WHAT'S NEW?

SUNRISE/SUNSET (MOON DATA, TOO): Portsmouth sunrise today is 5:31, a 28 minute loss over the earliest sunrise of the summer. Sunset is at 8:07..a 20 minute loss over the latest sunset of summer. Moonrise: 7:02 PM. Moonset: 2:23 AM. Local moon “noon” (moon is due [geographically] south): 11:16 PM. Illumination (%): 0.93 (waxing). Full on the 31^st at 2:05 PM. Note: “Waxing” means growing fuller, “waning” means growing smaller. “Solar noon” time is below in the UV forecast section.

PORTSMOUTH TIDES (heights in parentheses. Note: If you are using Boston Tide Charts when coming to Portsmouth, add 20 minutes to the Portsmouth High Water Values and 17 minutes to the Low.):

HIGH tide: 9:45 AM (7.6) and 9:59 PM (9.4).

LOW tide: 3:27 AM (-0.3) and 3:34 PM (0.4).

Data courtesy www.maineharbors.com <http://www.maineharbors.com>. or USC's WWW Tide and Current Predictor

Local time adjustments for tides from Portsmouth Harbor:

Location High Time Low Time

Atlantic Heights, Piscataqua River +0:34 +0:23
Dover Point, Piscataqua River +1:30 +1:22
Salmon Falls, River entrance +1:32 +1:47
Squamscott River Railroad Bridge +2:16 +2:36
Exeter Docks +2:47 +3:05
Hampton/Seabrook Harbor +0:11 +0:27
Kittery Point -0:29 -0:29
York Harbor -0:19 -0:19
Kennebunkport -0:06 -0:06

ACTUAL OCEAN INFO FOR CAPE NEDDICK: Surfers and beach-admirers take note..waves heights have fallen to just under 2 feet this morning.

Ocean temp (change since last report): 59 (n/c)

Wave height (change since last report)/dominant wave period: 1.9 feet (down 0.7)/6 sec. Keep in mind wave heights are measured crest to trough, so the waves are roughly ½ that number above what would be the flat ocean surface. You'll find other neat local surfing info at www.surfnh.com with other surf info at www.surfinfo.com

UV FORECAST (local solar noon value): Courtesy of National Weather Service, the forecast ultraviolet light value for today around solar noon (at Portsmouth, 12:50 PM) is 6 (on a basic scale of 0-10), or at the bottom of the “high” range.

OZONE LEVEL FORECAST FOR TODAY: “low to moderate” for the NH/ME forecast area, “moderate” for the NE MA forecast area. Categories are “good”, “moderate”, “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, “unhealthy”, “very unhealthy” and “hazardous”. Data from USEPA's AIRNow map.

ACTUAL POLLEN COUNTS: The closest monitoring station of the National Allergy Bureau is Chelmsford, MA, roughly 40 miles WSW of the Seacoast, and is the usual source of the following data unless otherwise noted. They usually take measurements Monday thru Friday. Here are yesterday's readings, the latest available:

TREES: Absent

WEEDS: Absent

GRASS: Low

1. Grass Family, all types: 3

MOLD: Moderate

1. Ascospores: includes Leptosphaeria, Venturia, Ascobolus, Diatrypaceae, Pleospora, Xylaria, Chaetomium, Sporomiella, Claviceps,Ascomycete, et al.: 5180
2. Basidiospores: includes Coprinus, Agrocybe, Agaricus, Inocybe, Laccaria, Ganoderma, et al.: 1265
3. Any identified fungi not counted elsewhere: 693
4. Cladosporium: 632

POLLEN FORECAST: Courtesy of www.pollen.com, is toward the bottom of the “medium” range (4.3 on a scale of 12), with these levels rising to 6.9 tomorrow. Principals are Grass, Nettle and Plantain.

PORTSMOUTH TEMP/PRECIP:
The monthly average high is 83, monthly average low is 59.
Record high/low for today: 89/45.
The average high for today is 83, the average low 59.
The high yesterday was 66 after a low of 57. The day therefore averaged out about 9 degrees below normal.
Peak wind gust was 8.
For July, Portsmouth averages 3.44” and has 2.29” so far after .34 yesterday.

MANCHESTER TEMP/PRECIP:
The monthly average high is 82, monthly average low is 55.
Record high/low for today: 95/47.
The average high for today is 82, the average low 55.
The high yesterday was 67 after a low of 56. The day therefore averaged out about 7 degrees below normal.
Peak wind gust was 10.
For July, Manchester averages 3.58” and has 4.10” so far after .43 yesterday.

ROADS/WALKWAYS: in northern MA/southern NH/southern ME this morning were dry to partially wet.

FIRE DANGER: According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the Observed Fire Danger Class for NE MA, SE NH and southern ME is “low” across southern ME/SE NH as of yesterday, and “low” across NE MA. Categories are “low”, “moderate”, “high”, “very high”, and “extreme”.

ASTRONOMY NOTES: from David Batch of the MSU Abrams Planetarium Skywatchers Diary at “http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/SkyWatchersDiary/Diary.html”:
Saturn emerges out of the glow of dawn this week. An hour before sunrise the planet sits only 3 degrees (about 2 finger widths) above the east-northeast horizon. Brilliant Venus is 27 degrees (almost 3 fists) to Saturn's upper right. The Gemini Twins, Pollux and Castor, are about a fist to the planet's upper left. Rising about 4 minutes earlier each day, Saturn will soon pull free of the morning glow. On what morning will you first see it?

LOCAL FLYING HAZARDS: Look for light, with occasional moderate, non-convective turbulence from surface to 3,000 feet. Expect no non-convective icing. Severe turbulence, hail, heavy icing and strong wind shears are always possible in the vicinity of thundershowers.

If you have to make a pollution decision today, choose to protect Mother Earth. Mitakuye oyasin (all living things are related). I'll report again tomorrow morning!