Wild & Wonderful Weather

26 January, 2012 07:45

Shawn Householder — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:45:45 +0000

Flood Watch exanded into the western half of West Virginia in effect from 1 pm through late tonight! Rain associated with that system slowly chugging eastward could be heavy this afternoon into tonight. New rainfall amounts from 1-2 inches are possible during this time. Small creeks and streams are most susceptible to flooding. However local rivers may rise to near action stage over the next 24 hours as well. Us weather geeks, we always say in so many word don’t drive through standing water ya idiot!

24 January, 2012 19:09

Shawn Householder — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:09:56 +0000

High pressure is typically associated with calm, pleasant weather. And there’s a big ol’ H parked right over the Mountain State now through Wednesday. So things will stay nice till sometime Wednesday night at the earliest. We’re gonna start seeing more moisture lifting north by then. so expect some rain to spread from south to north Thursday and into Friday. Then a weak cold front will push through for the weekend. But for now things are lookin’ dry for the weekend. It that changes you’ll be the first to know. Cause you use Wild Wonderful Weather!

22 January, 2012 15:10

Shawn Householder — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:10:55 +0000

The NWS has issued a freezing rain advisory for our area to remain in effect until 6 AM Monday morning. Watch for icy roadways tonight & tomorrow morning!

In addition to the icy conditions overnight, a fast-moving low pressure system will bring the chance for severe weather into the mountain state overnight and Monday. A mmoderately unstable airmass will move into the Tennessee & Ohio Valleys overnight to bring the potential for severe thunderstorms & possibly a tornado outbreak to areas just to our southwest. Meanwhile, thunderstorms with potentially damaging winds are possible for our area Sunday night & Monday. Those damaging winds will be the primary threat during the day Monday. Unsettled weather will calm down Monday night, leaving cool air & high pressure in charge into the middle of next week. But another strong system will bring more unsettled weather Thursday and again next weekend.

Have a nice week & thanks for reading!

5 December, 2011 10:51

Shawn Householder — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:51:29 +0000

Rain showers continue spreading eastward today as that cold frontal boundary starts knocking on our doorstep. NWS has issued a Flood Watch from norther Mississippi to north Ohio. Our area is under a Hazardous Weather Outlook for possible flooding issues. This may be upgraded to Flood Watch/Warning later tonight or Tuesday as that system presses eastward. We’ll keep mild temperatures today with highs in the upper 50s. But as that cold front crosses our area during the day Tuesday, we’ll see a steady decline in temperatures with lows falling into the upper 20s each night. After Tuesday, highs will barely make it into the mid 40s.

But the precip will remain in the form of rain until sometime Wednesday night/early Thursday. At this time, we’ll see a changeover to mainly snow. Although some mixed precip is a brief possibility Thursday, especially for eastern portions of our state, in the lee of the mountains. In any case, snowfall accumulations do not look impressive. Moisture associated with this system will be departing as that cold air really sinks in. So we’re still lookin’ at trace amounts of snow by Thursday.

High pressure will move build into our area to dry things out during the day on Thursday. But the cold air will stick around. By the weekend, a reinforcing blast of cold air will knock the bottom out of the temperatures with highs struggling to reach above freezing. However, we still do not have any long-lived cold air masses or impressive snowfall forecasts at the moment.

Have a great week!

You can track the foward progress of those rain showers here… http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rad_us_loop.gif

Today’s image shows the latest hazardous weather/warning areas. Altough we’re still in the clear, this may change. You can track local warnings by clicking on the NWS (National Weather Service) icon on the right hand side of this page!

3 December, 2011 12:45

Shawn Householder — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:45:59 +0000

We’re allowed plenty of sunshine with pleasant temperatures as high pressure glides over the eastern US this weekend. Our next cold front (already dropping heavy rain & mixed precip across the Midwest http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rad_us_loop.gif) will move across the Mid Atlantic states to bring more rain Monday into Wednesday. Some heavy rain is forecast to bring possible minor flooding problems to our area Tuesday & Wednesday. Cold air will skirt the area to bring a changeover to snow Wednesday & Thursday morning. We’ll begin to dry out Thursday but cold air will keep things on the cool side to round out the work week.

Today’s image, courtesy of Unysis Weather depicts 850 millibar temperatures & warm air advection into our region this weekend!

2 December, 2011 13:36

Shawn Householder — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:36:04 +0000

High pressure keeps a strong foothold over the eastern US today. So we can keep the sunshine & dry conditions into the weekend. Clear nighttime skies allow temps to fall into the 20s and even teens in the mountains last night & tonight. Our weekend forecast will be a bit warmer. Saturday will be mostly sunny with highs in the mid 50s. Sunday, we’ll be in the warm sector of a developing cold front timed for the beginning of next week. So temps will be a bit warmer Sunday with highs possibly reaching 60. But clouds will be on the increase, especially later in the day. We’ll likely see some light rain showers by Sunday evening & overnight.

That cold front & low pressure trough will keep our forecast on the soggy side Monday & Tuesday. NWS has already issued a hazardous weather outlook for Ohio and Kentucky for minor flooding into next week. NWS may need to hoist a warning flag for our area as well. As much as 2-3 inches of new rain could fall over our forecast area. Up to 6 inches of rain are possible in the Tennessee & Mississippi Valleys!

By Tuesday night we’ll see a changeover from rain to snow as that cold front crosses the mountains. Although it’s still rather early, it looks like snow will be short lived and will not get you out of school. Perhaps if you’re lucky you may get a two-hour delay Wednesday. In any case, high pressure will return to dry things out late in the day Wednesday…

Have a nice weekend!

30 November, 2011 13:52

Shawn Householder — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:52:30 +0000

Leftover snow flurries wrapping up across the lowlands but persisting into the afternoon along our mountain counties today. Snow is not sticking at all except for in some of the higher terrain, where up to an inch has fallen. Low pressure continues to exit to our northeast as high pressure begins building from the Mississippi Valley. This will provide gradually clearing skies later today. By tonight, things will be clear, calm & very cold with lows falling into the mid 20s across out forecast area. Overall, our weather will begin to perk up as we kick November to the curb.

Forecast will stay dry into the weekend, but the cool air will linger for a bit…After a chilly start, Thursday will mainly sunny with highs only reaching the upper 40s. A few more chilly nights are on tap as well. Lows will fall into the low 30s into the weekend. But daytime highs will top out in the low & mid 50s Friday & Saturday.

Sunday will be warmer with highs in the low to mid 60s. We can also expect increasing clouds ahead of the next weather system. Rain returns in time to start the work week. We’ll be talking about the next snowfall by the middle of next week.

20 November, 2011 12:33

Shawn Householder — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:33:15 +0000

Warm today with hit/miss rain showers lifting into our area from the southwest this afternoon. More widespread showers likely late today into tonight. Cold front will cross the Ohio Valley today and become stationary over the Appalachians to provide chance for periodic rain showers through the first half of next week. High pressure will dry things out in time for Thanksgiving Day & Black Friday.

Sunday…plenty of warm, moist air lifting into our area brings temperatures into the 60s this afternoon. But satellite imagery already showing low level clouds beginning to spread into the mountain state. A few sporadic rain showers will race across the forecast area into this afternoon. Southwest winds remain 5-10 MPH. Then more widespread showers will develop this evening & overnight. Mainly cloudy skies will keep temps modest tonight with lows holding in the mid/upper 40s.

Monday…leftover rain showers will be wrapping up in the early morning hours. But low level moisture will keep mainly cloudy skies on the horizon. As a result, daytime temps will only manage mid 50s before another shot of rain invades our area late Monday & Monday night.

Tuesday and Wednesday will stay on the soggy side under mainly cloudy skies. Temps will stay well above freezing to keep precip in liquid form at least until overnight Wednesday/Thursday. Most of our forecast can expect to see 2 inches of new rain fall now through Wednesday…

This frontal system is expected to clear out of our area sometime Wednesday as high pressure and a quick blast of cold, dry air sweeps across our bow. Expect strong gusty winds during the day Wednesday & Wednesday night as these frontal boundaries battle for stability. By Wednesday night, temps will fall into the low 30s in the lowlands while our mountain counties see lows fall into the mid 20s.

Snow does not appear to be much of a threat this week. Although Wednesday night will be cold enough for snow, looks like very dry air will move in in time for Thanksgiving Day & Friday. Also, temps will rebound nicely during the day Thursday and will stay mild into next weekend.

Stay on top of the latest regional radar @ http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rcm_rad.php?image=rad&inv=0&t=cur®ion=at

17 November, 2011 13:17

Shawn Householder — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:17:18 +0000

Colder air settles in across our area today as winds turn from the northwest. High pressure builds in on the backside of that departing low pressure system. We finally dry out after much of our forecast area picked up nearly two inches of new rainfall this week. A few light snow flurries falling along our highest ridgetops today. Otherwise, that high pressure will keep our forecast dry into at least the first half of the weekend.

A few peaks a sunshine are welcome across the mountain state today. Cold, dry air providing clear skies tonight will do little to insulate the surface. As a result, we’ll see a hard freeze as temps will fall into the mid 20s. Lows in the teens are possible in our mountain counties.

Friday & Saturday will stay dry with slowly moderating temps. Highs only reach the mid 40s Friday. Then we’ll see another chilly night with lows falling to just below freezing. Saturday, warmer with highs in the upper 50s.

Sunday, warmer still as more moisture & warmer air lifts north from the Gulf region. This will trigger a few fragmented showers during the day on Sunday. More widespread rain is on tap for Sunday night/Monday. In fact that next system will keep our forecast soggy into Wednesday of next week. We’ll dry out in time for Thanksgiving but cooler air will sag south an perhaps bring a few snow flurries for the busiest travel day of the year. Let’s wait and see…

This photo was taken by the author at Cooper’s Rock State Park.

14 November, 2011 11:32

Shawn Householder — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:32:04 +0000

Copious moisture & low pressure invading the Mid Atlantic states on a strong southerly air flow through the first half the this week.This results in above average temps coupled with gusty winds, widespread showers & isolated thunderstorms today through Wednesday. Cold front timed to cross our area early Tuesday will keep an unsettled forecast & cooler temps Tuesday/Wednesday. Much colder air will mix in to bring a chilly end to the work week. High pressure will return to round out a mild weekend.

Today & tonight…Strong southerly air flow ahead of a cold front brings highs into the 70s today. A few impulses crossing the southern Great Lakes just north of our forecast area producing scattered shower activity this morning. Otherwise, much of the area will stay dry until later today. Main threat for thunder and possible tornado development runs from southern Illinois through much of Indiana & Ohio today. Folks near our westernmost border along the Ohio River remain on the eastern fringe of isolated severe threat this afternoon & overnight. Further east, we’ll see a sun/cloud mix, breezy conditions this afternoon. Increasing clouds, widespread showers & isolated thunder are possible this evening. Some rain could be heavy into the overnight. Breezy tonight with lows in the mid 50s.

Cold front crossing our area Tuesday will keep scattered showers across our forecast area well into Wednesday. Flooding concerns will depend on the speed & track of any developing disturbances. Most of our forecast area could easily pick up an inch and a half of new rain through Wednesday. We may see NWS raise some warning flags for water concerns by midweek.

We’ll contend with dropping temperatures during this period as well. Highs Tuesday are only expected to reach the low 60s. Lows stay in the upper 40s/low 50s Tuesday night. Cold air on the backside of this cold front will bring about big changes in the forecast by Wednesday night. Lows fall to right around freezing by then.

Breezy & chilly conditions for Thursday & Friday. Winds turn from out of the northwest to bring temps into the 20s by Thursday night. So a few snowflakes by Friday morning are certainly not out of the question. Will watch for possible mixed precip & report on these changes later, as new data becomes available. Have a nice week & thanks for reading!

Today’s image, courtesy of Unysis Weather depicts winds at 850 millibars lifting plenty of warm air into our area today. Check regional radar here http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rcm_rad.php?image=rad&inv=0&t=l®ion=at