May 2011 general discussion/obs thread

[Indystorm]

Sunday afternoon May 29 I drove near Lakeville IN south of South Bend and was diverted to county roads because of downed trees blocking divided U.S. 31. Went through North Liberty IN west of Potato Creek state park and noticed trees and power lines down. Some rather large trees were totally uprooted in town. Good swath of svr straight line winds in the area. Had to dodge downed debris on county roads numerous times.

[tmagan]

22Z Observations [Dewpoint, SLP, Streamlines]

[Tropical]

Torch! Finally. 90 today, loving it. Let's keep this going to Halloween!

[cyclone77]

bottom of your running shoes melt?

Luckily there was a nice breeze. Also kept the damn gnats away lol.

Hit 90 here. Still pretty warm out there at 80.

[hm8]

I love how DTX has mentioned that tomorrow could require a heta advisory in there past like 5 AFDs, but they haven't issued one yet...no one has the cojones...

[wisconsinwx]

Torch! Finally. 90 today, loving it. Let's keep this going to Halloween!

Just about a 60 degree swing in "feels like" temperature in the last four days. Thursday, wind chills were in the mid 30s at times in the morning, even until noon, and today heat indices were into the low to mid 90s.

[michsnowfreak]

DTW hit 89 for 3 hours today, but no intra-hour 90F. I HATED the way it felt outside today. But IMO, since 90F+ is the main stat for summer heat, today is just another also-ran, like so many 88-89F days weve suffered through (with nothing to show) in years past. Oh, 80F-89F days are statistical worthy, but they are to summer stats what snowcover days are to winter stats, the runner up to the most-important stat (snowFALL is the key stat in winter, 90F+ days the key stat in summer). Actually, I always feel like an 89-90F day is a lose-lose. If we only hit 89F, I feel gypped because we had to suffer through the nasty heat and didnt get to rack up a 90F day...and if it hits 90F, I feel its a cheap way to rack up a 90F day, as it seems like anymore all we can hit in a much-touted heatwave is 90-93, with the occasional 94-95...whereas in decades past we would quite frequently hit the 95-99F range (by quite frequently I mean a few times most years), with the occasional 100F. I know, I know, crazy me lol

[Stevo6899]

DTW hit 89 for 3 hours today, but no intra-hour 90F. I HATED the way it felt outside today. But IMO, since 90F+ is the main stat for summer heat, today is just another also-ran, like so many 88-89F days weve suffered through (with nothing to show) in years past. Oh, 80F-89F days are statistical worthy, but they are to summer stats what snowcover days are to winter stats, the runner up to the most-important stat (snowFALL is the key stat in winter, 90F+ days the key stat in summer). Actually, I always feel like an 89-90F day is a lose-lose. If we only hit 89F, I feel gypped because we had to suffer through the nasty heat and didnt get to rack up a 90F day...and if it hits 90F, I feel its a cheap way to rack up a 90F day, as it seems like anymore all we can hit in a much-touted heatwave is 90-93, with the occasional 94-95...whereas in decades past we would quite frequently hit the 95-99F range (by quite frequently I mean a few times most years), with the occasional 100F. I know, I know, crazy me lol

hahah I hear ya. We are all weather enthusiasts here but this post puts you on another level and qualifies you to be a nerd. Good thing is your right at home.

[Chicago Storm]

Monday, May 30th:

Hi: 88F

Lo: 60F

Overall Sky Conditions: Mostly Clear

Max Wind Gust: 17MPH

Rainfall: 0.00"

[michsnowfreak]

hahah I hear ya. We are all weather enthusiasts here but this post puts you on another level and qualifies you to be a nerd. Good thing is your right at home.

True thing. My friends know Im into weather and measure snow, but they dont know the half of it. I sort of keep the extreme nerdiness confined to here, and my personal library of weather papers and folders. Alhough, my parents know how nerdy I am with it, and I find that my dad, brother, and especially mom will be interested in stats of where something ranks (ie snowy winter, wet spring), and mom is always asking "how much rain did we get" or "how much snow did we get"

[on_wx]

Today is the 26th anniversary of the Black Friday Tornado Outbreak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_United_States-Canadian_tornado_outbreak

[SpartyOn]

DTW hit 89 for 3 hours today, but no intra-hour 90F. I HATED the way it felt outside today. But IMO, since 90F+ is the main stat for summer heat, today is just another also-ran, like so many 88-89F days weve suffered through (with nothing to show) in years past. Oh, 80F-89F days are statistical worthy, but they are to summer stats what snowcover days are to winter stats, the runner up to the most-important stat (snowFALL is the key stat in winter, 90F+ days the key stat in summer). Actually, I always feel like an 89-90F day is a lose-lose. If we only hit 89F, I feel gypped because we had to suffer through the nasty heat and didnt get to rack up a 90F day...and if it hits 90F, I feel its a cheap way to rack up a 90F day, as it seems like anymore all we can hit in a much-touted heatwave is 90-93, with the occasional 94-95...whereas in decades past we would quite frequently hit the 95-99F range (by quite frequently I mean a few times most years), with the occasional 100F. I know, I know, crazy me lol

We need an emotion for an " Ice Puss.y "

Hit 90 here! Not that it matters though for records purposes. Ill have to check what PTK clocked in at yesterday.

[Powerball]

I love how DTX has mentioned that tomorrow could require a heta advisory in there past like 5 AFDs, but they haven't issued one yet...no one has the cojones...

Yeah, that was funny too. We finally got a marginal one though.

Today we'll have better mixing but 850-925mb temps will be cooler and thickness values will be lower, so the highs may not be too different after all. TWC (lol) was calling for 94*F, but they've backed down to a more realistic 90*F-91*F.

Just to give a idea of how unusual this type of heat is now, the record yesterday at Metro Airport was 93*F and today's record is 95*F.

[OHSnow]

Yeah, that was funny too. We finally got a marginal one though.

Today we'll have better mixing but 850-925mb temps will be cooler and thickness values will be lower, so the highs may not be too different after all. TWC (lol) was calling for 94*F, but they've backed down to a mroe realistic 90*F-91*F.

Just to give a idea of how unusual this type of heat is now, the record yesterday at Metro Airport was 93*F and today's record is 95*F.

No. Those are threaded records for the Detroit Area, including earlier data from Downtown Detroit and City Airport. The records at Metro Airport (period of record 1958 to 2011), per NowData on the NWS website, were 92 and 93 respectively.

[Powerball]

No. Those are threaded records for the Detroit Area, including earlier data from Downtown Detroit and City Airport. The records at Metro Airport (period of record 1958 to 2011), per NowData on the NWS website, were 92 and 93 respectively.

I see what you mean.

Officially however the older records still stand for Detroit, regardless of where they were observed. If you visit the local climate page at the NWS site and look up Detroit's it says yesterday's record was 93*F in 1942. Then in this morning's discussion it says 95*F was today's record in 1895. That's pretty much what I meant by Metro Airport (Detroit) if that was the misunderstanding, since it's now the official observation site for the city.

However, if you completely ignore the pre-1958 records then those records you listed I believe are from 1987, because City Airport also had a record high of 92*F May 30th of that year.

[Powerball]

We're already at 80*F.

[SEMIweather]

We're already at 80*F.

79/68 here FTW.

[michsnowfreak]

Yeah, that was funny too. We finally got a marginal one though.

Today we'll have better mixing but 850-925mb temps will be cooler and thickness values will be lower, so the highs may not be too different after all. TWC (lol) was calling for 94*F, but they've backed down to a more realistic 90*F-91*F.

Just to give a idea of how unusual this type of heat is now, the record yesterday at Metro Airport was 93*F and today's record is 95*F.

Eh, I really wouldnt call this weather THAT unusual. I mean, records have been 89F+ on 24 of the 28 days since May 4th.

[SpartyOn]

Eh, I really wouldnt call this weather THAT unusual. I mean, records have been 89F+ on 24 of the 28 days since May 4th.

Correct. Look at last year as an example of early heat.

[michsnowfreak]

No. Those are threaded records for the Detroit Area, including earlier data from Downtown Detroit and City Airport. The records at Metro Airport (period of record 1958 to 2011), per NowData on the NWS website, were 92 and 93 respectively.

All records for Detroit go as follows:

Nov 1870 thru Mar 1966: Detroit (1870-1931 various locations in downtown Detroit, all in close proximity to each other, and 1932-1966 at Detroit City Airport

Apr 1966 to present: Romulus (Detroit Metro Airport, aka DTW).

For official/records purposes, all daily record precip/snow/temp and the chance of breaking them currently is based on DTW. So if DTW breaks a record set in 1920, it doesnt matter that the 1920 record was set in Detroit and the 2011 record set in suburban Detroit. Everyone once in a while you'll get one of those things (Im totally making this data up for an example...). The record for the date will be 93F set in 1954. Detroit City Airport will hit 93F on this current day in 2011, but DTW will only hit 92F, Although technically the same place hit 93F in 2011 as did when the record was set in 1954, for all intents and (records) purposes, it is the DTW reading and only the DTW reading that counts. FWIW, though KDET still does report temps and precip, it does not and has not reported snowfall since the early 1970s, only the occasional special notation during a significant snowfall, and the temp/precip sensors arent manned as well as they are at DTW, allowing for occasional error or M data.

Most places in the country actually have had their stations moved around over the course of 100+ years, so not that uncommon.

[SpartyOn]

All records for Detroit go as follows:

Nov 1870 thru Mar 1966: Detroit (1870-1931 various locations in downtown Detroit, all in close proximity to each other, and 1932-1966 at Detroit City Airport

Apr 1966 to present: Romulus (Detroit Metro Airport, aka DTW).

For official/records purposes, all daily record precip/snow/temp and the chance of breaking them currently is based on DTW. So if DTW breaks a record set in 1920, it doesnt matter that the 1920 record was set in Detroit and the 2011 record set in suburban Detroit. Everyone once in a while you'll get one of those things (Im totally making this data up for an example...). The record for the date will be 93F set in 1954. Detroit City Airport will hit 93F on this current day in 2011, but DTW will only hit 92F, Although technically the same place hit 93F in 2011 as did when the record was set in 1954, for all intents and (records) purposes, it is the DTW reading and only the DTW reading that counts. FWIW, though KDET still does report temps and precip, it does not and has not reported snowfall since the early 1970s, only the occasional special notation during a significant snowfall, and the temp/precip sensors arent manned as well as they are at DTW, allowing for occasional error or M data.

Most places in the country actually have had their stations moved around over the course of 100+ years, so not that uncommon.

^^^^^^ Impressed by your ability to look back on weather records. Prehaps you should submit your resume to DTX. Someone needs to fill William (Bill) Deedler's spot as weather historian/climo expert.

[Powerball]

Eh, I really wouldnt call this weather THAT unusual. I mean, records have been 89F+ on 24 of the 28 days since May 4th.

Well they are records for a reason.

In comparison to the average highs it is pretty unusual.

[michsnowfreak]

Correct. Look at last year as an example of early heat.

You can find a whole bunch of oddities/quirks in local weather lore. Look at the daily records. May 14-18, for 5 consecutive days, the record highs (91, 92, 92, 93, 93) stand from the year 1962. A 5-day heatwave in mid-May? Must have been a horrendous summer, right? Nope, summer not only was slightly cooler than normal overall, but from May 19th onward only 4 more days hit 90F all year, all 4 of those 92F or less, so total on the year was 9 days which is below normal.

[michsnowfreak]

^^^^^^ Impressed by your ability to look back on weather records. Prehaps you should submit your resume to DTX. Someone needs to fill William (Bill) Deedler's spot as weather historian/climo expert.

Thanks It comes from years of having done research, collected data. I have contact with Deedler and the NWS as a coop observer anyway, I just dont know if they can actually afford to someone just to fill that spot of climate historian. What Im thinking is, whoever is there will use the daily records to write monthly writeups, etc, and Im sure theyll do an ok job. They just wont have near the knowledge Bill (or I) had

[SpartyOn]

Half empty Half full with temp statistics. Not a climo expert but I do understand that early heat waves in mid spring shouldn't give you hints on Summer forecasting. Better to look at the pattern as a whole. An example would be this monster Ridging taking place ATM and how it resembles allot of what we had this time Last Year. Deedler kinda hinted at this in his blog without making a bold comparison..

http://weatherhistor...-in-summer.html

[michsnowfreak]

Well they are records for a reason.

In comparison to the average highs it is pretty unusual.

Trust me, Im hating this weather and theres certainly no denying it is above normal (+15F or so). But starting today, daily records start their stretch of 95+ which, save for 2 exceptions (93, 94) in June, will continue til mid-late September. Thats not to mention how many days may have also just missed the record in years past. So when you are talking missing the record by 3, 4, 5+ degrees...its well above normal, but really not that unusual.

[Powerball]

Trust me, Im hating this weather and theres certainly no denying it is above normal (+15F or so). But starting today, daily records start their stretch of 95+ which, save for 2 exceptions (93, 94) in June, will continue til mid-late September. Thats not to mention how many days may have also just missed the record in years past. So when you are talking missing the record by 3, 4, 5+ degrees...its well above normal, but really not that unusual.

Well I'm not really worried about missing the record (it would be a plus no doubt, but certainly not the deal breaker).

Relative to average this is just not typical weather for this time of year. But even then being 3-5 degrees close to a record high when you're already +15 degrees above average still gives you a idea of how truly warm it is, and that it won't happen very often.tt

[SpartyOn]

LOL.

The heat haters crack me up.

[SpartyOn]

I will say it was an active month for severe in Lower Mi. Especially the final couple of weeks. Wasn't a shock given how active the pattern has been since Feb.

What will June hold for us?

[OHSnow]

All records for Detroit go as follows:

Nov 1870 thru Mar 1966: Detroit (1870-1931 various locations in downtown Detroit, all in close proximity to each other, and 1932-1966 at Detroit City Airport

Apr 1966 to present: Romulus (Detroit Metro Airport, aka DTW).

For official/records purposes, all daily record precip/snow/temp and the chance of breaking them currently is based on DTW. So if DTW breaks a record set in 1920, it doesnt matter that the 1920 record was set in Detroit and the 2011 record set in suburban Detroit. Everyone once in a while you'll get one of those things (Im totally making this data up for an example...). The record for the date will be 93F set in 1954. Detroit City Airport will hit 93F on this current day in 2011, but DTW will only hit 92F, Although technically the same place hit 93F in 2011 as did when the record was set in 1954, for all intents and (records) purposes, it is the DTW reading and only the DTW reading that counts. FWIW, though KDET still does report temps and precip, it does not and has not reported snowfall since the early 1970s, only the occasional special notation during a significant snowfall, and the temp/precip sensors arent manned as well as they are at DTW, allowing for occasional error or M data.

Most places in the country actually have had their stations moved around over the course of 100+ years, so not that uncommon.

Well, I'm just pointing this out because the earlier records may not be representative of today. It's a proven fact that downtown weather stations tend to run 2 or 3 degrees warmer than other stations. I mean Detroit in 1930 was nothing like it is today -- it was a burgeoning metropolis of 1.5 million people, with numerous auto factories working around-the-clock. All of the buildings and roads would have absorbed lots of heat (and cities didn't have trees and green spots like they do today to mitigate this effect) -- it was literally a concrete jungle. Plus all of the factories would have spewed a lot of heat. I don't think it's fair to compare records taken in a city of 1.5 million with those taken in a small town of 20,000 persons in the middle of a field at the airport.