Wednesday, January 8, 2014

messy few days... (am.08.jan.14)>

*Update @ 1:55pm... Still nothing very dramatic happening.  We've had some drizzle, sprinkles and brief very light showers in the immediate area since around 12:30pm, but as we enter that 'window of opportunity' for significant precipitation, things have really not kicked off just yet.  Satellite pics show that the brunt of this whole system is running behind schedule, but is still on the way...

*Update @ 11:39am... Snow showers are intensifying up-mountain from us, as clouds thicken and lower.  There have been a few random flakes of snow swirling around in McLeod during the last half-hour or so.

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It is mostly cloudy at sunrise this morning, but there is no rain yet.  I've recorded an overnight low of 41.0F (5.0C), but it is currently up to 43.3F (6.3C).  There's an occasional light breeze, and humidity remains low -- at 35%.

The center of the upper-level circulation associated with our incoming storm system is just now crossing into western Afghanistan, and is still expected to make slow and steady progress to the east -- reaching northern Pakistan by this time tomorrow morning.  There seem to be a few snow showers breaking out along the high mountains during the early morning hours, but this air mass has not moistened up enough to get the showers going here at our elevation yet.  Computer models are showing a rather dramatic outbreak of precipitation all along the north Indian Himalayas within the next 12 hours, so we should be getting some significantly wet weather by this evening at the latest.  The best window of opportunity for moderate to heavy precipitation is still set for mid-day today through mid-day Thursday.

As always, we'll have to keep a close eye on that rain/snow line once precip gets underway.  Most calculations are showing that the temp around McLeod Ganj will drop to around 34.5F (1.4C) once the air mass becomes saturated -- that means the freezing level will be close enough (hovering just above) to allow wet snowflakes to at least mix in with the rain.

Also watching a secondary disturbance which is still scheduled to follow right behind this first one, on Friday into Saturday morning.  The air mass will actually be colder by then, so the risk of a period or two of snow at our elevation is worth keeping in mind.

Follow along for updates today, as I am able to get online... and check the CURRENT FORECAST specifics on the tab above.