Hurricane Irene Makes Landfall

Hurricane Irene
Hi everyone! I apoligize to all of you for not being very consistent with my blog lately. I believe last time I wrote a weather update was back in March!!! Yikes! However, alot has happen and I just have not had time to write anything. I will give you a full explanation very soon and update you on all that has occurred over the past months. For right now, I would like to focus on Hurricane Irene.

Hurricane Irene finally moved onshore near Cape Lookout between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. EDT with sustained winds of 85 mph. It has weakened from its previous category and is now a Category 1 hurricane according to the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. Even now at this current hour,however, it still remains a rather large tropical cyclone with a wind field spanning 260 miles outward from the center of the storm. It is still moving in a NNE direction at 14mph and is about 438 miles from New York City.

Possible tornado damage has already been reported across Eastern North Carolina from embedded storms in the Irene's rain-bands. I got up to watch the weather channel this morning and you can tell that the winds were very strong due to shingles being ripped apart off from homes and buildings. According to msn.com, around 200,000 customers throughout coastal North Carolina were without power now. Let's continue to pray that lives will be safe and minimal damages occur. More information to come later.

Check out these images:

Hurricane Irene is very impressive looking. Check out the structure and formation. A very well-define hurricane!

Look at all the warnings and watches the East coast has currently. From a tropical storm watch to a flash flood watch

Check out the bottom two images. Both were taken at 9:40a.m. The one on top is an visible image while the bottom one is an infrared.

Summer-like conditions still persist but a cool down by tomorrow

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Today's forecast:
Jackson, MS-------High 82 Low 48

Starkville, MS-----High 81 Low 49

Meridian, MS------High 83 Low 52

Vicksburg, MS-----High 83 Low 49

Greenwood, MS----High 81 Low 45

Tupelo, MS--------High 79 Low 45

Hattiesburg, MS---High 85 Low 56

Pascagoula, MS----High 79 Low 59




~Jackson, MS

Currently~as of 8:30a.m.

Hi friends and welcome to your Wednesday's Face of the Sky forecast. A lot of heavy and thick cloud coverage out this morning around the Brandon and Jackson area. Even now as we speak I am seeing a very thick stratus deck in the sky and it seems as though it could rain at any moment now. Despite the imminent threat of rain, I don't have rain forecasted in our area today. If we do have any drop of moisture, it will probably occur mostly in north MS. However, don't be alarm of the clouds outside as the chance for rain in the Jackson area is slim at the current moment. The clouds should begin to erode away a bit by the afternoon giving way to sunny and very warm conditions once again. Don't expect the clouds to go away easily though.

What's Happening Atmospherically
Looking at the 850mb map, we see that the southern region is still getting some nice warm air advection. The surface maps still show a nice high pressure ridge having an effect over our region which in turn has been the reason for the pleasant but very warm conditions we've having. In the past few days since last Thursday, highs have been in the 80s with mild lows in upper 50s. It certainly feels more like summer than it does early spring. Even for today, highs are expected to be in the lower to mid 80s today despite an increase in clouds today.

The reason for the increase in clouds is actually due to a weak frontal system entering the south. As the high pressure that has been controlling our weather patten for a good bit weakens, this frontal system will start to move in. This front will not bring much rain in the forecast but due to the pressure gradient we will have windy conditions today. Wind gusts today could get up to 20mph. There not only will be windy conditions but a much more cloudy day today as this front swings through. The biggest impact that it will have on our weather pattern is that it bring us back down to our normal temperatures around this season by tomorrow. Tomorrow, we will see highs back into the lower 70s.

By this weekend, our chance for precipitation will start to increase some. A low pressure will move in by late Friday evening and even the majority of the rain will mainly reside in north MS, with possible stray showers that could affect our area early Saturday morning. We could also have showers throughout Saturday afternoon and evening as the map to our left depicts. There is still much uncertainty with the timing of showers this weekend but as we draw closer I should be able to fine-tune my forecast with models having a better grasp as we draw near to the weekend. As of right now, I still think next Monday we have a good chance of precipitation and maybe some severe weather if everything lines up and if there is a capping inversion in place.

Today
Clouds should depart just a little around Jackson making way for partly cloudy conditions. So not as sunny as yesterday as we had mostly cirrus clouds throughout yesterday's evening. A lot windier today as well as winds will be between 10 to 15mph from the southwest. Highs again will be in the 80s.

Tonight

Lows will be much cooler than it was last night as lows drop into the upper 40s. You might even need to wear a light jacket to church tonight as winds will still be a bit breezy at 5 to 10mph from the west.

Thursday

Highs should return back to normal as temperatures should peak between 72-74 degrees for tomorrow. We should see more of the sun as well with winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph.

Hope you all have a great and fantastic day! God bless!