East of the Rockies Latest Topics

October 2026 Observations & Discussions

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 15:55:49 +0000

Wow..we are approaching Halloween and as we transition deeper into autumn, the long-range models are currently hinting at a strongly active month driven by a strengthening El Nino as you all know. FWIW: Ensembles are showing a significant winter-like pattern change by months end. Euro and GFS long range are seeing a strong cold front pushing deep into the SE and Eastern US with much colder air. Perhaps some snow for some on Halloween? Usually thats the case for some during a very strong El Nino pattern. Discuss and share your thought.....

Fall/Winter 2026-2027 Discussion

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:17:31 +0000

With the football season starting, it is time to start the fall/winter 2026-27 discussion.

Tropical Season 2026

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:51:22 +0000

Tropical Depression Two has formed in the Gulf. It's expected to slowly move northwest, and then west as it accelerates. Current NHC forecast shows TD2 as a tropical storm within the next 24-48 hours. It's still very early, and the eventual path isn't set in stone, but if it does manage to come to Southeast Texas we would be looking at impacts on Thursday/Friday: abc13.com/tropical update

2026-27 ENSO: Return of El Nino?

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:57:35 +0000

It's that time of year again. Time to look forward to see what the following season will bring. After the 2023-24 el nino (which was the 3rd strong or super el nino in the 21st century, joining 2009-10 and 2015-16), are we headed towards another el nino in 2026-27?

September 2026 Observations and Discussion

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:09:53 +0000

Well, hard to believe we are already putting meteorological summer behind us. September begins the transition to Fall, at least in theory, as it is not necessarily looking like a cool type of month for much of the central and eastern US. On the northern fringe of the hotter air, there should be periodic storm/severe chances running through parts of the Midwest and perhaps into the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic at least for the first week of the month, with details tbd of course.

Central + East Coast Sports Talk and Banter

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:25:24 +0000

This is for anyone in the central US to the east coast. Talk about any sport as much as you want!

August 2026 Observations and Discussions

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:51:09 +0000

For August at Grand Rapids, Michigan the 30 year average mean is 71.1 the month starts out with a H/L of 82.4/62.6 on the 1^st and ends the month with a average H/L of 78.4/58.6 on the 31^st the 15 year average has the average H/L starting out at 83.5/63.1 on the 1^st and down to 79.3/58.8 on the 31^st The 15 year average mean is 71.4 The 30 year average rainfall is 3.55” and the 15 year average is 3.65” At Grand Rapids the warmest mean for August is 77.1 set in 1947 the warmest in the last 25 years is 75.2 in 2010. The coldest mean for August at Grand Rapids is 65.0 set in 1992. In the last 25 years the coldest august was 70.5 in 2004. The wettest August at Grand Rapids is 8.46” that fell in 1987 the dryest is 0.13” way back in 1899 in more recent years August 1969 only had 0.14” of rainfall. The highest temperature for any day in August is 102 set on August 6, 1918 it last reached 100 on August 3^rd, 1964, and on August 5^th and 6^th 1947. In the last 25 years the hottest day in August at Grand Rapids was 96 on August 1^st, 2007. The record low for August is 39 set on August 30^th, 1976. In the last 25 years the coldest low for any August is 45 set on August 31^st, 2009. In the last 25 years the warmest August was in 2010 with a mean of 74.9 the highest reading that August was 93 on the 29^th there were 4 days of 90 or better. The low for the month was 51 on the 27^th The coolest August in the last 25 year was in 2004 with a mean of 66.1 that is -5.0 below average. The highest reading that month was 88 and the lowest reading was 46 there were 4 days with highs below 70. Last year the mean temperature here in Grand Rapids was 70.2° the highest reading for the month was 92° the lowest for the month was a cool 44 30 days had highs of 70 or higher.

So, it is now time to set back and see how August 2026 plays out.

Official Weather Complaint Thread

Sun, 20 Dec 2015 01:58:16 +0000

Put any banter discussion or complaint about the weather in here you wish to. Keep it out of the other threads.

Southeast iowa

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:11:45 +0000

Anyone have an unusual area that seems to block rain away? I do. In my small part of southeast iowa

July 2026 Observations & Discussions

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 04:13:58 +0000

Wow, time is sure flying by. It just seems like yesterday was the 1st day of the new year and now it is late June and Tuesday with be the 1st of July. At Grand Rapids July in most years is the warmest month of the year. That was not the case in 2009 when both June and August were warmer. In 1947, 1900, 1937 and 1959 August was warmer than July. In the case of 1947 August was much warmer that year July had a mean of just 69.1 but August had a mean of 77.1.

The average 30 year mean at Grand Rapids is 72.8 with 3.86” of rain fall. The average H/L is stable at 82.8/61.7 on the 1st and 82.5/62.6 on the 31st. The warmest days on average are between the 9th and the 16th with a average H/L of 83.4/62.7. The 15-year average is warmer with the average mean being 73.5 with the daily average H/L of 82.8/62.0 on the 1st and 83.6/63.2 on the 31st the warmest days are between the 15th to the 22nd with a average a H/L of 84.3/63.6. The 15-year average July rain fall is 3.84”. The warmest means for July are 79.7 in 1921. 79.2 in 2012. 78.7 in 1916. 78.1 in 1901. 77.3 in 1936. Honorable mention goes to 2011 with a mean of 77.0. The coldest means for July are 67.1 in 2009. 67.2 in 1992. 68.1 in 1950. 68.2 in 1996. And 68.4 in 2014. The driest Julys are 0.40” in 1934. 0.46” in 1934. 0.54” in 1898. 0.56” in 1951 and 0.66” in 1930. There has been a total of 13 years when less than 1” of rain fell at Grand Rapids, the last time was in 1976. The wettest Julys are 1992 with 8.83”. 1950 with 8.42”. 1994 with 80.7”. 1912 with 7.47” 1917 with 6.91” honorable mention goes to 2006 with 6.90”. The record hottest day was 108 on July 13, 1936, it was also 106 on July 12th that same year. A high of 104 was recorded in 2012 and 1934 for the hottest days ever recorded at Grand Rapids. On average there are 5 days of 90 or better in July with the most being 18 in 2012 there have been 12 years of 0 days of 90 or better in July the last time was July 2021. On average there are 11 days of 86 or better in July with the most 27 in 2012 and 1921. In 2009 and 2000 there were no days of 86 or better. The record low for July is 41 on July 6th, 1983. Over the years it had gotten down into the 40’s in 75 Julys. The last time that happened was in 2005. Last year the mean at Grand Rapids was 75.0, that was a departure of +2.2,there 6 days of 90° or better the highest for the month was 93 and the lowest for the month was 56, there was 2.62” of rainfall.

Here are some top 5 July’s

The warmest July’s

79.7 1921

79.1 2012

78.7 1916

78.1 1901

77.3 1936

Coolest

67.1 2009

67.2 1992

68.1 1950

68.2 1996

68.4 2014

Wettest

8.83 1992

8.42 1950

8.07 1994

7.47 1912

6.17 1916

Driest

0.40 1934

0.46 1939

0.54 1898

0.56 1951

0.56 1930

So it will soon be time to set back and see how July 2026 plays out.

June 2026 Observations and Discussion.

Thu, 28 May 2026 22:26:36 +0000

Meteorological summer will likely kick off with some excessive heat for the upper Mississippi Valley. Hopefully any drought that develops will get wiped out rather quickly when a more active pattern and western trough should develop late June or early July.

Spring 2026 Discussion

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:23:26 +0000

It is time to kick off a new thread for spring discussion. It feels like we are in transition, as the -ENSO/-PDO regime is coming to end. Are we heading towards an el nino, a flip to +PDO, or both?

May 2026 Observations and Discussion

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:13:49 +0000

Firing up May!

North Texas is looking at beginning May with thunderstorms. Highs 68-71.
Rain chances 60%.

April 2026 Observations and Discussion

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:57:29 +0000

Will April Showers bring May flowers??? I think many already across the Plains and Midwest have seen some May Flowers pop out and got scared from the cold a week ago. Who's might be welcoming in some April Fool's and Easter Weekend Snow? Who's going to relish in warmth and storms??? I got a good feeling about a big change for the Southern Plains next week and especially around Easter weekend. As we flip the calendar into April, I think @Andiemust have done a rain dance bc the chances for rain/storms are showing up on the 1st of April. Is this a trend starter for whats coming down the piper??? I believe so.

Let's discuss as I believe this will be a very active month of weather. Oh, for those of you across the north...Ya, Ol' Man Winter ain't letting go to quick just yet. The models are all suggesting a -EPO that'll drive the troughs into the Intermountain West and eject out into the Plains setting the stage for some atmospheric Fireworks.

0z Euro...Good look for the CO Rockies...Let it Snow???

Fall/Winter 2025-2026 Discussion

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:08:38 +0000

It is time to kick off a new thread for fall/winter discussion for the coming winter. We will probably be looking at a 2nd year La Nina, albeit very weak. It will be central based this time. QBO and IOD both look to be negative. PDO is raging negative, though will probably be coming up some into fall and winter. I am not big on solar, but it's near max or slightly descending from max.

Share your thoughts on this thread!

March 2026 Observations & Discussion

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:15:04 +0000

If the GFS and EURO have any clue, this will be one of the wettest March's of all time

Bonkers pattern with a storm every few days for the first couple weeks of March

Winter Storm: 3-15 - 3-16 Potential

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:12:40 +0000

All models very consistent in showing a big band of snow somewhere in the Midwest for Sunday/Monday

Heaviest band in all models is at least 1-2 feet of snow and some even higher than that. I believe the storm made landfall today so we should hopefully get some good data over the next day or so

Discuss the storm here (GFS/ICON maps below) Icon is about halfway through the storm

February 2026 Observations & Discussions

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:58:13 +0000

OK, so I was excited to start this thread a little early because signs are pointing to a very rough month with lots of snow & bitter cold to continue for some/most on here. February will mean business and honestly, it could be a colder/snowier month than January. Potential is there for some "Big Dogs." Lets discuss.....

Tropical Storms & Hurricanes

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 14:31:19 +0000

7/7/24

Tropical Storm Beryl-
Rain bands capable of producing some localized flooding are possible on Sunday, along with the chance for a few tornadoes. As the storm moves on shore Monday morning, heavy rain and tropical storm force winds will be possible across the area, especially for locations west of the City of Houston. Rain totals averaging five to 10 inches are possible, with locally higher amounts. The most significant rain totals are expected during the day on Monday. The rain will be intermittent, but localized and intense tropical bands moving north from the Gulf will be the primary concern for flash flooding during the day. As a result, NOAA has placed areas from Houston and points west under a level 3 out of 4 for flash flooding risk on Monday.

February 25-27 Snow Job

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 21:29:39 +0000

Currently have some reasonable general agreement on a decent system rolling through. It's more of a Pacific system than a clipper, so it could have a somewhat respectable amount of moisture. Looks like enough cold air for snow on the northern end. Discuss.