Wednesday, December 19, 2012

sun and winter fog... (pm.19.dec.12)>

Wednesday's stats:

Early morning low temp: 46.0F (7.8C)
Afternoon high temp: 56.1F (13.4C)
Rainfall: none

It is mostly clear this evening just after sunset... but there has been some fog lurking down the hill just below McLeod.  At around 4-4:30pm, some of it tried to develop here, but quickly retreated.  Otherwise, we had a full day of sunshine today, with a moderate cumulus build-up over the mountains during the afternoon.  Temperatures were cooler than they were yesterday, but just barely -- we're still running slightly warmer than normal.

There are no storm systems anywhere on the weather map, and it looks like that will remain the case through the weekend and even perhaps into the middle of next week.  The flow aloft will continue from the west-northwest, with a stagnant pattern developing in the lower-levels all across northern India.  This, of course, is the season for fog down on the plains, thanks to colder air trapped at the surface by comparatively warmer air in the mid-levels of the atmosphere.  We call this an inversion, and it is the chief feature of wintertime weather across the plains of north India... often wreaking havoc with air travel, and sometimes train travel as well.  So -- despite the expected absence of rain and/or snowfall in the coming days, there will be that fog potential in areas mainly downhill from McLeod proper.

As we get close to the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, the heating potential of the sun is relatively weak.  However, what power it has will be enough to keep this air mass in the near-to-above-normal temperature range right though the five-day forecast period.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
clear skies.  seasonably chilly.
low: 7C (45F)

THURSDAY:
mostly sunny skies.
high: 13C (55F)

THURSDAY NIGHT:
clear skies.
low: 7C (45F)

FRIDAY:
plenty of sun.  pleasant temps for december.
high: 13C (55F)

SATURDAY:
mostly sunny.  unseasonably mild.
morning low: 8C (46F)
daytime high: 14C (57F)

SUNDAY:
a mix of sun and some periods of cloudiness.
morning low: 9C (48F)
daytime high: 14C (57F)

MONDAY:
partly cloudy.  still mild for this time of year.
morning low: 8C (46F)
daytime high: 13C (55F)