We’ve heard reports of “brown air” around Nashville today - yuck. Just a reminder that an air quality alert is in effect today:

…CODE ORANGE ALERT ISSUED FOR THE NASHVILLE AREA ON FRIDAY…

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE HEALTH ADVISORY FOR AIR QUALITY IN THE NASHVILLE AREA ON FRIDAY. THE CODE ORANGE HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ELEVATED LEVELS OF OZONE. POLLUTANTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE UNHEALTHY RANGE FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION RECOMMENDS THAT ACTIVE CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AND PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASE SUCH AS ASTHMA, LIMIT PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION.

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Yesterday you might have noticed the additional cloud cover and sticky feel in the air that had been absent from our weather earlier this week. We’ll have another day like yesterday- hot and humid. Like yesterday one or two storms will crop up- it looks like the plateau and along the Tennessee river to the west of Nashville are the favored areas. I really have to go into Sunday to find a decent chance of rain, look at Predictor below for the Noon hour. Highs today and this weekend will hover in the low to mid-90’s with typical summer humidity and afternoon clouds. July!

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Yes, more sunshine and just a little warmer today than the day before- we’ll have a high today in the low 90’s and again enjoy low humidity for the time of year. The chance for an afternoon storm remains very low heading into the week- around 10% tomorrow and Saturday with only a 20% chance by Sunday. A front will move toward us from the northwest by Monday and Tuesday- this will improve our rain chances slightly more.

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The winds continue in from the north (northeast today to be exact) which means low humidity is again the main story today. This dry air makes for blue skies and minimal chances but not necessarily cooler weather. In fact it’ll likely hit 90 plus today for the first time this week.  The weather pattern is shifting into full summer now; instead of cold fronts from the west or northwest we keep our eyes south and southeast. By Friday a low from off the Atlantic will spinup Georgia and bring some rain chances to the Appalachian including the plateau.  Pop-up storms look to be around for Saturday and Sunday still but chances are very small you’ll get some free water in your yard.

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Last year at this time we had recieved only about 16″ of rain. So far this year our total is closer to 31″. This has made for much improved pasture conditions for the wild and the domestic. Mark Fagan sent this in of a healthy looking fawn looking for his/her share of grass. The deer population is by all reports doing fine after the drought stress of last year.

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As long as this high pressure dome sits just to the north and dominates our weather pattern dry weather is the story.  Another day of a cooler, drier northeast wind. Today we’ll be just a few degrees higher as the ground starts to dry out. Upper 80’s will be the range with mostly sunny skies. Very nice July weather indeed. As you can see from the next three images of Predictor this high pressure remains in place though by Wednesday its position over Virginia means the return of a humid south wind.

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We can enjoy our lower temps and humidity even more knowing that we are doing OK in the rainfall department so far this year.  Not only are we well above normal so far for the month.  We have had almost twice as much rain so far in 2008 as we did up to this point during last year’s drought.  Some of our southeastern sections could still use some more, but even there, things are better than last year.

The humidity will remain low for another day or two, but temps will be slowly rising to upper 80s to near 90 on Tuesday, and low 90s the rest of the week.  We will also see the return of isolated to scattered showers or thundershowers towards the end of the week.

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Blue skies instead of hazy skies, in the lower humidity, as seen by the News 2 City Cam

During the months of July and August a break from the humidity and the extensive heat can really be appreciated.  Today, temps stayed in the mid 80s, with much lower humidity along with a northeasterly breeze.  It doesn’t get much better than that this time of the year!  Add in the fact that we have had plenty of rain over the weekend to keep things nice and green, and we couldn’t ask for much more. 

In the dry air, lows overnight will drop to low 60s in the city, with mid to upper 50s in the outlying areas.  Tomorrow, in the sunshine temps will inch to the upper 80s to near 90, but humidity will still be on the low side for this time of the year.

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Some areas of thick fog this morning before we spend the day under sunny skies. Great summer weather ahead. We’ll get relief from both the recent rain (2.74″ since last Wednesday or 73% of typical July rainfall). Probably not a drop of rain this work week. Today we get more north wind- this will give us some relief from the high humidity. Saturday logged the highest heat index of the summer (a feel-like of 103), today the dewpoints drop down to the mid-50’s.

High pressure dominates this work week- dry weather! Look at the next three days:

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This time of the year you have to take what you can get when it comes to a break in the humidity.  This one is nothing “to write home about”, but you will notice the difference.  Yesterday, our dew point (the measure of humidity put to a Fahrenheit scale) was 72.  That is like New Orleans or Houston in the summertime.  As of 9pm Sunday evening, it was down to 58.  It will remain low on Monday, and the actual high temperature should stay in the mid 80s.  A little break, and I’ll take it!  We already received some much needed rainfall.

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