CAN'T GET ME NO PRECIPITATION
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A SPECIAL MESSAGE, LET'S GET IT DONE
I would like to thank the 289 amazing people who have stepped up to the plate and made a donation to fund the site through this December. In the past year, TSwails had over 600,000 sessions, which breaks down to less than 1 donation per session. If you do not find value in the site or don't have the funds, I understand and still welcome you with open arms. For those of you here daily, who gain knowledge, or make financial decisions based on the information, I ask that you make a reasonable contribution. Every little bit helps. After much deliberation, I've decided that due to the daily commitment of time, money, and hard work, this will be the last year for the site if I can't reach my financial goal. I'm 80 percent there. The future depends on you. Thank you for your consideration and support the past 13 years. T. Swails
HOW DRY I AM, I NEED SOME PRECIPITATION SATISFACTION
We've got ourselves a banner day to close out the work week. Temperatures in most areas will top out in the range of 50-55 with plenty of sunshine. It makes you feel fine on a Friday in February. One thing I will nitpick because it's my job, are the low humidity levels. With dewpoints in the upper 20s to low 30s, humidity levels in my western counties are only around 35 to 40 percent (even worse in SC Iowa where Osceola is at 18% and Lamoni 23%). That indicates another very dry day, something we've seen more than our share of since late Summer.
Below are the rainfall totals around Iowa since August 15th. Parts of NW and SE Iow have had only 4-6 inches in that 6 month period.
In SE Iowa, where amounts on average are heavier than in NW Iowa, that's created rainfall deficits greater than 9 inches in SW Scott County, near Davenport.
That's created abnormally dry soil conditions over all my area, with some spots in Illinois already in moderate drought. With the growing season just around the corner, that is a reason for concern but not alarm. Things can turn around in a hurry in March and April, but you don't want this 6 month trend to last much longer.
This GOES Satellite shows a wet storm entering the southwest but it slides to our south leaving us high and dry Saturday. Behind it another chunk of energy in the Pacific NW drops into the mean trough over the weekend kicking more mild air into the pattern locally. That should get us 55 to 60 Sunday and 58 to 63 Monday.
The record in Moline Monday is 60 and that is very much in jeopardy. The GFS is showing 62 there.
The EURO is right behind with a 60.
After that a developing surface low should swing winds to the E/SE behind a backdoor cold front. The EURO drops readings into the low to mid 50s in most areas Tuesday, with some upper 40s in the far north.
The GFS does not really see the shallow cool nature of the air behind the front and is about 10 degrees warmer with more 60s in the south. I think the cooler EURO has the right idea.
No matter what, we have some mild springlike weather to look forward to through Monday of next week. After that, the pattern gets more active with lots of variation in temperatures likely next week from north to south across my region. We will have a few shots at precipitation the next 2 weeks but so far storm tracks have not shown us to be in an optimal position to recieve much in the way of benefical amounts. We'll have to sort that out day by day next week when we get in closer proximity to the storm track. Meantime, here's what the GFS and EURO are showing for precipitation totals the next 15 days. There's a clear dry slot centered on Iowa.
The GFS
The EURO
Well alright then. Enjoy the remainder of this fine day and roll weather...TS ON A SERIOUS NOTE, IF I CAN'T MEET MY FINANCIAL GOALS, THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR OF THE SITE. IF YOU LIKE THE CONTENT, THE FUTURE IS UP TO YOU. T.S. 80% to my goal.
