Updraft: June 12, 2009 Archive

Storm Chase finale

Posted at 7:18 AM on June 12, 2009 by Craig Edwards (0 Comments)

The latest indepth field study of tornado formation is about to close out this weekend. The caravan of scientists with their Doppler on Wheels and research equipment departed out of Norman, Oklahoma more than a month ago. Their most successful tornadic episode was in Lagrange, Wyoming.

Tornado captured on video by The Weather Channel

Despite the fact that we received some welcomed precipitation this past week, we are still running about fifty percent of normal moisture since the first of Mach in east central Minnesota. Our gardens and pastures need about an inch of rain per week to recharge the soil moisture during the growing season. We also need some growing degree days, where the temperatures soar into the 80s in the heat of the day and stay above 55 degrees overnight.

Our rather dry weather pattern will be interrupted only by small amounts of rainfall during the next forty-eight hours. Showers will be most likely in far northern Minnesota.

Looks to be a much better weekend for outdoor celebrations than last weekend. Ready to celebrate at run at 80 degrees for Sunday afternoon?

CE

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Rain south now; sunny weekend ahead

Posted at 3:04 PM on June 12, 2009 by Paul Huttner (0 Comments)

Twin Cities doppler radar shows a band of rain tracking through southern Minnesota Friday afternoon.

The sky looks like rain at the Huttner Weather Lab today. But the doppler and the forecast models say it will stay south. For once, I wish they were wrong.

The hose is running a trickle on my yellowing spruce trees again today. That's just one of the visible signs that the drought continues, even after over an inch of rain in the past week.

A weather system tracking through Iowa this afternoon and tonight is brining rain again to the I-90 corridor and down I-35 into much of Iowa. They already had over 3 inches of rain in those parts of southeast Minnesota this week. The rich get richer, as they say.

The rain and clouds will slide east of Minnesota by morning, setting us up for what looks to be the best weekend so far this "summer" season. Weak high pressure will drift across the region Saturday, brining us one of those classic June days. Look for plenty of sun, a few puffy white fair weather cumulus clouds against a stunning blue sky and temperatures in the mid to upper 70's.

Sunday looks equally spectacular, with plenty of sun and temperatures pushing 80 by 4pm Sunday afternoon. There is only the slightest chance of an isolated shower or storm this weekend. A weak disturbance may push a better chance for some South Dakota showers and storms in this direction Sunday night or Monday.

If last weekend was a "1" on a scale of 1 to 10, this weekend should be a "10."

Get out and enjoy!

PH

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