June 26, 2018 — The week of June 25th is "Lightning Safety Awareness Week". According to the N.W.S., lightning safety week began in 2001 & since then lightning deaths have dropped from an avg. of 50 per year to 30 per year in the U.S. Get more info & safety tips - here. Remember that lightning can travel up to 10 miles from its parent cloud.... & wait at least 30 minutes since the last clap of thunder before going outdoors. 6 people - including 3 in Florida (one last weekend) - have been killed by lightning so far this year.
As move into July, it's typically the hottest time of the year for NE Fl./SE Ga. Averages at JIA for the month:
Sunrise / Sunset... 1st - 6:28am / 8:32pm; 31st - 6:44am / 8:21pm - lose(!) 27 min. of daylight.
Low / High.... 1st: 72 / 91, 31st: 73 / 92 degrees
Rainfall: 6.34"
The map below from NOAA shows the dates for the earliest sunrise / latest sunset of summer at different latitudes.
And with the heat, comes plenty of sun & the danger of sunburn. Our peak burn times are generally between 10am & 4pm. From the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center:
- Too many people think that they can just apply sunscreen at the start of their day outside and then they're good to go all day. That's untrue. You should really be reapplying every two hours.Apply more than once:
- says chemical blockers wear off quicker than physical blockers, plus people are more likely to be allergic to chemical blockers. For that reason, she prefers to use physical blockers - plus, they are often cheaper!PootrakulDid you know that there are two different kinds of sunscreen? There are chemical blockers and physical blockers. The two types are not made equally. Dr. Know your options:
- recommends buying higher SPF 50 sunscreen because of the way SPF ratings are assigned. In the lab, when SPF ratings are determined, subjects are slathered with sunscreen. In reality, we don't apply as much as we should. So by the time we're done applying, our SPF 50 is actually only about as strong as an SPF 30 sunscreen.PootrakulDr. Buy higher SPF than you think you need:
- If you're going to use spray sunscreen, rub it in: Again, in the lab when scientists are testing sunscreens, they're spraying extensively before testing for sun protection. In reality, most folks spray a light mist and think they're good. Spray more, and rub it in.
NOAA has officially issued an 'El Nino Watch'. If the El Nino comes to fruition, the biggest potential local impact would be:
(1) lower seasonal hurricane numbers (BUT not necessarily an "easy" season!)
(2) wetter winter with an increased tornado potential.