Monday, October 14, 2013

gradual improvements... (pm.14.oct.13)>

Monday's stats:

Low temp: 58.8F (14.9C)
High temp: 66.2F (19.0C)
Rainfall: none

It is mostly clear just after sunset this evening, which was a very beautiful one, I might add.  We had full sunshine until about 10:30am, and clear skies this evening -- but in between, there was a lot of cloud development over the mountains which exploded during the late morning, and held on throughout most of the afternoon.  Even with all of that mid-day cloudiness, there was no shower development that I am aware of, so a totally dry day will be logged in the record books.

I have to say I was a bit surprised and disappointed with the degree of cloud development right along the front slopes of the Dhauladhars today.  This is one of those micro-climate features that is never picked up on by the computer models, and something that we can never really gauge until it starts happening.  If there is the slightest trace of moisture lingering here along the mountains, it tends to translate into mid-day or afternoon cloud development very easily -- even if it remains mostly sunny just downhill from us.

That's why we'll have to be a bit conservative and cautious as this progressively drier air arrives this week.  Despite the dry west-northwesterly flow that continues to develop, causing the moisture content of the air to drop even further, the mainly PM cloud development will remain a wild card that we'll have to monitor on a daily and almost hour-by-hour basis.  As far as temperatures are concerned... right now they are quite close to normal for the middle of October, with no dramatic shifts in either direction expected during the next several days at least.

Keep track of the CURRENT FORECAST on the tab at the top of the page.