WEEKEND WEATHER OUTLOOK

A cold front will gradually move through later today (Thursday) and tonight.  It may be slow to move out Friday morning areas east of the city.

Showers and thunderstorms will accompany the frontal passage, indeed, they have already started around noon in some areas in the city.

[su_note note_color=”#d9f2da”]What’s interesting is that most (but not all) of last night’s models didn’t have showers moving through early and had delayed them until late afternoon or evening today.

Strangely, last night’s RAP model (RAPid Refresh) was the only model to show the early showers and thunderstorms we had today and this afternoon. Even last night’s HIREF was slow to move the showers in today.[/su_note]

High pressure will build in for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Sunny skies and somewhat above average temperatures expected.  Daytime highs about 90 in the city.

High Temperature forecast Saturday and Sunday (GFS Model) (about 3PM each day)

The track of Tropical Storm (or Hurricane) Barry is still uncertain.  It’s also unclear where all that tropical moisture will end up.

SUNDAY FORECAST UPDATE

[su_note note_color=”#d9f2da”]10:30 AM Sun Update: Both versions of today’s WRF show light, widely scattered showers Sunday mid to late afternoon. Largest coverage is south and west of the city. [/su_note]

Last night’s models were way off on the scattered showers and thunderstorms that developed late morning in the western suburbs and moved into Philadelphia. They were better with the second wave of storms that developed dynamically in place around 6pm and moved east. The third wave of storms about 8 pm were in a line that did lose, as predicted, a lot of its punch as it approached the city. Still, the timing was off.

This morning’s models didn’t do much better, although the HIREF did the best. Unfortunately, the HIREF didn’t become available until 11:38 am, long after I was out biking and dodging raindrops.

So what about Sunday?

The front is slowly moving through tonight and is expected to still be just south of the city on Sunday.  Considerable cloudiness for the morning and much of the afternoon,

One version of tonight’s WRF just available has clearing mid afternoon, one version has scattered light showers late afternoon from the city on south.   High 84-86 with lower humidity.

 

WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST

[su_note note_color=”#d9f2da”]8 AM Sat Update: Last night’s models have showers/thunderstorms breaking out in a very scattered way as early as 2-3PM throughout the Delaware Valley and into NJ. Not every area will see a thunderstorm but large areas certainly will. This will not be a moving line of storms, but rather a spontaneous, dynamic formation, highly scattered in coverage.

HIREF Model Simulated Radar 4:45 PM Saturday

The high chance of showers continues until about 8 PM, when they will start dissipating. [/su_note]

From last night…

A cold front will slowly approach on Saturday and is expected to spark showers and thunderstorms over a large area.  Looking at the models, the front loses steam as it enters our area and much of the dynamics that aid in thunderstorm development reduce as the front approaches Philadelphia . So the heaviest storms may not reach us.

This weather scenario is best handled by a probability basis rather than a deterministic basis.

There is an elevated possibility of showers throughout the day. Highest probability is late afternoon. Thunderstorms are expected in the far northwest suburbs (Allentown) during the mid afternoon into evening.

In the immediate Philadelphia area, tonight’s WRF has the thunderstorms occurring most likely between 5-8 pm.

There will be a mix of sun and at times, considerable cloudiness. High temps near 92 with high humidity.

For Sunday, the front will still be in our area and scattered showers and thunderstorms are still possible. High 86.  Specifics aren’t possible until Saturday night or Sunday morning’s models.

 

 

Weather… and Other Things 'Up in the Air'