July outlook and holiday weekend campfire forecast

So far, for the month of June temperatures have mostly been above average and rainfall below average. This trend unfortunately looks to continue as we head into the month of July. Average temperatures throughout July typically hold in the lower 80s, so as the outlook shows trends of warmer air, expect more of those mid to upper 80s and lower 90 degree days. The rain outlook puts us in the equal chances area. This means if our pattern shifts only a little bit, we will see above or below average rainfall. For most of Michiana we need lots of rain, especially for farmer's crops. 

As we talk about the rain deficit not just through June, but the year as well, we see abnormally dry conditions throughout southwest Michiana on the drought monitor. This means that natural fire fuel will continue to increase, so fires, given the right weather conditions, can get out of control at a rapid pace. If you are camping this weekend, and you want to have a campfire, it would be smart to have a bucket of water ready to go and be aware of your surroundings.