Epi Week #28 - 2015 General Statements

The first arbovirus-positive mosquito of the 2015 season was confirmed this week in Sheffield (Berkshire County), from a sample collected during Epi Week 27. Mosquito trap collections continue to pick up for most of the Districts/Projects, with some reporting record levels of activity. With virtually no rain across the state this week and little predicted in our future, we can expect to see a drop in mosquito populations in many areas, at least in the short term.

Weather

We’re currently in our hottest stretch of the year, with very little precipitation to accompany that heat. The extreme humidity we’re been experiencing along with that heat is expected to break early in Epi Week 29. After that, expect things to cool down a bit, and then the heat will return for the very end of July. With the exception of limited areas that receive thunderstorm activity, most parts of the state should anticipate much drier than normal weather coming up. Current computer models are predicting only an inch or so (at best) of rainfall through the first week of August, which could put us back into near-drought conditions soon.