It'll be a stormy weekend at times. Winds aloft & at the surface are from the southwest which will promote the development of thunderstorms by midday from the Northeast Gulf into N. Central Fl. near & north of Lake City. Storms will then move swiftly northeast producing brief downpours, gusty winds & intense lightning. It's not a washout for the weekend, but there will be thunderstorms with plenty of sun beforehand & some sun after the storms depart by late afternoon/early evening. As for severe storms, no widespread severe weather, but a few isolated storms will be capable of damaging winds & maybe some
medium-sized hail.
The trough of low pressure helping our winds to become southwest is part of a pretty unseasonably strong upper level trough moving from the Midwest into the Ohio Valley & Northeast which will spawn a good deal of severe weather in a large area from the Missouri Valley to the East Coast this weekend.
Time to start watching the tropics again. Our first clue was the quick movement/development of the MJO (upward motion in simplest form) moving into the Central & Eastern Pacific followed by the development of a tropical cyclone -- "Boris" with at least one more if not 2 more systems to follow soon in the E. Pacific. This
"upward motion"/divergence aloft is spreading into the Atlantic Basin which is why we should keep an eye on the Gulf, Caribbean & Southwest Atlantic (not so much the next few days as the longer term -- 5-15 days out or so).
Cumberland Island in Ga. is partially under siege from a wildfire started by lightning & has grown to nearly 2 square miles since the press release late Thu.:
Lightning Strikes Create Wildland Fires
(St. Marys, Ga) - Two wildfires were caused by lightning strikes on the north end of Cumberland Island on Sunday, June 22nd. Late afternoon winds caused the South Cut Fire to increase to 30 acres by Tuesday afternoon. A helicopter dropped several buckets of water on the fire throughout the day. Winds from storms that moved through the area on Wednesday have caused the South Cut Fire to increase to an estimated 500 acres. A total of three helicopters have been called in to assist with the efforts.
Until further notice, the north end of the Park will be closed, starting at the south end of the Wilderness boundary and continuing all the way to the northern tip of the island.
A 20 person inter-agency fire crew arrived on the National Seashore on Wednesday, June 24th and began suppression activities. Firefighters from Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge are also assisting the national Park Service in this effort. Several more cerws are expected to arrive on the island by Friday.
Dry conditions and lightning strikes on the island have led to the recent wildfire in mid May as well as the current fires. No structures or cultural sites have been damaged thus far.
500 acres is approx a .80 of a square mile.
"Earth Watch":
This week has been declared "National Mosquito Control Awareness Week" by the American Mosquito Control Association. Remember:
Mosquitoes have been successful for millions of years in large part because they are capable of reproducing in short-lived water bodies. Empty things like flowerpot saucers, buckets, pet water bowls, and bird baths on a daily basis to reduce potential mosquito breeding areas.
Check your window and door screens periodically for holes. Mosquitoes are adept at finding small gaps through which to fly.
Patrol your neighborhood for litter! Things like used tires and soda bottles can fill up with rainwater, providing mosquitoes with places to breed.
Have a great & safe weekend!
