Feeling SAD And It's Still November...

Back in the late 80s when I was in school in Ann Arbor, I often noticed how it was way more cloudy than back in NW Indiana.  In fact, I later learned that that farther one went to the west (away from the Great lakes) the more sunshine you saw.  The simple explanation is called the "Lake Effect" where the colder surface air spills over the warmer waters of the Great Lakes.  The result is instant clouds and often heavy snows.  I also noticed that I often felt more tired with lower energy.  That condition has since been called S.A.D. or Seasonal Affected Disorder caused by the lack of sunshine combined with the shortened daylight hours.

Note the extension cloud cover around the Great Lakes states while much of the West is in sunshine.  Many western cities (Boulder, Denver, San Diego) have over 300+ days with sunny skies, while cities like Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland see less than 200 sunny days.  It's why so many "snowbirds" leave the north and go spend 3 months down in sunny Florida.

As Nicondra Norwood explained on her noon program, that eastern upper trough is expected to linger into next week keeping us feeling more like December & January.

We'll see a weak re-enforcing of the cold air for Thursday and that will probably bring freezing temps to the North Shore for Friday morning.

 Right now I am not going to do anything with my plants as cloud cover and north winds should keep the South Shore in the mid to upper 30s.  

A weak upper disturbance is causing some overrunning rainfall across south Louisiana.  However, since dew points have dropped into the 30s(very dry air) most spots are only getting some light sprinkles.  It's days like today that makes us appreciate all those sunny early Fall days .  Stay tuned!