NWA Weather

[strmchsr77]

Colby I've got a question for you. I know lenticular clouds tend to form around mountains. I'm pretty sure the Ozarks and Ouachitas aren't tall enough for that. But what about the Appalachians? Or is something you're mainly just going to see out west around the Rockies? I believe I saw a few out west last year, although I didn't get very good pics of them.

Well, I have never heard of anyone seeing them in the Apps or around here, but they are certainly not a western US thing. Although they do form out west most often, another place that gets them frequently is Mount Washington. Mt Washington is in New Hampshire, you have probably heard of it as the "home of the world's worst weather." It is the highest elevation in the eastern US at 6288 ft. They also have the highest wind speed ever recorded outside of a tornado at 231 mph. I am privledged to say that I survived the 316 mph winds of the May 3rd 1999 OKC tornado. Of which I was just a few hundred yards away from. But they do form outside of the Rockies and other very high western mountain chains.

By the way here is Mt Washington's website. It is very interesting to check out their webcam network and check the weather. They average hurricane force winds about every 3 days or so.

Here is the link: Mount Washington

[Mith242]

Well, I have never heard of anyone seeing them in the Apps or around here, but they are certainly not a western US thing. Although they do form out west most often, another place that gets them frequently is Mount Washington. Mt Washington is in New Hampshire, you have probably heard of it as the "home of the world's worst weather." It is the highest elevation in the eastern US at 6288 ft. They also have the highest wind speed ever recorded outside of a tornado at 231 mph. I am privledged to say that I survived the 316 mph winds of the May 3rd 1999 OKC tornado. Of which I was just a few hundred yards away from. But they do form outside of the Rockies and other very high western mountain chains.

By the way here is Mt Washington's website. It is very interesting to check out their webcam network and check the weather. They average hurricane force winds about every 3 days or so.

Here is the link: Mount Washington

Okay, yeah I'm familiar with Mt Washington. Yeah I've been to their website. But I guess I hadn't heard about it getting lenticular clouds. Anyway thanks for the info. I figured you have the answer for me.

[Mith242]

Hard to believe we set a record low not too long ago. This is looking to be a pretty warm week. Although I guess it mainly seems that way because of the temps we've had the past couple of months.

[strmchsr77]

Hard to believe we set a record low not too long ago. This is looking to be a pretty warm week. Although I guess it mainly seems that way because of the temps we've had the past couple of months.

Yeah, it is going to be a really warm week or more. Highs well into the 60s, which is about 15-20 degrees above normal. The only thing I am looking forward to now is the possibility of some severe storms around Saturday. Still too far away to know for sure but I'll keep an eye on it.

[Mith242]

Yeah, it is going to be a really warm week or more. Highs well into the 60s, which is about 15-20 degrees above normal. The only thing I am looking forward to now is the possibility of some severe storms around Saturday. Still too far away to know for sure but I'll keep an eye on it.

That reminds me sometime I need to repost one of my cloud pics and ask you what they are called.

[strmchsr77]

That reminds me sometime I need to repost one of my cloud pics and ask you what they are called.

Go right ahead. I will try to identify the type if I can.

[nwa_479]

What a day! I was at Fort Smith for the weekend and just got back yesterday. I'm amazed at how much it warmed up. It looks like it'll be like this for the rest of the week.

[strmchsr77]

Today and tomorrow look to be warm and mostly sunny. Then some changes will come in late friday night with a very good chance of thunderstorms. At this time they will probably form into a squall line overnight in eastern OK and come through really early in the morning. Storng winds will probably be the main concern during this event.

[Mith242]

Okay I finally found which disk these pics were on. I'm not sure but you may have seen them before. I posted them when I took them last April. There had been some other interesting cloud formations but I was out doing errands. I rushed home and managed to get these shots before the rain and hail starting pouring down.

[richyb83]

Nice shots Rod. Thanks for posting them. You are right, the texture in the clouds on the first pic is fascinating!

*NWA all the way down to the Gulf Coast need to be on the lookout for strong to severe T-storms on Saturday(PM?) with the possibility of hail and high winds. They are calling this a "vigorous system".

[Mith242]

Nice shots Rod. Thanks for posting them. You are right, the texture in the clouds on the first pic is fascinating!

*NWA all the way down to the Gulf Coast need to be on the lookout for strong to severe T-storms on Saturday(PM?) with the possibility of hail and high winds. They are calling this a "vigorous system".

Thanks. Yeah for us I think it's starts tonight.

[strmchsr77]

Okay I finally found which disk these pics were on. I'm not sure but you may have seen them before. I posted them when I took them last April. There had been some other interesting cloud formations but I was out doing errands. I rushed home and managed to get these shots before the rain and hail starting pouring down.

Yeah, I saw these same clouds back in April. From what I can tell they are mammatus. They generally occur around thunderstorms (Cumulonimbus). They are a sign of very unstable air and can be associated with severe updrafts.

[Mith242]

Yeah, I saw these same clouds back in April. From what I can tell they are mammatus. They generally occur around thunderstorms (Cumulonimbus). They are a sign of very unstable air and can be associated with severe updrafts.

Okay that does sound somewhat familiar. I couldn't remember what they were called. Looks like we missed all the severe weather up here. Looks like wind will end up playing a bigger factor. Sounds like there's been some pretty strong winds associated with and behind this front.

[masons_dad1]

What's the deal with the muddy rain? I just bought a black car and mud shows up real good on black! I heard there were dust storms moving through Oklahoma into Arkansas. Is this normal?

[strmchsr77]

What's the deal with the muddy rain? I just bought a black car and mud shows up real good on black! I heard there were dust storms moving through Oklahoma into Arkansas. Is this normal?

It is faily normal, it does not happen all the time but maybe a few times per year. There have been winds of 65-70 mph over western TX and OK today and in places that did not see any rain the wind picked up alot of dust. Then pulled it into NE OK and NWA behind a dryline. It showed up really well on the satellite images earlier today. Here in Tulsa we had very orange skies for a few hours this afternoon as the "dust storm" blew through. Still we only had winds of up to around 40 here in Tulsa. I was expecting closer to 50.

[Mith242]

Yeah I don't hear it happening a lot but it does happen once in a while. I remember it happening a couple of years ago. It may have happened more than that and I just didn't notice.

[strmchsr77]

Here is yesterday afternoons satellite map. You can see the strong SW winds pulling in the dust from western north TX. They did not get much rain in this area. The dust gets wrapped up into the Low that is sitting in southern Kansas. Then moves into NWA.

[Mith242]

Yeah just blame dirty Texas.

[strmchsr77]

Pretty quite weather for most of the week. A chance of a storm or a shower will move in Wedneday night along with a cold front. Things will cool back off into the lower 50s for late in the week. This is pretty much right on target for highs this time of year.

[strmchsr77]

Pretty good shot at some severe weather late tonight, probably sometime after midnight. We are under a moderate risk of severe storm w/ tornadoes possible. There are 3 levels the SPC uses to determine severe level threat, slight, moderate, and high. So things could get interesting.

[Mith242]

Pretty cold this morning. I think the coldest I saw it get was 17. I imagine that will probably be the last time we see the teens till next winter.

[masons_dad1]

Pretty cold this morning. I think the coldest I saw it get was 17. I imagine that will probably be the last time we see the teens till next winter.

That would be nice. I'm anxious to start doing all the outdoors stuff that Northwest Arkansas offers.

[strmchsr77]

Pretty cold this morning. I think the coldest I saw it get was 17. I imagine that will probably be the last time we see the teens till next winter.

There is a good chance of that but we still have about a 3 weeks of a chance of temps dropping into the teens and remember we usually get our biggest snows in March. It is not looking like one of those years but it can happen.

[strmchsr77]

Some rain and thunderstorms throughout about the first half of today or so. Doesn't look like we will have much in the way of severe weather this time. Another shot as some rain and storms on Sunday.

[masons_dad1]

Some rain and thunderstorms throughout about the first half of today or so. Doesn't look like we will have much in the way of severe weather this time. Another shot as some rain and storms on Sunday.

I'm lovin' this rain. I just wish there was some rolling thunder to go with it. Feels like semi-tropical rain.