Monday, April 2, 2012

a new high... (pm.02.apr.12)>

There are still billowing clouds over the mountains as we approach sunset this evening, other than that it's mostly clear.  Today turned out to be the warmest of the year... with a high temp of 79.2F (26.2C) on Tushita Road in the upper part of Mcleod Ganj.  I've recorded no rainfall... but we did have some thunder rumbling in the mountains during the mid-afternoon.

The mountain thunder was evidence of the changing dynamics of our air mass during the past 12-24 hours or so. Although it is still very warm from the surface into the mid-levels, the upper-levels are cooling a bit, and that has been setting the stage for increasing instability.  Warmer air rising into the cooler air aloft condenses into cumulus clouds... and can grow further into cumulonimbus (thundershowers)... which is what we saw happening this afternoon.  Our chances of significant rainfall remain questionable (unfortunately), but at least the pattern is favorable for this random shower and thunder action off and on through the coming week -- especially during the afternoon and night time hours.

The balance during the coming few days will still tip in favor of sunshine, while temperatures remain a few degrees above normal for early April.  We're really getting spoiled by this unseasonably warm weather... which makes it feel more like the latter half of April.  No major cooling trends anticipated in the near term...

MONDAY NIGHT:
risk of a shower or thundershower in the vicinity before midnight... otherwise partly cloudy and very mild.
low: 18C (65F)

TUESDAY:
both sunshine and some clouds.  a passing thundershower possible.  still warm!
high: 25C (77F)

TUESDAY NIGHT:
a thundershower?  otherwise partly cloudy.
low: 17C (63F)

WEDNESDAY:
partly cloudy and warm.  isolated PM thundershower?
high: 24C (75F)

THURSDAY:
a mix of sun and clouds.
morning low: 17C (62F)
daytime high: 24C (75F)

FRIDAY:
partly cloudy with a risk of a PM thundershower.
morning low: 17C (63F)
daytime high: 24C (76F)

SATURDAY:
sunshine and some clouds at times.  remaining warm...
morning low: 17C (63F)
daytime high: 24C (76F)