May 2020 Observations and Discussion

[St Paul Storm]

Hunker down! How did you fair?

The cell had some decent rotation and then quickly fell apart. I never even saw any lightning although plenty of thunder in the distance. Now it’s just pouring buckets. The sirens got my blood pumping for a few minutes though. I totally wasn’t expecting it.

[Niko]

Ground is dry here and there are no puddles. When it passed, it looked like my place got split to both the East and West on radar. I live West of Toledo.

I've been getting zilch so far.....still waiting for a severe t'stm to occur. Other than that, the weather here has been gorgeous.

 

Get ready for a big cooldown. I would not be surprised, if frost advisories are put up by the weekend for some.

[Niko]

Attm, its crystal clear and muggy w temps at 72F.

[Minny_Weather]

I've been getting zilch so far.....still waiting for a severe t'stm to occur. Other than that, the weather here has been gorgeous.

 

Get ready for a big cooldown. I would not be surprised, if frost advisories are put up by the weekend for some.

Wish it was gonna get cold enough for frost here. Carpenter bees are making themselves comfortable in my stairs.

[St Paul Storm]

Here’s a time lapse video of the tornado warned cell here earlier. Good stuff.

 

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1265458920362999809/pu/vid/480x360/oslRIZNGX6ZM7As4.mp4?tag=10

[snowstorm83]

GFS doesn't have us getting out of the 50s on Saturday. Yikes for basically June. Euro is much warmer with around 80 or so. Then the GFS falls back in our favor by early next week since it has only mid 80s vs. low 90s on the Euro. 

[Stormy]

There are warnings popping up south of Cedar Rapids, but these cells are tiny. Most locations likely won't get much.

Yeah this week most of the cells are pretty small and I could visually see that all around me. I prefer tall storms that amount to something, but not necessarily severe. The storm that hit here this afternoon was very briefly kind of intense, lasting barely a minute. Max wind gust was 45 mph from the east blowing the rain in sheets. Only 0.17” of rain from two small cells with some lightning/thunder from the first severe warned storm at 2:00pm. Storms were moving nnw!

[Stormy]

Looks like there are currently two active tornado warned cells in Central Iowa, looks like things are getting going a bit out there. Hopefully you can score a decent storm out your way Hawkeye and other eastern Iowa peeps.

 

The steady rain from this morning into early afternoon has now come to an end here, I just dumped out 2 1/2 inches of rain total from the storm system, from Friday until today. It's a humid but still kind of chilly 65 degrees here, while socked in with plenty of clouds (it would be hard to believe it's late May without looking at the calendar). Things are going to green up nicely around here once the clouds clear and things warm up a bit.

 

Yes it was only in the 60°s in western Iowa today which is kind of hard to imagine since it hit 84° here the last 2 days and was very muggy.

[westMJim]

Yesterday West Michigan had a record high tied at Grand Rapid 90 and a new record high set at Muskegon also 90. The average 1^st 90 day at Grand Rapids is June 18 and at Muskegon it is July 3^rd And it is the earliest first 90° at both locations since 2012. It looks like the official overnight low at GRR will be 67 if that holds until midnight it will be the 7^th warmest minimum for any May 27^th The current temperature here at my house is 70 with a DP of 63.

[Tom]

Looks like PHX is on track to set an all-time record here in the month of May, whereby, there have only been 1 or 2 occasions that the temp has reached 110F+ and the forecast suggests multiple days starting Friday.  #BreakTheRecord #DesertHeat

[Tom]

Here’s a time lapse video of the tornado warned cell here earlier. Good stuff.

 

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1265458920362999809/pu/vid/480x360/oslRIZNGX6ZM7As4.mp4?tag=10

Very cool video!  The rolling and swirling clouds looked ominous.  I'm actually yearning to see some legit thunderstorms.  The Monsoon season may get off to an abnormally early start early next week around the 4 corners region so I may get a chance to see some massive thunderheads develop over the mountains to my east.

[St Paul Storm]

Very cool video!  The rolling and swirling clouds looked ominous.  I'm actually yearning to see some legit thunderstorms.  The Monsoon season may get off to an abnormally early start early next week around the 4 corners region so I may get a chance to see some massive thunderheads develop over the mountains to my east.

Where are you at out there? My mom lives in Surprize, northwest of PHX. She’s becoming increasingly annoyed with the early-season heat there. I was visiting a few years ago during monsoon season and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen it rain as hard as it did during one of the storms.

[westMJim]

Had 0.43" of rain here. With mostly cloudy skies the current temperature here is 76 with a DP of 70. 

[westMJim]

I just got back from a short 30 minute walk. I left with cloudy skies but this sun came out and it is now warm and very humid. The current temperature is 84 with a DP of 75. According to my weather station that is good for a heat index of 90

[Tom]

Where are you at out there? My mom lives in Surprize, northwest of PHX. She’s becoming increasingly annoyed with the early-season heat there. I was visiting a few years ago during monsoon season and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen it rain as hard as it did during one of the storms.

I'm out in Fountain Hills which is in the northeast part of the valley which is exactly due east of Surprise (NW Valley).  Yes, there are people complaining about the heat because it is very early to see so many 100's this month.  Last year on Memorial Day, we had a high of only 79F after what was an abnormally cool May.  I remember how comfortable the weather was and how active it had been.  

 

I love the Monsoon season out here.  Like you said, even though we are in a desert climate, when it rains here during the Monsoons it literally pours sheets of rain out of the sky with very large rain drops.  We may get a taste of the later next week in the high country.

 

 

Last May...

 

[Tom]

Incredible reversal in SST's across the equatorial PAC.  I don't think I've seen such a drop or rise in the span of 40-45 days.  From Nino to Nina in a little more than a month.

 

 

[Hawkeye]

This entire week of active weather has been a dud here.  Once again, today, much of the action has missed me.  When it's mostly widely-scattered tiny cells, you have to get lucky to get much.  It's ok, though, because I'm still planting the garden and I don't want soggy soil.

[snowstorm83]

Just saw that this has been the cloudiest May on record in Omaha. Not surprised at all. It hasn't even been that wet but there's been so many days that have just been cloudy for no reason which is pretty unusual outside of Nov-March. 

[Minny_Weather]

Clouds actually kept the temperature at bay today. 83.3*F. One more day in the 80s tomorrow before the cooldown begins, and the rain will make us struggle to get into the 80s.

[westMJim]

This afternoons heavy rain storm dropped 1.20" and I am now up to 1.63" for the day. The temperature here is now down to 69.

[Stormy]

A few more small showers here this afternoon and evening. Just under 0.20" so far today. A few rumbles of thunder to my nw. A band of some heavy showers should work through eastern Iowa tomorrow as a cold front finally pushes on through. Wouldn't be surprised to see a few 2"+ rainfall amounts in spots.

[Niko]

Attm, 75F under sunny skies. No storms! Hopefully we get a couple of severe t'stms as the CF approaches. After that, Canadian air dominates for the weekend w a ton of sunshine. Jacket weather for sure at night w temps falling into the 40s and 30s at some spots (my area might be one of those locations that sees those frosty 30s).

[Niko]

TS Bertha slams S. Carolina w hvy rains today w wind speed at 45mph. Now downgraded to a TD-30mph.

[james1976]

Pretty amazing how the rain fell apart right as it got to my backyard. I did get a quick shower and some sprinkles but that's it. I'm totally fine with it though cuz I was able to mow the lawn and try out my new charcoal grill!

[Hawkeye]

A band of some heavy showers should work through eastern Iowa tomorrow as a cold front finally pushes on through. Wouldn't be surprised to see a few 2"+ rainfall amounts in spots.

 

Yeah, the HRRR and NAM are pretty bullish for the CR/IC area in the morning.  Could this be my first 1" rainfall of the year?

[Niko]

Looks like Bertha's moisture might clip my area w a few scattered showers as if moves inland and northward towards Virginia and NE of OH.. I think most of the hvy stuff stays way east.

[westMJim]

I had what might have been a small but very heavy rain storm come thru yesterday afternoon. Here at my house I recorded 1.72″ of rain for 3 rain events yesterday. At this time it is cloudy and 67 here with a DP of 64.

[Stormy]

Flash flood watch is in affect for my area. DVN talking up heavy rain potential. Radar shows a band of showers swirling around in odd directions to my nw.

http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=AFDDVN&e=202005281118

[Niko]

Former TS Bertha is triggering some light showers in my region. Once these showers roll on through, skies should become partly cloudy. Temp is at 70F.

[Hawkeye]

Flash flood watch is in affect for my area. DVN talking up heavy rain potential. Radar shows a band of showers swirling around in odd directions to my nw.

http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=AFDDVN&e=202005281118

 

The band of rain/storms that models had stalling over me this morning instead stalled well nw.

[Hawkeye]

The stalled rain band up along hw20, in the Independence area, has already dropped 1-2+".

[Stormy]

The band of rain/storms that models had stalling over me this morning instead stalled well nw.

Yes I noticed that earlier. It still may or should eventually 'develop' further east, but it's hard telling. It's weird how some showers are moving south at a good clip while others in the same place are moving another direction or stationary. Must be shower producing clouds at different levels of the atmosphere.

[Stormy]

NWS point forecast lowered rainfall amounts by around half of what they had been for here earlier this morning. Not sure if that means much. Could still end up in a dry pocket or f.f. warning. Lol

[bud2380]

I don't recall seeing a radar look like this before around here.  Bizarre.  Looks like we got .43" overnight in Tiffin from the cell that passed through.  I did hear a little thunder in the middle of the night.  

[Stormy]

I don't recall seeing a radar look like this before around here.  Bizarre.  Looks like we got .43" overnight in Tiffin from the cell that passed through.  I did hear a little thunder in the middle of the night.

 

I remember hearing a little thunder too, but got no rain since it missed just to the northeast.

[Hawkeye]

A line of heavy rain was just approaching Cedar Rapids.  Just before reaching me on the west side, the line skipped over me and redeveloped a mile or two southeast, where it is now stalled and dumping buckets.  This is the way the entire spring has gone.  Much of the heavier rain/storms this spring have gone just west, just east, just south, just north.  I'm being nickel & dimed to death.

[Minny_Weather]

Looks like Bertha's moisture might clip my area w a few scattered showers as if moves inland and northward towards Virginia and NE of OH.. I think most of the hvy stuff stays way east.

I know I'm getting its remnants here tonight and tomorrow.

[Tom]

Already up to 92F locally at 9:12am...gonna Fry for the rest of this week! I’m prob going to spend most of my B Day indoors until later this afternoon when the sun angle is a bit lower and head to the pool. Debating on whether or not to head into Old Town Scottsdale for a B Day drink and meal. #TodaysDecisions #38feelinggreat

[Stormy]

A line of heavy rain was just approaching Cedar Rapids. Just before reaching me on the west side, the line skipped over me and redeveloped a mile or two southeast, where it is now stalled and dumping buckets. This is the way the entire spring has gone. Much of the heavier rain/storms this spring have gone just west, just east, just south, just north. I'm being nickel & dimed to death.

Yeah that can be really annoying when it happens repeatedly. This heavy band dumped around .60” here so far and I wasn’t even in the heaviest part of it. A light wind really picked up from the north as soon as the rain moved in. It’s more widespread heavy in Mo. and Wi. attm.

[Stormy]