Holidays and Observances for July
July 1 Canada Day
July 4 Independence Day (called the 4th of July)
July 13 Nathen Bedford Forrest Birthday, Tennessee
July 17 Luis Muñoz Rivera Birthday, Puerto Rico
July 22 National Day of the Cowboy
July 24 Pioneer Day, Utah
July 25 Constitution Day, Puerto Rico
July 27 Barbosa’s Birthday, Puerto Rico
July is the height of the summer vacation season. It is a month of annual summer festivals, highlighted by various 4th of July celebrations and the Utica 15 K Boilermaker road race.
This is usually the hottest month of the year. Temperature extremes range from 40°F in 1978 to 100°F in 1953. Long term average highs and lows are 83°F and 58°F. The month of the Full Buck Moon is prone to thunderstorms, occasionally with torrential downpours of over an inch, occasionally strong winds, and (rare though increasing) tornadoes.
The excessive heat waves affecting many parts of the Northwest, the Southwest, Texas and Gulf Coast has not yet affected central New York to any significant extent. Locally heat waves are semi-official with three days or more of 90°F or warmer. If the air is very humid, the heat index may be several degrees warmer than the actual temperature.
In much of Texas and coastal South temperatures in late June have been in the range of high 90s to 110°+, with heat indexes as high as 120°F. This compares with other parts of the world experiencing similar heat wave problems over the past few years. When temperatures rise to 100°F over several days, often with overnight lows above 80°F limiting “recovery time” after a hot day, mortality rates increase significantly, be it in Italy, Spain or Greece, India, Pakistan the Mideast, Australia, China or the U.S. and Canada.
Another issue, largely new to the area this year is smoke in the air, from major forest fires hundreds of miles away in Quebec. This led to various alerts on limiting outdoor activity. For brief periods in the past month, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Montréal were the most polluted cities in the world. There were about three days of “bad air” here in mid-June, with more predicted for 1-2 days June 29-30.
While these types of air pollution, when smoke is high in atmosphere, providing little hazard, sunsets often take on very colorful and surrealistic aspects. These were well noted here in late May and early June. San Francisco region during heavy fire seasons in recent years had skies in unusual colors that were ominous. Along with eerie orange or red sun, buildings only blocks away visually disappeared in the dangerous haze.
The rating scale for air quality is known as the Air Quality Index or AQI. This is a number often used in weather forecasts on TV and weather apps on your mobile phone.
Good, 0-50, air is safe for all.
Moderate 51-100. Those very sensitive heart or lung disease should limit outdoor activity. Unhealthy to sensitive groups 101-150, limit strenuous / lengthy outdoor exposure.
Unhealthy for everyone, 1501-200. All limit outdoor activity, windows closed, etc.
Very Unhealthy 200-300 and Hazardous 301-500. All limit outdoor activity.
People should be somewhat aware of the AQI. The very young or elderly or those with chronic heart or lung or respiratory diseases could be perhaps more careful on limiting strenuous activity or exposure than the generally healthy adult population.
If the AQI is acceptable, get outside and enjoy some the well-known annual July festivals, listed here. Sports, parades, concerts of many types, ethnic music and good “fair foods” of all kinds all happening close to home.
Regional Festivals in July
Tuesdays What the Truck, Canal Park, Leland Avenue, Utica, 4-8 P.M.)
July 4 Numerous regional events
July 7-9 Weekend of Utica Boilermaker 15 K Road Race
July 14-16 Bavarian Festival, Utica Maennerchor, Marcy
July 15-23 Ilion Days, with Doo-Dah Parade on July 21 at 6:30 P.M.
July 23-29 Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute Sidewalk Art Show and Arts Festival
In the Night Skies
In the evening twilight of July 1st, Venus and Mars appear close to Regulus, the bright blue star of Leo. Mars appears has a close conjunction with Leo July 9th-11th. Mercury is easier to observe when in conjunction and on the 1th is between the thin crescent Moon to its right and Venus to its left. On July 20th Venus is observed below Mars which is to the left of the waxing crescent Moon.
Rising and Setting times for Sun, Moon and visible planets on July 21, 2022
Sun
Waxing Crescent Moon Moonrise 9:13 A.M., E Moonset 10:50 P.M., W
Mercury Sets 9:38 P.M., W
Venus Sets 9:38 P.M., W
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn Rises 10:15 P.M., E
Moon Phases for July 2022
July 3 Full Buck Moon Rises 9:37 P.M., SE Sets 5:02 A.M., SW
July 9 Last Quarter Moon Rises 12:16 A.M., E Sets 12:53 P.M., W
July 17 New Moon
July 25 First Quarter Moon Rises 1:26 P.M., E Sets 12:06 A.M., W
