This seems to be an issue in Indiana
Posted by Ryan
I remember forecasts for Columbus, Indiana that had to be scrapped because they don't take observations overnight. Turns out, the same situation is seen in Elkhart. What is Indiana's issue with automatic sensors? If a sight is manually observed, why not the someone to work nights? Why only observe during the day when there are so many options and reasons to observe overnight as well? Does it have to do with an aversion to technology (automatic sensors)? Or is it simply a fear of being alone at an airport at night? I assume since there is the aversion to technology, the floodlight at the airport would be turned off at night, making it really dark and creepy. IF you are still with me, these are the numbers from the day. Well, when it wasn't scary and dark.
Actuals: Thursday - High 78, Low 66
Friday - High 86, Low 62
Elkhart, Indiana
Posted by Ryan
Ah, northern Indiana, a generally nondescript area if ever there was one.
At 1255PM, ET, Elkhart was reporting a temperature of 81 degrees with clear skies. A generally weak surface pattern dominated the the country, odd as it sounds, with a weak low over Ontario providing a bit of a potentially unstable conditions over the Great Lakes this evening.
An open Gulf will lead to the center of the country being dominated by showers and thunderstorms through the the afternoon. There is a system expected to develop off shore in the Carolinas that will aid in the surface flow over the southeast, and a bit of cooling caused by the Great Lakes will help stabilize northern Indiana, so the wet weather to end the week should stay south of Elkhart
Tomorrow - Sunny, High 83, Low 61
Friday - Partly cloudy, High 84, Low 59
TWC: Tomorrow - Sunshine and clouds mixed High 84, Low 63
Friday - Times of sun and clouds. High 84, Low 61
AW: Tomorrow - Partial sunshine High 82, Low 61
Friday - Partly sunny High 82, Low 61
NWS: Tomorrow- Mostly sunny High 80, Low 62
Friday - Mostly sunny, High 83, Low 58
WB: Tomorrow - Mostly sunny High 80, Low 63
Friday - Mostly sunny High 83, Low 59
Looks pretty even across the board, and rather pleasant. Satellite is quiet once again, save for some storms over the Dakotas.
Memphis, Tennessee to Elkhart, Indiana
Posted by Ryan
Our first trip on the new version of the site takes us from Memphis to northern Indiana on a trip that will take us nearly 10 hours. Not a terrible day, but longer than we are used to. It's a 611 mile trip that will see us travel at a rate of almost 62mph, slowed down by the intricate interstate systems of Memphis and Chicago. It's going to be a soggy trip, so lets change those windshield wipers and be on our way.
It will have been miserable in Memphis for about 48 hours by the time we leave, so why should we expect anything different? A whirling mass of rain and clouds over the center of the country isn't going anywhere. The most recent round will feature a stronger cold front that is primed to enter Memphis just after midnight tonight, bringing some thunderstorms into the mix. As we leave Memphis, we'll be driving in the heaviest of the rain, but will see an abrupt clearing as we pass through Arkansas, Missouri and into Illinois. This front is the best chance we have at some legitimate clearing. It will actually be fairly dry, but probably cloudy most of the way through Illinois, a fairly fitting climate for anyone who is driving through rural Illinois. As we pull into the Kankakee area, we will run into the rain once again. The occluded system will have wrapped itself back east at Chicago, which means we'll likely be in the rain the rest of the way to Elkhart. Not just a little bit of rain either, but a soaking, thorough rain. Better than snow.
