BOULEVARD MAGAZINE

Over the past month or so when I’ve been at the store or gas station, I’ve overheard some pretty interesting comments about the weather. Here are just a few that I think you’ll enjoy.

· "Summer in Virginia is like trying to walk through a hot, wet blanket."

· "You know it's summer in Virginia when you need to shower after stepping outside for two minutes."

· "The mosquitoes in Virginia during the summer are so big they could register as drones."

· "You know it’s summer in Virginia when the ice cream starts to melt before you finish paying for it."

· "We have four seasons: almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas." When I was growing up in Tidewater, I remember we had four distinct seasons - spring, summer, fall, and winter. Spring and fall were transitional seasons with mild temperatures, while summers were hot and humid, and winters chilly with some memorable snowfalls. We received a moderate amount of rainfall throughout the year. Summers tended to be wetter, with thunderstorms being common. Every so often we were vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, that brought heavy rainfall, strong winds, storm surges, and flooding. Tornadoes can and do occur in Virginia, although they are generally less common and less intense compared to areas in the central and southern plains of the United States.

Virginia is part of the region known as "Dixie Alley," an area that experiences a secondary tornado peak during the fall months, typically from September to November. I bet the residents up on Great Neck didn’t think about that when they bought their homes. Historically, Virginia has a humid subtropical climate with a typical four-season pattern. The state receives precipitation throughout the year, with slightly wetter summers due to the influence of the Bermuda High, a high-pressure system that can funnel moisture from the Atlantic Ocean into the region. For those of us who are locals or long time residents, the current weather pattern leaves us a bit baffled and makes good conversation for folks when you’re in line at the grocery store or gas pump. What are your thoughts? Has the weather changed since you moved here?

Brunk

In this issue

The 61 Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships is set to return to Virginia Beach on August-20-27th. This event is the longest continuously run surfing championship in the world, and brings in over 25,000 people to the area annually.