As a thunderstorm rumbles across our state, we see anything from rain to lightning to tornadoes. Most of these things occur within and under the actual thunderstorm cell or along a line of thunderstorms that can go on for miles and miles. As we look at these thunderstorms on radar, we can tell where the heavier rain is falling, where there might be hail and sometimes can tell where there is rotation and where a tornado might (or already has) formed. There is something else that you can get from radar data that is associated with a thunderstorm but not inside it or under it. This is called a gust front. This is a strong pool of air that rushes out of a thunderstorm and can sometimes reach speeds that can do some damage. Explaining a gust front can be tricky but imagine this pool of air rushing out is kind of like pouring a glass of water onto a table. The leading edge of the water pushing forward is similar to that of the gust front. How do these form? Well, there are sometimes areas of drier air in the lower parts of the atmosphere during a thunderstorm and when rain falls through this area it’s evaporated and the air is cooled. If enough of this happens, a large pool of cool air forms and since cool air sinks, a large area of cool air is sinking and sinking fast. Thus, the gust front.
Weather Last Week
June 2: 48/79/0.19”
June 3: 43/60/0.03”
June 4: 41/64/0.03”
June 5: 49/65/0.36”
June 6: 48/64/0.07”
June 7: 39/81/0”
June 8: 47/70/0.04”
Forecast discussion for the week ahead:
Temperatures are going to warm up into the middle 80s the next several days and that is going to create a little bit of instability each day. With that instability, spot showers and storms will be possible each day. It will cool down a little early next week.