Friday, April 29th

Finally feels like Spring again. Right now it is 62.4 degrees F on campus, with light SE winds at 3 mph. The pressure reading had been rising since yesterday afternoon, but has started to slowly fall again since around noon. There is a high pressure system right over the Chicago area, giving us our SW winds and clear skies. Currently there is about 10% cloud cover, with just a few low stratus clouds. Because the pressure reading is dropping, we will see an increase in cloud cover this evening. As the cold front, warm front, and occluded fronts move our way, the low pressure system associated with those fronts will cause us to have stronger winds and a chance for precipitation. The forecast for tomorrow is slightly cooler than today with an 80% chance of rain and 20-30mph SE winds.

Thursday, April 28th

Warmer temperatures are on the way! Although currently it is 44 degrees F with 10mph NNW winds, the barometric pressure reading is rising and has been since about 5am this morning. There is about 80% cloud cover, composed of stratus clouds. Because we do not have NE to S winds, heavy precipitation is not likely, just a chance for light drizzle and overcast skies. The 24 hour surface map shows a warm front moving in tomorrow, which will give us a warmer weekend. Tomorrow we will see a change in wind direction from NW to SE and with that warmer temperatures. The high for tomorrow will be in the low 60s.

Wednesday, April 27th

Currently there is 100% cloud cover with stratus and cumulus clouds. There is no precipitation, but this morning there were periods of light drizzle. The current temperature is 43 degrees F with 10mph NW winds. The dew point is at 40 degrees and we're at 90% humidity, so precipitation is likely to form on and off this afternoon. The barometric pressure reading had been falling since yesterday, but since about 7am this morning, it has starting to rise again. A large stationary front has swept across us and is now headed toward the east coast. The surface map shows a trough line forming over us in the next 24 hours representing an extension of isobars from the center of the low. With this will come more precipitation, northwestern winds, and temperatures in the upper 40s.

Friday, April 22nd

Right now in Eau Claire there is light rain, light to moderate southeast winds, and it is 42 degrees F. The barometric pressure has been falling since yesterday and is currently at 1007mb. There is 85% cloud cover, mainly cumulonimbus and cumulus clouds. There is a low pressure system to our southeast and another one to our west, accounting for our south winds. As these lows move north and east, we will have a change in wind direction from SE to NW. Tonight we will continue to see showers and temperatures in the 30s. Tomorrow will be cloudy with a chance for showers, northwest winds, and a high of 54 degrees.

Thursday, April 21st

The current temperature is 50 degrees F with 7 mph winds from the south. The barometric pressure reading started out at about 1027mb early this morning, then started to fall. It is now falling at a very rapid rate, and currently is at 1022.5mb. We have 100% overcast skies with mixed clouds (hard to tell what they are--stratus & cumulus?). Because of the falling pressure reading and the low pressure system moving toward us, tomorrow we will see an increase in clouds, strong NE winds, and with that, a good chance for precipitation. The high for tomorrow will be similar to today, but the wind will make it feel cooler.

Monday, April 18th

  The current temperature is 42.8 degrees F on campus. There are light 2 mph ENE winds and 60% cloud cover, composed mainly of statrus clouds and a few cumulus humilis and cirrus clouds. The barometric pressure reading has been steady for the past 7 or so hours at about 1014.5mb.

To our great misfortune, there is a colorado low forming across the U.S. A Colorado Low that forms in winter and early spring will almost always have precipitation in the form of snow, sleet or freezing rain. Only two elements are needed for wintry weather: cold air and available moisture. What is so alarming to us right now is the fact that temperatures that are just below freezing will retain more moisture than really cold temperatures. The forecast for tomorrow is 39 degrees F, however tomorrow night it will get down to just below freezing, so whatever precipitation we are recieving will turn into snow.
Another factor is the wind. Today we have ENE winds and stratus clouds. Not good. This means there is a strong chance for precipiation in the next 15-20 hours.

Friday, April 15th

Today was again cooler than I had predicted, however I was correct in saying it will be windy and cloudy. The current temperature is 45 degrees F but it only feels like 35 degrees F. There are pretty strong winds from the NE, at times gusting over 35 mph. Eau Claire is in a wind advisory until 7pm this evening, indicating winds of 25-35 mph, gusting possibly to 45 mph. The barometric pressure reading has been rapidly falling since around 1am this morning. This is accounting for our overcast skies and strong winds, and also indicating that the low pressure system is approaching. Taking a look at the surface map you can see somewhat of a mid-latitude cyclone forming across the center of the country. All 4 kinds of fronts are present on the map (I have labeled them), and the center of the low is currently over Kansas, moving NE. Given all of these factors, rain is expected this evening, turning into a wintry mix overnight. Tomorrow will be cold, windy, cloudy, and overall pretty depressing weather for mid-April. The high will be in the low 40's and snow accumulation will (hopefully) be less than one inch.