Star Date 25 May 2016 Wednesday

Captain's Log
Happy HumpDay Wednesday! :) The long holiday weekend is near.

The first 24 days of May have trended the coldest in 8 years and 1.1F below average for the U.S. as a whole with late frost and freezes mid-month and even snow mid-month in the Great Lakes and Northeast. This has been a huge negative for retail and seasonal merchandise sales with many retailers showing 20% declines in their stock prices the past couple months. Also not particularly favorable for crop development with Growing Degree Days across the Corn Belt the lowest in 8 years, 32% below last year and 22% below average. Rainfall for the U.S. overall is 12% less than last year but still 3% above average for the nation as a whole.

This last week of May makes a wholesale change toward much warmer weather just in time for the unofficial start of Summer. The 25-31 May period trends the warmest in 10 years and 2nd warmest of the past 25 years with national temperatures 3.4F above average. Rainfall is least in 4 years trending 37% less than last year's very wet end to May and 4% below average.

The holiday weekend (27th-30th) looks awesome in the Northeast, Great Lakes with temperatures trending 10 to 20 degree above normal and mainly scattered afternoon thundershowers. The cool spots remain out in the Rocky Mountains and rain induced coolness in the Coastal Southeast (1-2" rain). We'll need to watch the Southeast Coast for the potential to see Bonnie form as the 2nd named storm of the season. Likely to remain week if she does form but just something to ruin the first beach weekend along the Carolina's. The wettest weather will be TX to AR where 1-3" and some severe weather is possible and 1-2" in soggy Nebraska. We will have frequent updates on our Facebook fan page if anything develops in the tropics. And if you prefer Twitter over FB visit our rapidly growing Twitter following.

Please check out our latest blog on AgWeb as we talk about how Spring weather does NOT predict Summer weather and why we remain exceptionally confident on a hot/dry Summer!

Have a great holiday weekend folks! - Capt Kirk out (USAF 1989-1999).