[su_note note_color=”#d9f2da”]Wow, the clouds never broke today and temperatures remained in the 40s!  Yesterday’s NAM had predicted temperatures remaining in the 40s and I ignored it; I thought it was a modeling error because it was so far off.  So one model was an outlier, yet it turned out to be correct. [/su_note]

from earlier this morning:

The rain will move out later this morning. Some of the models are forecasting a break in the clouds after noontime for a few hours, so we may get some sun.  If not, certainly brighter skies.

I know you may have heard about a high of 61 today.  Only the GFS has been predicting this high.  Most of the models have a high in the low to mid 50s.  I guess we’ll find out.

A cold front will move through between 4 and 6 PM. Widely scattered showers and some cloudiness moves through at that time. Temperatures drop into the low 30s by daybreak Monday.

It will become very windy this afternoon and even more so this evening.

[su_note note_color=”#d9f2da”]

Contrary to an often-heard incorrect explanation on TV forecasts, high winds are NOT due to a “wind tunnel effect”.

High winds and wind gusts are principally due to 1. Rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, specifically, the rate of change of pressure over time.  (dp/dt).    2. Thermodynamic effects that cause a mixing down of normally high winds aloft down to the surface.

If you’re looking for “Wind tunnel effects”, they can be felt on the corner of Walnut and 15th streets in Center City on windy days.

Every time I hear a TV person attribute windy conditions to a wind tunnel effect, I wince.  [/su_note]