Friday, June 22, 2012

juicier air... (am.22.jun.12)>

The sun is shining through a fairly thick layer of haze early this Friday morning.  There are pockets of higher humidity around the area, and I've recorded an overnight low temp of 75.0F (23.9C).  The only rainfall in the past 24 hours has been a few sprinkles yesterday during the mid-afternoon.

It's pretty easy to tell that our air mass is becoming more moisture-laden.  Although the leading edge of the monsoon remains well to our south and east, waves of more humid, tropical moisture are surging northward in advance of its eventual arrival.  During the next few days, we'll be watching to see just how much moisture will be able to edge northwestward along the front ranges of the mountains... perhaps bringing us some pre-monsoon downpours, which we've only experienced once or twice thus far this season.  The high pressure ridge which has kept us unseasonably warm and dry is still expected to break down over the weekend, according to computer model data.  It will be interesting to see just how dramatic of a change that will bring in.

The temperature trend will be generally downward over the course of the next five days or so, thanks to increasing humidity, clouds and shower potential.  But, as I mentioned yesterday, the increase in humidity may negate any benefit we would expect from lower temps.

FRIDAY:
hazy sun, with some clouds developing as well.  a PM thundershower?
high: 32C (89F)

FRIDAY NIGHT:
an evening shower or thundershower possible.  otherwise partly cloudy, warm and rather humid.
low: 25C (77F)

SATURDAY:
a mix of clouds and sun.  more humid, with a chance of a shower or thundershower.
high: 30C (86F)

SUNDAY:
periods of both sun and clouds.  good chance of a thundershower or two.
morning low: 23C (74F)
daytime high: 28C (83F)

MONDAY:
both clouds and sun.  rather humid, with a good chance of a couple of showers and thundershowers.
morning low: 22C (71F)
daytime high: 27C (81F)

TUESDAY:
partly cloudy and muggy.  a shower or thundershower in the area.
morning low: 22C (71F)
daytime high: 27C (80F)