Headlines 

A good chance for showers by the afternoon

“Dogwood Winter” by Thursday

No severe storms in sight

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Vlog 

48-Hour WX

48-Hour Precip Forecast

Five-Day Forecast

Daily Forecast Summary

Today: Showers develop by afternoon and last through the evening.

Thursday: Mostly sunny and cooler. Scattered frost possible overnight.

Friday: Chance scattered morning frost. Otherwise, partly cloudy. Chance showers overnight.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers. Cool.

Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy, with a chance for showers. Continued cool.

Meteorologist Mark’s 5-Day Wx Concerns

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Discussion

The weather pattern continues to look cooler and more stable once we get to tomorrow. That will keep severe weather chances at bay for at least a week, maybe two weeks. This pattern could bring bouts of scattered frost, with the first chance for that coming Friday morning. Since the Dogwoods are in bloom, we would call that Dogwood winter.

Almanac for Yesterday

Solar/Lunar Data 

On This Day in Wx History

1886 – A devastating tornado, 800 yards in width at times, cut a twenty mile path through Saint Cloud, Minnesota, killing 74 persons. The bottom of the Mississippi River was said to have been seen during the tornado’s crossing. Eleven persons were killed at a wedding party near the town of Rice.

A Year Ago Today

67 Days until Summer

Yesterday’s National Temperature Extremes

High:  99° at Death Valley, California

Low:   2° at both Shell & Buffalo, Wyoming  

Today’s National Weather Hazards

Strong to severe storms threaten the Louisiana and Mississippi Coasts today. Flash flooding will also be a threat there. Farther west, a wildfire danger will be found across western New Mexico and northern Arizona. Farther north, accumulating snowfall can be found across western Montana and northern Wyoming.

Tomorrow’s National Weather Hazards

Very heavy snow is expected across the mountains of southern Vermont, as well as western Nebraska and northeast Colorado. Elsewhere, accumulating snow can be found across Wyoming and western Montana again. A wildfire danger overspreads much of New Mexico and eastern Arizona.

Drought Monitor

The drought monitor is updated each Thursday.

NASA Nerdology 

The Ingenuity helicopter on Mars was set to fly today, after being delayed from flying Sunday. However, now a system update is taking place and they can’t fly until that is finished. It could take several days. A friend of mine from the NASA Socials created this for the occasion (ha!).

You all have a great day and keep lookin’ up!

Be sure to follow the blog by finding that “Follow” button in the lower right corner of the screen. Thank you!

Please feel free to “Follow” me on Social Media!

The “Meteorologist Mark” app is coming soon! Stay tuned! 

Facebook @meteorologistmark

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Headlines 

A chance for showers has returned

Turning colder by the end of the week (Dogwood Winter)

Still no severe storms in sight

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Vlog 

48-Hour WX

48-Hour Precip Forecast

Five-Day Forecast

Daily Forecast Summary

Today: Partly to mostly cloudy, with a chance for a shower. Mild.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Continues mild.

Thursday – Friday: Mostly sunny. Much cooler. Dogwood Winter! Scattered frost by Friday morning.

Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy, with a chance for showers.

Meteorologist Mark’s 5-Day Wx Concerns

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Discussion

The pattern continues to look quiet. We’ll transition from very warm to very cool as we go through the week. Thankfully, that transition will be gradual and without any fireworks. By Friday morning, we’ll likely be looking at scattered frost across the plateau.

The weekend continues to look unsettled, with rain showers returning.

Almanac for Yesterday

Solar/Lunar Data 

On This Day in Wx History

2004 – The latest measurable snowfall on record hits Jackson, TN, causing six traffic fatalities. Snow was 3.5 inches deep in Jackson, while a range of 1-6 inches could be found across West TN.

A Year Ago Today

68 Days until Summer

Yesterday’s National Temperature Extremes

High:  100° at Rio Grande Village, Texas

Low:   -6° at Peter Sinks, Utah 

Today’s National Weather Hazards

Strong to severe storms threaten the Gulf Coast from near Houston, Texas to Biloxi, Mississippi. Farther north, snow is accumulating across North Dakota and Montana, as well as across southern Wyoming. Once again, some of the heaviest snow will be in the Grand Teton regions of Wyoming. A wildfire danger can be found across southern Nevada and western New Mexico.

Tomorrow’s National Weather Hazards

Heavy rainfall can found from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama. Meanwhile, snow continues across Montana and Wyoming, becoming heavy again for the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. A wildfire danger can be found across northern Arizona and western New Mexico.

Drought Monitor

The drought monitor is updated each Thursday.

NASA Nerdology 

During this week in 1961, USSR cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space after being launched aboard his Vostok 1 spacecraft! His flight began a new era of human spaceflight and escalated the space race.

You all have a great day and keep lookin’ up!

Be sure to follow the blog by finding that “Follow” button in the lower right corner of the screen. Thank you!

Please feel free to “Follow” me on Social Media!

The “Meteorologist Mark” app is coming soon! Stay tuned! 

Facebook @meteorologistmark

Twitter @meteo_mark

Instagram @MeteorologistMark

Be sure to follow the blog and get updates sent to your email! Just look for that “Follow” button in the lower right corner of your screen. Thank you!

Headlines 

Shower chances return tomorrow and Wednesday

Dogwood Winter by mid to late week?

No severe weather in sight

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Vlog 

48-Hour WX

48-Hour Precip Forecast

Five-Day Forecast

Daily Forecast Summary

Today: Mostly sunny and pleasant.

Tuesday: A chance for showers. Otherwise, partly to mostly cloudy skies.

Wednesday: A good chance for showers. Turning cooler. Possible frost late.

Thursday – Friday: Sunny and cooler. Morning frost possible each day.

Meteorologist Mark’s 5-Day Wx Concerns

Meteorologist Mark’s Wx Discussion

Since a cold snap is coming the middle to end of the week, and the Dogwoods are trying to bloom, I’m going to suggest this will be Dogwood winter. Frost is possible, especially by Friday morning.

The good news is that I can’t find any severe weather in sight. We may even end out April quietly! That would be odd but welcome!

I should note that a cool and rather unsettled pattern may follow Wednesday for several days. While Thursday and Friday are looking good at this point, the weekend may hold more clouds and showers. I have several days to watch that and much can change, but just keep that in mind before making serious outdoor plans this weekend.

Almanac for Yesterday

Solar/Lunar Data 

On This Day in Wx History

1927 – A tornado wiped out the town of Rock Springs, Texas, killing 72 persons and causing 1.2 million dollars damage. The tornado, more than one mile in width, destroyed 235 of 247 buildings, leaving no trace of lumber or contents in many cases. Many survivors were bruised by large hail which fell after the passage of the tornado.

It’s very strange for hail to fall after a tornado. That never happens. The updraft must have been rotating so strongly that it was throwing hail out the back of the storm. Just incredible. This tornado was no doubt the most powerful of all twisters…an EF-5.

A Year Ago Today

69 Days until Summer

Yesterday’s National Temperature Extremes

High:  101° at Death Valley, California

Low:   1° at Big Sky, Montana 

Today’s Impactful National Weather

The nation’s most impactful weather will be from severe storms that may develop across central Texas, with large hail being the main threat with any storm that develops. Hail greater than two inches in diameter is possible.

Farther north, accumulating snowfall is expected across much of North Dakota, and again across western Montana and western Wyoming. The snow could become especially heavy for the Grand Teton region of Wyoming.

Thunderstorms will stretch northward from Oklahoma and Arkansas to southern Indiana. These storms are expected to stay below severe limits.

Tomorrow’s Impactful National Weather

Accumulating snowfall is expected across much of the northern Plains, stretching westward to Montana and Wyoming. Snow could adversely impact travel in that region for Tuesday.

Elsewhere, low humidity and windy conditions will fuel a wildfire danger across southern Nevada. Non-severe thunderstorms are expected for the southern plains and Lower Mississippi River Valley.

Drought Monitor

The drought monitor is updated each Thursday.

NASA Nerdology 

Mary Jackson was NASA’s first Black female engineer. After spending decades as an aeronautical engineer at NASA Langley, Mary became the Federal Women’s Program Manager and shaped the next generation of NASA’s female employees. Mary was born on April 9, 1921 and passed away on February 11, 2005 at the age of 83.

You all have a great day and keep lookin’ up!

Be sure to follow the blog by finding that “Follow” button in the lower right corner of the screen. Thank you!

Please feel free to “Follow” me on Social Media!

The “Meteorologist Mark” app is coming soon! Stay tuned! 

Facebook @meteorologistmark

Twitter @meteo_mark

Instagram @MeteorologistMark

As promised in this morning’s blog, I am sending out the Sunday Story this evening. As many of you know, I publish a story every week in both the Fentress Courier and Livingston Enterprise. That story prints on Wednesdays and I then share it here on Sundays.

This week’s topic was the many winters of spring. I hope you enjoy and I hope you’ve had a wonderful Sunday!

The Winters of Spring

With the onset of spring, we expect the occasional nips of cool air that come down from the north from time to time. These cool shots of air often leave us scrambling for those warmer clothes that had slipped into the back of the closet.

Keep in mind that our latest frost on record occurred on June 3, 1956. Can you imagine frost in June? 

Naming the springtime cold air invasions is a southern tradition that goes back in time as far as anyone can remember. The name of the cold spell is associated with whatever is blooming at that time. 

For the cold spell to be named, the cold air must be sufficient in severity to remind one of winter’s chill. 

There are at least four well-known “winters.” The first is Redbud winter, which corresponds to the blooming of the Redbud trees. Next is Dogwood winter, a time of chilly weather when the Dogwoods are in bloom. Locust (tree) winter usually follows Dogwood winter. 

Then, there’s my favorite winter of all. Blackberry winter often leads to frost on the blackberry bushes, which signals the blackberry canes to start growing. Anything that helps get us those sweet, delicious blackberries is fine with me! 

There’s also a fifth winter that you may be less familiar with. Cotton Britches winter is the last of the winters. Folklore says that, “When this little cold spell is over, you can put on your cotton britches, because winter is over.” 

Others believe the last winter is Whippoorwill winter. This cold snap is the least harsh of them all and coincides with the time when Whippoorwills are calling for a mate. This usually comes in May.  

The tug of war between winter and summer can be a wild temperature ride in the spring months! Let’s just hope that in the end we’re left with a pleasant summer.