Autumn

Today was the autumnal equinox, even if it did not feel like fall in Washington, D.C. We have been in the midst of a prolonged heat and dry spell. Really we have not had all that much rain since early to mid August, when I complained several times on my blog of being caught in the rain. Since that time, every predicted chance of rain has fizzled, with most of the storms passing either to our north or to our south. Recently a heavy thunderstorm hit Fairfax County, but just missed the district. (Our dry spell just was classified as a drought by the U.S. Drought Monitor.)

The temperatures have not changed much either. While we are no longer cracking ninety, we are still getting into the mid and upper eighties regularly. Even last weekend, which was predicted to have highs in the seventies, reached the mid eighties on both Saturday and Sunday. The expected cold front never really brought much relief.

At least the birds have begun moving through in good numbers, as attested by our good results last weekend, and other good reports in the area. Yet we still have not had the strong cold fronts that one typically associates with large movements of migrants. Perhaps that is just as well since strong tropical cyclones have been churning across typical migration paths to our south.

Katrina and the Environment

Speaking of tropical cyclones, I still have not made the post on Katrina and the environment that I had hoped to make. That may not ever get finished. However, another blogger has been on the case. Take a look at the New Orleans Environment Watch for the latest news on the environmental situation in New Orleans (via Daily Kos).