The ridge of high pressure that has been over the northern Rocky Mountains much of this summer has been intensifying a bit the past few days. We’ve seen some thunderstorms form on the edge of that ridge, but until that ridge completely breaks down, the pattern of occasional thunderstorms, mostly of the hit and miss… Read more August Changes
Month: July 2021
Dry and Dry
This summer no doubt has been quite dry across most of the state of North Dakota. The one minor positive is that we seem to get at last one thunderstorm complex a week. Sometimes two. In turn, there are portions of the state that have gotten adequate precipitation, yet at the same time, the nature… Read more Dry and Dry
Bismarck Temperature Quirks
If you live in the Bismarck area you may have noticed the temperatures at the airport seem quite high. Well, the short answer is they likely are. The airport has been reading 5 to 7 degrees warmer than any other site within 50 miles of the temperature sensor at the Bismarck Airport. Even with those… Read more Bismarck Temperature Quirks
The Dog Days
We are currently in what many people call the dog days of summer. There are many definitions to this term but in a modern time most often this phrase is used for the hottest 40 days of the summer based on average temperatures. For most areas that would be from Independence Day through almost mid-August. … Read more The Dog Days
Radar App
If you live in western North Dakota you are very well aware of the fact that the National Weather Service radars do not serve the western one-quarter of the state as well as other areas. Fortunately, non-National Weather radars do help fill those gaps. The Stanley and Bowman radars have been run for several years… Read more Radar App
Variable
It is a rare summer when rain isn’t quite variable across the state. As we all know rain does not fall evenly and you will always get spot to spot variation. It is the drier summers like this year that this variability tends to get more notice. In years when it is wet, the variability… Read more Variable
Autumn Weather
It is that time of year when a very commonly asked question to me is what do you think the weather will be this autumn. Most of the questions come from the perspective of are we going to turn wet. As with all long-term forecasts there will be exceptions, for examples there are areas this… Read more Autumn Weather
Smoke Impacts
Every time there is smoke in the air I will get asked about the impact on crops. Yes, smoke lowers the temperature, so most days with smoke in the air you’ll get fewer growing degree units. But if it happens to be a day when the temperature hit 86 degrees or warmer, you may end… Read more Smoke Impacts
New Cameras
Last week the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, usually referenced as NDAWN, upgraded three stations in southwestern North Dakota. The Carson, Hettinger and Mott stations were transformed from tripod to towers. With this upgrade these stations now how all-season rain gauges, allowing for measurement of water in snow this winter. Plus, these sites now have… Read more New Cameras
Rain Threats
There should be a least some hit and miss rain activity around the area this week. This summer has usually had a day or two each week with at least some rain, but a widespread thunderstorm complex is difficult to get this time of year and this year, probably even a bit more difficult. I’ve… Read more Rain Threats