Severe Weather Potential--Monday

An outbreak of severe weather is possible on Monday across the Mississippi River Valley. Storms may extend far enough north to impact parts of our area. It is likely that strong tornadoes, large hail and strong damaging winds will impact several states from the Great Lakes south to the Gulf Coast. It's a reminder that we are in severe weather season right now. In fact, one of the worst tornado outbreaks ever occurred on April 3-4 of 1974 which is now know as "The Super Tornado Outbreak of 1974". Over 148 tornadoes were reported across 13 states.



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Precip Stats Update

The next week will not feature a lot of chances for precipitation, but our precip numbers are still running well above normal.  (Precipitation includes rain and melted down snow/ice)

Coldest AM in a month

Temps this morning dropped down into the middle teens, achieving the coldest levels since February 23.  Normal low is 31° for this date.

Warmest day of the year

The high at Toledo Express Airport hit 70° at 3:55 pm.  This is the warmest day since the 72° recorded on November 13th.  The record high for the day is 74° in 1945.

Spring Approaching

Although it will feel quite spring-like Thursday and Friday, spring will officially arrive Sunday evening at 7:21 pm.

This is the vernal equinox -- when the direct rays of sun hit the equator, giving us equal day and equal night.

The perfect 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness occurs near the equator at the equinox.  We actually experience that slightly earlier.  Wednesday marks the last day with less than 12 hours of daylight.  Thursday (St Patrick's Day) will have exactly 12 hours of daylight.

We will continue to gain 1 to 3 minutes of daylight each day until we hit the start of summer in June.

Previous Warm Days

Highs should break into the 60s Thursday, making it the warmest day since last November.

Tsunami -- Before & After

This is from the New York Times.  It features multiple hires images of Japan, with a slider bar...allowing you to switch to before and after.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

Showers, Then Warm

A storm system will track through the area Tuesday into very early Wednesday.  Rainfall amounts from this should be 0.10" to around 0.25".  Some slightly higher totals are possible to the far south and southeast (Ada, Kenton, Upper Sandusky, Bucyrus).

Showers will exit around daybreak Wednesday, followed by a decrease in clouds.  A southwesterly wind in the afternoon will boost temps into the mid 50s.

The warmest air of the year, and since last November, arrives Thursday with highs in the low/mid 60s.  A cold front will gradually slide through the area on Friday, bringing some showers with it.

Spring Ahead

Major Earthquake & Tsunami

3/15/11 update:  upon further review, the earthquake has now been reclassified as a 9.0 magnitude

previous post:

The strongest earthquake to ever impact Japan struck just before 1 AM our local time Friday morning. This early afternoon earthquake just off the coast of Japan measured 8.9 on the Richter scale and is the 5th storngest earthquake to ever be recorded in the history of records.



The earthquake triggered a massive Tsunami with reports of a wall of water 33 feet high completely destroying many communities in the path. Details continue to come in at this point, but additional Tsunami warnings are in effect for Hawaii and the entire Pacific coast of the United States.

Cool Satellite Picture

From Monday at noon, showing snow on the ground in SE Michigan, Ice on Lake Erie and high thin clouds over northwest Ohio.

The final week of standard time

We spring ahead one hour to Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, March 13 at 2 a.m.

Ever since March 2007, we spring ahead one hour to Eastern Daylight Time on the second Sunday in March and fall back one hour to Eastern Standard Time on the first Sunday in November.

 

An energy bill in 2005 instituted extending daylight saving time by four weeks starting in March 2007.  Prior to 2007, Daylight Saving Time started on the first Sunday in April and ended on the last Sunday in October.

Weekend starts rainy

Occasional rain will move through the area through Saturday evening.  Thunderstorms will provide localized heavier downpours tonight into Saturday morning.

Rain should begin to taper a bit towards evening Saturday.  As colder air surges into the area, the remaining moisture may fall as some light snow later Saturday evening and Saturday night.  This activity should exit around daybreak Sunday.

Updated computer model runs have been all in the 1.00 to 2.50" range, with the majority averaging around 1.25 to 1.50".   Unfortunately, higher numbers (1.50-2.50") are targeting the southern half of our Ohio counties.

Flood watch continues until Sunday morning.

Icy morning

A little scattered light rain combined with temps below 32° created an icy mess this morning.  Areas well south of Bowling Green stayed above freezing, but extreme northern Ohio and southeastern Michigan did not.

Numerous accidents occurred during the predawn hours, including jack-knifed tractor trailers, which shut down parts of I-75.

Advisories are in effect until late morning for Monroe, Lucas, Wood, Ottawa & Sandusky counties.

The next storm

Another moderate to heavy rain event is on the way.

Friday will feature occasional showers during the day.  The main storm system arrives for Saturday, bringing some heavy rain and thunderstorms with it.

Rain should taper Sunday morning.  As colder air arrives, a few snow showers are possible.

An inch of rain or more is a good bet.  Computer model forecasts for the Friday through Sunday AM time frame range from 0.75" to 3.00".  However, most of the models are zeroing in around 1" accumulation.  The average amongst all the models is around 1.18".

March Almanac

Normal High/Low:

March 1       40 / 23

March 31    53 / 33

Spring (the vernal equinox) arrives March 20 @ 7:21 pm

Records:  83 (3/24/1910)     -10 (3/27/1948)

Normal precipitation:  2.62"

Normal snowfall:  5.6"

February In Review

Temperature range:

55° on the 17th & 18th             -4°  on the 10th

Days with highs 32° or colder:  16

Days with lows 32° or colder:  25

Precipitation (rain/melted down ice & snow):  4.17"    2.29" above normal

Snowfall:  26.3"   17.8" above normal

Snowiest February ever on record