Friday, April 29, 2016

stable and very warm... (pm.29.apr.16)>

Friday's stats:

Low temp: 63.1F (17.3C)
High temp: 81.8F (27.7C)
Rainfall: none

After a very rapid warm-up earlier this week, we've lapsed into a holding pattern the last three days, with high temperatures remaining right in the 81-82ºF (27-28ºC) range.  That's on the plus-side of normal for the tail end of April.  It's been another mostly sunny day, though there has been more haze/dust in the air, and we've also had some very thin high clouds at times, along with a tentative build-up of cumulus over the mountains.  Most of that scattered cloudiness has dissipated as sunset approaches this evening.

Gradual warming aloft has been occurring during the past 24 hours, and that warming will translate into the middle and lower-levels of the atmosphere over the weekend.  This is a recipe for general stability, so rain chances will remain quite low, as temperatures rise.  All week long we've been talking about the warmest weather of this new summer season as the weekend arrives, and that still looks to be the case.  Our April-to-May transition will likely feature temperatures well above normal -- closer to the average for about the 20th of May, actually.

It's been interesting to watch the next pattern evolution which is on the way for much of next week.  A large batch of moisture will surge northeastward from the Arabian Sea, as an increasingly disturbed upper-level west-southwesterly flow develops.  That combination is going to increase our risk of at least scattered showers and thunderstorms as early as late Monday, but more likely from Tuesday afternoon into Thursday.  We'll be shaving a few degrees off of our temps during that period as well.

Forecast details, daily stats and other info can be found on tabs up at the top of the page.