Summer’s heat is a tough beast

Summer’s heat is about as tough as winter’s deep freeze, but as I have long said, I hate the heat and I hate the cold, but I love Kansas.

Every year is different. I’m old enough to remember the summer of 1980, when the 100-degree days were unmerciful, and after a good wheat harvest, it seemed like nothing went right the rest of the way for farmers and ranchers who watched their spring-planted crops wither. Even irrigators had their fair share of challenges, as the overnight temperatures were high enough that corn struggled.

Other years—including 1983, 1988 and 1989—also were difficult in the towns I lived in. When I arrived in Dodge City in 2013, it was coming off some of the driest years on record. I had an opportunity to see the Ford County Fair and admired the kids and their parents for how they handled the heat with grace and a smile.

Over the years, I learned pretty quickly that 4-H families know how to deal with Mother Nature’s fickleness. They do so with grit and a smile.

When it comes to heat, it is always a reminder to drink plenty of water, avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol, wear a wide-brimmed hat, apply sunscreen, and take frequent breaks if you have to work outside.

Livestock need to be tended to, and veterinarians say to monitor water sources closely, so cattle not only have access to quality water but also don’t overdrink.

Today’s weather pattern, at least for southwest Kansas, as noted by the National Weather Service in Dodge City, continues to call for oppressive temperatures through July 27, with temperatures generally in the 100-degree range and lows above 70 degrees.

Our Day Weather, which provides HPJ with information included in our Regional Roundup and in the additional drought coverage that appears Thursdays on HPJ.com, calls for below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures through July 31.

It all falls during Dodge City Days. The Roundup Rodeo starts July 28, and it seems, in my experience, it is almost always hot, but I’ve also seen a night when Mother Nature offered a break.

As a lifelong Kansan, we generally say, “Bring it on,” but I readily admit it isn’t much fun—and really, it never was a blast—unless I was at the lake.

Weather forecasters say shifts in weather patterns from La Niña could increase our chances for additional moisture later this year, which, if that occurs, I could easily say, “Bring it on.”

Weather gives us all something to talk about, whether it’s after church or at a meeting, and to paraphrase a business executive: It is OK to have an opinion on the weather because it is almost always the topic at hand in the break room. “You might as well share your thoughts, too, with readers.”

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].