Tuesday, April 24, 2012

springtime variables... (am.24.apr.12)>

Stunningly beautiful at sunrise this morning!  We have 100% clear skies, along with mild temperatures to start the day.  I've recorded an overnight low of 61.7F (16.5C), and although there was a lot of lightning to our east last evening, there was no measurable rainfall in McLeod Ganj.

We're in a fairly typical pattern for late April in Himachal Pradesh... lots of morning sunshine, followed by a rapid build-up of cumulus clouds over the mountains during the mid-day, leading to random showers and thunderstorms during the mid-afternoon and evening hours.  I'm expecting that pattern to repeat itself again today, as temperatures continue to warm up at the surface, and lingering pools of colder air aloft drift across the area.  As usual, just keep an eye to the sky if you plan to be away from shelter, and be prepared if you happen to get caught in a thundershower.  Temperatures have warmed quickly during the past 36 hours, after the departure of our weekend weather system... so I'm bumping up temps for the remainder of the week.  We'll likely be back in the vicnitiy of 80F (27C) at some point during the next few days.

With the approach of the weekend comes another more substantial upper-level disturbance (again).  That means we could see more general thunderstorm activity by Saturday...

TUESDAY:
sunny this morning.  partly cloudy this afternoon with a risk of a thundershower.  nice and warm.
high: 26C (78F)

TUESDAY NIGHT:
a thundershower or two in the area before 9pm... then clearing.
low: 16C (61F)

WEDNESDAY:
sunny to partly cloudy and pleasantly warm.  an isolated PM thundershower?
high: 25C (77F)

THURSDAY:
sunshine and a few clouds.  still warm!
morning low: 17C (63F)
daytime high: 26C (79F)

FRIDAY:
a mix of sun and clouds.  risk of a late-day thunderstorm.
morning low: 18C (64F)
daytime high: 26C (79F)

SATURDAY:
partly cloudy with a couple of showers and/or thunderstorms in the area.
morning low: 17C (63F)
daytime high: 24C (76F)