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Spring and Summer thread for the Mountains


Met1985

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We are getting hammered right know. Heavy rainfall with cloud to ground lightning. Coming down hard.

 

That same storm hit the mtn top earlier and dumped about 3/4" of rain. Disdrometer readings show it contained a ton of small drops.  Unfortunately NO-XP radar had already shut down for the night but conventional radar showed the storm exploded in intensity due to upslope orographics effects as it approached Waterrock Knob..then it latched hold of the ridge line and followed along the Plott Balsams and then later crossed into the Pigeon River valley where is slowly died.

 

Today should be an interesting day as well.

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That same storm hit the mtn top earlier and dumped about 3/4" of rain. Disdrometer readings show it contained a ton of small drops.  Unfortunately NO-XP radar had already shut down for the night but conventional radar showed the storm exploded in intensity due to upslope orographics effects as it approached Waterrock Knob..then it latched hold of the ridge line and followed along the Plott Balsams and then later crossed into the Pigeon River valley where is slowly died.

 

Today should be an interesting day as well.

Ya Mike was interesting little storm last night that was pretty localized to just about two counties. It went through Jackson then hit Haywood and stopped and just died not getting into Buncombe. Today should be a real treat looking at the radar. Should be pretty active for a good part of the day.

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Yeah guys K values already popping this am around WNC.  Since I post about K values I figured I would explain a tad about what the K index covers.  

 

From NWS:

 

 

K-Index: It is a measure of the thunderstorm potential based on vertical temperature lapse rate, moisture content of the lower atmosphere, and the vertical extent of the moist layer. The temperature difference between 850 mb and 500 mb is used to parameterize the vertical temperature lapse rate. The 850 dew point provides information on the moisture content of the lower atmosphere. The vertical extent of the moist layer is represented by the difference of the 700 mb temperature and 700 mb dew point. This is called the 700 mb temperature-dew point depression. The index is derived arithmetically and does not require a plotted sounding.K-index = (850 mb temperature - 500 mb temperature) + 850 mb dew point - 700 dew point depression

 

The K-index favors non-severe convection, especially heavy rain producing convection. Threshold values vary with season, location, and synoptic situation. The following table shows what various K-indices mean.

 

 

K-index values vs. Airmass Thunderstorm Probability East of the Rocky Mountains

K-index value

Thunderstorm Probability

Less than 20

None

20 to 25

Isolated thunderstorms

26 to 30

Widely scattered thunderstorms

31 to 35

Scattered thunderstorms

Above 35

Numerous thunderstorms
 

 

 

K-indices are also used to determine the potential of flooding. When your K-index is high (above 35), it means that you will likely see numerous thunderstorms develop. If these thunderstorms track across the same area, you may have a various serious flooding situation on your hands.

 

 

 

 

Current K value around the mountains is a widespread 32 at the moment.  You can go to this website here: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/new/viewsector.php?sector=17#  to check K values.  Just pull down the Thermodynamics tab and scroll down to K index.

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Enjoy following this thread.  I make the trip to the high country a couple times a year and for some reason especially in the winter I check Ray's forecast daily.  So now I check this thread the same way.  I have the feeling one day I am supposed to move up that way. 

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Don't know if this was weather related or not but there was a large rock slide in Northern Haywood County that has partially blocked Interstate 40.

 

http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2014/05/30/rockslide-closes-lane-haywood/9757719/

That area has been known for Rock slides. They have had a lot of rainfall through there recently. It has rained everyday this week and the gorge right through there is cut right through a mountain it seems.

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Enjoy following this thread.  I make the trip to the high country a couple times a year and for some reason especially in the winter I check Ray's forecast daily.  So now I check this thread the same way.  I have the feeling one day I am supposed to move up that way. 

Glad you enjoy it. We have a great crew here and the weather is almost never dull. Also a beautiful place to live. One of the best in the world in my opinion. Keep checking in.

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Wow very interesting we have a cell dropping pretty much south from the Haywood/Madison line that is packing a punch with some major lightning and thunder. The mobile radar is out of range right know which is interesting.

Whats funny is that Downtown has had no more than a sprinkle this week! Haha

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That area has been known for Rock slides. They have had a lot of rainfall through there recently. It has rained everyday this week and the gorge right through there is cut right through a mountain it seems.

As state geologists worked on the first landslide hazard maps, the N.C. General Assembly considered several bills to address development on steep slopes. The 2007 Safe Artificial Slope Construction Act (House Bill 1756) would have required local governments to set standards for development on artificially-created steep slopes. The bill also proposed to amend real estate disclosure laws to require notice to a prospective purchaser of location in a landslide hazard area identified on N.C. Geological Survey maps. The bill encountered resistance from some mountain-area local governments as well as realtors and developers and never got out of committee. A 2009 bill (also titled the Safe Artificial Slope Construction Act) took a step back and simply proposed a legislative study committee to look at the need for statewide artificial slope construction standards and disclosure of natural landslide hazards to prospective purchasers. The 2009 bill also failed to get out of committee.

Against this background of resistance to state action on steep slope construction standards and disclosure of natural landslide hazards, the 2011 General Assembly defunded the landslide hazard mapping program. The budget cut eliminated four of the five landslide hazard mapping positions and brought state mapping efforts to an end.

http://www.smithenvironment.com/2014/04/

 

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As state geologists worked on the first landslide hazard maps, the N.C. General Assembly considered several bills to address development on steep slopes. The 2007 Safe Artificial Slope Construction Act (House Bill 1756) would have required local governments to set standards for development on artificially-created steep slopes. The bill also proposed to amend real estate disclosure laws to require notice to a prospective purchaser of location in a landslide hazard area identified on N.C. Geological Survey maps. The bill encountered resistance from some mountain-area local governments as well as realtors and developers and never got out of committee. A 2009 bill (also titled the Safe Artificial Slope Construction Act) took a step back and simply proposed a legislative study committee to look at the need for statewide artificial slope construction standards and disclosure of natural landslide hazards to prospective purchasers. The 2009 bill also failed to get out of committee.

Against this background of resistance to state action on steep slope construction standards and disclosure of natural landslide hazards, the 2011 General Assembly defunded the landslide hazard mapping program. The budget cut eliminated four of the five landslide hazard mapping positions and brought state mapping efforts to an end.

http://www.smithenvironment.com/2014/04/

 

Ya that is a shame. This is a problem around here. People build on the  side of a mountain but have no clue what they are doing then there road is taken out by a land slide. 

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It's been a very beneficial week here along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge...it has rained every day with a total of just under 3 inches for the week

East wind has kicked in this morning producing some overcast skies and drizzle.

Ya this has been a perfect pattern or the garden. We have received rain everyday except today so far. We have picked up about 2 inches so far.

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Ya this has been a perfect pattern or the garden. We have received rain everyday except today so far. We have picked up about 2 inches so far.

 

 

Looks as if our pattern is going to relax for at least a couple days as the lower dewpoints from the Mid Atlantic have slid southwest into the Western Piedmont of NC. After our relative humidity max overnight, it will mix out tomorrow after sunset and the air will be significantly drier, at least here.

Conditions should remain dry until maybe Tuesday or Wednesday.

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Some here may enjoy this:

 

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=pl

 

A free real time lightning detection zoomable map(5 second delay) that dynamically updates on your computer screen. It is in Beta right now.

 

Beyond cool.  If you click the station icon..you can see exactly which stations were used to triangulate the location of the latest lightning strike.  

 

Because it is updated in real time..it is better than radar in fast developing situations.  Looking forward to using it when convection moves back into the mountains.

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Temperatures fell to a nice 47 degrees early this morning.

 

Not bad for early June.

 

 

 

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It was little too cold for my liking in Clayton, lol. Went down to 48 degrees this morning... it make me miss Asheville :)

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Most of the high res models want to bring this derecho into WNC around midnight tonight.  It will be interesting to see if this plays out.  I would love to see it because we need the rain here in downtown.

 

NASA folk will be going full tilt tonight with the hope that a MCS develops and moves into the mountains overnight. Sounding taken this morning..and new soundings will be taken every 3 hours all night long. Aircraft will be deployed. It was be a great opportunity to catch a MCS crashing into the mountains and studying how orographics come into play. 

 

http://www.atms.unca.edu/iphex/rt_iphex_2014.html

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