2009.03.28
One more round of rain, then a break
The last round of this week's series of rainy episodes -- none of which have been terribly heavy, but collectively decent for our long-term dryness issues -- is due later tonight as the line of storms shown in the radar grab at left across Tennesse and Kentucky moves our way. This line was triggered this afternoon as a cold front pressed into unstable, moist air where the sun managed to come out across central Tennessee north into Kentucky. But the time it gets here, this line will not be producing the severe thunderstorms it has to our west, as it will hit much more stable, cooler air. Dont' be surprised to hear a rumble or thunder and even less so to hear a brief period of heavy rain on your roof sometime overnight. Also don't expect a prolonged heavy rain, likely lasting under 2 hours. It should all be over by Sunday morning, and the sun may make a return by the afternoon. Expect at least 2 or 3 dry days after that, with seasonable temperatures (60s for highs, 30s and 40s for lows)
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Simply amazing weather conditions across the nation today, and for the past few days, for that matter. Alltime record flood waters along the Red River along the North Dakota and Minnesota border; blizzard warnings for the central and western parts of North Dakota (what on earth did the good folks in North Dakota do to anger the "weather gods?"); the incredible contrast that you highlighted, Kevin, in just the state of Texas alone; two feet of snow in parts of Kansas; a comma-shaped bow echo just west of Evansville, IND around 6 PM our time, meaning a very high probability of a tornado or four (right?); Mobile, ALAB received just under 10 inches of rain by 2 PM today (Fatlanta got 4 inches), and yet I noticed that North Conway, NH in the heart of the White Mntns was in the mid 50s last night, extremely mild for that far north in late March after sunset. Also, the grass in my yard looks Celtic green, as if someone had plugged in some electricity to run through it, brightly vivid. YAY!!
Comment by Doug Griggs — March 28, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
One other thing: I have noticed that these cool days recently have dragged the monthly overall average down to something like 1 degree above normal. And rainfall is closing in on the monthly average. Question: although this month may end up too wet to qualify, when was the most recent month here in Roanoke that the monthly mean temperature was within one degree of normal AND rainfall/precip was within a half-inch of normal?? I have not looked at the statistics, but my instincts tell me that it has been a while, perhaps even a year or more.
Comment by Doug Griggs — March 28, 2009 @ 11:40 pm
I agree, Doug. It's been very interesting.
And not that it necessarily means anything, but there has been a notable earthquake swarm very close to the southern edge of the San Andreas fault in California. Like I said.. probably doesn't mean anything but ya never know.
Comment by Brandon R. — March 29, 2009 @ 12:00 am
Doug:
January was REAL close ... .1 degree above normal in temperature, .51 below normal in precipitation.
But the correct answer to your question, very specifically, was last July: .1 degree below normal, .33 inch below normal.
Comment by Kevin Myatt — March 29, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
Yeah, basically January fit the ticket. I mis-remembered that January was drier than it actually was. But before that, a bunch of months went by without being close to normal on both measures. And thanks for what seems like the hundredth time, Kevin, this time for informing me (/us) about the fact that big volcanic eruptions outside of the tropics usually do not have nearly as great a cooling effect as those inside the tropics. Reason being the winds tending to draw the volcanic ash in the air toward the nearest pole from eruptions outside of the tropics. As your link clearly showed, that is definitely true with the ash from Mt. Redoubt in southern Alaska, which is SW of Anchorage. The winds are blowing the ash almost due north. And thanks, Brandon, for the info about earthquakes along the southern San Andreas. Any recent equake swarms in Yellowstone?
Comment by Doug Griggs — March 30, 2009 @ 12:11 am