An Active Pattern Shaping up for Chicagoland… (Wednesday, May 24th)
Looks like it may get interesting around here in the next couple of hours (and days).
This morning a weak derecho passed through the area with a little precip and some wind, but by 10am it was already sunny and heading up into the 70’s.
Looks like conditions are ripe for a moderate outbreak of severe weather in the area, and based on radar it seems to be shaping up that way. A Tornado watch has been issued for a large area just to our west, so I expect that area to include Marengo before long.
Ironically, today was my day to present to all of the 4th graders in our local elementary school on the topic of severe weather and the saftey issues regarding severe weather - nice timing!
Current conditions are:
Temp = 76.8 degrees
Wind = 12 mph with gusts to 25 from the SW
Humidity = 60%
Pressure = 29.62in/hg and dropping
By this time tomorrow I expect to have more to report on, so stay tuned. Also stay tuned to NOAA weather radio and be prepared to seek shelter if threatening weather approaches your area. I know it’s cool to watch, but just be safe about it!
Cool, extra-tropical looking system affects Chicagoland!
“Wow, on radar it looks impressive, the precipitation shield has completely wrapped around the storm’s central circulation…”
Something that might be said of a storm far to our south in the tropics - in August, but this is the end of May in the Great Lakes States!
The last two days have been dominated by a persisitent rainy system, and below is an image of this cut-off low as it spins over southern Lake Michigan:
It seems we will be dealing with this system here in Northern Illinois into early next week. Given it’s location, we’ve also had the pleasure of experiencing temperatures 20 - 25 degrees below normal, hence a few snowflakes being mixed in here and there this morning.
Current conditions in Marengo are:
Temp = 41.5 degrees
Pressure = 29.36 inches (steady)
Winds = WSW @ 10mph, gusts to 20mph
Precip = Drizzle
Looks to be a great weekend to stay indoors and tweak my website MarengoWeather. So, from North Central Illinois WxSteve signing off!
Rain, rain rain…
Looks like my buddy Tom Skilling of WGN TV 9 was right! A large upper level low is spinning just off to the east of us over Michigan, and it’s been raining since late last night. This is a slow mover and looks to dump quite a bit of rain before it is pushed off to the East late Friday by a Canadian High.
It’s been dry around here for some time, so this rain is a welcome sight.
I haven’t reported much lately because the weather has been, well, how do you say it, boring.
Current conditions as of 4pm CST are:
Temp = 44°
Pressue = 29.33″ and steady
Wind = 15mph, gusts to 30mph
Precip = Rain, moderate at times
Hopefully this backyard reporter has something to pique interest next week, so until then, pack your umbrella and be sure to tilt it into the wind!
Don’t like the Weather in Chicago? Wait 5 Minutes!
What a difference a day can make - or in our case a mere 6 hours!
Last night at about midnight the sky opened up for about an hour. When it was all said and done we had picked up .58 inches of rain, this after a damp, rainy weekend.
Looks like our cutoff low that had been spinning in the central plains had one last gasp left in her before she was pushed off to the north and east by a much needed cold front.
Today, in Northeast Illinois, the conditions promise to be a whole lot better with sunshine and highs in the lower 70’s. This backyard reporter will simply be happy just to see old Sol again - even if for just a few hours before the next system pushes in from the west!
View of a Cold Front Passing…
From April 24, 2006:
Well, it’s been a couple of days since I submitted anything, primarily because it’s been tranquil here in Northeast Illinois. That’s changing as I write to you!
I had been making a few updates to my website MarengoWeather when I noticed on radar a windshift coming down Lake Michigan at my area. This looked like your typical gust front on radar, but the winds here not only shifted from the southwest to the northeast, but have been sustained at 20mph with a gust recorded on my Vantage Pro 2 at 30mph! I validated this by looking at a bunch of the local personal weather stations on google maps, below is a screenshot of this page as the front made it’s passage here:
Click to see the Larger Image in order to see what I mean!
Look at all the stations to the northeast, their wind directions and temperatures - a drastic change! Even though the front was moving in from the northwest, the flat, colder lake must have accelerated the eastern end of the front!
This wind shift signals a change to more seasonal temperatures (we’ve been living large with 70’s the past week) and more precip, which my lawn needs.
Excited to bring you something interesting, Backyard reporter WxSteve signing off.
Great Weather, Bad Readings!
From April 20,2006:
Well, I had anticipated a rainy, and possibly noisy last couple of days given the upper level disturbance spinning off to our northwest, but other than a rogue line of showers last night that formed to the east of McHenry Co., IL (and they drifted off to the east and fizzled by mid-morning) there has been nothing noteworthy. I say this tongue-in-cheek as the weather has been gorgeous, but if you love the weather as this backyard reporter does - you know you like to see nifty events.
My weather station has been posting some erratic readings this week, and I think I know why. A Red -Winged Blackbird has come to stake his territorial claim to a large portion of my backyard, and my anemometer has become his personal watchtower!
Anyway, it looks like we have an outside shot at some thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon here in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, but current projections don’t indicate any of these storms reaching severe limits. The upcoming weekend is shaping up like one that will have me out in the yard doing some much needed work.
Who knows, maybe a couple of good wind gusts from one of tomorrow’s storms are what I need to run my feathered squatter off!
Rain to the West?
** I will be posting these blog entries here and in the Weatherbug Backyard Blog simultaneously**
After a couple of really gorgeous days my Vantage Pro 2 is telling me rain is in the future. It is from all indications.
A vigorous upper level low is spinning over the northern plains and appears to have it’s crosshairs set on the Chicagoland area. Tomorrow promises to be a drearier day with intermittent light rain - which my fertilizer needs!
Like they say “April Showers bring May flowers”, and given last summer’s extreme drought conditions over northern and central Illinois I am welcoming all available precip in this neck of the woods!
Well, that’s it for now, this backyard reporter is signing off.