COOL WEATHER PATTERN LOCKED IN

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POLLEN COUNT & QUICK FORECAST

UPDATED: FRIDAY, 12 PM

GUSTAV'S RAINFALL REPORTS FROM AROUND THE OZARKS
>> Missouri reports | >> NW Arkansas Reports | >> North-Central Arkansas Reports

SUDDENLY AUTUMNAL
The cool weather pattern appears to be locked in... not only in the short-term, but for at least the next week... likely a bit longer.   the upper-level winds, or the jet stream -- the fast-moving river of air that controls the weather patterns at the surface -- are carving out a wide area of lower pressure over the contiguous 48 states.  The pattern keeps cool weather and frequent storm waves moving through the region.  And the long-wave pattern should keep the cool weather locked for a while at least into next week... and the week after.

PLAN FOR COOL WEATHER TODAY AND THIS WEEKEND
High pressure is attempting to settle the atmosphere and clear the sky, but the process may be a slow one... and unable to complete before the next storm wave arrives this weekend... and again on Monday.  Lows are likely to remain in the upper 50s to nearly 60º, while highs peak in the upper 70s to 80º over the extended forecast.

THIS AFTERNOON
A foggy start for some, cool for all today.  Highs in the mid 70s with a Northerly breeze.  Clouds will likely decrease through the midday and early afternoon hours... then begin to fill in late day in the Western counties.  Rain should stay out of the region, thanks to High pressure squashing storm clouds and eating up raindrops with a wealth of dry air ahead of the storm line.

TONIGHT
Look for increasing clouds as a storm wave moves our direction from the High Plains.  Temps around game time tonight will dip into the upper 60s around kickoff... and down into the lower to mid 60s by 4th quarter.  Lows in the mid 50s.

WEEKEND OUTLOOK
Saturday appears cool and gloomy.  The best chance of showers appears to fall over the Western half of hte Ozarks... but those who don't see rain reaching the ground may still be cool.  As rain falls into drier air at the surface, it evaporates... and cools the air.  The evaporative cooling process is the same technique used in swamp coolers in the Rockies and Desert Southwest... and the same process that makes for nasty ice storms in the Ozarks when we're in the cold season.  Saturday highs should hover in the low to mid 70s.

Sunday looks a bit warmer.  Morning rain showers could start Sunday... but wind down with a bit more sun and heat.  The back half of the weekend should remain mainly cloudy.  Highs could reach close to 80º.

INTO NEXT WEEK
The remainder of the StormTeam Seven Day forecast continues in the cool, unsettled pattern... keeping storm chances moving through the region every few days.  Monday may see a chance of rain and thunder over your backyard.

HURRICANE SEASON PEAKS
Following the remnants of Gustav... are Hanna,  Ike, and Josephine are all being tracked by the National Hurricane Center, some of which pose a threat to the United States.  Get the most up to date information by using our links to the national tropical weather experts.
 
TRACKING RAINFALL WITH COCORAHS
Weather volunteers all over the nation are keeping track of every raindrop from recent tropical cyclones and other large weather events.  If you'd like to see the ground-truth from the radar's circulating rainbands... click on the image on the left.  Sign up for COCORAHS in the Ozarks.  It's free, it's easy... and you can help the entire weather community worldwide from your Ozarks rain gauge report each day.  

 

Dave Snider
KY3 Stormteam Meteorologist
dsnider@ky3.com

WANT TO TRACK YOUR RAINFALL ONLINE? COCORAHS.ORG is a free website that tracks your precipitation (rain, hail and snow) and we need your help!  Sign up today and start tracking this week.  All you need is a trusty 4" diameter rain gauge.  If you need one... just ask.  We simply ask that you report your rain, hail or snow every day, whether wet or dry weather.  It helps researchers, the National Weather Service... and the KY3 StormTeam. If you have questions about COCORAHS... just email Dave.  In the meantime, check out the morning map for Missouri (so far, Arkansas does not have COCORAHS... so drop a line to your state climatologist).