Monday, December 11, 2017

it's here... (pm.11.dec.17)>

*Update @ 9:30pm...  0.88" (2.2cm) in the rain gauge.  Light to moderate rain continues, with occasionally very gusty winds.

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Moderate rain is falling here at my spot in the upper part of McLeod Ganj just below Tushita and the mountaineering center late this evening.  As of 7:30pm, I had recorded 0.52" (1.3cm) of rain, which is the most in my gauge since the 27th of September, almost two and a half months ago.  There were a few very light showers popping up as early as about 5:00am this Monday morning... but more substantial showers didn't really get going until between about 11:00 and 11:30am.  And that was pretty much right on schedule.

The core of our intense upper-level low pressure circulation/system is moving from Afghanistan into northwestern Pakistan right now, and has been tapping into and drawing moisture northeastward from the Arabian Sea as it approaches.  That warmer and more moisture-laden air slammed into the outer ranges of the Himalayas earlier today, just as the colder air aloft began to move in... and that's been the recipe for this widespread/moderate precipitation development.

The heaviest precip (rain here/snow above) will occur tonight into the first half of tomorrow (Tuesday), with that rain/snow diminishing by the mid-day or afternoon hours.  BUT -- it's going to remain marginally unstable all the way through Thursday, so other rain/snow showers are likely, off and on.

This evening I recorded a low temp of 43.7ºF/6.5ºC, which is the coolest since the 13th of March, in the midst of an unusually cold/wet late winter storm system. Our temps will plunge even further during the next couple of days.


satellite pic -- 8:00pm IST