Sunday's Lunar Eclipse could be great Viewing...Or Not?

From all I’ve read about Sunday’s eclipse, everything looks great in terms of timing (mid-evening) and location.  All of the U.S. will be able to see the period in totality with one big IF.   Cloud cover.  We are still many days away, but all models are indicating that we’ll see a major pattern shift that will bring a strong flow of moisture out of the Gulf our way.  What a shame that would be as this opportunity (super-moon) doesn’t happen but every other decade.  We need rainfall, but can the clouds hold off until Monday?   I’m thinking no.

 

Regarding that higher rain chance, computer models are still trying to form a weak low over the southern Gulf early next week and move it northward.  To me, the upper winds (shearing) look way too strong for anything major to organize, but we’ll be forced to endure more “tropical hype” from the usual sources.  In fact, The Weather Channel had an “informational spot” warning us about Major October & November storms.  What they forgot to mention is location.  So I’ll repeat what I have said many times before.   The hurricane threat to the NORTHERN Gulf coast goes way down once into October.  Yea, I know we’re still in September, but remember it’s a strong El Nino and shearing is strong.   We need to worry more about some heavy rainfall, but I think any development will be limited by the shear.   Since I have used the “Fat Lady” term before, I saw where the originator of that phrase (Yogi Berra) died today at age 90.  As Yogi-man would say…it’s never over til it’s over.