In effect until 8pm tonight, the Storm Prediction Center has issued the 250th weather watch for all of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, and parts of Vermont, New York and New Hampshire. These storms are initiating along a cold frontal boundary that will sweep through the area today.
These storms will likely produce hail, strong winds, and vivid lighting. So if thunder roars GO INDOORS!
Temperatures in New England are already creeping into the upper 80′s (and even 90 at Boston’s Logan Airport). This is creating an unstable airmass that could produce scattered thunderstorms for the area this afternoon.
All that is needed is a lifting mechanism to trigger these storms. A cold front is typically the culprit in New England summers, but normally it comes from the the west. Today it’s a different story:
This phenomenon, known as a “backdoor” cold front, typically occurs once or twice every year. Why does it happen? Well it is because of an upper level low to the EAST of the area. Normally, these storms move from west to east due to vorticity within the system. However if the vorticity is too weak, the system begins to move slightly from east to west, otherwise known as “retrogression.” Since cold air is located to the west of these upper level lows, cold air is advected over New England.
If the area is unstable enough during a backdoor cold front event (like today) there is a chance for the production of storms that move towards the south or southwest. So while it seems like a nice day now, don’t be surprised if you hear thunder rumbling today.
Last week we had nice spring-like temperatures (60 degree highs) and clear skies. This week it has disappeared, with cloudy / rainy conditions and highs in the 40′s and 50′s. However springtime it’s coming back this weekend, but possibly with a bang. Look at the NAM MOS for this weekend in Laconia, NH:
KLCI NAM MOS GUIDANCE 4/23/2009 1200 UTC
DT /APR 23/APR 24 /APR 25 /APR 26
HR 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 06 12
N/X 35 67 47 82 57
TMP 49 49 46 43 39 37 42 54 63 67 60 52 50 48 55 69 79 81 75 61 61
DPT 32 32 33 33 31 30 31 26 24 24 31 37 41 42 45 48 49 49 52 54 54
CLD OV OV BK CL CL CL CL CL CL CL CL CL CL BK BK CL CL CL CL FW BK
WDR 26 28 25 24 26 25 25 26 27 25 21 22 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24
WSP 18 17 12 13 08 04 09 10 08 09 03 02 01 02 04 06 11 11 04 03 10
P06 25 2 4 3 2 5 8 7 10 8 3
P12 7 3 12 16 19
Q06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Q12 0 0 0 0 0
T06 0/ 0 1/ 0 3/ 0 0/ 0 0/ 2 0/ 0 0/ 0 3/ 2 10/12 2/ 1
T12 2/ 0 3/ 0 1/ 2 3/ 2 16/12
SNW 0 0 0
CIG 6 6 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
VIS 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
OBV N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
That’s right, 82 degrees for a high temperature this saturday. So it looks like summer is coming a little early
The day after the Superbowl is one of the most depressing days in the sporting year. Football fans (like myself) are stuck with only hockey and basketball for a few weeks. But as spring nears our spirits are lifted by two things: March Madness, and Red Sox opening day
Tomorrow the Red Sox begin their 2009 Season as they play at Fenway Park against an opponent now worthy of being called a “competitive” team: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This rematch of the ALCS will be exciting, as Josh Beckett takes the mound at approximately 2pm tomorrow to start a 3 game series.
Unfortunately that 2pm starting time may not be exact, as a low pressure system will creep up the east coast and bring rain into the area. It should start around noontime, and persist and get heavier throughout the day. We may see a rain delay turn into a rain out. Tuesday looks more promising, and with no game scheduled that day, we may see the game rained out til Tuesday.
And remember, if it does get rained out, I am not liable for anything, so dont yell at me 
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This question was asked last week by a Cleveland reporter (source). He asked if the service provided by the National Weather Service should be free, as privatized companies, such as Accuweather, WSI, and The Weather Channel, provide a paid service. Granted he supports the NWS, and provides emphasis on that support in this week’s article. However my view on this issue can be best highlight by this comment by WEATHERFAN:
“WEATHERFAN: Hmm, interesting proposition – shut down the National Weather Service and let commercial, fee-based forecasting companies take over. Now, if you shut down the NWS, there’d be no more weather ballons, no more satellites, no more radar systems, no more DOPPLER radar, no more ASOS (oops, now its gonna affect the FAA). No more free data to the world. Will Accuweather put its own satellites into the atmosphere, send up its own weather ballons, and build its own Doppler system? …”
Let’s enhance this argument by looking at just some of Accuweather‘s products:
- Forecast: Based on either the NAM or GFS model, provided by NCEP, which is part of NOAA
- Radar: Based on a network of WSR-88D radars run by the National Weather Service and Radar Operations Center, which is part of NOAA
- Maps -> Satellite: Based on the GOES Satellite run by NESDIS, which is part of NOAA
- Maps -> Surface: Based on an analysis provided by the HPC, which is part of NOAA
- Extreme Weather-> Severe Weather Center: Based on analysis provided by the Storm Prediction Center, which is a part of NOAA
- Extreme Weather -> Hurricane Center: Based on analysis provided by the National Hurricane Center, which is a part of NOAA
DID I MENTION THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS PART OF NOAA TOO!?!?!?
So why go to a website that has ads and the ability to get “High Definition” radar (no such thing by the way), where you can go to www.weather.gov and get everything from there for FREE! Plus you don’t have to pay 10 bucks to find out there’s a tornado near your house.
Here’s the kicker. Why would we pay for a service that claims they can do 15 day forecasts? Just because it can be done, doesn’t mean it should be…
6 HOUR GFS FORECAST
384 HOUR GFS FORECAST
I wouldn’t trust it would you? Apparently Accuweather does, and they want us to pay for it.
