Tuesday, July 3, 2012

umbrellas in action... (pm.03.jul.12)>

We have haze, light fog, patchy clouds, and some faint sunshine across the area this evening.  Clouds and some fog developed very quickly early this morning in response to the continuing increase in tropical moisture which is being pumped into Himachal Pradesh; which led to some moderate to heavy showers from the late morning into the mid-afternoon hours.  I recorded 1.20" (3cm) of rain on Tushita Road just below the mountaineering center -- that's a healthy amount of rain for any time of the year.  Humidity averaged in the 85-90% range for most of the day, which, combined with the clouds and rain, held our high temp to just 77.2F (25.1C).

And this is only the beginning.  Computer models have been consistently under-forecasting this advance of monsoon moisture as it surges northwestward along the front ranges of the mountains.  Even deeper tropical moisture -- from the surface well into the mid-layers of the atmosphere -- will continue to move in our direction as the week progresses.  It seems we'll be making up for lost time, as genuine monsoon conditions will continue to arrive, despite the fact that our pre-monsoon season has been totally lackluster.  Expect humidity to thicken even further, which will lead to more clouds, increasing foggy periods, and a better and better chance of heavy rain and some thunder at times.

Every year we go through the frustration of waiting for the IMD (India Met Department) to recognize and acknowledge what is happening up here in the mountains... so I fully expect that we'll be waiting several days until there is a monsoon onset declaration for our area.  But by Thursday or so, that will be only a technicality...

TUESDAY NIGHT:
partly cloudy and humid.  another period of showers or thundershowers possible.
low: 22C (72F)

WEDNESDAY:
a period or two of sun, otherwise mostly cloudy with occasional fog.  a round or two of showers/thundershowers likely.
high: 26C (78F)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
partly to mostly cloudy with some showers and thundershowers around.
low: 22C (71F)

THURSDAY:
mostly cloudy.  periods of fog, rain and thunder.
high: 25C (77F)

FRIDAY:
mostly cloudy and foggy at times.  periods of rain and thunder likely.
morning low: 21C (69F)
daytime high: 24C (76F)

SATURDAY:
mostly cloudy.  occasional fog, rain and thunder still likely.
morning low: 20C (68F)
daytime high: 24C (75F)

SUNDAY:
clouds, fog and a few glimpses of sun.  a couple of periods of rain and thunder likely.
morning low: 20C (68F)
daytime high: 24C (76F)