Thursday, September 30, 2010

Great football weather ahead !

Sunny days and clear nights or on tap for at least the next week ! Quite frankly, I can't find a chance for rain here for at least the next two weeks and we certainly could use some ! The only way that we will get any would be from a tropical system in the gulf and so far no reliable computer models are indicating any BUT keep in mind forecasts past about three days can be unreliable so keep your fingers crossed that something will break this very dry weather pattern. Rex

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

TWO more cold fronts on the way !!!

Two more cold fronts are forecast to arrive in the Pine Belt over the weekend. The first will arrive Friday bringing with it cooler temps but by Sunday and even stronger cold front will sweep through bringing with it even cooler temps ! No rain is sight for at least the next week and we will see highs in the 70s beginning on Saturday and lasting into early next week. Low temps will be in the 40s beginning Sunday morning and last into at least Tuesday ! This a good thing because this type of weather pattern protects us from any tropical storms that may form in the gulf or Caribbean but it's a bad thing because we are sorely behind on our rain totals. Things may change by the middle of October according to some of our long range forecast models. Stay tuned ! Rex

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Nice weather to continue !

Sunny days and clear cool nights are on tap for the rest of the week. Another shot of cooler air is forecast to arrive by Sunday and that airmass may even be a little cooler ! Enjoy. A tropical storm is likely to form in the Caribbean today but will pose no threat to us here in south Mississippi. Rex

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fall weather has arrived !

Mostly sunny today with highs in around 89 and under clear skies tonight lows will fall into the mid 50s. For Tuesday into the weekend expect sunny days and cool clear nights with highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s. There is a developing tropical system in the western Caribbean but if it does become a storm it will most likely impact Florida and not our area. Enjoy the weather, looks to be a great week. Rex

Friday, September 24, 2010

A taste of Autumn on the way !

A cold front will bring a good chance of rain to our area by Sunday and that will be followed by cooler and drier conditons beginning on Monday and lasting into much of next week. Highs Monday through Thursday will be in the 80s and lows will range from the upper 50s to near 60. The weather system responsible for the cooler air will likely keep "Matthew" away from our area but could send the storm towards Florida. October is forecast to be an unusually active month for tropical activity this year so down let your guard down just yet ! Have a great weekend ! Rex

Thursday, September 23, 2010

First day of Fall-will cooler weather soon arrive ?

Today is the first full day of Fall and temps are still running well above normal. There are some indications that we are in for a weather pattern change that will send a cold front our way and bring some relief from all of the hot weather that we have seen much of the summer. Temps by next Tuesday and Wednesday are forecasted to be nicer with highs in the mid 80s and lows in the upper 50s by Wednesday morning. Much needed rain is also possible on Sunday and Monday as well. As far as the tropics are concerned, we are expecting "Matthew" to form in the Caribbean sometime during the next few days and many of the computer forecast models indicate that it may enter the Gulf of Mexico by early next week. Will it have any impact on our weather ? It is much to early to tell at this time so my advice is to just keep up on the latest forecasts for the next week. Rex

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Cha-cha-cha-changes !!!!

Finally a break appears to be coming in the stale, hot and dry weather pattern that has dominated the area for weeks. Although rain chances today through Friday are small, as we head into the weekend we will see those chances increase to 30% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday !!!! That's the best chance of rain we have seen in quite some time. High temps on Sunday into Tuesday will also only be in the 80s-and that is a welcome change. Fall offically begins tonight at 10:09 pm !!! The tropics could still pose a problem for us down the line. There is a fairly well organized tropical system in the Caribbean Sea and most models bring it to tropical storm or hurricane strength over the next several days. People from Louisian to Florida- and that includes us-is urged to keep an eye on this potentially dangerous system. I will keep you posted on it's progress. If it does develop as expected- it will named "Matthew". Rex

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Lisa forms well out in the Atlantic-Matthew could be next.

Tropical storm Lisa has formed in the far eastern Atlantic and most likely will never pose a threat to the U.S. mainland but it will be watched for any possible changes. Closer to home there is a tropical disturbance in the eastern Caribbean Sea that does bear watching. Pratically all of the reliable forecast models develop a system in the western Caribbean over the next five days and many bring the system into the Gulf of Mexico. We will have to watch the system very closely becasuse the waters are still very warm and this could turn out to be a rather potent storm. A cool front is forecast to move through by Sunday and we may actually see temps in the 50s Monday night here in our area. Bring on Fall !!! Rex

Monday, September 20, 2010

First day of Autumn arrives Thursday-will it feel like it ?

Fall begins this Thursday, September 23rd but it's certainly not going to feel very much like it. Strong high pressure continues to dominate 0ur weather pattern and will do so for about the next week. There are indications that we may see some change in the overall weather patterns after this week which would result in more fall like weather. As for as rain chances are concerned those don't look very promising either as we will continue to remain mostly dry. We do have a 20% for Friday and a 30% for Saturday-lets hope that holds true ! Rex

Friday, September 17, 2010

18 days and counting !

We have gone 18 days in a row without a drop of rain in our rain bucket at WDAM and it appears there will not be any before mid to late next week at the earliest!! How will this pattern break down ? The computer forecast models indicate that a very strong trough of low pressure will swing through the U.S. next week and the models also indicate the ridge of high pressure breaking down and that should allow at least some moisture return from the Gulf of Mexico. There is also indications that some type of tropical system will form in the western Caribbean Sea next week and will be pulled north by the strong trough of low pressure. If that happens, and where the system makes landfall, will determine if we are going to get some much needed rain from that particular system or we will get some much needed rain from the retreating high pressure that allows for our normal moisture to flow in form the gulf ? We will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep you up to date. Have a great weekend. Rex

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Rain, rain please don't go away !!!!

According to the almanac that we keep in the WDAM-TV weather office, the last time we measured rain was on August 29th-ironically-the fifth anniversary of Katrina ! We have not collected a drop since ! If we make it through today without any rain- of which is probable-that makes 18 days straight!! That is unheard of here in south Mississippi for September ! Normal rain totals average around 4.27 inches and sometimes much more if we are hit with a tropical system ! It may take a tropical system to break this dry spell and some models are hinting at something in the gulf late next week. We don't need a hurricane but we do need some rain because now we are heading into October which is typically our DRIEST month ! Maybe we can get a weak system in here to help us catch up. We will see how it goes next week. Rex

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Dry and hot weather prevails but....

A strong ridge 0f high pressure continues to influence our weather and will do so for about another week. We are really getting dry around here and so far the only rain chances we see are about a 20% chance coming in next Tuesday. Now for the interesting part. Most of the major weather models are predicting that the high pressure ridge will begin to break down next week and several tropical cyclones may actually form in the Caribbean Sea and some are forecast to come into the Gulf of Mexico. What is very concerning here is the fact that the waters are very warm in the gulf and tropical systems must have warm water to maintain themselves. Are we going to be impacted here ? I can't say for certain but I will say that I would certainly keep up on the weather beginning next week. There is some concern that a major hurricane, or possibly more than one, will strike the U.S. mainland before the season is over. As I like to say-Stay Tuned !!! Rex

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

High pressure-good times !

High pressure is very much in control of our weather and will remain so for the rest of the week. Little if any rain if forecast until Monday ! One of the many good things that the high does is to keep any tropical storms or hurricanes away from our area ! Speaking of the tropics, we have Igor and Julia out in the open Atlantic and neither one of the systems will approach the U.S. mainland. One of the draw backs to the high though is the lack of rain so please be careful when burning brush or trash-if that is allowed in your area. In the longer range forecasts, it appears that a pattern change will take place over the next week or so and any tropical cyclones that form in the Atlantic may actually move towards the gulf so please don't let your guard down just yet as far as the hurricane season is concerned. Stay tuned ! Rex

Monday, September 13, 2010

High pressure !!!

High pressure is firmly in control of our weather and will be for the next few days leading to sunny hot days and clear cool nights. As we work towards the end of the work week will note a slight increase in afternoon shower avtivity but those chances appear quite slim at this time. In the tropics, we are tracking Cat 4 Igor, but that hurricane is forecast to recurve and miss the U.S. mainland. We are also tracking tropical storm Julia out near the African coast and at this time that system is forecast to recurve and miss the U.S. mainland but things can change in the upper level weather patterns so it is best to continue to monitor both of those storms. There is a tropical disturbance that is forecast to intensify in the western Caribbean over the next several days but computer forecast models take this storm eventually into the southern gulf keeping it away from our area. So far this season we have been very lucky and let's hope that luck holds out ! Rex

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Igor out in far Atlantic-could Julia be next ?

Tropical Storm Igor continues to roam the far eastern Atlantic this morning and could very well become a strong hurricane over the next week or so but models indicate that it may curve away from the U.S. mainland and never be a problem but never take your eyes off a tropical cyclone ! A new disturbance appears to be getting quickly organized over the extreme southeast Caribbean this morning and it may very well be on it's way to becoming our next named storm of the season and it will be called Julia. Now this system bears watching as it may try to approach the gulf during the next week. We will continue to monitor both of these systems and keep you informed on the latest with them. For us here at home, our weather is being controlled by a strong high pressure ridge and that will keep us hot and dry today and Friday with highs in the mid 90s and lows in the lower 70s. Rex

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hot and dry !

Today through Friday looks rather hot and dry with highs mainly in the mid 90s and lows in the lower 70s. Rain chances are slim to none until Saturday when then rain chances will be set at only 20%. A slightly better chance for showers on Sunday is in the forecast at this time. Highs through the weekend will remain in the 90s and lows in the 70s. As far as the tropics or concerned, we are watching a large tropical wave that is forecast to become a powerful hurricane but it is well out in the far eastern Atlantic and may never pose a threat to the U.S. mainland, but we will continue to monitor it. It's name will be Igor. Some models hint at some type of tropical system developing in the western Caribbean some time next week- but that remains to be seen. Rex

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Hermine in Texas-typical late summer weather for us.

Tropical Storm Hermine is producing heavy rain over Texas this morning but this storm will have little if any effect on our weather. We are going to see rather warm temps for the rest of the week with highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s. Wednesday and Thursday look dry but we will have a chance for mainly afternoon and early evening showers and thunderstorms Friday into the weekend. At this time, none of the reliable computer models are indicating any kind of tropical threat to our area for the next week or so, but I am still keeping an eye on the the remnants of what was once Tropical Storm Gaston as it passes through the eastern Caribbean. There is still an outside chance of redevelopment if it can hold itself together enough to reach the western Caribbean later in the week. Rex

Monday, September 6, 2010

Happy Labor Day !

Our weather for today is going to be great with sunny skies and highs topping out in the lower 90s. Lows tonight will be in the lower 70s. As we work through the rest of the week, a more typical late summer weather pattern will again set up across the area with highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s with an occassional afternoon or early evening shower or thunderstorm. Now on to the tropics. Tropical Storm Hermine has developed in the western gulf and should move into southern Texas by Tuesday. That system should stay well to our west and have little if any impact on our weather. Former Tropical Storm Gaston is still trying to hang on as it approaches the eastern Caribbean and some models do bring it up to a strong hurricane in about five days while other models don't redevelop the system at all. I think the system will develop again and we will have to keep a close eye on it because it may not recurve north like Earl did. Stay tuned and have a wonderful holiday! Rex

Friday, September 3, 2010

Hurricane Free Labor Day Weekend- For Pine Belt !

Much drier and less humid air is moving into the Pine Belt and we are in for a fantastic Labor Day weekend. Highs on Saturday and Sunday will be around 90 and lows by Sunday morning could actually touch the upper 50s ! Labor day itself will be great as well with sunny skies and highs in the lower 90s and lows in the lower 60s. As far as the tropics are concerned, Earl and Fiona will soon be a memory will what was once Tropical Storm Gaston-which has been downgraded to a tropical depression, will continue to track westward towards the Caribbean and it may intensify again it if finds more favorable conditions. The storm will not have an impact on the gulf area this weekend, but if it stays on that general westward track, it may have to be watched closely as we head into next week. But for now, enjoy your Labor Day weekend as it looks great !! Rex

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Earl will actually bring us NICE weather !

Powerful Hurricane Earl will actually force dry air into our neck of the woods over the next several days. We are on the west side of the storm and that is good news for us. Gaston, far out in the Atlantic, is forecast to become a hurricane as it moves slowly west for the next 10-14 days. Will it recurve and miss the gulf coast like the other storms have ? Not sure about that yet. Best thing to do is just keep an eye on Gaston. We have plenty of time to watch it. As for as the Labor Day weekend forecast, we are in great shape with highs in the 90s and lows in the 60s with little if any rain expected. Rex

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hurricane stay east-first fall cold front ?

Hurricane Earl will either hit or roar just east of the east coast later this week but the storm will never have an impact on our neck of the woods. A an unusual pattern change is expected to evolve over the next several days that will bring sunny skies starting on Thursday and lasting into the Labor Day weekend and we may actually see temps fall to the lower 60s by Sunday and Monday morning !!!! A taste of fall -wow ! Let's enjoy it while we can because we are now in the peak of the hurricane season and still have some time to go before we are out of the woods from any future tropical threats. Rex