Saturday, January 11, 2014

progressive pattern... (pm.11.jan.14)>

Saturday's stats:

Low temp: 37.0F (2.8C)
High temp: 49.1F (9.5C)
Precipitation: none

We had a lot of cloud development along the mountains during mid-afternoon, and it is still mostly cloudy just after sunset this evening.  There was plenty of bright sunshine during the first two-thirds of the day, however, which delivered the warmest high temp since Monday at my location in the upper part of town.  Humidity varied between 35% and 55% today.

There is some major temperature realignment going on throughout all layers of the atmosphere, and that's responsible for the cloud cover in the vicinity of the mountains this evening.  As a rather steep (but short-lived) ridge of high pressure builds over northwest India, temperatures are warming rapidly in response.  We're already getting back to normal for January, and may average out a few degrees above normal during this coming week.

At the same time, a very progressive jet stream pattern is going to steer a few weak disturbances across the western Himalayas during the next several days, so that's going to keep things from being totally dead calm.  The first disturbance will arrive late Monday into Tuesday, and could stir up a few light rain showers as it moves through.  More ripples and wiggles aloft will float across the area toward the end of the week as well -- so although we'll see some sun, periods of clouds and the risk of a fleeting shower are not out the question.  It's not a super-stormy mid-winter pattern, but it's not totally uneventful either.

Check the CURRENT FORECAST info for the next five days on the tab above.