Saturday, April 1, 2017

Rain, Rain, Does Not Go Away

We've seen quite a few low pressure systems track into our area from the southwest, and we're looking to see more of that once we get into next week.  What's causing this?  The polar jet (the red line) is dipping into the southern plains and then moving northeastward through our area.  Low pressure systems, and thus storms, track along the jet because there is a mixing of cold and warm air along where the polar jet tracks, as well as a good amount of instability.  This helps to fuel low pressure systems.  Along with that, all the lows are developing in the southern plains because the polar jet is crossing with the subtropical jet (the green line).  The subtropical jet separates drier air from more humid air, and when this jet collides with the polar jet, we get a mix of cold air, warm air, and moisture mixing together.  This is the perfect recipe for thunderstorm development, and is also why many low pressure systems have developed in the southwest.  More of these are expected next week, the first bringing rain on Monday, and the second bringing rain late Tuesday night and thunderstorms on Wednesday.

We do have a chance for rain tomorrow afternoon, but this will only be a light rainfall.  However, despite all the rain coming up, temperatures do stay in the upper 50°s and low 60°s to start the work week.  We cool down into the 40°s for Thursday and Friday as the low that'll bring the thunderstorms on Wednesday will track east on Thursday and Friday, channeling colder air into our area, but we warm right back up into the 50°s after the low moves further east on Saturday.

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