👌 Magnificent May... until Memorial Day weekend?

Update #550

After a rocky start to the month, mid-to-late May has had (and will continue to have) some excellent weather in the Hudson Valley.

The prevalence of high pressure near the region over the next week should largely keep rainmakers at bay to start the week.

But it can’t be all rainbows and butterflies — one possible fly in the ointment is a disturbance along the East Coast during Memorial Day weekend 🤦‍♂️

I heard the collective groan of the Hudson Valley all the way from New Zealand.

Before you get too upset, there’s a chance that the activity remains to the south or misses to the east — but the chance that it hits can’t be ignored at this point.

💨 Another ongoing issue is the smoke coming from the wildfires in Alberta. By now, there’s a good chance that you’ve noticed the milky-grey sky or a deep orange glow around the sun at sunset.

The visual effects of the smoke will continue this week, with Sunday-Wednesday looking rather smoky before a front clears the air on Wednesday night.

Large parts of the U.S. & Canada will be affected by wildfire smoke over the next 5 days — the worst will be in the north-central U.S. & Canadian Prairies

As for what to expect with the weather… it’s all generally good until the weekend. It doesn’t look particularly hot nor a swimming pool type of weekend. The details remain a question mark, with the possibilities ranging from dreary and damp at times to partly sunny and dry.

Monday: a good start to the week — mostly sunny with a slight chance for a passing evening shower

Tuesday: looking great! 😎

Wednesday: a warm one with increasing clouds; a cold front will pass in the evening, bringing a period of rain

Thursday: cooler and breezy 🌬️

Friday: less wind and somewhat warmer than Thursday

Saturday-Sunday: 🤔 sub-tropical disturbance brews near East Coast; not hot, probably more clouds than sun with some rain more likely than not… follow on Facebook or Twitter for more details as the weekend gets closer

Looking ahead to the week of May 29th and the start of meteorological summer (!), it’s a mixed signal. There’s an indication that disturbed weather may linger near the eastern seaboard, which would prevent it from really heating up and keep the chance for rain in the forecast.

What I’m working on for premium subscribers: hurricane season outlook. The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1st and runs through November 30th. Last year, the region was spared from tropical storm impacts, unlike 2021, when there were several. What does the risk look like for 2023? I’ll be sending my seasonal hurricane outlook to premium subscribers on Wednesday, May 24th — one day ahead of NOAA’s official outlook.

Back in New Zealand 🛫

After about 24 hours’ worth of trains, planes, and automobiles, I’m back in the Southwest Pacific.

This was my view from the back seat of a JFK-bound taxi as I farewelled New York.

It was so nice visiting friends and family across the Hudson Valley after being away for over three years and sharing impromptu selfies with friendly folks 😀

I will miss the sub sandwiches and pizza, but certainly not the potholes!

In an effort to get ready for the Montgomery village yard sale (taking place today, Sunday, May 21st!), I cleaned out my childhood closet. I saved a lot of my work from school, even back to elementary. It was incredible to look back at these “historical relics”, with work in my earliest years being handwritten instead of digital — just before computers took off.

I stumbled upon a class award that I received following the 1998-99 school year, when I was in Berea Elementary School. It speaks for itself… follow your dreams ✨

Hope your week is magnificent even if/when the weather isn’t ✌️