Tuesday, May 15, 2012

himalayan summer... (am.15.may.12)>

It's a bright and sunny Tuesday morning after a night with generally clear skies and a low of 66.9F (19.4C).  There has been no rainfall during the past 24 hours, and my total for the month of May is only 0.71" (1.8cm) -- well below normal for mid-month.

We're dealing with the same set of variables we've been dealing with for a few days now... very warm air dominating the lower levels of the atmosphere, with occasional weak disturbances drifting through in the upper-level flow.  Other than some thunder early Sunday afternoon, we haven't seen any action recently.  Sunshine has been our dominant feature, and the afternoon clouds developing over the mountains haven't turned into anything particularly threatening.  There is another one of those disturbances moving overhead today... so we'll see if it generates any thunderstorm action.

As the week goes on... continue to expect temperatures running a few degrees above normal for mid-May, along with alternating sunshine and clouds, and that risk of a shower or thunderstorm providing a temporary diversion.  The first IPL cricket match will be at 4:00pm Thursday in Dharamsala, and at this I would put the rain potential at around 30% down there... and more like 40-50% up here in McLeod.

TUESDAY:
sunny this morning.  partly cloudy during the PM with a chance of a period of showers/thunderstorms.
high: 29C (84F)

TUESDAY NIGHT:
an evening thundershower possible... otherwise mostly clear.
low: 19C (67F)

WEDNESDAY:
sunny to partly cloudy and continued warm.  an isolated PM thundershower?
high: 29C (84F)

THURSDAY:
a mix of sunshine and clouds.  very warm, with a chance of a round of thunderstorms in the PM.
morning low: 21C (69F)
daytime high: 30C (86F)

FRIDAY:
sunny to partly cloudy.  an isolated PM thundershower?
morning low: 20C (68F)
daytime high: 30C (86F)

SATURDAY:
a mix of sunshine and clouds.  still very warm.
morning low: 21C (69F)
daytime high: 29C (85F)