Rain, maybe, at mid-week
There's a slight chance we'll get some relief from this mini-drought by late Wednesday. But don't bet the lawn on it. Forecasters are thinking that, with Hurricane Ophelia expected to pass to our southeast, and a weak cool front due to move through at mid-week, we may get a little rain from one or the other. Or both. But it's only a slight chance. Here's their discussion:
"OPHELIA STILL SLATED TO HOOK THROUGH
EASTERNMOST NC AND THEN OUT TO SEA. THAT WOULD BRING ITS CLOSEST
PASS TO OUR AREA DURING THURSDAY...WHICH IS STILL SEVERAL DAYS AWAY.
AND FOR A SLOW TO STATIONARY TROPICAL SYSTEM THAT IS MORE THAN
ENOUGH TIME TO ALTER THE FORECAST TRACK. HOWEVER... EVEN GIVEN THE
LATEST TPC TRACK... THE STORM WOULD BE PRETTY FAR SE OF OUR AREA TO
HAVE MUCH EFFECT... ESPECIALLY WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE STORM. SO AT THIS POINT IT IS SOMETHING TO WATCH... BUT IF
THERE IS ANY EFFECT ON OUR REGION IT IS STILL SEVERAL DAYS AWAY.
IN THE MEANTIME...FOR THE MID WEEK AN UPPER RIDGE WILL SLIDE OVER
THE REGION WITH TEMPS ABOVE NORMAL. AROUND THU...THE COMBO OF THE
TROPICAL SYSTEM AND A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVING DOWN FROM THE NW BRING
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MORE ZONAL FLOW
AND SEASONABLE TEMPS FOR THE LATE WEEK."
We could sure use some moisture. The airport has recorded no precipitation at all since Sunday. Aug. 28. That's 15 days ago. A number of area streams are slipping into below-normal categories, including Savage Run near Barton, Md.; the Jones Falls at Sorrento; and Winter's Run in Harford County.
It's beginning to look like the 20-day dry stretch we saw in June. Between June 7 and June 26, the airport recorded only 0.2 of an inch of rain. On the other hand, what a gorgeous weekend. The sunny, dry days and cool, starry nights have made it easy to ignore the straw in my yard that passes for grass. Is anybody complaining ?
