It'll feel more humid the next few days thanks to persistent onshore east winds as high temps. top out near 80 at the beaches to the mid 80s inland. Higher humidity & the onshore flow will also lead to a few showers moving west from the Atlantic. There could be some brief heavy showers but amounts -- overall -- don't look significant for most places. Best chance for heavier rain will be where bands set up east/west which will be near coastal areas from approximately I-95 to the beaches. This pattern will hold through Fri. until "Sandy" moves to about Jax's latitude which looks to be about Fri. night-early Sat. At that point, winds will become offshore from the N/NW & the air will dry out considerably. In fact, there will be a nice infusion of cool air from the north Sun. into the middle of next week that should allow
for the coolest temps. in many months with lows in the 40s inland & only 70-75 during the day. In the meantime, onshore winds will steadily increase, & the danger at area beaches cannot be emphasized enough as the rip current risk
will be very high. Breakers at our beaches could reach double digits Fri.-Sat., especially at high tide. Anyone with plans to the Bahamas for Fri. into the weekend should rethink their itinerary.
From NOAA last week:
NOAA’s world-class weather and climate prediction center opens at University of Maryland in College Park
The federal government officially opened a new center that is the backbone of weather and climate prediction for the nation. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, NOAA Adminstrator Jane Lubchenco and other federal and state officials will gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Center for Weather and Climate Prediction on University of Maryland grounds to announce the new programs and collaborations the facility will support.
The 268,000 square-foot building is home to more than 800 employees of NOAA’s Center for Weather and Climate Prediction who provide the nation with a broad range of environmental services – from predicting the hurricane season and El Niño/La Niña to forecasting ocean currents and large-scale rain and snow storms. Billions of earth observations from around the world flow through environmental models, developed and managed in the new building, that support the nation’s weather forecasts.
Scientists at the center also predict how hazardous materials move in the atmosphere, conduct air quality modeling, study climate variability, monitor and predict movement of volcanic ash, and research new ways to use satellite information to safeguard the environment. Scientists also monitor hurricane and tropical cyclones worldwide and analyze fire and smoke plumes from wildfires, which NOAA satellites track.
“NOAA’s weather forecasters, scientists and researchers stand sentry over Maryland and the nation, looking out for severe weather to protect lives and livelihoods,” Senator Mikulski said. “This new NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction will be the brain center of weather operations. Investing in this center is an investment in our human capital, serving as a world class facility for a world class workforce and supporting thousands of NOAA jobs across our state. Marylanders can continue to rely on NOAA data to keep them safe every day, and I will continue to do my part to put funding in the federal checkbook to support these important operations.”
“This facility is an important investment in our nation’s future,” said Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank. “It’s a place where government, academia and others can come together to make new discoveries, drive innovation, and uncover new ways to give our citizens and businesses the information they need to make smart decisions, whether that’s deciding how to ship their products to customers or just taking care of day-to-day tasks. The work that happens at this center – and the new discoveries that will be made – will lead to a better quality-of-life for all Americans.”
NOAA is developing and expanding programs for the new center to increase scientific collaboration between researchers, forecasters, University of Maryland faculty and students, and scientists across the nation and abroad. A new partnership with the University of Maryland will inspire the next generation of earth scientists by pairing undergraduates in the department of atmospheric and oceanic science with researchers at the center to earn federal requirements to become certified meteorologists and oceanographers.
A visiting scientist program will promote innovation in environmental prediction by offering rotating assignments to foreign meteorologists and scientists who will help accelerate science advancements that support NOAA’s mission. This mutual sharing of ideas and experience between U.S. and international researchers, academics and applied scientists will advance the field of atmospheric sciences and help create a Weather-Ready Nation, one that is capable of anticipating and responding to extreme weather, water and climate events.
Architects designed the energy-efficient building, equipped with a green roof and rainwater bio-retention, to reflect NOAA’s environment and science mission and the important public work carried out within its walls. The work environment encourages scientific interaction by co-locating scientists from across disciplines and creating an open concept design to promote greater communication and collaboration. Ultimately, integrating NOAA units – researchers and modelers, data managers, duty meteorologists and satellite analysts – will allow for more accurate environmental predictions, advanced ecosystem forecasting and acceleration of new ideas from research to operation. Photo below courtesy University of Maryland:
The Fl. Forest Service has published an excellent article on its website "The Fire Weather Outlook: Oct.-Jan.". The article goes into pretty good detail regarding El Nino & the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Click here + see the maps below. In any case -- given the wet summer -- the wildfire danger is not likely to be great. We're in far better shape than a year ago.
I received several pic's from the Sea & Sky Spectacular at Jax Beach over the weekend. The first 2 below are from Greg DiFranza...the 3rd one is from Valerie Ann.
