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Date: Fri 02-Jul-1999

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Date: Fri 02-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

weather-hot-July

Full Text:

This Weekend Is Going To Be Hot!

BY STEVE BIGHAM

June of 1999 went down as one of the driest June months on record. Connecticut

saw only about an inch of rain during the month and all that brown grass you

see is the result. Earlier this week, though, the area got a bit of a reprieve

as the rain finally began to fall, lowering temperatures and bringing new life

to the parched soil.

So what's in store for Independence Day weekend? It's going to be hot! It

might even reach 100 degrees.

"We're looking for another little heat wave for the Fourth of July holiday,

although there will be scattered thunderstorms in the air," noted Mike Leona

of the Western Connecticut State University weather center.

If you go to the beach, bring your sun screen and your umbrella.

According to the experts, the dry weather of June was caused by high pressure

dominating the east coast. This brought above-normal temperatures with higher

humidities. This condition prevents any type of rainfall from approaching the

area.

"We're now in a pattern of cooler weather. However, there is a lingering

stationary front which should come north to us and raise temperatures with

high humidity," Mr Leona said.

The staff at the WestConn weather center is hoping the pattern of hot and arid

weather will dissipate, bring more rainfall in July.

"We need a nice good storm," Mr Leona said.

Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks reports that this past June was

the second driest June in recorded history.

Dealing With The Drought

According to the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University,

rainfall this spring in the tri-state area is nearly 20 percent below normal.

As a result, trees and shrubs may be suffering from what arborists call

"drought stress." This can lead to serious problems for the next several

years, according to Ken Clear of Alpine, the Care of Trees, a tree

preservation firm serving Connecticut. He is urging people to begin

supplemental watering immediately.

Trees are not only attractive and a major part of the carbon-dioxide-to-oxygen

cycle that humans and animals need to live on. They are also a good

investment. Real estate professionals estimate that trees and shrubs account

for as much as 25 percent of a property's value.

To water trees, lay a soaker hose -- the kind with tiny holes along their full

length -- around the base of the tree as far as the widest branches. In shrub

beds, run the soaker hose so that it distributes water throughout the entire

bed. Trees need one to two inches of water per week, whether from rain,

watering or a combination. Mr Clear said a light blend of biostimulant organic

fertilizer applied in the fall can help trees and shrubs cope with drought

stress. A good tree nursery can advise you on soaker hoses and watering

durations and recommend an appropriate light fertilizer.

Mulching also helps trees, especially in drought conditions, according to Mr

Clear. Consisting of organic materials such as wood chips, ground up corn cobs

or compost leaves, mulch helps conserve moisture in the soil and increases the

amount of organic material and activity. But don't overdo it, he said. If

applied thicker than four inches above ground level, mulch can prevent a

tree's root system from working properly.

"Considering how much trees and shrubs cost to replace, how long it takes them

to grow and how much value they add to property, a little extra care right now

makes a lot of sense," Mr Clear said.

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