Forecast Highlights:
Today: Clearing, sunny afternoon, highs in the upper 80s
Tonight: Clear, Lows in the mid 60s
Wednesday: Sunny, high 90
This Weekend: 60% chance of rain from Tropical Storm Isaac
Hello! Classes are back in session here in Bowling Green, and that means the WKU Meteorology Blog will be updated regularly once again. Appropriately, there is a major weather event to focus on during week one. Tropical Storm Isaac continues to move northwestward toward the Gulf Coast. Isaac is still a tropical storm, albeit just below hurricane status, with an intensity of 70 mph or so. Isaac is expected to make landfall as a weak Category 1 hurricane.
Current enhanced satellite imagery shows Isaac spinning in the Gulf of Mexico as well as a boundary draped across the Commonwealth, extending from roughly Bowling Green up through the Bluegrass region. This front has been responsible for overcast conditions this morning as well as a few sprinkles. The front will slide south and clearing is expected through the afternoon. Winds are and will remain out of the north with a trough over the Northeast and high pressure centered over the Great Lakes.
The afternoon sunshine will allow Bowling Green to warm up to around 88. High pressure will expand, build in, and control the weather for now. Skies will be clear tonight, with lows in the mid 60s. Wednesday will be a sunny day with highs around 90.
As we head towards the weekend, ridging is expected to slow the progression of Isaac. The models continue to depict an area of high pressure over the eastern United States, with Isaac simply moving around the western periphery of this high pressure. The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center has the center of Isaac moving northwestward into Louisiana, north through Arkansas, and eventually turning northeast and bringing rains to the Ohio Valley. The current QPF forecast from the Hydrologic Prediction Center shows a tight gradient over Kentucky, with the heaviest rainfall from Isaac falling in areas west and north of Kentucky (in those areas where drought has hit hardest!). However, storm totals will depend heavily on the actual track of the storm. In general, there is a good chance for rain this weekend.
Isaac is expected to make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane.
EBW