Weather! Cooler, wetter start to the week

High pressure is moving into the area behind the cold front that passed through this weekend and brought multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms. We’re finally seeing some legitimate cold air masses move into the region, signaling the switch to a more fall-like pattern.

August 23, 2010; 6:50 AM • by Weather Dan

The tropics have become active again. Tropical Depression Six formed on Saturday in the east-central Atlantic, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Danielle on Sunday evening. The forecast models over the next five days have the storm tracking northwest across the Atlantic, and it’s expected to intensify to hurricane status in the next few days.

Sunday’s high of 90 marks the 64th day this year with highs of 90 or above, which places 2010 5th in terms of years with high temperatures of 90 or more. The record is 70 days set in 1977, and we just may beat that record this year. We’ve seen 56 of these days fall during meteorological summer (defined as the months of June through August), which is just one off the record of 57 set in 2002. Two more 90-degree days this month will set the record for summer, and seven more days this year will set the annual record. If you recall, we’ve already set the record for most 100-degree days in a year with ten. The latest we’ve ever seen a day with temperatures of 90 or above is October 16, when the high hit 90 in 1987, so until then, anything is possible.

However, it’s not going to happen in the next couple days.

High pressure is moving into the area behind the cold front that passed through this weekend and brought multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms. We’re finally seeing some legitimate cold air masses move into the region, signaling the switch to a more fall-like pattern. Temperatures aren’t fall-like just yet, but they will be closer to the average for this time of year. Highs Monday will only reach the mid 80s. With daytime warming and some very cold air aloft, however, we’ll see the chance for some strong thunderstorms into the afternoon and evening hours. Overnight lows will fall into the mid 60s.

Squirrelcast (vs. Reading, 7:05pm): Monday’s going to be a bit iffy, as the chance for any sort of precipitation will likely be highest in the evening hours. First pitch temperatures should be in the upper 70s, dropping to around 70 by game’s end.

A low pressure area located near New York will be the primary influence for Tuesday, pulling in cool, moist air and blanketing the region in clouds. Mostly cloudy skies Tuesday will keep temperatures down to near 80, and keeping a chance of showers around for most of the day. Tuesday night lows again will fall into the mid 60s.

Squirrelcast (vs. Reading, 7:05pm): More chances for showers on Tuesday, though it’s going to be hard to predict where and when they are going to fall. Temperatures at the start of the game will be in the mid 70s, dropping to the upper 60s by the ninth inning.

Once we get past Tuesday, the remainder of the week is looking pretty dry. I’ll have a full update on Wednesday.

August 23, 2010 6:50 AM 0