Heat Wave!!!

Temperatures are soaring here in the southeast.  Highs starting tomorrow will be challenging both the record high for each date but also the all-time record high here in Crossville, Tennessee.  Tomorrow's record high temperature in Crossville is 92 and for Saturday the record is 93.  Both days' forecast high is 100 degrees.  The all-time high for Crossville 101 degrees so there is a significant chance of breaking that as well.

Graphic Courtesy the NWS Office in Nashville, TN

Somehow the heat has diminished my excitement about going to the Smokies tomorrow. To travel that distance and burn that much fuel is an investment for which I want a more pleasant return in exchange. Thus, my fishing expedition tomorrow will be confined to a local destination for smallmouth and panfish, not exactly a bad trade-off.

Later this weekend I'll probably be doing a half-day float to throw terrestrials and maybe some streamers.  In between all the excitement, I'm planning on tying and trying to keep cool indoors.

At least we aren't burning like the western United States.  For those interested in learning more information about the fires around the country, check out the InciWeb site.  There is a lot of good information there although the severity and number of fires means that some of the information is not being updated in a timely fashion.

The information that intrigues (and disturbs) me the most are the fire area maps.  Watching well-known trout streams get toasted is not pleasant, but realizing how large of an area these fires are capable of burning in an afternoon is at least interesting.  In the meantime, keep all of those who live near the fires in your prayers.