Tuesday, April 18, 2017

another new high... (pm.18.apr.17)>

Tuesday's stats:

Low temp: 67.5F (19.7C)
High temp: 84.6F (29.2C)
Rainfall: none

It's mostly clear but hazy this evening at sunset, as our temperatures slowly dip after a daytime high which was the new maximum for the month, the season and the year.  Sunshine was plentiful again, though we have been contending with some haze the last couple of days, and also there was a bit more afternoon cumulus development along the mountain peaks than we've seen recently.

The massive high pressure ridge which has been responsible for this early season heat wave across much of the Indian subcontinent is already showing signs of breaking down a bit -- as some slightly cooler air in the higher levels of the atmosphere filters in from the northwest.  This trend will continue during the coming several days, which will lead to a more and more unstable air mass after this streak of almost perfect stability since late last week.  Although temperature aloft are going to be cooling, the lower levels are still unusually warm for this time of year... and with a moderate influx of moisture between now and the weekend, the risk of some isolated to scattered shower and thunderstorm development is going to re-enter the forecast.  We may not get anything impressive at all, as far as rainfall is concerned, but we'll have to start adapting to the possibility of some showers nonetheless.

Atmospheric temperature profiles would suggest a return to mid- late April normals/averages over the weekend into early next week, after this early taste of authentic summertime temps.