Southerly winds have helped push Thursday afternoon temps into mid and upper 50s, close to the normal high of 58 degrees. 

If anyone reading this was born on a February 29th, Happy Birthday tomorrow!  You are special indeed!  If you have any fun 2/29 birthday stories or traditions, I’d like to hear about them if you’re willing to share.

Back to the weather…it looks like rain chances are on the menu tomorrow, following a mild evening (low in mid 40s).  Once the rain moves on, we’re looking at some grrrreat weekend weather, with temperatures topping 60 both days before a chance of rain (maybe more?) creeps back into play.  Dave will have his take on the situation on ACTION NEWS 5 @ 5, 6 & 10pm.

Before clocking out for the day, I want to wish a speedy recovery to a mentor & friend to me (and many others) who’s a bit under the weather.  Dr. Bob McDowell was my advisor as well as instructor for several Broadcasting classes at the University of Memphis.  He also heads up the school’s radio station on 91.7 FM.  Many former and current broadcasters have sat in on his teachings, and I doubt you could find anyonewho would label him as anything other than a fine professor and a true gentleman.  Get well soon, Bob!

Skies cleared across most of the Mid-South overnight and temperatures dipped into the twenties.  The low in Memphis dipped to 26 degrees.  However, early this morning northwest winds aloft ushered clouds into West Tennessee and the Missouri Bootheel.  And that was just enough moisture to produce some snow showers for some.  Here’s a look at the Pinpoint 5 Storm Track Radar just after 9 AM this morning:

 The areas in light blue and green indicate the falling snow. 

And this is a picture sent to us from Carol P. in Luray, TN in Chester County:

From this picture it looks like just enough to make a snowball. 

NWS Memphis issued a Wind Advisory for the Action News 5 coverage area this morning.

URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
330 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

…WINDY WEATHER ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH TODAY…

.STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BLOW ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH
BEHIND A COLD FRONT WHICH MOVED THROUGH THE REGION OVERNIGHT.
THESE WINDY CONDITIONS WILL LAST THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

RANDOLPH-CLAY-LAWRENCE-GREENE-CRAIGHEAD-POINSETT-MISSISSIPPI-
CROSS-CRITTENDEN-ST. FRANCIS-LEE AR-PHILLIPS-DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT-
DESOTO-MARSHALL-BENTON MS-TIPPAH-ALCORN-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-TATE-
PRENTISS-COAHOMA-QUITMAN-PANOLA-LAFAYETTE-UNION-PONTOTOC-LEE MS-
ITAWAMBA-TALLAHATCHIE-YALOBUSHA-CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-MONROE-LAKE-
OBION-WEAKLEY-HENRY-DYER-GIBSON-CARROLL-LAUDERDALE-TIPTON-HAYWOOD-
CROCKETT-MADISON-CHESTER-HENDERSON-DECATUR-SHELBY-FAYETTE-
HARDEMAN-MCNAIRY-HARDIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…WALNUT RIDGE…PARAGOULD…JONESBORO…
HARRISBURG…BLYTHEVILLE…WYNNE…WEST MEMPHIS…FORREST CITY…
HELENA…KENNETT…CARUTHERSVILLE…SOUTHAVEN…OLIVE BRANCH…
CORINTH…IUKA…TUNICA…BOONEVILLE…CLARKSDALE…BATESVILLE…
OXFORD…NEW ALBANY…TUPELO…AMORY…ABERDEEN…UNION CITY…
MARTIN…DRESDEN…PARIS…DYERSBURG…HUMBOLDT…MILAN…
HUNTINGDON…COVINGTON…JACKSON…LEXINGTON…BARTLETT…
GERMANTOWN…COLLIERVILLE…MEMPHIS…MILLINGTON…SOMERVILLE…
BOLIVAR…SAVANNAH
330 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON.

GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BLOW ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. SUSTAINED
WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH WILL BE EXPECTED.
THE WINDS SHOULD SUBSIDE BY AROUND SUNSET.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 39 MPH ARE
EXPECTED…OR GUSTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 40 AND 57 MPH. WINDS THIS
STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

After a high of 64 degrees today and plenty of sunshine, at least through mid afternoon, I felt a little touch of  “Spring-Fever.”  The unfortunate thing is a cold front will end that fever by Tuesday.  Expect cold weather both Tuesday and Wednesday.  I am thankful our latest system will most likely NOT bring Severe weather.  I hope you have a great evening and thanks for stopping by.

For the most part I blog about weather but how can one ignore one of the biggest sporting events this city has ever seen.  I have told everyone I talk to that you will need a jacket if downtown.  I am hoping rain will hold off, but not completely convinced.  I do know this….it would be extremely light and just in the form of liquid.  Even if you are not a sports fan, this event is absolutely wonderful for our city!  Enjoy the moment as they say!

Good Friday to You!  Often times in our web updates you will find a little more in depth analysis than we provide on air.  I would like to take this a step further.  Each day several times a day the National Weather Service presents a “Discussion” that gives their technical projections of what is taking place and what is to come.  Here’s a sample…
DISCUSSION…

DEALING WITH PRECIPITATION EARLY THIS MORNING IS THE MAIN
FORECAST CONCERN.

LATEST MODELS WERE IN FAIR TO GOOD AGREEMENT. USED A BLEND
OF THEM.

THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WAS TO CANCEL THE ICE
STORM WARNING/FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY AS PRECIPITATION HAS ENDED IN
THE WARNED/ADVISED AREA AND TEMPERATURES HAVE GENERALLY RISEN
ABOVE FREEZING…32 DEGREES. NO MORE ICING PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED
ANYWHERE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH.

AT 345 AM CST…SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE EXITING MUCH
OF THE MIDSOUTH AND WERE LOCATED EAST OF A COLD FRONT THAT
STRETCHED FROM NEAR PARIS TN TO OXFORD MS. TEMPERATURES RANGED
FROM 33 AT UNION CITY TN TO 54 NEAR CALHOUN CITY MS.

TODAY…ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL END OVER THE ENTIRE MIDSOUTH
BY 7 AM CST…BUT A GLOOMY DAY CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE MIDSOUTH
WITH AREAS OF FOG AND DRIZZLE…MAINLY THIS MORNING BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT. UNDER CLOUDY SKIES…THINK TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLOW
TO REBOUND…SO PREFERRED THE LOWER SIDE OF GUIDANCE WITH HIGHS
MAINLY IN THE 40S…EXCEPT LOWER/MID 50S NEAR TUPELO MS AND
POINTS SOUTHEAST. NO ADDITIONAL ICING PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED NORTH
OF INTERSTATE 40 WITH ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

TONIGHT AND SATURDAY…DRY CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED…BUT THINK
CLEARING WILL BE SLOW…MUCH SLOWER THAN MODELS ADVERTISE AS
THEY APPEAR TO BE MISHANDLING SHALLOW MOISTURE OVER THE AREA.
CHOSE A MORE PESSIMISTIC SKY FORECAST DURING THIS TIME FRAME.
THUS…LEANED TOWARDS WARMER GUIDANCE NUMBERS FOR LOWS TONIGHT AND
LOWER GUIDANCE NUMBERS FOR HIGHS ON SATURDAY. THINK LOWS TONIGHT
WILL BE IN THE 30S AND HIGHS ON SATURDAY FROM THE LOWER/MID 40S
NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 TO LOWER/MID 50S OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI.

SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY…LATEST MODELS WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT
THAT ANOTHER WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY PASS THROUGH
THE AREA. APPEARS DEEP MOISTURE WILL BE LACKING…SO KEPT LOW
PRECIPITATION CHANCES. IF ANY PRECIPITATION OCCURS…IT WILL
DEFINITELY BE ON THE LIGHT SIDE. EVEN IF A FEW FLAKES OCCUR
NORTH OF A JONESBORO AR TO JACKSON TN LINE…NO PROBLEMS
ARE EXPECTED.

SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY…DRY CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED
MONDAY BEFORE A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE MONDAY
NIGHT OR TUESDAY. THE EXACT TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE FRONT
REMAINS UNCERTAIN…SO DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS
FORECAST AT THIS TIME. THUNDER MAY BE POSSIBLE…BUT DOUBTFUL THAT
STRONG/SEVERE STORMS WILL OCCUR AT THIS TIME. TEMPERATURES WILL
BE NEAR NORMAL.

TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY…MAINLY DRY AND UNSEASONABLY COLD
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE MIDSOUTH AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH IS FORECAST TO BE OVER THE EASTERN U.S.. TEMPERATURES ARE
FORECAST TO BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON WEDNESDAY.

You can access these at www.srh.noaa.gov/meg/

Click on Public weather on the left side and look on the right once you move to the next page and then click on “Area Forecast Discussion”

Please leave your comments if you read one of these and feel free to ask me questions…you can email me at www.jbryant@wmctv.com

I hope you have a good weekend

MEATBALLS! 

What book do I read the most in my spare time?  It would be Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.  Why is that?  Well, wouldn’t everyone LOVE to have it snow mashed potatoes?

Actually, it’s a terrific book to read to kids on school visits, particularly kindergarten through the second grade.  One of the best aspects of working here at WMC-TV is the chance to visit dozens of schools each year and give a little something back.  If you haven’t volunteered to read at an elementary school, I highly recommend you do so.  Kids just love to be read to, and it is a blast to see them have a great time thanks to a paperback book.

Now on to the afternoon’s weather.  I see Jonesboro (AR) is checking in at 34 degrees and light rain @ 2pm.  I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about folks in Clay and Greene Counties (just to the north of Jonesboro) being slightly colder and catching a brief bit of wintry mix.  This is already the case around Searcy (yes, THAT Searcy) and Mountain Home.

For virtually everyone else, temps are warmer and a round of afternoon rain could be in order as round two prepares to cross the Mississippi.

Thankfully, southerly and southeasterly winds will make for an overnight with above-freezing temps. 

I invite you to join us for ACTION NEWS 5 to get the latest outlook.  Weekend weather is shaping up to be decent. 

Which is good.  I hear there’s some event downtown Saturday night

The much anticipated Lunar Eclipse took place last night but we  couldn’t see it.  Clouds blanketed the sky obscuring our view here in the Mid-South.  Fortunately, we have video from another part of the country where it was visible.  Enjoy.  By the way, our next chance to see a total lunar eclipse again will be December 2010.

Here are the morning numbers from the NWS Memphis office.  

MAX/MIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLE FOR THE MIDSOUTH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
615 AM CST THU FEB 21 2008

                                  24HR   12HR    24HR
STATION               HIGH   LOW     PCPN

MEMPHIS                  59          34        T
NWS MEMPHIS        57          32        T
JACKSON                   56          30        T
DYERSBURG             50          27      0.00
SOMERVILLE           60          29        M
BOLIVAR                    M          29        M
SELMER                     60          30      0.00
SAVANNAH               58          30      0.00
LEXINGTON             56          28      0.00
HUNTINGDON         48          25      0.00
UNION CITY             43          23      0.00
PARIS                         44          23       0.00
JONESBORO             50          27       0.02
BLYTHEVILLE         48          28        T
WALNUT RIDGE      46          27       0.00
WEST MEMPHIS      54          32        T
TUPELO                      67          39      0.00
CORINTH                   62          34        M

No major problems were reported in the Action News 5 coverage area overnight or this morning.  There were only small pockets of brief sleet and most of that was north of 1-40 and primarily in northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel.  A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY remains in effect until noon today for Memphis and Shelby County, east Arkansas, most of west Tennessee.  Cold air remains in place across the Mid-South but a warmer airmass to the south will advect north and help warm most areas to above freezing.

We should reach the mid forties in Memphis and even near fifty in northern Mississippi this afternoon and then hold steady there into the overnight hours.  As a result rain will fall across most areas.  There is a chance for a mix near the TN/KY and AR/MO borders. 

Rain should move east early Friday but clouds will linger.  Aftenoon temps will climb to the upper forties and then dip into the low to mid thirties overnight. 

 The weekend will be mild and dry with temps in the low to mid fifties.  And an even bigger warm up is in store for Monday as high temperatures push to near sixty.  Another storm system will roll through the area Monday night bring rain possibly ending as snow Tuesday morning as another big dip in temperatures is expected behind the system.  Current model data indicates high temperatures falling through the day Tuesday and only reaching the mid to upper thirties Wednesday.   

There’s still plenty of time between now and then for this to change but we will keep an eye on it and keep you posted on WMCTV.com and Action News 5.  In the meantime get ready for a cold rainy day today but a nice weekend is on the way.

Oh yeah, one more thing…….

GO TIGERS!!

A total lunar eclipse takes place tonight.  Here are the times for viewing.  However, seeing the eclipse may be a problem due to clouds.

 Clouds will increase today in advance of and along a cold front that  will be moving through from the northwest.  The front will hold temperatures into the mid forties for most counties north of Memphis.  From Memphis further south into northern Mississippi high temperatures will reach the mid to upper fifties.  It will be cold and cloudy all across the Action News 5 coverage area overnight with lows in the upper twenties to lower thirties.  Precipitation will develop during the day Thursday but at this point it looks like a cold rain will fall over the Mid-South rain will likely begin as temperatures warm above the freezing mark.  One thing to keep in mind is that the moisture source is coming from a warmer airmass to the southeast so temperatures will rise despite the big dip in the numbers overnight.  There may be some backlash precip that lingers into Friday morning which could produce some flurries north of the I-40 corridor. 

The weekend will be partly cloudy with highs in the low to mid fifties and overnight lows in the mid thirties. 

Another round of rain is in the forecast for the beginning of next week.

Be sure to tune into Action News 5 at noon, 5, 6, and 10 today for latest on this cold rain and the complete 7 Day Forecast.

~Ron Childers