Unusual weather phenomenon brings days of rain
Update #652: an uncommon phenomenon called an omega block will bring days of rain to the Hudson Valley.
Hello there!
A weather pattern change will bring persistent rain and clouds to the Hudson Valley through Tuesday. Half an inch of rain fell on Saturday as some area residents reported hail. There will be more rain Sunday, mainly in the afternoon.
By the end of the week, another 2 to 4 inches of rain may fall — perhaps near the May monthly average of just over 3 inches.
The region could use the rain. Moderate drought, which developed last fall, still covers parts of the area.
An uncommon phenomenon — called an omega block — is driving the sudden change to rainy conditions. I wrote about in the Washington Post on Saturday. Here’s a gift link to my story if you want to read more about it. Click here to watch the phenomenon swirl.
The good news is that it will probably dry out in time for next weekend — and Mother’s Day 🤞
The week ahead
The week ahead will start wet, probably end dry, and won’t be quite as warm as recent weeks. Daytime temperatures will generally be in the 60s or low 70s with cool nights late in the week. Friday looks coolest overall as a Canadian air mass sinks southward.
Monday: mostly cloudy with periods of rain, mainly later
Tuesday: mostly cloudy with showers and a chance for thunderstorms
Wednesday: partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon
Thursday: mix of clouds and sun; slight chance for a PM shower
Friday: partly sunny and cooler — rain passing nearby?
Saturday-Sunday: increasing sunshine, looking dry as of this writing! ☀️
Looking ahead to the week of May 12, conditions are currently looking drier than normal with warmth gradually building — perhaps another taste of summer will soon arrive.
May weather trends
This past week, I wrote about historical May temperature trends and how this month is shaping up for the Post.
The below map shows how May temperatures have changed across the country over the last 40 years.
New York is one of the states that has warmed the most in May — about 1.2 degrees since 1985. I took things a step further and added some interactivity, so readers can search for their county:
If you’re up for some additional reading or want to search for your county, here’s a gift link to the article!
After a bumpy start to this May because of the omega block, signs are that conditions will warm up and dry out during the mid and late month.
With a little patience, summer-like weather will not be denied.
Don’t let the block slow you down this week ✌️
Glad that block moved away. Probably heading to England, where it's been much sunnier than usual.