We need the community to join the relief effort and donate new box fans."
Jennifer Burgess holds the hand of her 13-month-old son, Liam Burgess, as they walk down the water-covered steps of the Passage on Monday in Chattanooga. “It’s his first time to come here,” she said. “He just learned to walk. He loves it.”Dry, hot weather returns to Chattanooga this week.
The high temperature today is expected to hit 92 degrees, then reach 94 on Thursday and remain in the low to mid-90s all week.
Forecasters expect a slim chance of showers Thursday, but nothing comparable to recent thunderstorms that slammed Chattanooga and cities across the nation.
Some 8 inches of rain fell over eight days from June 28 to July 5 in Chattanooga, according to the National Weather Service. High temperatures hovered around 80 degrees.
Record-breaking rainfall fell on nearly two dozen cities across the United States in June, according to weather.com. During the month, an average of 13 inches of rain fell in St. Louis, while 31.89 inches fell in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Ocoee River water level rose so high on July 2 and July 3 that TVA stopped rafting companies from operating. The Ocoee Adventure Center will operate on a normal schedule this weekend, officials said.
The expression is “April showers bring May flowers,” but July is actually the wettest month on average over the past 30 years in the Chattanooga area, National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Roberts in Morriostown, Tenn., said.
As the weather warms up, an increasing number of people request fans from the Salvation Army.
The nonprofit organization already has distributed 300 box fans this summer. Another 32 people are on the waiting list. The Salvation Army usually distributes fans on Friday. No fans will be distributed unless more are donated immediately, Area Commander Maj. Algerome Newsome said.
“We need the community to join the relief effort and donate new box fans,” he said Tuesday in a news release.
Chattanooga Choo Choo landscapers said they appreciate the rain, but getting so much of it at one time makes potted flowers susceptible to rot.
“We love the rain,” said Theresa Smith, landscaper. “We just wish it were more sporadic and not all at once.”
After a soggy Fourth of July weekend, Jayne McSharry of Chattanooga enjoyed a day without rain at Warner Park with her grandchildren Tuesday.
“Hot and beautiful,” she said. “Not rainy and miserable.”
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yput man@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.