WKU Meteorology

1. Our dry streak across the region continues. However we have a low pressure system moving across the great lakes today which will bring with it a week cool frontal passage through the region. Moisture return ahead of the front will be in a narrow zone immediately ahead of the front as the atmosphere will not be able to moisten up ( yesterday relative humidites near 30%) sufficiently enough to produce anything more than scattered showers and thunder. Highs should be able to reach the lower 90’s with southerly advection ahead of the front even with some increase in clouds late.

2. Tomorrow the front departs the region with clearing skies by the afternoon and a switch in wind direction which should keep highs Wednesday near 80. However I could see clouds and isolated activity hang on in the morning.

3. Our next real chance for rain may be Friday from the leftovers of tropical storm Hermine which currently over south Texas.

4. This will be the first day of daily discussions on the blog as we resume a normal schedule with classes back in session. We will also have several new authors in addition to myself.  Tomorrow I will provide a quick update on the weather followed by an overview of our new WRF model.

1. Let’s start in the tropics first. Well unfortunately my thoughts on Hurricane Earl’s track shifting west looks to pan out and move just off the east coast. This will likely bring tropical storm conditions to eastern north Carolina and southeast new England with hurricane conditions for the outer banks and cape cod.  However any more shifts in the expected track  could lead to changes with this forecast.

2.  A strong cold front will begin to spread some clouds into the region on Thursday with the strong ridge starting to break down a bit. On the backside of the high we will have southerly flow once again with highs  near 90.   Continue reading →

This meteorological summer Jun-Aug is the 3rd warmest on record. This summer will be noted for extremes in the number of hot days and the times it got above 100 in August.

This week portions of Western Kentucky are moving into moderate drought. The rainfall events we have had sinceMay have been have been less frequent than normal but the number of extremely heavy events is above normal in the Bowling Green region but not just to our west. Areas of the bluegrass region also have to be monitored for abnormally dry conditions as Lexington has had only .58 inches of rain for the month.  Rainfall Sunday and Monday though scattered may help a bit, otherwise the deficit will increase by .15 each day. Without the May flood event the entire region would likely be in a moderate to severe drought today. Continue reading →

1. We have an area of low pressure near the Louisiana coast which will move northward over the next few days. With this some deeper tropical moisture will move around the edge of the ridge establishing it’s self in the upper lakes. As a result this tropical moisture appears deeper than earlier thought leading to addition of shower and storm chances for Sunday afternoon through Monday. Coverage should be around 50% in our region on the far western edge of the ridge’s influence.

2. Hurricane Danielle is turning way out to sea getting caught in a atlantic trough, let’s say bye now.  NHC maps. Continue reading →

Over the next few days a very strong ridge will build over the eastern great lakes. For us here in the Bowling Green region this means several things Continue reading →

A complex of showers and a few thunderstorms is moving east and southeast into the region well in advance of the front. As a result rain and storms are moving in a little sooner than expected today. Right now periods of showers and storms will occur into the early afternoon hours. The most intense storm with hvy rain, lightning and gusty winds to 40 mph will move through Bowling Green between 9 and 10 am.

Highlights
– still warm but drier
– scattered storms by the weekend

Forecast

The front and disturbance which brought heavy rain to region Wednesday will be south of the region with only morning clouds and patchy fog today with highs in the upper 80’s. Friday will see a return to southerly flow keeping the humidity in place and sending highs back into the low 90’s with mostly sunny skies. Another front approaches the region bringing with it the threat for scattered storms from Saturday afternoon through Sunday with highs again near or just under 90. With the added summertime humidity lows are expected to be in the low 70’s.

lead forecaster: MWG

3.23 inches of rain fell today which broke the old mark of 1.72 inches in 1931.