April 29, 2014 - 7:45 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 39° F

Feels Like: 33° F

Wind: N at 8 mph 

Barometric Pressure: 1005.4 mb

Relative Humidity: 91%

Dew Point: 36° F

Rain yesterday, rain today, and there's going to be rain tomorrow too. We really can't complain, though. At least winter is finally over. The low pressure dome to the south of us is still bringing steady showers to the area, and it doesn't look to be ending any time soon. Luckily, it's not heavy downpours or violent thunder storms here, just a continuous drizzle. 

I don't think there will be any major changes in the weather for the next few days, though the % chance of rain is lower later in the week. The rain might die out, but it will probably still be grey and cloudy. 

April 28, 2014 - 7:20 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 44° F

Feels Like: 36° F

Wind: E at 21 mph (gusting to 32 mph)

Barometric Pressure: 1006.6 mb

Relative Humidity: 79%

Dew Point: 39° F

Figure 1 - Surface conditions for the US.

Today, as well as yesterday, was wet and gloomy. Minor storms came through our area yesterday, and the rain continued into today. Currently it isn't raining, but it's still overcast and very windy. In figure 1, you can see the amount of clouds and precipitation all over the country right now. The cold front passing through the South right now is pushing that squall line ahead of it in Louisiana and Mississippi. This is a line of thunderstorms, which in this case is quite severe. In the water vapor map in figure 2, we can see why there is so much precipitation in the Midwest and in the South: there is a lot of moisture in the air, especially with that squall line.

Figure 2 - Current water vapor in the atmosphere for the US.

Figure 3 - Wind conditions in the US.

Figure 3 is a wind map of the country, courtesy of earth.nullschool.net. Here we can see the large low pressure system in the middle of the country that is affecting both the rain in the Midwest and the cold front pushing the severe storms down south. We can also see why we currently have strong easterly winds.

Figure 4 - AccuWeather forecast.

It looks like the week will continue to be rainy and chilly. The image from AccuWeather (figure 4) shows the anticipated path of the jet stream. It also illustrates the effect that ridges and troughs in the jet stream have on local weather. In the ridges and outside of the trough, weather is warm and humid. Inside the trough, however, we have chilly temperatures from the north. With any luck, the jet stream will straighten out towards the end of the week or early next week and bring warmer weather with it. Until then, keep your umbrella handy.

April 23, 2014 - 8:50 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 43° F

Feels Like: 39° F

Wind: SE at 7 mph

Barometric Pressure: 1016.3 mb

Relative Humidity: 79%

Dew Point: 38° F

As you can see from the surface conditions map in figure 1, we'll be getting quite a bit of rain tonight and tomorrow. Figure 2 shows the water vapor in the atmosphere, and there is no shortage of it in our area. On the bright side, the occluded front that we can see where the cold and warm fronts are meeting usually means that a storm is faltering, so we will probably get rain sans storms here in Wisconsin.

Figure 1 - Surface conditions for the US.

Figure 2 - Water Vapor map for the US.

Next week looks to be heading in the wrong direction, as far as the progression of seasons goes. As of now, it looks like the temperatures will remain cool with possibilities of snow. The forecast is a bit early, so hopefully that changes between now and then.

April 21, 2014 - 7:30 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 60° F

Feels Like: 60° F

Wind: N at 18 mph (gusting to 28 mph)

Barometric Pressure: 1012.6 mb

Relative Humidity: 59%

Dew Point: 30° F



Today was gorgeous, although a bit windy. I think the temperatures actually got up into the 70s earlier, or at least very close. The northerly winds we are receiving is partially from the low pressure dome that is situated north of Lake Superior. The cold front that moved through is probably why we had a chance for rain all weekend (and I think it did rain a little Saturday night/Sunday morning), but Saturday and Sunday both stayed pretty nice and sunny.



The jet stream can probably be thanked for the warm temperatures. The jet stream is bringing warm air from the Pacific across much of the northern US, and northern Wisconsin is in a slight ridge today as well, which usually means more favorable conditions. 

We won't be getting this warm of temperatures for the rest of the week, however. Highs are in the low 50s through Friday with quite a bit of rain in the forecast. I'm betting that the jet stream will shift and we will find ourselves in a trough starting tomorrow. By Wednesday, a low pressure system will have moved in and we will probably be getting winds out of the east or southeast. Tomorrow, I would expect clear conditions and wind from the north or northwest before the low pressure moves in.

April 18, 2014 - 8:45 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 48° F

Feels Like: 44° F

Wind: E at 10 mph

Barometric Pressure: 1025.9 mb

Relative Humidity: 60%

Dew Point: 24° F

Figure 1 - Surface conditions map

Today was a beautiful spring day! I didn't get to enjoy it while at work, but we got to leave the doors open, so that was something at least. The high pressure system in the area, though fairly weak, kept the skies clear while temperatures got into the 50s. In figure 1, you can see the high pressure dome that is to the north of Wisconsin right now. This is why we are currently getting winds from the east.

Figure 2 - Jet Stream

Figure 2 shows the jet stream pattern. It is mostly straightened out, bringing warm air from the Pacific, but the Midwest is in a small ridge, which means even more favorable weather.






It looks like the temperatures will continue to climb heading into the Easter weekend, though with a chance of rain. I think I speak for all Midwesterners when I say that a little bit of rain is a small price to pay for a chance at 70° temperatures. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

April 17, 2014 - 9:17 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 37° F

Feels Like: 33° F

Wind: N at 5 mph

Barometric Pressure: 1026.5 mb

Relative Humidity: 75%

Dew Point: 26° F

As I suspected, the winds shifted as the low pressure system moved on. Earlier in the day had northwesterly winds which gave way to winds from the north as a high pressure dome sits to the west of Eau Claire and the low pressure to the north. Currently it is overcast with a light breeze. This weekend will bring rain to Wisconsin, which will probably be coming from the Northwest part of the country. My guess is that the stationary front sitting in Montana will give way to a cold front that will push east towards the Midwest, bringing us a damp Easter Sunday.

April 16, 2014 - 6:50 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 49° F

Feels Like: 43° F

Wind: S at 17 mph (gusting to 22 mph) 

Barometric Pressure: 1013.3 mb

Relative Humidity: 88%

Dew Point: 30° F

Figure 1 - Surface conditions for the US. Notice the storm
currently over eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and
Upper Michigan. 

Though temperatures were higher today, the chilly wind and the dusting of snow this morning made sure no one got excited about it. There is a low pressure system moving into the area, bringing another winter storm with it. In figure 1, you can see the areas of snowfall in northern Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and the UP at the moment.

Figure 2 - Wind map of the US. The large low pressure dome
over the Midwest is what is bringing the winter storm to the area.

Figure 2 shows the scale of that low pressure system, with the cold front dangling down like a tail. In this image, you can also see that the front that was harassing the East Coast recently has moved out to sea.

Figure 3 - Satellite image showing water vapor content for the US.

The water vapor satellite image in figure 3 shows that there is still plenty of moisture to precipitate over the next few days. While the bulk of the snow storm seems to be passing north of us here in Eau Claire, we will still be seeing some of that water in the form of rain tonight/tomorrow.







Figures 4 and 5 are the forecast from AccuWeather.com for tonight and tomorrow. North of here will see a significant amount of snow, but it looks like Eau Claire is right on the southern edge of the worst of it, and most of the precipitation will be done with by tomorrow morning. I would expect the pressure to continue to drop over night as the low pressure system gets closer, and we will probably continue to get winds from the south. This will give way to westerly/northwesterly winds as the system moves through.

Figure 4 - Wednesday night forecast for the Great Lakes area.

Figure 5 - Thursday snowfall estimates for Great Lakes area.

April 14, 2014 - 6:10 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 36° F

Feels Like: 26° F

Wind: NW at 17 mph (gusting to 24 mph) 

Barometric Pressure: 1016.2 mb

Relative Humidity: 38%

Dew Point: 9° F

Figure 1 - Surface map for the US

After a dreary, rainy weekend (including a dusting of snow last night), Monday brought a cold, windy day. In the surface map in figure 1, you can see the cold front that passed through that was responsible for the rain and snow this weekend. It's currently on its way to the East Coast, which will bring plenty of precipitation to that area over the next couple of days. This is also evident when looking at the amount of moisture in the atmosphere shown in the water vapor map in figure 2.

Figure 2 - Water vapor map of the US. Notice the amount of
moisture in the air above the entire East Coast.

Figure 3 - Current Jet Stream over the US

Figure 3 shows the Jet Stream. Currently, Wisconsin is on the edge of a trough that is coming down from the north bringing more unseasonably cold temperatures.

Figure 4 - Forecast from AccuWeather.com

Tomorrow will again be a pretty chilly day (Figure 4), so I would guess we won't be out of that trough by tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of the week shows a lot of precipitation for our area. I would expect the pressure to drop and winds coming from the east or southeast in the next few days (especially Wednesday).

April 10, 2014 - 6:00 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 60° F

Feels Like: 60° F

Wind: NW at 14 mph (gusting to 24 mph) 

Barometric Pressure: 1009.2 mb

Relative Humidity: 52%

Dew Point: 14° F

Today was another beautiful day in the Chippewa Valley! The barometer dropped a bit since yesterday, bringing a bright and windy day. As you can see in figure 1, clouds and rain are moving to the east side of the US with the cold front, but it's clear skies in Wisconsin.

The wind map in figure 2 shows the strong northwesterly winds that we are getting today feeding the high pressure dome to the southwest. You can also clearly see the the cold front that is stretching across the country.




There is a chance of showers tonight and tomorrow, but a greater chance over the weekend. I would look for winds coming from the southeast over the weekend thanks to a low pressure dome that will be bringing the clouds and rain. Enjoy today while it's still clear skies!

April 9, 2014

April 8, 2014 - 1:00 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 49° F

Feels Like: 43° F

Wind: N at 15 mph (gusting to 20 mph) 

Barometric Pressure: 1012.8 mb

Relative Humidity: 54%

Dew Point: 31° F

Today is beautiful, sunny, spring day in Eau Claire. The pressure is a bit higher that it was yesterday, which is helping keep the clouds away and making it a little windy. Overall, a pleasant and uneventful day.

Figure 1 - Jet Stream image.

Other areas of the country, however, are not so calm. Figures 1 and 2 show the jet stream and how it is affecting the South and the East Coast. In the trough, where the air is cooler, rain and storms are occurring. 

Figure 2 - Accuweather.com conditions map.

Figure 3 - Current conditions map of the US.

The cold front and low pressure systems off the East Coast (Figures 3 and 4) are also bringing rain and storms to other parts of the South and New England.

Figure 4 - Wind map of the US. Notice the cold front stretching
up the entire Eastern Seaboard, with a large low pressure system
at the northern most part. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be the warmest day yet this year, expected to get into the upper 60s with few clouds. Enjoy it while you can, because it looks like more precipitation is in the forecast for the weekend. It does look like temperatures will be staying reasonable for a little while, at least.

April 7, 2014 - 1:00 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 44° F

Feels Like: 41° F

Wind: NW at 5 mph 

Barometric Pressure: 1008.9 mb

Relative Humidity: 75%

Dew Point: 44° F

Last Thursday night and Friday during the day saw a lot of heavy, wet snow. The winter storm that was forecast hit hard and fast. My drive to work Friday morning was pretty slow going, as many of the roads had not yet been plowed. By the time I went home, however, the snow on the roads had melted. The weekend brought fair weather that melted most of the rest of the snow, erasing most of the evidence that it even happened.

Figure 1 - Wind map of Wisconsin showing a weak low
pressure system in the area.

Today we are experiencing a light rain (notice that the dew point is the same as the ambient temperature) and very little wind. This can be attributed to a weak low pressure system over Wisconsin (Figure 1). 

Right now Wisconsin is in the trough of the jet stream (Figure 2), which is why today is a little chillier than the weekend temperatures and the temperatures forecasted for the rest of the week.














Figure 3 shows a water vapor map of the US. It doesn't look like there is too much water vapor above Wisconsin right now (at least compared to areas east of here), so the rain will probably not last very long.








It looks like the rest of the week might bring some sunny, spring weather. Temperatures are supposed to get into the 60s, so hopefully we will have a pleasant next few days! 

April 3, 2014 - 4:15 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 32° F

Feels Like: 22° F

Wind: NE at 13 mph 

Barometric Pressure: 1012.5 mb

Relative Humidity: 84%

Dew Point: 27° F

Figure 1 - US surface winds.

So far, today hasn't been as bad as I expected. Some light rain/freezing rain, but not much quantity. Just a gray, dreary day. In figure 1, you can see why we are currently getting the northeast winds. The low pressure system to southwest pulls in air from the northeast as is swirls counterclockwise. It looks like that low pressure system is also being fed winds from the large dome of high pressure that is off the East Coast. 

Figure 2 - Surface conditions for US.

Figure 2 shows the surface conditions for the US. As you can see, clouds are covering almost all of the Midwest, and there is precipitation in Minnesota and Wisconsin. This will likely increase tonight and tomorrow (Figure 3).

Figure 3 -  As the area of low pressure advances northeast,
we'll be getting more and more precipitation and storms.

April 2, 2014 - 7:30 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 40° F

Feels Like: 34° F

Wind: NE at 10 mph 

Barometric Pressure: 1020.5 mb

Relative Humidity: 54%

Dew Point: 20° F

Today was a beautiful day, which is nice considering the next few days are going to be pretty crappy. Higher pressure led to a mostly sunny day. We have a winter weather advisory starting tonight, which will bring rain, sleet, snow, cats, dogs, and possibly other pets down throughout tomorrow and Friday. I'll be reporting much more information in the next couple of days, so stay tuned.

April 1, 2014 - 12:45 P.M.

Current Weather Conditions

Temperature: 24° F

Feels Like: 12° F

Wind: W at 14 mph 

Barometric Pressure: 1010.7 mb

Relative Humidity: 54%

Dew Point: 17° F

This morning felt more like winter again. My bike, which I foolishly forgot to bring into the garage last night, had a glaze of ice covering it when I left for class. It was windy and cold, with light snowfall. In both figures 1 and 2, we can see that the low pressure system from yesterday has moved to our northeast, which is giving us the westerly winds. It looks like we will be getting some snow/rain later in the week, so we're not quite out of winter yet. But it does look like there is a general warming trend (aside from today) for the area, keeping hope alive for spring weather eventually.

Figure 1 - Surface conditions for the US

Figure 2 - Surface winds for the US