Baltimore heat and humidity not from trade winds

Dennis Barnes, in Abingdon, asks whether the tropical mugginess Baltimore endures at this time of year occurs because the jet stream moves north and allows northeast trade winds to dominate.

Steve Zubrick, at the NWS, says true tropical trade winds never reach our latitude. But clockwise circulation around the summertime Bermuda high pumps warm, wet Gulf or Atlantic air our way.

Heat and humidity both peak here in July and August.

(SUN PHOTO: Jed Kirschbaum, 2007)