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MY HEART-FELT APPRECIATION
My fund-raising campaign ends Friday. I'm less than 200 dollars from reaching my goal. If you use the site and find value in it, please consider a contribution. A yearly $20 gift donation gets you 385 posts. That's just 5 cents a day for Terry's knowledge and experience. Thanks so much to those of you who have already helped the cause!
TO THE MOON AND BACK
We still have a way to go, but spots in my yard are green and growing. Trees are loaded with buds ready to explode into a shade producing canopy. The hearty crocus, are showing their colors too as the annual rituals of spring unfold right before our eyes.
One thing short term that would move the spring transition along would be garden variety thunderstorms. Not only would a warm soaking rain pop the existing buds, the lightning adds nitrogen, a natural fertilizer. Lighting is expected in many areas through Thursday night. Here's the K-index values off the EURO and GFS. The k-index is a measure of thunderstorm potential based on the vertical temperature lapse rate, as well as the amount and vertical extent of low-level moisture needed for adequate instability. You may be surprised to learn that a whopping 16 million thunderstorms form around our planet each year. These storms generate approximately 44 lightning strikes each second. Lightning transforms the nitrogen in our atmosphere into a form which is usable to plant life. Here's what the GFS and EURO indicate for K Index values at 1:00pm. Friday. Anything above 25 is a strong threshold for lightning producing storms.
The GFS K totals
The EURO K-totals, faster, largerr, and further east than the GFS.
Last but not least, here are some rainfall totals suggested by various models.
The GFS
The 3K NAM
THE EURO
THE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER
The Hi-res GEM
Behind this system, cooler air infiltrates the Midwest Friday and Saturday...noticeable drops in temperature are expected. Even with a fall of nearly 20 degrees in the south, readings will remain in the upper 40s north to the low to mid 50s south. Another strong front arrives Sunday, but little if any rain is likely.
With that, I have to stop as my 2nd night of hip surgery is not going as well as the first night. I have significant pain that requires rest and medication. Thanks so much for your understanding! Roll weather...TS
