Lake-effect cold, Spring, and stormy.

After a warm start yesterday, the Lake kept nearby areas cold, while clouds kept temps down over Eastern Wisconsin.

I grabbed a screenshot (to the left) from my GRlevel3 at 17:40 (5.40p) yesterday (4.23.09) that shows observed temperatures and wind barbs. On top of this map I drew in contours of 50, 60, 70, and 80 degrees. I went a little crazy and did an 85 and a 90 degree contour also :)

At a higher elevation and with a southern wind, I was able to maintain a warmer temperature .


A sure sign of spring!

Derek in Polk County (NW Wisconsin Weather Blog) has been noticing that daffodils at his location are beginning to bloom. This matches the yellow I'm beginning to see in my front yard. Yesterday I snapped this photo (to the right) of the first daffodils that are opening.

OSNW3 asked about The Last Day of Winter. Yep, that day has come and gone and I missed it. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to sit down and pinpoint the day before the weekend is over.

First T-storm of season moved over Maple Hill this morning!!

I awoke around 4:00 this morning to the sound of thunder and my lightning sensor clicking.

After hail SW of Duluth the previous evening, a lone thunderstorm cell kept moving northeast across northern Wisconsin and the Bayfield Peninsula. I was lucky enough to have the cell pass directly overhead.

I grabbed this screenshot (to the left) from my GRlevel3 at 4:10 this morning. The greatest reflectivity on this base scan was 48 dBz, a pretty respectable strength!

NWS Duluth issued a Special Weather Statement concerning this lone cell at 4:05 this morning. I took a screenshot of the statement (to the right), that highlighted possible gusty winds and a brief heavy downpour.

Unfortunately, it produced only a trace of precipitation at my house... no heavy downpours. We could use more rain to help speed the green-up along.


Strong and Severe Thunderstorms this evening across WI.

I grabbed two screenshots (to the left) from AccuWeather.com from around 20:40. The view on the left shows possible snow north of Duluth, while the right image shows the blossoming cloud tops associated with deeper convection.

Addendum - 4.25.09 (Sat) @ 8:30: Storm Reports.

Again from my GRlevel3, I pulled the image of storm reports (to the right) this morning from across Wisconsin, from yesterday (Fri) evening and overnight.

The blue dots in a green bubble show locations where hail was reported, most were 0.5" or 0.88" (nickel-size), but there were a few around the Sparta area that report 1" hail (this is the new criteria for a Severe Thunderstorm).

The orange bubbles of a lightning bolt and anemometer show reports of thunderstorm wind damage. Trees were down on powerlines south of Park Falls and trees down near Fifield, both in Price County. Merrill in Lincoln County had pine branches down, and a tree fell on a house in Marathon County. The winner seems to be up in the Keewanaw Peninsula in the UP, where the city of Laruim was without power due to trees across powerlines.

And I can't leave out that there was 1" of snow reported northwest of Duluth. Apparently, the snow just will not quit!! As a side note, NWS Duluth is hinting that we may have one more shot at snow in the next seven days.