July 25, 2022 Submitted by Meteorologist Michael Page
For nearly a week, Hingham's high temperature has soared past 90 degrees, even approaching 100 this weekend.
The 6-day heat wave rivals the town's longest stretches of 90+ days, since records began in the 1950s.
In both 2002 and 2016, Hingham baked over 90 degrees for 8 consecutive days.
As the heat intensified this week, so did the drought.
The northern half of Hingham and Cohasset moved into "Severe" Drought this week, while southern Hingham and Cohasset remained in "Moderate" Drought.
Drought is measured on a scale that moves from Moderate to Severe to Extreme to Exceptional.
In the Severe Drought area rainfall deficits are now approaching 6" over the last 3 months, while the Moderate Drought area is closer to a 5" deficit from normal.
The Weir River Water System implemented mandatory outdoor water restrictions in response to the lack of meaningful rain, only allowing outdoor watering on one day per week.
While scattered storms will break the heat wave on Monday, ushering less humid air Tuesday, no drought busting rain is in the forecast.
Hello Michael – I am an older Hingham Resident and Engineer with years on the Water Supply Committee. I have kept an interest in water supply and believe we need a desalination facility to supplement the Weir River Water Co. current capabilities to meet reasonable water demands – especially in the Summer. Demand growth for the last 50 years has been addressed with conservation as is the plan for Master Plan future growth’ We are currently single sourced for raw water [rain] to treat and distribute. For a business to depend on a single source over which they have no control to meet our critical demand for drinking water is dangerous – and extreme conservation is unwelcome Climate Change heat has upset the normal rain cycle to drought and extreme thunderstorms. An uncertain source at best. A 2mgd facility in Hull is needed