Sunday, December 16, 2018

Feeling S.A.D.

While the sun is shining from Gulfport to the Florida beaches, we remain draped in a low cloud deck that is not allowing temps to warm up at all.   This often happens during the winter months as a shallow level of moisture remains behind weak fronts and the very low sun angle does not produce enough surface heating to burn off/dissipate the low clouds.   I remember back in the 60s while I was in Ann Arbor going to school, we had 24 straight days without any sunshine!  Talk about depressed!   There is a real physical condition the medical community has labeled as SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) which happens when the body is deprived vitamin D from natural sunlight.  Many folks go into a funk where you feel sluggish with little energy.  It's why I supplement my diet with a vitamin D pill once we get into mid December.  I'll keep taking it until we get beyond mid February when the sun angle gets higher and we have fewer cloudy days. 

Hopefully Monday and Tuesday will see some sunshine return and that will result in high temps back into the mid 60s.   Another weak upper disturbance will bring clouds back on Wednesday along with our next rain threat.  Thursday and Friday will be colder with brisk north winds.   Looking into Christmas week, models seem to be having difficulty dealing with several weak systems.   The super cold should stay well north, however, there are signs that an Arctic blast will be coming down to start the New Year.   Much of Alaska & northern Canada is 20 to 30+ below zero and some of that chill could be invading the lower 48 in the 12-14 day time frame.   That will be too late to help Santa.  Stay tuned!

No comments: