LET’S TRY FORECASTING AGAIN

[su_note note_color=”#ffffff”]Updated Thu 08:05 AM — Last night’s models continue with the same timing of the thunderstorms Thursday evening.  Some early scattered activity possible about 5 PM, but the main thunderstorm complex is predicted for 10 PM -12 midnight. [/su_note]

[su_note note_color=”#ffffff”]Updated Thu 07:20 AM — Last night’s models continue with the same timing of the thunderstorms Thursday evening.  Some early scattered activity possible about 6 PM, but the main thunderstorm complex is predicted for 10 PM -12 midnight [/su_note]

So, no forecaster and no model had predicted the bow-echo storms at noon today. The high temperature never reached the highly advertised 90°+ that had been predicted.

Last night’s models as well as the early morning HRRR model were particularly misleading; they certainly led me astray.   Had I only stayed with last evening’s forecast

Let’s move forward.

Thursday’s expected storms are forecast to occur between 6 PM and midnight, with mid to late evening (9-midnight) most likely. Heaviest rain and dynamics stay to our south.

NO MODEL GOT THIS RIGHT TODAY

No model got this right today.  And I look at all of them. The bow-echo that formed had been predicted to occur up near Allentown.

Radar 12:06 PM—

Radar 12:06 PM

 

So how bad were the models?

Here’s the 10 AM HRRR model forecast  for 12:00 PM, (two hours before the storms hit) —

10 AM HRRR model run  forecast for 12 noon

 

Here’s the 11 AM HRRR model forecast for 12:00PM—

11 AM HRRR model run simulated radar forecast for 12 noon.

So even one hour before the storms hit, the high resolution model didn’t forecast this bow echo line of storms.  Wow!

 

Weather… and Other Things 'Up in the Air'