Main threats
WEDNESDAY: Strong t-storms are possible during the day. Hail and damaging winds are the primary threats. Monitoring.
Summary
We will have another day of scattered shower and t-storm chances, before we enjoy a nice Tuesday. Like in days past, not everyone will see rain today but those who do may see it come down rather heavily for a period of time. Gusty winds and small hail could accompany the stronger storms, but widespread severe weather is not anticipated.
Tuesday is looking nice! Get out and enjoy it if you can.
A vigorous disturbance is poised to move over our neck of the woods on Wednesday. This could be enough of a kick in our atmosphere to create some rather intense t-storms. Wind and hail are the primary threats. This does not look to be a widespread severe weather event, but the chance is there for a rowdy storm or three across the plateau. I’m monitoring.
We get another, longer break for Thursday through Saturday, with pleasant afternoons and cool nights. Check out that 45-degree low on Thursday night!
Some models are suggesting that we could have an isolated shower or storm on Saturday, but I left it off for now. Most models agree that a much better chance for showers and storms will enter the picture for our Sunday. That’s many days away, so don’t cancel your outdoor activities just yet. Just go ahead and be working on that indoor back-up plan.
WeatherTAP WeatherFACT
Our atmosphere is a very chaotic place, made up of billions of trillions of equations all changing by the second. Our job as forecasters is to try to predict the probability of how those equations will line up through the day and what kind of weather that alignment will bring. So, when you say, “but it was supposed to be sunny today,” you’re basically saying “I don’t know what the word ‘prediction (or forecast)’ means.” There’s no “supposed to” in weather. It’s all about probability. You would be more correct to say, “but the probability of it being a sunny day was greater than the probability of it being a cloudy day.” haha Try saying that ten times fast!
Records
A hailstorm containing golf-ball sized hail struck Smithville on this day in 1998. Seventy cars and 17 homes were damaged by the hailstones. Wind-driven hail also made holes in the siding of people’s homes.
On this day in 1752 a gentlemen by the name of Benjamin Franklin decided to fly his kite in a lightning storm to determine if lightning was related to electricity. He narrowly missed electrocution. He had his son alongside to assist him.
Contrary to popular believe, Franklin did not “discover” electricity with this experiment. That had been done thousands of years earlier. He set out to establish a relationship between electricity and lightning. Franklin had a wire on top of the kite to act as a lightning rod. He then had a hemp string that was wet and tied to a key near the base of the kite string. Just as Franklin was about to give up, he noticed the strings on the hemp beginning to stand up. He moved his hand near it and a spark flew between his hand and the key. The experiment was a success. Little did he know he was probably moments away from certain death from a lightning strike. Thankfully, he brought the kite in before that kind of lethal connection could be made (later on, others would meet their death doing this experiment).
Almanac
Yesterday’s record high: 88 (1993)
Yesterday’s record low: 45 (1980)
Today’s record high: 89 (1999)
Today’s record low: 43 (1988)
Today’s sunset: 7:56
Tomorrow sunrise: 5:22
Today’s day length: 14 hrs 33 mins 34 secs
Tomorrow’s day length: 14 hrs 34 mins 04 secs
One year ago today
A trace of rain fell. That likely kept the high at 78 and the morning low at 65 degrees.
News
Flash flooding in Jackson County, TN yesterday has taken the life of a two year old at Cummins Falls. That area is well-known for catching swimmers off guard in flash flood situations. At the beginning of this incident, about 50 people were trapped. Most of them managed to free themselves from danger with little assistance, with another 15 having to be actively rescued. Unfortunately, the two year old couldn’t be saved. Always be mindful of rising water levels when swimming in the summer. It can happen faster than you can imagine!
On a brighter note….
My race in Asheville went very well this weekend! It stayed cloudy but it didn’t rain. I shaved seven minutes off my time from last year! That put my time at 2:04. This is, by far, the toughest race I do all year.
You all have a good Monday!