CALM BEFORE THE STORMS...

It's finally starting to look like spring around here! The warmth and sunshine is allowing the grass to green up and trees and flowers and starting to bloom. Farmers are out in the fields and we've seen some big improvements in the soil temperatures. Check out the soil temperatures from this past Sunday -

Add plentiful sunshine and temperatures in the 60s and 70s... and by Thursday the soil temperatures went way up -

50 degrees is the number farmers look for to plant and we've done it across Iowa with the exception in parts of the northwestern tip. It will continue to warm up...

It was another dry and warm day Friday but it was a windy one as a cold front passed through. That front is going to usher in some cooler air for the start of the weekend.

I think the numbers are a little low on the GFS above but it is going to be about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Friday. Sunday will be warmer, though!

Once again the numbers are a little low. The weather remains dry through the weekend with high pressure in control..

By Tuesday the Gulf of Mexico opens up - so to speak - and moisture moves on in early next week.

Showers and thunderstorms will increase across the southern and central U.S. starting Tuesday. The Storm Prediction Center is already monitoring next week... Severe storm potential Monday -

Tuesday -

Wednesday -

And according to climatology this is not at all unusual for this time of year.

It has been a slow start to severe weather season but it looks like it will be picking up as we head into May....

RK