Ride along the cold front as it passed through the Central United States this weekend. We went from t-shirts to turtlenecks as temperatures dropped 50 degrees in some cities. The nose diving temperatures were accompanied by rain and gusty winds making for a very raw time.
Follow the front from northwest to southeast, as it dramatically drops temperatures first in Salina and Omaha, then Topeka and Kansas City, through Mid-Missouri and Springfield, before finally pushing through St. Louis.
October 8, 2012
Fall foliage is already in full swing across the Northeastern United States, while signs of change are beginning to show up in the Midwest. The typical peak for Fall colors occurs in October, however some areas to the west won’t see their peak until early November.
Normal Time for Peak Foliage Color
Temperature and soil moisture play a large role in the vibrancy of fall colors. Warm sunny days followed by cool nights bring the most colorful leaves. These conditions allow the leaves to slowly become dormant, bringing out the most colorful foliage. The amount of soil moisture also affects the onset and amount of color seen, with adequate soil moisture providing optimum color.
What can we expect for color this year?
Recent warm days and cool nights have allowed some decent colors to appear in northwestern Missouri. However, with the lack of soil moisture caused by this summer’s drought we can expect “leaf peaking” to be less intense this fall.
Track Fall Foliage in Missouri – Missouri Department of Conservation
Read about Fall Colors in Nebraska – Nebraska Games & Parks Commission
Weekly Updates on Foliage in Iowa – Iowa Department of Natural Resources
October 5, 2012
Earlier this week the Central Plains were basking in mild temperatures for early October with highs in the upper 70s to lower 90s! Now, just one or two days later we have areas of snow and temperatures struggling to reach 50 degrees. This dramatic change was thanks to a strong cold front that moved across the Central Plains and even into the southern United States. Take a look below to see just how far those temperatures fell with a comparison of highs on Wednesday or Thursday to the afternoon on Friday.
September 21, 2012
While it won’t happen tonight, freezing temperature are inevitable. Fall may just be starting, so patchy frost is not far behind, and eventually a widespread freeze to plants will occur. Temperatures will often cool faster in low-lying areas and river valleys, where the denser cold air can settle into these lower terrains. You will also see the first frost and freeze come to rural areas or outskirts of urban areas before the densely populated urban areas. When can you expect that mercury to drop to 32 degrees?
Average Date of First Fall Freeze
Follow along when areas see their first freeze with this map courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center. The map will update each morning to show the progression of freezing temperatures.
Date of First Fall Freeze of 2012
Check back to the Weather or Not Blog to see when freezing invades from Canada!
Ten years ago, several KC Irish organizations got together and asked, “How can we work to benefit the community as a whole?” Being sociable sorts, they put fun first on their agenda.
 Historical Temperatures |
 Historical Precipitation |
August 20, 2012
Low dewpoints, clear skies and light winds were the perfect recipe for record low temperatures this weekend. Let’s take a look at how each of these factors contributed to some cool mornings…
START WITH – Low Dewpoints: The dewpoint is a measure of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere. When dewpoints climb above 60 degrees in the summer, the air feels warm and muggy. Warm dewpoints on a summer night also limit cooling. This is because as the air temperature gets close to the dewpoint, relative humidity increases and condensation occurs. The process of condensation releases heat into the air causing the temperature to level-off near the dewpoint. So when the dewpoint is lower, that “level-off” happens at a lower temperature. That was the case this weekend as dewpoints dropped into the 40s.
ADD IN – Clear Skies: Starry skies are needed for temperatures to fall close to the dewpoint. During the day pavement, buildings, vegetation and soil absorb heat from the sun. During the night, that heat gets released back toward space. When the nighttime sky is cloudy, those clouds act like a blanket at night, keeping temperatures warm. However, when the nighttime sky is clear, heat released from earth escapes into space causing temperatures to drop. Locations that saw record lows this weekend all had clear skies for a majority of the night.
In winter, we welcome the cloudy blanket for warmth.
MIX WITH – Light Winds: Wind speed is the final factor in how low temperatures can fall. Since air normally cools from the ground up, the air closest to the ground is the coolest overnight. As you increase in elevation off the ground, the temperature normally gets warmer. If the wind is strong overnight, the cool air near the surface mixes with the warmer air above, which limits the potential for cooling. However, on a night with light winds, the air near the ground continues to cool with no influence from warm air above. Wind speeds were generally less than 5 mph this weekend.
