Unseasonable temperatures have hot weather lovers just chilling out
Free swim day
Swimming will be free at Rockport Pool, 2801 Rockport Road, from 12:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.
"Leisure Services wants to show their appreciation to our pool patrons by offering a public appreciation day," a press release from the city reads.
The day will include a water balloon toss at 2 p.m., water egg hunt at 4 p.m. and a noodle relay at 6 p.m. Drawings for prizes will be every half hour, but patrons must be present to win.
For more information, call (608) 755-3030.
Photo
From left, Nick Stuttgen, 8, Nathaniel Rudser, 9, Ryan O’Donnell, 8, and Ethan Stanek, 7, jump into Rockport Pool in Janesville on Thursday. This summer’s unseasonably cool temperatures have contributed to a decrease in attendance at the pool.
Photo
John Siener hauls multiple kids through the shallow end of Rockport Pool, including his son Dylan Siener, left, Anthony Aegerter, top center, Jacob Hayes, bottom and Matt Zimmermann, right.
JANESVILLE — If you've visited any Janesville pools this summer, you've probably found plenty of room.
Attendance in July at Rockport Pool, Lions Beach and both of the city's wading pools "was down quite a bit—at least 30 percent—because of the cool, rainy weather," said Bonnie Davis, recreation director.
So far, the summer of 2009 has been one of the chilliest in memory, but that's expected to change this weekend.
Janesville in June and July had only 25 days when the mercury climbed to 80 or higher—the fewest such days since at least 1948, according to Gazette weather records.
"July was colder than normal," said Jesse Ferrell, AccuWeather.com meteorologist.
More than 1,100 daily record-low temperatures were broken in July nationwide, he found in an examination of readings from the National Climatic Data Center. Several cities in the Midwest reported the coldest July on record.
Bob McMahon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sullivan explained why.
"We're sort of on the western edge of the cooler pool of air settling over the eastern third of the United States. So, we're catching Canadian air that has kept temperatures cool; especially for July," he said.
The pattern has been consistent since last fall, McMahon said, with some brief breakdowns. This weekend, for example, the Janesville area could see high temperatures in the 90s.
"We'll see some typical summer weather—what we'd expect in August—this weekend," he said.
Saturday is forecast to be warm and humid, with highs in the upper 80s and a heat index—how hot it feels with the combined air temperature and humidity—of 95 to 97 in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Sunday's high temperature also is expected to top out in the lower 90s, while Monday and Tuesday will reach the upper 80s and mid 80s, respectively.
Davis hopes the warm weather will bring out swimmers.
"It would have been nice if we'd had a hot summer, which would have brought (attendance) numbers way up," she said.
But McMahon doesn't expect much change and is forecasting below-normal temperatures for August.
"Not everyday will be cool," he said. "But the average temperature for this month is going to be below the normal average that is 69.8 degrees for the Madison area but still warmer than July's 65.7 degree average."
Aug 9, 2009 at 9:05 a.m.
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DiGriz - you are spot on with your post. Fairly soon, likely within the next couple hundred years, we'll be heading back into another ice age. That's no reason to keep polluting as we need all our resources, but earth certainly isn't going to be an oven like the sensationalized TV programs that try and depict earth after hundreds of years of global warming.
Aug 9, 2009 at 9 a.m.
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The fact that Al Gore is an opportunistic hypocrite isn't proof that global warming isn't happening.
Aug 9, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.
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al gore is making millions upon millions on his "cure global warming" company technology investments. bottom line, more poltiticians and ex politicians are making millions off of "we need this now, we gotta do it right away or maknind is dead" rhetoric. even tho the debate has just begun, according to gore, the debate is over. al gore is an idiot of the worst kind. a thieving idiot.
Aug 8, 2009 at 9:01 a.m.
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too bad Jville doesnt have any big water slides.
Aug 8, 2009 at 8:41 a.m.
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DiGriz, it is raining heavily here as I write this. Local forecast for the next 48 hours puts dew points in the 70s with highs temps in the 90s and nighttime lows in the 70s. (Now, if my fingers would just stop sticking to the keys...)
Aug 8, 2009 at 8:15 a.m.
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Oh and global warming... I think the answer lies in the middle. Al Gore sensationalized and exaggerated the topic. That said, it's still important and something to consider. I don't know why everything has to be either left or right of every issue.
Aug 8, 2009 at 8:13 a.m.
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I'm happy for those who have pools to get a few warmer days. However, I personally have enjoyed this summer more than most previous summers. Why have 90 degrees and be cramped in the house with the AC on? I've seen more kids playing outside and barbecues this year than ever.
Aug 8, 2009 at 1:21 a.m.
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Meant to also mention that I love the photos that accompany this article ...
Aug 8, 2009 at 12:53 a.m.
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The article states attendance numbers at the pool and the beach are down by 30 percent. Does anybody know what the true numbers are?
Aug 7, 2009 at 11:29 p.m.
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adults are $1.50
Aug 7, 2009 at 10:50 p.m.
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How much is it to go to Rockport Pool for a day?
Aug 7, 2009 at 9:45 p.m.
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Have you global warning debunkers checked out the global stats? Not just those for Janesburg. Janesburg is not a reflection of the planet. There is a world outside of Janesburg. And I am quite sure that Al Gore does not have a clue where Janesburg is located. In fact, as hard as it is to believe, he has probably never been to Rockport Pool. Heaven forbid!
Aug 7, 2009 at 9:36 p.m.
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I'm NOT a firm believer in global warming myself, however, regional temperature aberrations shouldn't be taken as evidence for or against global warming. Just as we've been experiencing record cool temperatures for much of the summer, many parts of the country have been experiencing record heat.
Aug 7, 2009 at 8:50 p.m.
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no, seriously, global warming is such a croc of you know what. Do they not realize that co2 is needed for earth to survive, and the more the better!!! People are so brain washed by politicians. We will be killing eachother in the streets for food way before we die of "global warming" This years corn crop may be 40 -60% less due to the cool temps. Earths past history is telling us whats next and its right on time!
Aug 7, 2009 at 8:40 p.m.
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yup, for sure!
Aug 7, 2009 at 6:19 p.m.
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Al Gore? Who is that? LOL what a joke! You can't say B.S. cause B.S. is a major cause of methane gasssss and that causes global warming!! LOL Good Grief..... we are all going to die someday .. lets start hugging trees too before its too late. I'm so happy I got a good laugh in here today. Thanx 1919
Aug 7, 2009 at 5:33 p.m.
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Poor Al Gore, not so many people are buying his "global warming" B.S. anymore. Just wait a few years and then ask him about it.
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