>Today’s Top Weather Stories
On Weather & Climate Through the Eyes of Mark Vogan

Warning of ash flight disruption
BBC Weather

great britain/germany, europe
Volcanic ash could again close airspace in UK, Germany
AccuWeather News

Hurricane season underway in eastern Pacific
AccuWeather News

louisiana, u.s.a
First try at inserting siphon tube in ruptured oil pipe fails, BP says
CNN

Today’s Weather across America
From AccuWeather

Flash flooding also a major concern this weekend
AccuWeather

New storm approaches California
AccuWeather

Stormy weather could disrupt oil spill rescue efforts
AccuWeather

Weather Talk
By Mark Vogan

Summer Heat & Daily downpours showing in prime areas

As blowtorch and arid heat bakes a region from interior India to the interior of North Africa’s Sahara these days with daytime 40s to near 50C and nighttime lows 20s (for aird deserts) to low 30s in tropical coastal areas, coastal areas and points further south equatorwards are enduring the heat of the day (28 to 38C) and exceptional humidity from surrounding waters of around 25 to 28C which is allowing isolated but widespread thunderstorms to blow up and produce true, tropical summertime conditions. Interior India is enduring arid heat with peak temps near 48C, Pakistan is experiencing as usual the warmest conditions with highs close to 50C. Northeast India is cooler with highs in the upper 20s to low 30s with widespread tropical downpours and T-storms.

Across Africa we have the classic set up of strong ridhing over a region from the Canaries to the north Indianb Ocean which is providing ever stronger daytime heating across interior North Africa (Sahara) and increasing humidity along coasts and islands which are seeing coastal waters heat up.

The Canaries which is always influenced by a pleasant sea breeze sits beneath the same high which scorches the Sahara, The cool Canaries Current and it’s onshore winds make it a perfect vacation spot to millions of Brits year round…

Further southwards towards the equator we have the daily regime of temps, by day building towards the low 30s and with lift near the equartor, thunderstorms blow by early to mid afternoon producing in areas prolific downpours which weaken by evening as the temps cool, evenings cool towaard the upper 20s.

The Carribean is much the same with increasing intensity of the subtropical ridge which is not only aiding in warming daytime highs to all Carribbean islands to near 30C but also showing an increase in daytime/afternoon (brief) rainstorms which develop almost daily and fall apart within a couple of hours.

Florida’s south, which incorporates Miami down to the Keys experience true tropical conditions with mild winter temps most of the time (70s by day, 60s by night) with a short winter and time with cool temps, this time of year the rainy season usually kicks in when moisturte progresses north into South Florida from Cuba and the rest of the Carribbean and depedns a lot upon the movement, intensity and position of the Bermuda High. When winds blow up from the southeast, this often buildfs Carribbean shower and thunderstorms into South Florida and land heating often enhances the thunderstorm potential over the southern penninsula rather than just the warm, tropical air flowing up the Florida Straits and Carribean Sea.

Britain and Western Europe remains cool and unsettled.

Anywhere from Inverness, Scotland to Barcelona, Spain we still see below normal temperatures and showery weather…

I was checking Barcelona’s highs over the next few days and it appears the city will struggle to top 70 degrees (22C) heck it’s mid-May!! Paris their havign a tough time topping the low to mid-60s and up here in Scotland we’re having a tough time topping the upper 50s to aroubnd 60 degrees…

This pattern may well change over the next 2 weeks but I don’t expect a rapid transition to warm unfortunately. Even the Canaries appeared to only be in the 70s rather the 80s, influence of the western Europe trough?

What’s Reaching Today’s Blogs?

From My Partner Blog
VAGARIES OF THE WEATHER
By Rajesh Kapadia

Monsoon Watch – 8

In the Bay sector, the cross-equatorial wind is building across the East Indian Ocean with clouds massing around the Bay Islands. Strong South-West winds have suddenly developed in the South Andaman Sea, and the clouds are seen building up in the South Seas. Gauging the the wind speed, we can expect the Monsoon to strike the South Andamans by 18th, and the Middle Andamans by the 20th. ( 5 days behind schedule).

Onward Monsoon progress Northwards,will have to be monitored.

In this sequence, we now have the second part. A weak low has formed in the South Central Bay on the 15th. viz.93B. According to weather forecasts, international and NCMRWF, it is likely to get stronger,and move West. — An unusual direction for a depression to move in this initial Pre-Monsoon stage !– By the 20th. it should strike the Chennai region as a depression, say of around 996 mb at the core.

Naturally, heavy rains are expected as a result along T.N. coast from the18th. evening. By 20th. Chennai and regions around the Northern T.N area could recieve upto 50-70 mms in 24hrs. The system is then expected to weaken, and cross into T.N. and onwards into Karnataka. On the 21st.and 22nd. May, Karnataka and Kerala can expect rain as the system weakens into a low.

Now, as the system crosses the T.N. coast around the 20th, winds from the Arabian Sea would be attracted towards the system.Hence,we can expect heavy rains on 20th, 21st in Sri Lanka and the advancement of the Monsoon into Sri Lanka.

I visualise the Monsoon current to be pulled into Kerala, only if the system re-emerges into the Arabian Sea. Even as a weak low in the Arabian Sea, it can pull the Monsoon current into the Kerala coast, and this could be around the 24th, as per the schedule of the movement of the system crossing the East coast.

It is pertinent to mention here, that the European Model does not estimate for the low to cross the T.N.coast at all. READ FULL
 
Today’s Readings (15th. May):

Highest in Asia: Nawabshah (Pakistan): 48c.
Highest in India: Nagpur: 45.9c, Khajuraho: 45.8c.
Hottest Nights: New Delhi (Palam):32.2c, Jaipur:31.8c,Jodhpur:31.7c,New Delhi (S’Jung):31.3c, Raipur:30.9c,Gondia:30.6c.
Mumbai on Saturday: (Colaba) 36.0c, Mumbai (S’Cruz):34.0c.

Hellacious Hail Hits Henry’s House
Jesse Ferrell, AccuWeather
 
Today’s US Extremes
Courtesy of the USA Today

High: 102 degrees at Death Valley, CA
Low: 20 degrees at Yellowstone Lake, WY

Today’s UK Extremes
Courtesy of the Met Office

Warmest High: 64 degrees at Killowen
Coolest High: 49 degrees at Loch Glascarnoch
Coolest Low: 28 degrees at Braemar

Today’s Extremes here at my house

High: 58 degrees
Low: 39 degrees

Thanks for reading.
-Mark