Rains Finally Falling Farther North, Will It be Enough?

If you listen to local radio or TV, there is a constant daily barrage of doom & gloom regarding the salt water wedge moving up the Mississippi.  Medical experts, appliance experts, plumbing experts all telling us the dangers/damage the increased salt water will have on our lives. Fortunately, The Advocate/Times-Picayune this morning pointed out this has happened 5-6 times in our recent past going back to 1988.and we have lived through it!  I applaud the local governments who are preparing for the worst contracting with companies to pipe in fresh water from upriver.  Hopefully, we'll never need it as some rain is falling farther up north and west of us.

The WPC's (Weather Prediction Center) rain totals for the next 2 days is widespread 1-2" from parts of Indiana & Illinois extending into Arkansas with 2-4" possible in Oklahoma & Texas.   Is that enough to stop the surge?  Absolutely not, but the increase flow in the lower Mississippi should slow the northward movement.  But we'll need a lot more rain to get the River really flowing again.  Some models are hinting late next week, some tropical energy coming across Mexico from a Pacific Storm could help send in Gulf moisture over us.

You can see that in the slight increase rain chance for next Wednesday.  But the real story coming for this weekend is the cooldown that will require jackets & sweaters in the evening and over night hours.  Zack Fradella indicated this morning that the last day when our high temp didn't reach 80 was way back on May 6th.  That's 5 months ago!!!

The current upper flow has the trough cooling down the western states while under the ridge over the East, it's still Summer-like.  Syracuse almost hit 90 today!

Ahead of the cold front, 70+ dew points are surging out of Texas.  Hopefully, that'll be enough moisture to bring us some needed rainfall.

Tropical Storm Phillippe is still struggling as it pulls away from the Islands.  The arrows point out where his center is.   NHC heads him northward approaching Maine well east of the major U.S. cities.  Finally,

The growing season has ended in Alaska.  The top view is from 10 AM our time showing single digits in some location.  The bottom view is from 3 PM  having most locations still below freezing.   The colder air is coming Gang.  Stay tuned!