a great leap... (pm.02.mar.13)>

Saturday's stats:

Early morning low temp: 52.0F (11.1C)
Afternoon high temp: 66.4F (19.1C)
Rainfall: none

The last time I recorded a temperature as high as 66.4F (19.1C) was on the 1st of November, 2012.  So, it's been a little more than four months since we've enjoyed these kinds of pleasant conditions.  Other than just a few scraggly cumulus clouds which tried to develop over the mountains this afternoon, we had wall-to-wall sunshine today.

It looks like this early springtime air mass may be able to warm up even a bit more during the coming several days, which will take us precariously close to 70F (21C) for the first time since the middle of October last year.  I don't know about you, but I'm still a little disoriented by such a rapid and dramatic leap into this comfortable temperature category.  But -- it's for real, with no regression back to cooler weather expected for at least the next week or so.

A weak upper-level disturbance is expected to slide just to our north across Jammu & Kashmir on Monday into Tuesday morning.  At this point it appears that only an increase in clouds will accompany it, with rain chances remaining minimal.  There could be a more significant storm system on the distant horizon, but it shouldn't begin to affect us until next Saturday at the earliest.  It might not be a great idea to pack up all the winter gear just yet, as March is capable of pulling tricks.

Check the CURRENT FORECAST on the tab above.

decisively warmer... (am.02.mar.13)>

The overnight low temp here in the upper part of town was 52.0F (11.1C) -- so our recent dramatic warm-up is shifting into high gear now.  It is totally sunny again this morning.

I've just bumped up high temps a degree or two, and that may not be enough.  Warming from the surface into the mid- and upper-levels of the atmosphere is happening more quickly and decisively than expected, and looks like it is going to hold firm right through the next several days.  It's quite a shock, really, to be enjoying such a radical turn of events after the wet and cold weather of the last couple of weeks.  Temperatures will rise slightly above early March normals today, and then will likely remain above normal for much of the coming week.

General high pressure from the Arabian Sea into northern India will pretty much hold firm, apart from a very weak disturbance expected to slip by late Monday into Tuesday.  Only a wave or two of mainly high cloudiness should be associated with this little disturbance -- with rainfall potential remaining low.

In case you missed it, updated 5-day forecasts can now be accessed by the CURRENT FORECAST tab at the top of the page.

march beauty... (pm.01.mar.13)>

Friday's stats:

Early morning low temp: 45.5F (7.5C) -- just after midnight
Afternoon high temp: 62.2F (16.8C) -- warmest of 2013
Rainfall: none

We have nearly 100% clear skies this evening at sunset, after an incredibly beautiful day.  March has launched in fine fashion, with sunshine and only a few afternoon cumulus clouds over the mountains, along with temperatures rising to their warmest since the first week of December.  We've waited many weeks for this.

I was concerned this morning that lingering moisture in the air might condense into cloudiness along the front slopes of the mountains this afternoon, but apparently we've finally dried out enough to prevent that phenomenon from spoiling our sunshine.  Much warmer temperatures in the upper atmosphere have also created a more stable situation for us, for the first time in quite a while.

The transformation of our weather pattern from a winter one into a spring one will continue over the course of the next week or so.  Temperatures will continue to moderate from the surface into the highest levels of the atmosphere, while moisture remains at a minimum.  Other than an occasional period of high cloudiness, we should see lots of sunshine over the weekend and into early next week, as temps actually climb a bit above normal for early March.

Extended range computer models are hinting at a storm for next weekend, but that's a long way off... it's better to ignore that for now and savor these pleasant conditions during the next several days.!

The CURRENT FORECAST is on the tab above.

stunning sunshine... (am.01.mar.13)>

We have a stunningly beautiful sunny morning to start the month of March.  My overnight low occurred around midnight -- 45.5F (7.5C) -- but it's already up to 50.4F  (10.2C) as of 7:45am.  Humidity is 40%.

Things are still looking very positive with regard to our warming trend during the first few days of this new month.  The weather pattern is quiet, with a weak west-northwesterly flow aloft and warming underway throughout all layers of the atmosphere.  I'm a bit paranoid about afternoon cloudiness developing here along the front slopes of the mountains, as it's one of those things that is really hard to predict until it starts happening... but we'll at least have a sunny first half of the day.

During the last half of February our temps were below normal on all but just a couple of days, so it's going to be nice to warm up to where we should be for this stage of the early spring season.  It still looks like we're in line for a stretch of pleasantly mild days.

I've decided to move the 5-day forecast to a permanent tab at the top of the page -- CURRENT FORECAST -- where it's easier for me to keep it updated, and so that you don't have to scroll and click around looking for it.!