WKU Meteorology

Good evening to you! Let’s celebrate the upcoming weekend with some weather history!

On this day, in 1980, the Great Plains fell victim to severe thunderstorms that produced tornadoes, specifically in the central region of Arkansas. Of the various tornadoes, one in particular was rated an F-3 on the Fujita Scale, resulting in $2.5 million of damage. Areas mostly impacted were St. Louis and St. Charles. In general, these storms produced damaging winds and even baseball size hail. Isn’t that crazy?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Good Morning,

As we get closer to the coming weekend another blast of cold air will impact the region dropping temperatures down into the low 30’s across portions of Western Kentucky. Some mixed precipitation may come along with the cold air but I would say the chances of that are slim. The Good news is that this cold air will only last through the weekend which high temperatures in the 70’s on the way as we head into next week. Have a nice day!

Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome back to the blog!

Who else is over the gloom? We are! For today, it will stick around, as our region of the state will remain between two low pressure systems, promoting high cloud cover and widespread shower chances. As of now, no thunderstorms are expected to enter our vicinity and precipitation totals will remain low. Don’t forget an umbrella before you head out to the workplace today! In the afternoon, temperatures will warm to the lower 60’s, and by nightfall, temperatures will cool back down to the upper 40’s.

Have a great day!

Good morning, folks, and happy Monday!

Today’s Forecast

For today, expect a mild and showery day. A slight chance of light showers will persist throughout the afternoon, with temperatures climbing into the mid 60s. That shower chance will last throughout the night, as temperatures drop into the lower 50s with cloudy skies.

What to Watch For

Shower chances today turn to thunderstorm chances Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Overall, the week should consist of mild temperatures, cloudy skies, and plenty of rain. While flooding concerns look minimal at this moment, the chance of thunderstorms make it worth monitoring. Additionally, the threat for severe weather at this time is marginal at best. Stay tuned, and stay dry this week!

Weather Fact!

We’ve all heard the term “April showers bring May flowers”, but does that phrase actually fit for our region? According to USClimateData, here in Bowling Green, May is actually the wetter month on average (5.63 inches of average precipitation) than April (4.21 inches of average precipitation). So, while the April showers may bring the May Flowers, the May showers definitely help too!

Have a great week everyone 🙂

Hello from Starkville Mississippi! The White Squirrel Weather program here at Western Kentucky University is currently attending the Southeast Severe Storms Symposium. This is the 20th annual meeting here at Mississippi State University. The symposium has speakers come from all over like Joanne Culin from the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi, and Danielle Breezy from WKRN in Nashville, Tennesse. Some special guests included: James Spann from ABC 33/40 News and Amy Freeze from Fox Weather.

This symposium allows professional meteorologists to get together with students to talk about current breakthroughs in meteorology and recent severe weather events. Like reviewing the December 10th-11th, 2021 tornado outbreak or using GIS to inform the public of flood zones. James Spann wrapped up the first day with a great half-hour talk about how to be a successful meteorologist and how to connect with your audience. He reminds you to go out of your way to constantly remind people of the dangers of the weather. James also reminds us that even though the weather is beautiful it is also destructive and tragic.

Our fellow students, Jake Disinger and Cooper Bennett will be presenting tomorrow on the White Squirrel Weather program and how using drones helped to analyze the destruction paths from tornadoes. Afterward, we get to make the six-hour drive back to Bowling Green, Kentucky!

Bret G

Good morning, everyone! Are you ready for the weekend? We sure are!

On this day, in 1942, a state that we don’t hear much about, Hawaii, broke records in terms of precipitation. At Puu Kukui in Maui, Hawaii, a total of 107 inches of rainfall was recorded for the month of March alone. How insane is that? Mind you, this location reached an annual record of 578 inches just eight years later.

If you don’t know much about Hawaii (and I will be the first to admit that I don’t), another fun fact is that it once rained 331 days straight in Maunawili Ranch from 1939 to 1940. Below is a graphic that shows this, amongst other parts of Hawaii that experienced close to, but not surpassing, this amount of rain-filled days.

Signing off! Have a great weekend!

Good Afternoon,

Today has been a good day to go outside and take a walk around only 83 more days until summer for all those summer lovers like myself. All of this niceness is not going to last, As we head into the evening a strong cold front is going to push through the region and produce some rain and thunderstorms. Some of these storms may be severe with damaging winds being the primary threat but a few tornadoes are also possible. Make sure you are weather aware this afternoon and evening and have plans in place incase severe weather occurs. The best timing for storms is from 8-11 pm. Tomorrow the high will reach 65 with mostly cloudy skies. Have a good evening and stay safe out there!

Good afternoon to you! How are you? We hope wonderful!

On this day, in 1848, a particular, abnormal silence in New York stunned the entire nation. The water of Niagara Falls, a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of the Niagara Gorge, stopped flowing. This eerie silence stemmed from an ice jam at the neck of no other than Lake Erie itself and the Niagara River entryway that is between Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. In relating this to weather, the cause of the jam is from the wind, waves, and lake currents.

So, you may be wondering: how often does this happen? Because I know in my lifetime, this has never happened. Well, the answer to that is: this was the only time in history that the Falls stopped flowing!

Today’s history excerpt was fun, wasn’t it? Definitely something I didn’t know! Have a great day!

Good morning, folks, and happy Monday!

Today’s Forecast

For today, you can expect a cool and clear spring day. High temperatures will top out in the lower 50s with partly cloudy skies- a very typical March day. For tonight, expect a cool but calm night, with lows in the upper 30s and mostly cloudy skies. Enjoy the calm day!

What to Watch For

If you miss the warmth, you will not have to wait long for its return. Tomorrow will bring temperatures in the mid 60s with building clouds and wind potential. This culminates to what should be a very warm and windy day on Wednesday. Our first 80 degree day of the year is certainly possible on Wednesday ahead of a large rain chance Wednesday night. Stay tuned to the forecast for wind gusts potentially up to 40mph, and rainfall that may reach one inch.

Weather Fact!

With the return to 80s in the forecast, let’s take a look back at the last time we hit 80 degrees here in Bowling Green. According to Kentucky Mesonet, our last 80 degree day was October 14th, 2021, when the high temperature reached 81.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Since then we have seen lots of rain, snow, and cold weather, so if you are a fan of the warmer weather your wait is finally over!

Have a great week everyone 🙂

Happy Friday everyone, and another chilly one at that! With a slight breeze out of the north and overcast skies, it is not going to feel much like a Spring day. The weekend ahead is going to be clear with highs in the lower 50s. Saturday will have winds gusts up to 30mph so make sure to bring in those flags and other things that can be blown around. With it being chilly out and it being National Tolkien Reading Day, why not snuggle under a blanket and read a book?