Weather Headlines
An unsettled pattern continues
Main threats
Wednesday: Some of the storms could be strong or even severe. Widespread severe weather is not expected. The main threat is gusty winds with any storm. Much of the plateau is now in the MARGINAL RISK for severe weather for Wednesday.
My concern level for these storms is rather low.
Baldwin’s 7-Day forecast
Daily Forecast
Today: Very nice, though there will be an increase to the clouds as we go through the day. Winds will be picking up later in the day, as well. Rain, perhaps some thunder, develops overnight.
Wednesday: Rain and storms are likely. Some of the storms could be strong.
Thursday: Cooler, with showers.
Friday – Saturday: Very pleasant and warm.
Sunday: Clouds will be on the increase and we may even see a shower or storm before dark. Otherwise, the best chance of rain comes in the night hours.
Monday: Just a chance for some showers and storms. Very warm.
Almanac
Yesterday’s National High and Low Temperature
High: 109 degrees Rio Grande Village, Texas
Low: 13 degrees at Peter Sinks, Utah
Difference of: 96 degrees
Wx Hazards Across the Nation
An outbreak of dangerous severe thunderstorms is expected across parts of the Midwest and southern plains. All modes of severe weather are possible. The greatest risk for severe weather will be found across eastern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas.
Records
On this day in 1928 a coastal storm produced a phenomenal snowstorm for the central Appalachians. Snowfall totals were very heavy, at times flirting with the three feet mark across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The winds with the storm unroofed some homes. The combination of heavy wet snow and strong winds did extensive damage to fruit trees.
Weather Trivia
Q: What is the latest date for a frost here on the Cumberland Plateau? (No peaking at my Facebook page! ha)
a. May 3 b. May 16 c. May 28 d. June 3
(Answer at the end of the blog!)
NASA Knowledge
Water is heavy and it’s expensive to take along for space rides. That’s why it is so very important to NASA to find out just how much water is on the Moon. We suspect there’s a lot, but we need to be more sure before the Artemis moon missions begin.
That’s where a certain satellite comes in handy. Only the size of a briefcase, these satellites are called CubeSats. This particular one has a laser that acts like a flashlight and has a unique ability to detect water ice. It will look into the Moon’s darkest and deepest craters, where the sun never shines. It is in these craters that there may be lots and lots of ice. That ice could be mined, purified, and used for drinking water. It could also be used as a fuel source.
“Although we have a pretty good idea there’s ice inside the coldest and darkest craters on the Moon, previous measurements have been a little bit ambiguous,” said Barbara Cohen, principal investigator of the mission at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Scientifically, that’s fine, but if we’re planning on sending astronauts there to dig up the ice and drink it, we have to be sure it exists.”
Pictured below is an artists’ rendition of the mission.
Long Range Outlook
The period of May 3 through May 7 favors normal to below normal temperatures and above normal rainfall.
Temperature
Precipitation
Baldwin’s View-of-the-Day
The map below shows the lack of radar coverage below 6,000 feet. Notice the plateau on this map. This creates challenges sometimes. This time of year, it makes it a bit tricky to spot the weaker tornadoes that may quickly spin-up. In the winter, it poses a challenge when trying to “see” snow on radar that is falling from very low-level cloud cover.
As the radar beam goes out from its site (in our case, Nashville) it goes up in altitude with increasing distance from the radar. For those of us on the plateau, that means the beam is at least 5,000 feet up by the time it gets here.
Answer to Trivia Question
A: (d) The latest frost on the Cumberland Plateau occurred on June 3, 1956. The official low temperature at Crossville that morning was 33 degrees.
I never recommend setting out sensitive plants until at least May 15. Even then, I’d check the forecast!
You all have a great day!
Mark, on the weather hazards map what are the broken dark orange lines? Thanks
Those long broken lines are elongated areas of low pressure, Reb. They’re not quite a front of any sort, but they do represent areas of rising air motion. Sometimes, they do evolve into fronts. In the tropics they can evolve into a tropical system.