airport!

Prior to May 2007, the driest May in Macon was in 1918 with 0.11 inches.

I got lucky and had a micro-burst on May 12 dropping 0.37 inches on my home but the majority of the city/county has not had a drop in 44 days My pond has not had rain in 44 days

Frank

If it makes you guys feel any better we are having a record spring rain event down here in Texas. Our ponds have been running around for several months now. I hope I have fish left.

No rockytopper, no.

edit: No offense taken rt, I'm just messin' with ya.

Your still a damn yankee to me just kidding. You georgia boys are aways changing your call sign. First Jersey (or was it ponsideion or what ver he is now) speaking of were are you these days Jersey or Pon... who ever you are. Hows you pond looking these days?

I am with you Frank I am disapointed...It was birthday today...hopefully this summer I can get a good birthday present with a good hurican to come through here......But huricans don't hardly come through here...

The South is really smokey. It is as hazy in Birmingham as it was when the steel mills were king, and the moon, about 15 degrees above the horizon from here, is as orange as a pumpkin. My chest, like everyone else’s, is as tight as a drum from breathing all the smoke trapped under this huge and persistent high pressure system.

The good news is that although rain is a distant memory, my ex-pond is only down about eight inches and is still running, even if slightly. I also advised the new owner a couple of months ago to go light on the fertilizer, just in case the dry weather kept up. So, the bloom is a shade lighter than I used to keep it, but I think that even if it doesn't rain soon and the water level keeps falling, there isn't much danger of O2 depletion.
lou
Ex-meister and faithful reader

Well - My drought is broken. I had one hundredth (0.01) inches of rain late in the evening of 5/31. The total for May is 0.01 which is the driest May since 1918 with 0.11 inches.

Frank

Frank, I've been watching for rain around Macon. I'm sorry to say that it has been pretty boring. My condolences. Those of us in Texas know how it feels.

Some of us still do Dave...
I inch total in East Delta County out of the 3 day storm.
Next door Hunt County got 6 inches.
Pond 2 ft low and desperatly needs to flush 5 year nutrient build up.

George, I was going to PM you today to find out whether you had gotten well from that storm.

Dave, we'll get a gully washer one of these days - sooner or later.

I watched Bowie radar long enough for y'all to get your rain - now attention had shifted east..

Dave

Thanks.

There is a tropical storm, Barry, that is supposed to give Florida some significant rain this weekend. Hopefully it will track through S.E. Georgia to assist in fighting that huge wildfire. Hopefully central Georgia will get some as well.

Frank

Good luck guys! It looks like Barry is headed your way!

We have had, for the first time in many years, plentiful rains at my house in the D/FW metroplex and at my land 70 miles NNW. I appreciate the unusual weather patterns. For many years I've envied, maybe coveted, the rains that George has gotten NE of the metroplex. This years I'm getting them and he isn't. I'm now watching his area along with my own. BTW, Lusk told me Thursday that he had gotten 4 inches in the last couple of days.

Each rain at the house here is like a $20 bill since I don't have to water the lawn. We have a bumper crop of mosquitos and are being warned of increased threats of West Nile Virus. Lots of standing water.

In the country, I am maintaining almost full ponds for the first time in many years. The ponds are extremely turbid due to washed in silt and sand plus rotting vegetation from the covered grasses and weeds. Fish reproduction and recruitment are almost nil but this will change. Lots of washed out roads on the place but 4 wheelers get around OK. I wouldn't consider trying to take my pickup through the place. Cattle prices have doubled and hay prices have dropped since the middle of last summer. I now wish I hadn't gotten rid of the cows.

Bottom line? I'll take the rains. When they end, the drought begins. It always does. When it comes to rain, my glass is always half empty.

Finally, much of Georgia is getting some much needed rain. I have had 0.33 inches in a nice slow rain. Southeast Georgia where the wildfires are is getting more - some areas as much as 2-3 inches looking at the NWS radar.

That should really help out out the fires. (I am not sure you guys realize - the fires are almost 600,000 acres in south Ga and north Fla including over 300,000 in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. See http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=93286 for more info)

Frank

I just returned from my pond. I received 2.7 inches of rain from T.S. Barry!!! It was nice to see my grass green and see the water level up a bit (but still below full pool by 7-9 inches).

Frank

Not even a 1/10 an inch here. Clients starting to worry about fish.

Frank, that's great!

We got 4/10 inch. Didn't add anything noticeable to the local ponds, but it gave the peanuts a start.

Wow guys...feeling pretty bad up here. We had 3 years of drought, finally broke this spring. Got about 2.5 inches over this past weekend, which was preceded by another couple over the previous week.

This.... [img]http://render2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6aQQ%7C%3Dup6RKKt%3AxxrKUp7BHD7KPfrj%3DQofrj7t%3DzrRfDUX%3AeQaQxg%3Dr%3F87KR6xqpxQQQnxGoJxo00xv8uOc5xQQQ0JlaJGQ0PaqpfVtB%3F*KUp7BHSHqqy7XH6gXPQn%7CRup6lQQ%7C/of=50,590,442[/img]


was followed in about 30 mins by this.... [img]http://render2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6aQQ%7C%3Dup6RKKt%3AxxrKUp7BHD7Kofrj%3DQofrj7t%3DzrRfDUX%3AeQaQxg%3Dr%3F87KR6xqpxQQQnxGoJxo00xv8uOc5xQQQ0JlaJJQlQ0qpfVtB%3F*KUp7BHSHqqy7XH6gXPPP%7CRup6lQQ%7C/of=50,590,442[/img]


Really topped off a nice day. Was the 4th shower tolerated by myself and 8 junior/senior high school students who'd stopped by to fish. Sent 'em home with about 40 NICE HBG, and 3 CC...one of which was 5.2 lbs.

I've waited 4 years for a summer like this...hope you get yours soon.

Nice! Look at all that purdy green.

I measured 1.6 inches of rain last night. It's especially nice because yesterday I helped my (85 year old) neighbor plant about 40 acres of peanuts. After all this dry weather I'll bet he slept well with the sound of the rain.

We are in NE Alabama and built a new pond last summer. It was full by the end of the year. The fat heads that were added when it was about half full are multiplying like crazy and the CC and fun to watch a feeding time. I rarely see the CNBG or RES. We have lost about 3 feet so far and I am getting worried. We haven't gotten to our normal dry season yet. We are currently about 17 inches behind on rainfall for the year. We have an old well close to the house that hasn't been used in years. I may have to put a pump in it, if we don't get some rain.