Weather Headlines
–Our dry weather ends today
–Showers and storms will be with us for several days straight
–Rain chances diminish somewhat next week
Main threats
No significant or widespread threats in sight. However, any storm that develops will be capable of frequent lightning, heavy rainfall, and gusty winds. Some storms may even become briefly severe, with damaging winds the main threat.
Summary
Today is the beginning of increased shower and t-storm chances, thanks to a weak frontal boundary moving in. Over the next several days, some of the storms could be strong from time to time, and some of the rainfall could come down heavily from time to time. The bottom line is that everyone will have seen rain by the end of the weekend.
Rain chances begin to drop off next week, but even then we can’t rule out scattered showers and t-storms, especially in the heat of the afternoon.
Almanac
One year ago today
A trace of rain fell. The high only reached 76 degrees, after a morning low of 62.
7-Day forecast
Records
On this day in 1956 the city of Crossville set a new all-time record low for the month of August. On that morning, the plateau awoke to a low temperature of 42 degrees!
Today is the 27th anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Andrew in extreme southern Florida. The hurricane made landfall as a historic cat 5, the highest ranking on the scale. Wind gusts were estimated to be 175 mph. It would take a decade for Andrew to earn the ranking of a rare cat 5. For many years, it stood in the record books as a cat 4. After much reanalysis, the strength was taken up a notch on it’s 10-year anniversary.
Why did we underestimate Andrew for so long? Well, hurricane hunters only ever found winds of cat 4 strength. However, Andrew did something a bit odd. He strengthened more AFTER making landfall. We see this sometimes and it’s called the “brown ocean effect”. The hurricane, due to south Florida’s swampy, flat landscape (for the most part) thought it was still over water. Therefore, with the perfect atmospheric conditions, the storm was able to strengthen a bit more on land.
Homestead, Florida was devastated. Thankfully, the storm was a small hurricane and missed Miami for the most part. If Andrew had moved right over Miami I’m not sure what would have happened.
Tropics
Chantal has weakened to a depression, well out at sea.
Meanwhile, an area of disturbed weather in the Bahamas continues to be monitored for possible development. That chance is slim, but you can’t dismiss anything this time of year.
WeatherTAP WeatherFACT
The word “nimbus” is only attached to clouds that are producing precipitation. For example, a cumulus cloud that is producing precipitation is then called a cumulonimbus cloud.
Today’s WeatherTAP WeatherWORD
Thunderhead
A popular term for the incus (“anvil”) of a cumulonimbus cloud; or, less appropriately, the upper portion of a swelling cumulus, or the entire cumulonimbus.
We saw one of these yesterday evening! The storm was near Sweetwater but really commanded our attention on the plateau! (photo by Melanie Bolin)
NASA Knowledge (changed the name a bit)
The first time we went to the moon Kennedy wanted a man on the moon by 1967. Thankfully, he settled for 1969 instead, giving NASA more time to get the job done. The agency, after all, had only been created in 1958. Plus, it just sounded better in speeches to say ” a man on the moon by the end of the decade.” 🙂
News
This is lightning damage done to the roof of a car. The driver had this to say, “Here is some cool patina. While driving back to my house Saturday night my car was struck by lightning. It was freaking awesome I couldn’t see or hear anything for about 2 minutes. The next morning I looked at my car and saw this. Not only did it burn the paint it bubbled the metal. I sealed it with epoxy so I can keep it forever too bad this is on my Honda Fit. I figured when the car is junk I’m going to cut it out and hang it on the shop wall,” Tristan Smith. (I’m not sure of the location)
You all have a great day!
