12:25 PM | Key US weather satellite goes dark

Discussion

A key US weather satellite, GOES-13 (aka GOES-East), that monitors the US east coast and the Atlantic Ocean has gone dark due to technical issues. The satellite was placed in “standby mode” on Sunday night as increasing “noise” interfered with its data collection. Initially, to mitigate the gap left behind for meteorologists, GOES-15 (aka GOES-West) was placed in “full disk scan” to grab occasional images farther east every 30 minutes, but its image quality decreases towards the US east coast. Now NOAA has placed its backup satellite, GOES-14, into service to take over for the troubled GOES-13. GOES-14, which was actually taken out of storage and activated about a month ago, is not yet providing all of the data that GOES-13 was contributing. The US also has polar orbiting satellites; however, images from these are rather narrow and are not as continuous as they are with GOES satellites. One of the biggest impacts from the brief degradation in satellite coverage may be felt in computer modeling as satellites are one of the main sources of data for weather models. GOES-13 was launched in 2006 and went operational in 2010 and was expected to remain in service for several more years. NOAA engineers are currently working on a solution to correct the problem from the ground, but no timetable has been set. The next generation of NOAA satellites known as the GOES-R series is not scheduled to launch until 2015.

7:00 AM | On the cool side with coastal late night and early morning low clouds and fog

6-Day Forecast

Today

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, highs near 70 degrees

Tonight

Partly cloudy, mild, some patchy fog late, lows in the mid 60’s

Tuesday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, near 70

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, fog late, low 60’s

Wednesday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, near 70

Thursday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, cool, near 70

Friday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, still cool, highs near 70

Saturday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, highs near 70

Discussion

The common theme for this week will be late night and early morning low clouds and fog along coastal sections and then gradual clearing skies during the afternoon hours. Temperatures will generally be on the cool side with highs near the coast not far from 70 degrees each day.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/4ceTUByFEgA

7:00 AM | Our recent dry pattern gives way to an increasing threat for showers and storms

6-Day Forecast

Today

Partly sunny, warm, maybe a shower or thunderstorm late, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, cool, maybe a shower or thunderstorm, lows by morning in the low 50’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, pleasant, chance for showers and thunderstorms, highs in the low 70’s

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for showers and thunderstorms, near 50

Wednesday

Partly sunny, cool, chance for showers and thunderstorms, highs in the low 70’s

Thursday

Partly sunny, pleasant, chance for showers and thunderstorms, highs in the low-to-mid 70’s

Friday

Partly sunny, pleasant, chance for showers or thunderstorms, mid 70’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, pleasant, highs in the mid 70’s

Discussion

A southwesterly flow of air will develop early this week ahead of an upper level trough and that will increase our chances for daily showers and thunderstorms following the recent dry weather pattern. Even though the trough will weaken later this week, enough moisture will stick around to continue the threat for showers and thunderstorms.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/4ceTUByFEgA

7:00 AM | Slight cooling trend this weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Low clouds and fog early then becoming mostly sunny, breezy, warm, mid 70’s

Tonight

Partly cloudy, mild, some patchy fog late, lows in the low 60’s

Saturday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, pleasant, low 70’s

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, fog late, low-to-mid 60’s

Sunday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cooler, highs in the low 70’s

Monday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, cool, near 70

Tuesday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, still cool, highs near 70

Wednesday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, highs near 70

Discussion

Upper level low pressure will approach the area this weekend and this will begin a cooling trend after a warm day to close out the work week. High temperatures will struggle to pass the 70 degree mark along the coast later this weekend and early next week.

7:00 AM | Dry this weekend, but rain chances should increase early next week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Some clouds early then becoming mostly sunny, warm, highs in the upper 70’s

Tonight

Mostly clear, chilly, lows by morning in the upper 40’s

Saturday

Mostly sunny, pleasant, highs in the mid 70’s

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, cool, upper 40’s

Sunday

Mainly sunny, pleasant, near 80

Monday

Mainly sunny, pleasant, near 80

Tuesday

Partly sunny, warm, chance for showers or thunderstorms, near 80

Wednesday

Partly sunny, not as warm, chance for showers or thunderstorms, mid 70’s

Discussion

A relatively dry northwesterly flow of air will continue here right through the weekend and temperatures will be quite comfortable. Rainfall will be quite scarce around here through the weekend, but there are signs for an uptick in our chances early next week as a more moist southwesterly flow of air develops.

11:40 AM | An update on the solar and oceanic cycles; new large sunspot now visible

Discussion

The sun has been rather quiet in recent weeks despite the fact that we are slowly approaching the expected solar maximum of solar cycle 24 sometime during the latter half of 2013. There is, however, a rather large looking sunspot that has just recently rotated into view on the sun, and it will continue to rotate into a position that more directly faces the Earth over the next week or so. Given its size, this sunspot will need to be monitored as it continues to move around the sun.

Back on Earth, the transition continues in the tropical Pacific Ocean from a La Nina to an El Nino pattern with above-normal sea surface temperatures now appearing off the west coast of South America near the equator. It appears that this developing weak El Nino in the tropical Pacific Ocean could persist into the upcoming winter months before it likely fades away later next year. Meanwhile, the northern Pacific Ocean continues to be generally in a cold phase at the same time the northern half of the Atlantic Ocean remains above normal with respect to sea surface temperatures. As the Atlantic tropical season begins to wind down from a climatological mid-September peak, we’ll have to monitor the possibility for some “home grown” systems that could form over the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea rather than near the African west coast as this region “closer to home” tends to become more active during late September or October compared to the eastern Atlantic.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/H7NAilnuND4

7:00 AM | Warm to close out the week, but a cooling trend begins this weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Becoming mostly sunny, breezy, warm, mid 70’s

Tonight

Partly cloudy, mild, some patchy fog late, lows in the low 60’s

Friday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, pleasant, mid 70’s

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, fog late, low-to-mid 60’s

Saturday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cooler, highs in the low 70’s

Sunday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, cool, low 70’s

Monday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, still cool, highs near 70

Tuesday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, highs near 70

Discussion

Upper level low pressure will approach the area by the weekend and this will begin a cooling trend after another warm day to close out the work week. Temperatures will begin a slight downward trend this weekend and highs will struggle to pass 70 degrees along the coast by early next week.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/4kgwRbtz5oE

7:00 AM | Dry, pleasant pattern continues

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, warm, breezy, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly clear, chilly, lows by morning in the upper 40’s

Friday

Mostly sunny, pleasant, highs in the mid 70’s

Friday Night

Mostly clear, cool, mid-to-upper 40’s

Saturday

Mainly sunny, pleasantly cool, low 70’s

Sunday

Mainly sunny, warmer, mid-to-upper 70’s

Monday

Mostly sunny, warm, near 80

Tuesday

Partly sunny, warm, mid-to-upper 70’s

Discussion

A relatively dry northwesterly flow of air will continue here through the weekend bringing in reinforcing cool air masses to the central Rockies. Highs will be shaved a few degrees to start the weekend following one of these surges of cool air masses to close out the work week. Rainfall will be quite scarce around here through the weekend, but there are signs for an uptick in our chances early next week.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/4kgwRbtz5oE

7:00 AM | Weekend cooling trend should kick in after warm finish to the week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Fog and clouds early then some afternoon clearing, breezy, pleasant, mid 70’s

Tonight

Partly cloudy, mild, patchy fog late, lows in the mid 60’s

Thursday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, pleasant, mid 70’s

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, fog late, mid-to-upper 60’s

Friday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, warm, highs near 80

Saturday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, not quite as warm, low-to-mid 70’s

Sunday

Fog and clouds early then partial sun, cool, highs near 70

Monday

Fog and clouds early then mostly sunny, cool, highs near 70

Discussion

Upper level low pressure will approach the area by the weekend and this will begin a cooling trend after more warmth to close out the work week. Friday, in fact, is likely to be the warmest day of the week before substantial cooling begins this weekend. Morning low clouds and fog will be quite persistent for the remainder of the week along coastal sections, but afternoons should feature some clearing skies.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/VzNfDHxi1vs

7:00 AM | High pressure continues to dominate the scene in the western states

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, warm, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly clear, chilly, lows by morning in the upper 40’s

Thursday

Mostly sunny, warm, highs again near 80

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, cool, upper 40’s

Friday

Mainly sunny, pleasant, upper 70’s

Saturday

Mainly sunny, pleasant, upper 70’s

Sunday

Mostly sunny, warm, upper 70’s

Monday

Mostly sunny, warm, upper 70’s

Discussion

Colorado will remain under the influence of a strong upper level ridge of high pressure that sits over the western US. Relatively dry air out of the NW will continue here in the upper atmosphere for the next few days. Temperatures will hold at rather comfortable levels throughout the week with pleasantly warm afternoons and cool nights.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/VzNfDHxi1vs