Current conditions are moderately wet, which is a reversal from a very hot week. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warnings during the first four days of the week due to temperatures reaching the 90s and high humidities pushing heat values into triple digits. Electricity demands strained the power grids and burn bans went into effect. Local beaches were full and campgrounds reached capacity. Overnight Thursday into Friday, rain arrived but yielded to sunshine and heat during the day. Friday afternoon a severe thunderstorm arrived which emptied the crowded beaches and chased boaters off of Lake Michigan. This storm caused numerous tree failures which closed roads and interrupted power. At least 400,000 Michigan customers were without power. Intermittent rain has followed but with warm temperatures. The gauge catch captured 0.99 inches of rain for the week, all since early Friday morning. It is currently wet with puddling. Soils are wet at the surface. Hess Lake remains high. Local corn has exceeded the “knee-high by the Fourth of July.” Lawns and overall landscape are lush and green. The first black raspberries are beginning to ripen. Unfortunately, the warm and wet conditions appear to have awaken our biting insects such as mosquitoes and deer flies.