Bracing for heat
The dog days of summer have come to Butler County, with temperatures rising to 90 degrees Monday, and the heat index, or perception of temperature accounting for humidity, reached 96 degrees, according to National Weather Service data.
NWS Pittsburgh predicts that hot weather will persist through midweek until a Midwestern cold front comes in around Wednesday.
“This is very typical for the summertime,” said NWS meteorologist Pat Herald.
Chances for thunderstorms and showers increase as the week goes on, and Herald said that some could potentially bring wind damage.
Butler will see a high of 87 on Tuesday with some chance of thunderstorms and showers, and a big chance of precipitation on Wednesday with a high of 88. Temperatures may retreat somewhat to 75 by Thursday, but between then and now, Butler residents will need to beat the heat.
Butler County Department of Emergency Services Director Steve Bicehouse said that Butler County does not have plans to open cooling centers unless conditions change or there is a major power outage.He advised residents who can drive to visit restaurants and stores with air conditioning if they need to cool down, and that anyone having difficulty getting someplace with air conditioning could call Butler County Human Services at 211.“Right now, you should drink lots of water, stay out of the heat of the sun and don't do outdoor activities that could be strenuous, if possible,” Bicehouse said.Butler County Area Agency on Aging director Beth Herold emphasized how important drinking water and staying out of the sun are for older people.“Seniors sometimes limit drinking water, but we really recommend staying hydrated throughout the day, and if they need to go out and get groceries, to do it in the morning hours from 7 to 10 a.m. when it's cooler,” Herold said. “With COVID ending, a lot of them are anxious to go see their grandkids' sporting events in the evening, and we recommend taking some water along if you do.”
Agricultural businesses in Butler County are making preparations for hot weather.William Thiele, of Thiele Dairy Farm in Cabot, said that for farmers, during a heat wave, the No. 1 priority is keeping the cows cool.“Cows, whether they're dairy or beef cows, have a body temperature that's a lot warmer than for us humans,” Thiele said. “Whenever it's 90 degrees outside, that can be an issue. For a cow, the ideal temperature outside is around 50 degrees, while for us humans, it's around 70 degrees. Cows aren't used to this type of heat.”The Thiele Dairy Farm put up several additional barn fans in the rafters of their cattle barn after checking the weather for the week and angled them to create a “wind tunnel” effect so that the cows could stay cool.“If cows can't cool off, they can get a lot of heat stress, and even die, if it gets bad enough,” Thiele said. “If a cow is panting, and she looks like she is struggling to breathe, then that's how we detect she might be heat-stressed. If it's bad enough, we can even get out the hose and spray them with cold water.”Despite the heat, this is routine summer business for the farm.“We just need to play it by ear, like everything else,” Thiele said.
For crop farmers, concerns about potential drought are already brewing.Educator Justin Brackenrich, of the Penn State Extension office in Butler County says, that some more-inundated crops in the county, such as wheat and barley, are benefiting from the hot weather, but corn and soybeans are struggling. Hay grasses also may struggle to regrow.
High heat conditions have arrived a month earlier in Butler County than they did last year. Hot weather for a few weeks isn't as much of a problem, but if it ends up persisting for two months, it's more of a concern, Brackenrich said.“We try not to hit the panic button too early,” Brackenrich said. “But each year we get more and more unpredictable with our weather. It's hard to say whether this is worse than last year. We just don't know anymore.”One positive point is that roots of crops may not struggle as much as they did in 2020 because 2021 saw a drier spring. This means that crops will likely still have gotten their roots down to reach the water table, and won't have to contend as much with drought shock.“That should help us weather this storm,” Brackenrich said. “But all we can do is keep an eye out and hope for rain.”
