Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Everyone Is Singing From Same Songbook

My motto while I was working was "I'd rather be the only one right, instead of wrong with everyone else".  That meant I sometimes would have a different opinion than NWS or NHC.  In serious weather situations (tornado warning, hurricane threat, flooding event), I would always present my viewers the "official data" first, and then I might add, "but here's what I think.  It's important that all channels sing from the same songbook first giving the "official " forecast/data , and I think that's what happened yesterday.  The forecast for this week highlighted what was/is coming.  Here's the NWS website now.





Radar confirms the first wave stayed pretty much west and north of metro NOLA while another wave south of Houston will impact areas already soaked this morning.  gradually the rain area will shift to the east, but it will take several days before the rain threat is over.  Why?  Look at the upper air features.



You can see the Pacific storm track remains active.  Storm energy dives down into the Pacific NW crossing the Rockies and  turning to the NE over the central Plains.   With the trough over the West, the brutal Arctic cold is cut off from coming our way for now. The stalled frontal boundary is draped across Texas, Louisiana into the Ohio Valley with an extensive cloud shield and heavy rainfall.





It's chilly behind the boundary to our west, but Spring-like over south Louisiana as we flirt with 80+.






Dew points have surged to near 70 indicating there is plenty of fuel for heavy rainfall.  Flash Flood Warnings are up for many areas.  There is still the potential for an addition 3-6"+ on top of what has already fallen.  Computer models correctly predicted the areas for heaviest rainfall.





The 3rd graphic is the latest WPC's rainfall totals for the next 2 days.  Note the heaviest rains shift over the South Shore.  Bottom line, watch FOX 8 at 4 for the latest & keep your phone nearby as more warnings are coming.   North Shore folks need to be off the roads now, while South Shore,our time is coming later tonight.  Stay tuned!

No comments: