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Florida 2011 Spring & Summer Wet Season Part II


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Yesterday morning had to be one of the most uncomfortable days I ever had in Florida. At 10AM yesterday it was 81 degrees with 94% humidity and a DP of 78. I really think you could have cut it with a knife. The heat doesn't bother me but man yesterday for the first time in a long time I just had to say wow. About noon some nice storms came through and brought things back to respectability.

Curious to see what happens off the SC coast the next few days.

My kind of weather.:lol:

Haven't had any rain the last 2 days , so I am hoping the next few days bring some storms. I will be watching the SC Coast this week-end and keeping my fingers crossed.

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That would be a Toad Strangler huh?

Turtle, any specific place you go to review accurate and up to date precipitation amounts ?

You could always try COCORAHS. They are all ground truth stations so accuracy is pretty high. It's free to join but if you want to report your rain data you have to buy a cylinder rain gauge. I think mine was $23 with shipping.

Also FAWN network has rain totals.

http://fawn.ifas.ufl...ata/graphic.php

Never been a big fan of the radar derived precip estimates. Just using my location as an example they really aren't that close. Just kind of a broad brush estimate.

http://www.cocorahs.org/

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You could always try COCORAHS. They are all ground truth stations so accuracy is pretty high. It's free to join but if you want to report your rain data you have to buy a cylinder rain gauge. I think mine was $23 with shipping.

Also FAWN network has rain totals.

http://fawn.ifas.ufl...ata/graphic.php

Never been a big fan of the radar derived precip estimates. Just using my location as an example they really aren't that close. Just kind of a broad brush estimate.

http://www.cocorahs.org/

Thanks ocala and ironic you mentioned the rain gauge! I have the standard tube but am wondering if anybody has the wireless versions that store data with self emptying containers? Products that meet NWS criteria for accuracy?

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Thanks ocala and ironic you mentioned the rain gauge! I have the standard tube but am wondering if anybody has the wireless versions that store data with self emptying containers? Products that meet NWS criteria for accuracy?

Yep I have one of those too. The rain gauge that comes with it is the tipper version. Self emptying as you said. They are nice but not too accurate. It took me most of one day just to calibrate it and I actually got it to 01-03 of the tube gauge, but that's with a general rain. The problem is with heavy rain. It vastly under reports. That's just the way they are, nothing you can do about it. I think the NWS uses an 8 inch diameter rain gauge as their official gauge but they cost a bunch.

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Thanks ocala and ironic you mentioned the rain gauge! I have the standard tube but am wondering if anybody has the wireless versions that store data with self emptying containers? Products that meet NWS criteria for accuracy?

Here is a link to the wireless rain gauge I have and I love it. I am not sure though if it meets NWS criteria for accuracy.

and

http://www.drugstore...97-971782e6aab9

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Yep I have one of those too. The rain gauge that comes with it is the tipper version. Self emptying as you said. They are nice but not too accurate. It took me most of one day just to calibrate it and I actually got it to 01-03 of the tube gauge, but that's with a general rain. The problem is with heavy rain. It vastly under reports. That's just the way they are, nothing you can do about it. I think the NWS uses an 8 inch diameter rain gauge as their official gauge but they cost a bunch.

I was checking one out today that claims it is certified in accuracy by the NWS .... and it was not cheap. I will post it a bit later!

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Here is a link to the wireless rain gauge I have and I love it. I am not sure though if it meets NWS criteria for accuracy.

and

http://www.drugstore...97-971782e6aab9

This one is on my list. Oregon Scientific! I really like the price vs features. Then I got into some much higher priced products that advertise NWS certified for accuracy. So, is it really THAT important to pay for this when the model you have and I have researched is probably pretty close. Heavy rainfall that ocala mentioned as being a factor in under reporting is interesting and I wonder if the higher priced products with NWS backing have similar issues.

Anyway, I have a nerdy urge to be able to report very accurate numbers and the NWS reporting stations are not nearly close enough to me to even look at given the way precip can vary from mile to mile in FL.

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This one is on my list. Oregon Scientific! I really like the price vs features. Then I got into some much higher priced products that advertise NWS certified for accuracy. So, is it really THAT important to pay for this when the model you have and I have researched is probably pretty close. Heavy rainfall that ocala mentioned as being a factor in under reporting is interesting and I wonder if the higher priced products with NWS backing have similar issues.

Anyway, I have a nerdy urge to be able to report very accurate numbers and the NWS reporting stations are not nearly close enough to me to even look at given the way precip can vary from mile to mile in FL.

I also looked at the higher price ones that claim are accurate and I decided to try the OS one out first before spending the extra$$. It seems to be pretty accurate but like Ocala said I suspect in a very heavy rain it does under report. It doesn't seem to be a big enough of an issue for me to spend the extra $$ on the models that claim to be NWS accurate.

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Looks like some pretty good rain chances over the week-end for Florida. Keeping an eye also to that stalled frontal boundary around Florida. NWS Melbourne AFD from this afternoon.

THE MAIN FORECAST FEATURE WILL BE A LOW

PRESSURE SYSTEM WHICH MODELS DEVELOP BY SUNDAY. MODELS DISAGREE ON

THE POSITION OF THE WEAK LOW..CURRENTLY PLACING IT ANYWHERE FROM

WELL OFF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST TO OVER THE BAHAMAS. WILL KEEP

AN EYE ON THIS FEATURE FOR INCREASED MOISTURE AND HIGHER RAIN

CHANCES SUNDAY AND INTO NEXT WEEK

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I also looked at the higher price ones that claim are accurate and I decided to try the OS one out first before spending the extra$. It seems to be pretty accurate but like Ocala said I suspect in a very heavy rain it does under report. It doesn't seem to be a big enough of an issue for me to spend the extra $ on the models that claim to be NWS accurate.

One day this week it rain pretty hard for about 10 minutes. The weather station gauge (tipper) measured 1.14. The tube gauge mounted 6 inched away measured 1.33. A couple other days it was just a light rain and both were just about the same.

Now with wind driven rain like a TS both are at a disadvantage. I guess that's why the NWS goes for the bigger opening.

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One day this week it rain pretty hard for about 10 minutes. The weather station gauge (tipper) measured 1.14. The tube gauge mounted 6 inched away measured 1.33. A couple other days it was just a light rain and both were just about the same.

Now with wind driven rain like a TS both are at a disadvantage. I guess that's why the NWS goes for the bigger opening.

Cool insight ocala ... I am pondering as the geek in me wants more than my test tube in the ground.

I have a bonafide strangler just west of me and it is not moving anywhere, dumping big rains so radar says and is a joyless visual of vivid lightening arrowheadsmiley.png

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One day this week it rain pretty hard for about 10 minutes. The weather station gauge (tipper) measured 1.14. The tube gauge mounted 6 inched away measured 1.33. A couple other days it was just a light rain and both were just about the same.

Now with wind driven rain like a TS both are at a disadvantage. I guess that's why the NWS goes for the bigger opening.

Hmm.. that's interesting.. I may just have to buy a tube and fine out how much difference there might be in my wireless unit. On another note GFS in the 18Z run still hinting at a low flirting with the Florida east coast.:thumbsup:

http://mag.ncep.noaa.gov/NCOMAGWEB/appcontroller?prevPage=Model&MainPage=indexℑ=&page=Param&cycle=07%2F15%2F2011+18UTC&rname=UPPER+AIR+PARMS&pname=850_vort_ht&pdesc=&model=GFS&area=NAMER&cat=MODEL+GUIDANCE&fcast=Loop+All&areaDesc=North+America+-+US+Canada+and+northern+Mexico&prevArea=NAMER&currKey=model&returnToModel=&imageSize=M

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Cool insight ocala ... I am pondering as the geek in me wants more than my test tube in the ground.

I have a bonafide strangler just west of me and it is not moving anywhere, dumping big rains so radar says and is a joyless visual of vivid lightening arrowheadsmiley.png

I was about to mention the radar is lighting up with activity and the eastern part of the state is getting some nice toad stranglers.

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Hmm.. that's interesting.. I may just have to buy a tube and fine out how much difference there might be in my wireless unit. On another note GFS in the 18Z run still hinting at a low flirting with the Florida east coast.:thumbsup:

http://mag.ncep.noaa...el=&imageSize=M

I was going to suggest you buy a gauge. When I got mine a couple years ago I was surprised to find the tipper was way under reporting. Even in light rain. Thankfully it can be adjusted but it took a while to do it.

Jville also hinted about something forming with this front. Hey it's mid July. We need some kind of tropical action.

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I was going to suggest you buy a gauge. When I got mine a couple years ago I was surprised to find the tipper was way under reporting. Even in light rain. Thankfully it can be adjusted but it took a while to do it.

Jville also hinted about something forming with this front. Hey it's mid July. We need some kind of tropical action.

The more I have thought about it, has convinced me to buy a tube gauge. Where did you get your Tube at?? As for the low developing, models have been all over the place with any develpment but the GFS has shown the East Florida skirting low now for the last couple of runs. Maybe the GFS is on to something,It will give me something to watch this week-end.:lol:

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No toad stranglers today, but water levels are starting to get kinda high here surprisingly. It sounds like the amazon outside, lots of toads/frogs running around. Mosquito patrol is going to conduct aerial spraying early today to prevent the mosquitoes from reaching plague levels.

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The more I have thought about it, has convinced me to buy a tube gauge. Where did you get your Tube at?? As for the low developing, models have been all over the place with any develpment but the GFS has shown the East Florida skirting low now for the last couple of runs. Maybe the GFS is on to something,It will give me something to watch this week-end.:lol:

If you go here http://www.cocorahs.org/ there are links on the right side of the page for gauges.

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Widespread reports of 3-4 inches from yesterdays rain in the Orlando area. Would not be surprised if there were some isolated areas that had over 5".

The worst part was that the storm really intensified around rush hour. Street flooding was common in the Conway area of Orlando. The storm caused some structure fires due to intense lightning and water leaks and damage to a few homes in my local neighborhood. Below is a picture of my wall.

leak.jpg

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Widespread reports of 3-4 inches from yesterdays rain in the Orlando area. Would not be surprised if there were some isolated areas that had over 5".

The worst part was that the storm really intensified around rush hour. Street flooding was common in the Conway area of Orlando. The storm caused some structure fires due to intense lightning and water leaks and damage to a few homes in my local neighborhood. Below is a picture of my wall.

leak.jpg

Whoaaa!!! man that's messed up.. That stinks about your water damage :(

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Widespread reports of 3-4 inches from yesterdays rain in the Orlando area. Would not be surprised if there were some isolated areas that had over 5".

The worst part was that the storm really intensified around rush hour. Street flooding was common in the Conway area of Orlando. The storm caused some structure fires due to intense lightning and water leaks and damage to a few homes in my local neighborhood. Below is a picture of my wall.

leak.jpg

Wow! That stinks man. I feel for ya. I remember back in 04 when the hurricanes came through there were some subdivisions in Orlando area that had the same problem but that was from wind driven rain. Hopefully your damage isn't too bad.

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