WKU Meteorology

On Sunday I mentioned that “Mid 90 possible for later this week“. My forecast read…

I foresee highs in south-central Kentucky and the Nashville metro area as high as 92-96 for Thursday and 94-98 for Friday with lows in the lower 70s; take a couple of degrees off those highs each day for the Bluegrass. The limiting factor in reaching those highs (especially Friday) will be the interaction of a cut-off low progged to be located off the mid-atlantic coast with the cold front.

Well, the upper level low will be further out to sea which means we will experience a potentially historic one-day heat wave. Continue reading →

Back on March 31 I posted here about the potential for a summer drought based on the developing La Nina and I used some statistical information to show that the amount of precipitation that occurs over the winter is not necessarily a good predictor of summer rainfall. However, now that meteorological spring is officially in the books (Mar-May), it is possible to show that 2007 is very likely to be among top 30 driest years since 1895 according to past history. Continue reading →

The summer of 2007 is shaping up to be a hot and dry one for the mid-south. Here are the important factors…

1) A developing La Nina will keep the jet stream and storm systems to the north along the Canadian border

2) Quasi-stationary heat ridges supported by severe droughts over the Southwest and Southeast will weaken any storm that does move southward

3) Those same ridges could act as a saving grace by steering the remnants of an active Atlantic hurricane season into the mid-south

What does it all mean? Continue reading →

In my last post I mentioned the uncertainty of the models for the first full week of June

…”There is even great disagreement within the GFS ensembles as to how long the trough will remain in the Great Lakes. Ensemble solutions range from soaking rains for the mid-south to a strong ridge with 90+ temperatures.”

Well, it appears the 90+ temperatures is the solution that will verify. Continue reading →

Over the past 50 years in Bowling Green, June 2nd is the median date for the first 90 degree day. Monday was 89 (May 28th) and both Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to have highs near 90. If we can avoid the 90 the next couple of days, we shouldn’t have to worry about a 90 for about a week, as a nearly closed off low currently over the Dakotas will slowly break down the ridge that has dominated the weather over the mid-south for the past 10 days. Continue reading →

I was in Frankfort the other day when a Lexington TV meteorologist said in a teaser for the 11 pm newscast that the recent weather was more like July than May. Actually, he would have been more correct if he had said the recent weather was more like mid-April…for Phoenix, Arizona!! Continue reading →

Unseasonably cool air will remain over KY for the next few days until the flow becomes southerly over the weekend and more seasonable temperatures return. The next big weather maker for KY will be in the form of a weakening cold front that should arrive in the middle of next week. Continue reading →