Friday, August 29, 2014

8/29- Lousy Labor Day Weekend

Good Friday- you've made it to the end of the 1st week of school!

Today is going to be very nice as will tomorrow, as temps will likely hold nicely in the low to mid 80s but with very low humidity, thus allowing it to feel pleasant. The problem is Sunday and Monday (Labor Day itself) as a front stalls, essentially, right over our heads, which leads to some wet weather on both days. While they won't totally ruin your day, I think most of us will see a torrential downpour or two the next three days, which can be more than a bit of a nuisance since it's a holiday known for barbecuing- we don't need our burgers to get wet, do we? :). Beyond that, there is going to be unseasonably warm weather for early September (Highs in the mid-80s and thunderstorms) on most days.

In the Atlantic- Two areas are worth watching, one near the Cape Verde Islands (which would be more of a concern for us), and one in the central Caribbean and heading for the Yucatan Peninsula and the Bay of Campeche (the southwestern most section of the Gulf of Mexico). They both have pretty decent chances of development next week, but probably not in the next 5 days.

In the Pacific- Believe it or not, for what seems like the first time this year, tropical development is not expected anytime soon.

Today in weather history- August 29, 1995- In an incredibly bizarre event because of timing, five named storms were active on this date- Tropical Storm Jerry, Hurricanes Karen and Iris, and Tropical Storms Luis and Karen. Additionally, a tropical wave was about to become a tropical storm as well. Yikes!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

8/28- Boring

Good Thursday all-

I'm not going to bore you with a detailed forecast- the temp is the only interesting thing today as it may not reach 80 after our thunderstorms last night. Tomorrow will be even cooler before we warm up for the weekend, but suffer for it with showers and storms possible to likely on both Sunday and Monday.

Otherwise, please enjoy the first day of school for the majority of my student and teacher readers :). A great day for outdoor recess or other activities for sure

In the Atlantic- Hurricane Cristobal has 75mph winds and is located almost exactly halfway between Bermuda and Connecticut. I certainly don't envy the flyers from BDL to Hamilton today, as it will be quite the bumpy flight....also there is a chance for development in the Bay Of Campeche and near the Cape Verde Islands the next few days. The next two names on the list are Dolly and Edouard.

In the Pacific- Tropical Development is not expected anytime soon.

Today in weather history- August 28, 2011- Hurricane Irene hits New Jersey as an 80mph hurricane, the first to directly hit New Jersey in nearly a century (interestingly, it happened again the following year with Sandy), before moving up and making a landfall in Brooklyn as a tropical storm. Contrary to popular belief, Irene was not a hurricane in Connecticut. In fact, no hurricane has hit CT directly since 1985's Hurricane Gloria, and we are significantly overdue...

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

8/26- Hot to wet

Good Tuesday all- and for my friends in New Haven, happy last day of summer break!

First off, my apologies for not updating yesterday- I simply forgot...oh well.

Today is going to be a real scorcher, with showers and thunderstorms possible late tonight, but they're more likely tomorrow as a cold front moves through the area. Temps will be near 90 on both days, and may well bust the streak of nearly two months of August without a single 90 degree day. Thursday and Friday look fantastic right now, with comfortable temperatures and sunny skies. Sadly, however, Labor Day weekend looks rather horrible right now as a stalled front could lead to three days of rain...of all the times for this to happen, it figures it had to be a long weekend!

In the Atlantic- Hurricane Cristobal is a category 1 storm 610 miles SW of Bermuda, but it is no threat to land (except Bermuda, which is under a Tropical Storm watch). Additionally, there is a wave near the Cape Verde Islands that will probably develop this weekend as it moves through the northern Antillies in about 6 days. While the NHC gives it a 30% chance of developing, it probably is higher but the reason it is there is because of the 5-day prediction limit. Also, a tropical wave that is about to move off Africa could develop in a few days. The next two names on the Atlantic list are Dolly and Edouard.

In the Pacific- Hurricane Marie actually became a category 5 yesterday, the first cat. 5 in either the Atlantic or Pacific in the last four years. In fact, the Atlantic has not had a category 5 since 2007's Hurricane Felix, which means we have now gone nearly 8 years without seeing one in the Atlantic, which is a record. It has, however, weakened to a cat 2, will weaken further, and poses no threat to land. With the death of former Hurricane Karina, the basin is quiet for now.

Today in weather history- August 26, 1976- In a bizarre event, a tornado hits Kiana, Alaska...which is a full 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

What really takes the cake, though, is August 26, 1895- Hartford, CT records a trace of SNOW, marking what is by far the earliest snowfall on record in our area. Can you imagine what would have had to happen for this to occur? Geez...

Sunday, August 24, 2014

8/24- It's a miss!

Good Sunday all-

I just wanted to let you know that, although Cristobal did form this morning, I can sound the "all clear" with 99% confidence. The computer models are coming into agreement on an out to sea track, and a stalled front in addition to a high pressure is going to boot it out. Phew- that was a close one!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

8/23- EXTRA UPDATE

Hello everyone-

Just to give a heads up, we are getting far more concerned about this storm. In fact, a large amount of the models are now trying to brush it by the east coast of Florida, then shoot it directly into Connecticut!!!! This situation has the potential to be rather nasty, as a direct hit from a hurricane hasn't happened since 1985. Certainly, this is the biggest threat in that regard this season. Also, even if it isn't  a hurricane, strong impacts will be felt here. By the time Irene got here, it was a 60mph tropical storm. This would be at least that strong up here. If nothing else- and I don't mean to alarm anyone quite yet- review your hurricane plans and be ready for severe impacts in case the worst does play out. If it still looks threatening on Tuesday, then I'd go to the store for canned goods etc but there is no reason to do that quite yet. However, take a look at the model tracks below.

As you can see, the majority of them meander near Florida, and the shoot it NE or north...directly for us. Be ready. I'll update tomorrow as I monitor this potentially very bad situation for us here. Note that the weather people on TV won't talk about this to avoid hype. I am also not trying to hype this, but simply stating this is going to be a very close call for us here even if it does miss. At the moment...

There is a medium chance....50 percent...of feeling some impacts from this storm here.

There is a medium chance....30 percent....of Tropical Storm conditions in Connecticut.

There is a low chance...20 percent....of Hurricane conditions in Connecticut at the moment.

Friday, August 22, 2014

8/22- Warmer weather is coming...

Good Friday all!- You made it to the weekend!!!

Today is going to be quite simple- ridiculously cold! In fact, most places won't reach 70 today and be trapped in the high 60s! To make things worse, almost no sun will be seen today, and a chilly shower or two is quite likely. For late August, that is a real wake up call that winter is on the way (especially since current indications are for an abnormally cold and snowy one on the way). By the middle of next week though, we get back in the heater, and we may hit 90 midweek, which would spoil the 90-degree free month of August, so it's worth watching.

In the tropics- The wave has trended east over the last 24 hours, but it's been trending further west recently. See below for the reason the forecast is so tough
source: wunderground.com

As you can see, some models are out to sea, while others try to do (dare I say it?) a redeux of Hurricane Sandy (especially the blue model- the GFDL- that path would be an unmitigated disaster for New York City and Connecticut). It's going to be close...that's all I can say for now. Watch it...


In the Pacific- Lowell did indeed briefly become a hurricane yesterday afternoon...for about six hours. It's back to a tropical storm, and Karina continues to pose no threat to land. Tropical Storm Marie formed yesterday, though, and it is likely to become a major hurricane this weekend, so it's worth watching for our friends in Mexico and the southwest!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

8/21- Keeping a close eye on the tropics...

Good Thursday everyone-

The current weather is going to simply continue what it has been recently- quite nice and temps in the high 70s or low 80s. In fact, this looks like it is going to be the second straight August in which we never reach 90 degrees, but only the 6th time since 1967! Needless to say, this has been an abnormally cool month, and I think the majority of people are going to be absolutely thrilled about it! Rain is possible today, but it is only scattered showers, so I am not concerned about it at all. The big story that is quickly developing for us in New England, however, is the tropics. There is a tropical wave just east of the Lesser Antillies that is likely going to develop into Tropical Storm Cristobal. Unfortunately, it is going to strengthen and take a track into the Bahamas and take a turn to the north. When this happens, it puts us in New England in a very precarious spot, and there have been some computer model runs trying to bring a hurricane into Connecticut next weekend (one even brings in a category 2, which hasn't happened here since the 50s), while others pass it harmlessly out to sea. Needless to say, it is far too early to assume this, but as the peak of the hurricane season is coming up, it's not a bad idea to review your plans anyway. It all depends, essentially, on if a blocking pattern develops which could force the hurricane into a Sandy-ish track out and then back into Connecticut. While this would be highly unusual, it doesn't mean it's impossible and is certainly worth watching...

Besides the developing Cristobal, development in the Atlantic is unlikely the next 5 days.

In the Pacific- Tropical Storms Karina and Lowell are spinning around and pose no threat to land. The only interest there is whether Lowell becomes a hurricane (it has 70 mph wind). Also, Tropical Storm Marie is likely to form today or tomorrow, and become a strong hurricane near the Baja

Today in weather history- August 21, 2007- Hurricane Dean hits Belize as a category 5 hurricane, the first cat. 5 landfall since 1992 (Andrew). As hurricanes tend to weaken as they approach land as the land impedes on the circulation, cat 5 landfalls are exceedingly rare. In fact it's only happened in the United States 3 times in recorded history (The Keys in the early 30s, Camille, and Andrew).

Watch the tropics carefully the next few days. It's going to be close.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

8/19- What month is it again?

Good Tuesday all-

Today is going to be a very chilly day compared to August standards as most areas will not reach 80 degrees!!!! In fact, I would be surprised if anybody reached 85 in the next week or more! Humidity is extremely low as well, and that too is a trend that will continue. Overnight lows will be consistently in the mid-50s, which is way below average for this time of the year. In fact, the next chance of rain comes either Friday or Monday- and I am more inclined to believe it will be Monday at the moment!

In the Atlantic- Two tropical waves have developed, and they have some chance of developing this weekend once they reach the Caribbean, but it isn't a great chance by any means. The next two names on the Atlantic name list are Cristobal and Dolly.

In the Pacific- TD 11-E has indeed strengthened into Tropical Storm Lowell just SW of the Baja with 50 mph winds, but it poses no threat to land whatsoever. On the other hand, a low near Panama has a very high risk of developing into a severe hurricane by next week as it parallels the coast of Mexico.

Today in weather history- August 19, 1778- A small hurricane strikes southern New England and damages the coast from Delaware to Maine.

Also, August 19, 1991- Hurricane Bob hits Rhode Island as a category 2 hurricane, becoming the most recent storm to directly enter the New England coast at hurricane intensity.


I am unable to have an update tomorrow, so I'll talk to you on Thursday!

Monday, August 18, 2014

8/18- Beautiful week ahead

Good Monday all (Sorry!)

Today, and the rest of this week, is going to be simply incredible and, despite a few chances of rain to go along with it, is going to be downright frigid for August. In fact, there is a distinct possibility that we don't reach 80 degrees...all week! All 70s! The best chance of rain this week is tomorrow night and Wednesday morning, but even that looks suspect at the moment. Either way, it is incredible just how cool this August has been. Is this an indicator for the winter? Who knows, but an early outlook on the upcoming winter suggests it could be very snowy...we can only hope. The snow season is just two months away!!


In the Atlantic- A low near about halfway between the Cape Verdes and the lesser Antillies has a 30% chance of becoming Tropical Storm Cristobal in the next 5 days, and could be something to watch as it skirts the north end of the Antilles, which is a classic "it-could-be-close" track for us. Certainly it bears watching.


In the Pacific- Tropical Depression 12-E has formed and is likely to become Tropical Storm Lowell later today, whereas another low pressure has a 50-50 chance of becoming Marie in the next 5 days.


Today in weather history- August 18, 1906- In an incredibly rare occurrence, a tropical storm manages to beat the cold temperatures and strong wind shear to hit California directly as a tropical storm, dropping as much as 6 inches of rain over the area and winds of 50mph. This is truly a once in a lifetime event.

Friday, August 15, 2014

8/15- Nice today, a wet weekend

Good Friday!!!

Today is going to be slightly colder than normal for August- which has really been the story of the month so far. Temps have been way below normal (2 degrees- a significant amount in terms of average). The trend has no signs of slowing down either, and it honestly wouldn't shock me if we didn't hit 90 degrees again this entire summer. Unfortunately, tomorrow night and Sunday appear rather wet at this time. A cold front will be moving scattered showers and thunderstorms and the risk will be present pretty much all day Sunday. Don't cancel your outdoor plans for Sunday, but be prepared for them to be interrupted and keep your eyes on the skies. Next week's forecast is questionable, but the best chance of rain appears to be Wednesday and temps will be in the low or mid-80s the entire time.

In the Atlantic- A wave near the Cape Verde's could develop early next week, but is no threat to land whatsoever.

In the Pacific- Tropical Storm Karina briefly became a hurricane yesterday afternoon, but it is back to Tropical Storm strength and should continue to weaken. Also, some development is possible with a low pressure off Mexico


Today in weather history- August 15, 2008- In an incredibly bizarre event, Manhattan is placed under a tornado warning! Although no tornadoes ultimately form, a microburst knocks down power lines in the Bronx.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

8/14- Nothing to talk about.

Good Thursday all!

I am not going to bore you with the forecast for the next 3 days- it's all the same. Partly cloudy and mid-80s. Sunday looks rather wet as a cold front moves through, followed by 2 more days of partly cloudy and mid-80s, then another wet Wednesday appears possible, but unlikely, at the moment. No fun at the moment for me...which is good news for everyone else.

In the Atlantic- Tropical Development is not expected anytime soon, a highly rare occurrence for mid-August. This is shaping up to be a very inactive hurricane season.

In the Pacific- Tropical Storm Karina is located 510 miles SW of the Baja peninsula and is likely to strengthen into a hurricane this weekend (it has 60 mph winds at the moment), but poses no threat to land. A low in the far western part of the basin could become a tropical storm, but it is almost in the central pacific basin, and the next named storm that could develop in the East Pacific should not do so until Monday.


Today in weather history- August 14, 1969- The beginnings of a disaster- Tropical Storm Camille forms in the Cayman Islands and begins it's deadly track to New Orleans.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Amazing day for Long Island!!!!

Good evening everyone-

I just thought I would share some stats from today that are just mind blowing and, quite honestly, will be talked about for many years to come. Islip, NY (Which is on Long Island, for those that don't know), picked up 5.41" of rain in ONE HOUR this morning, and finished today with an all-time New York state record of...wait for it...14" OF RAIN TODAY! This is simply incredible, and is even more so when you think that this is higher than totals from either Hurricane Irene or Hurricane Sandy. It will be stunning to see the magnitude of flooding in the area, so watch the news tonight. What a day, and one we will not be forgetting for a very long time here in Connecticut if you are a weather geek like I am. I'm still shocked.

8/13- Rain, tornadoes, etc.

Good Wednesday all-

Or should I say "Rain day"? Today is going to be absolutely miserable, so make sure you bring your umbrella out there! It is going to pour all morning and into the early afternoon today, and as much as 4 inches of rain is possible!!! YIKES! As if this weren't enough, the upper level dynamics for rotation look much better than I thought they would yesterday, and there is a distinct possibility of tornadoes around noon today, so keep checking the weather channel if you are at work. If a tornado warning is issued at your office, think about what you would do/where you would go when you get in this morning. Regardless, we clear out tonight for many, many days, so today is the worst day we have had in quite some time, but nothing anything like this is expected anytime soon.

In the Atlantic- The tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands has completely dissipated, and tropical development is not expected anytime soon.

In the Pacific- Tropical Depression 11-E formed yesterday and is undoubtedly about to become Tropical Storm (and likely eventually Hurricane) Karina, but it is moving away from land and I do not expect any impacts whatsoever on land.

Today in weather history- August 13, 2004- Hurricane Charley hits south Florida after rapidly intensifying from a Cat 2 to a 155-mph cat 4 just 12 hours later, becoming at the time the second costliest hurricane on record (It is now fourth, as Sandy and Katrina were costlier). You are likely to hear about this anniversary today as it is one of the more significant hurricanes in recent memory.

But as a fun aside- August 13, 1978- Salmon, ND receives 4" of....SNOW!?! Yikes! For snow lovers here in CT, we are only 2 months away now from the start of the snow season, so get ready for some fun!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

8/12- Head to the polls with thunderstorms

Good Tuesday all- Happy primary day!

Today is going to be a highly typical day for mid August with scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon, and temps in the mid 80s. Tomorrow is the really interesting day though as 2-3" of rain are quite likely for most of our area as a stalled front just dumps us with lots of precipitation. Additionally, depending on the storm track, severe weather is also possible as are tornadoes if everything goes wrong! Fortunately, the threat for widespread severe storms is not particularly high at this time. Beyond that, the forecast holds from yesterday- dry weather and temps in the 80s all days.

In the Atlantic- The tropical wave from yesterday is a bit less likely to develop soon, but it has a good chance when it approaches the Antillies late week.

In the Pacific- A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Mexico, but poses no threat to land.

Today in weather history- August 12, 1901 and August 12, 2000- In a remarkable coincidence, Wildwood, NJ twice receives 3" of rain in 45 minutes on the same date!

Monday, August 11, 2014

8/11- I'm back!

Good Monday everyone!

I am glad to be back! I had a fantastic trip indeed, but as everyone knows there is truly no place like home! Now on to the weather, which is going to be rather interesting the next few days. Today will be mostly cloudy I fear, but should stay predominantly dry. Also, I would get ready for some big rain tomorrow and Wednesday. Two to three inches of rain could fall if we are unlucky tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday, and there could even be a round of severe weather on Wednesday if we are very unlucky! Beyond that though, things should settle down. Temps should remain in the 80s through the time period, with tomorrow and Wednesday being my big concern days, as well as the tropics beginning to heat up. On another note, today officially ends the "dog days of summer", as Sirius no longer rises at the same time as the sun.

In the Atlantic- A tropical wave is trying to develop near the Cape Verde Islands, but development will be slow to occur as it moves west and eventually northwest. There is a 30% chance of formation by the weekend of this storm, but it is probably a bit higher after that. For us in New England, the position of the storm could be rather disturbing, but it is WAY too early to think about as, even if it comes, we are over two weeks away from any impact. Remember this happens a few times every year, and it rarely all falls into place.

In the Pacific- Hurricane Julio is located about a hundred miles north of Hawaii and is moving out of the picture as it weakens moving north. Another low pressure near Mexico, however, is probably going to become Tropical Storm Karina later this week.

Today in weather history- August 11, 1968- A dust devil in Bristol, CT injures a girl swimming in a lake when the roof blows off a picnic area and hits her. Talk about unlucky!