Headlines
The wettest year on record for the Cumberland Plateau comes to an end
An unsettled pattern sticks around a while
Strong winds possible Friday
Next week to start off pleasant
Meteorologist Mark’s Vlog in a Flash
I changed up the format a bit today for the vlog. I hope you like the changes!
48-Hour WX
Seven-Day Forecast
Daily Forecast Summary
Today: Showers likely and mild.
Friday: Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Windy. Any storm that develops could produce a damaging wind gust.
Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy. Scattered showers possible overnight.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a chance for morning showers.
Monday – Tuesday: Mostly sunny and mild.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy.
Threats
A powerful storm system will be situated to our west on Friday, producing very gusty winds across the region. A few thunderstorms are possible ahead of the cold front Friday afternoon and evening. Any of these storms could tap into some of this wind energy and produce a damaging wind gust. Atmospheric instability is weak, so widespread severe weather is not expected. That threat increases just a bit across the western half of Middle Tennessee (ie Nashville area). If anything changes I’ll let you know.
Meteorologist Mark’s Severe Wx Concern
On This Day in Wx History
1927- A cold front drops the temperature at Nashville a remarkable 56 degrees — from a high of 58 to 2 degrees the following day.
2018- Crossville ends the year with a total of 74.88″ of precipitation — its wettest year ever recorded. We broke that record just two years later in 2020.
Special Note
Two years ago we finished out 2018 with the most rainfall we had ever measured on the Cumberland Plateau in a single year. We measured 74.88 inches that year. Now, just two years later, we have broken that record. We currently have 75.32″ and counting. I’ll have more on this in a future blog post.
Almanac
Yesterday’s National Temperature Extremes
High: 90° at Falcon Lake, Texas
Low: -50° at Antero Reservoir, Colorado (this made national news)
Today’s National Wx Hazards
Severe thunderstorms threaten Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southern Alabama today. All modes of severe weather are possible. Flooding is the greatest risk threatening eastern Texas to southern Arkansas. Freezing rain is producing ice storm conditions from western Texas to Oklahoma, then eastward to southern Illinois, Indiana, and northern Kentucky. The freezing rain transitions to heavy snow for parts of western Texas, where several inches could fall. Meanwhile, another storm system brings more snow to the Rockies.
Tomorrow’s National Wx Hazards
A large swath of freezing rain can be found from Kansas to the Northeast. What a mess! The ice is expected to be heaviest across southern Indiana, southern Ohio and northern Kentucky.
Weather Shots
The deadly Cookeville tornado back in March tops my list of most memorable weather events of 2020. The twister struck in the middle of the night, claiming 19 lives in Putnam County. The supercell that produced the tornado began west of Nashville and traveled over 200 miles, producing devastating twisters along the way. This was the worst tornado in Putnam County history.
NASA Nerdology
For many, including myself, seeing Comet Neowise over the summer was the best of the astronomical events of 2020. I’ll never forget venturing out one morning before dawn and seeing it in the northeastern sky. Between the comet and the view of that sky it was almost breathtaking. Later on, the comet became more visible in the evening sky. What a sight we were all treated to!
