Sun returns tomorrow, watching for Hurricane Matthew
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A welcome dose of sunshine is on the way for Minnesota. Many of us willl just have to wait one more day to enjoy it.
The sun peeks through at times, but low pressure swirling over the Great Lakes deals us one more mostly cloudy day today. The low finally nudges far enough southeast Thursday, and the sun should break out once again. You do remember the sun? I'm still searching for my sunglasses.
I can't rule out a few more sprinkles today leaking out from the underside of the cloud deck. But tomorrow should bring the first day of some extended sunshine, as weather patterns get stuck in place for a few days.
Blocking pattern
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Meteorologists call it a blocking pattern when weather systems get stuck in place. Usually weather systems move along nicely from west to east. But this week the maps show a stalled low over the Ohio Valley. Minnesota rides the narrow gap between cloud systems east and west, a precarious but welcome slot of sunshine for the next few days starting tomorrow.
In theory.
Watching for Matthew
NOAA's Hurricane Hunters are flying into what looks like a developing Tropical Storm Matthew this morning.
The recon flight has found what appears to be tropical storm force winds in the system. Expect "Matthew" to be named today.
Potential for rapid development
Most models predict Matthew will develop rapidly into a hurricane the next 48 hours. Some suggest the system could feed on a pool of unusually warm ocean as it makes what looks like a right turn to the north.
The spaghetti tracks have been shifting west. It's still too early to convey with certainty, but as the tracks shift west the odds of a potential U.S. 'interaction' next week grow.
Matthew the Monster?
Several of the intensity forecast now bring Matthew to major hurricane force. A few even push Matthew to Category 4 or 5 intensity in about 4 to 5 days.
Model solutions still vary widely, but NOAA's GFS model has been consistent the past few runs with bringing a potent hurricane up the east coast next week. File this under a big maybe this far out, but worth keeping an eye on.
Stay tuned.