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Cloudy Skies & Cooler

We had thunderstorm warnings last evening with gusty winds ahead of the cold front which passed through, below are some of the wind speeds recorded.



I have followed the various space programs since Gemini and Apollo in the 1960s.  Yesterday’s test launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket was quite interesting to watch as it exploded in the upper atmosphere to the cheers of the crowds below.  Just launching the behemoth was the plan, everything beyond that was a plus.


U.S.A and Global Events for April 21st:

1885: A tornado struck the town of Denison, Texas in 1883 that destroyed a church. The congregation rebuilt the church. On this date, a second tornado destroyed the newly rebuilt church.

1967: Severe thunderstorms spawned 48 tornadoes in the Upper Midwest. The hardest hit was northern Illinois where sixteen tornadoes touched down during the afternoon and evening hours causing fifty million dollars in damage. On that Friday afternoon, tornadoes struck Belvidere IL, and the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, killing 58 persons.

1988: After having had just twelve rainouts in the previous twenty-six years at Dodger Stadium, the third day of heavy rain in southern California rained out a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium, which had been scheduled due to rainouts the previous two days.


Grand Rapids Forecast

4 23 grr

Forecast Discussion

-- Showers departing eastward today --

A surface cold front is progressing eastward through Lower MI early
Fri morning. Rain showers accompanying this frontal zone have waned
in coverage/intensity in recent hours, with no recent lightning
activity noted. Convection-allowing models suggest that shower
activity will gradually shift eastward today, likely departing the
forecast area entirely between 1 and 4 PM.

-- Chance of rain showers tonight and Sat --

An occluded cyclone over northeast MN will become vertically stacked
today. Further southeast, along the trailing frontal/baroclinic
zone, renewed cyclogenesis will occur in OH Valley tonight. Recent
model consensus suggests that the associated precip shield will
largely pass east of the forecast area on Sat. However, a prominent
midlevel trough will progress through Lower MI on Sat along the
southern periphery of the broad/stacked low over Ontario. Lift in
advance of this trough should support showers in many areas from
tonight into Sat, but rainfall amounts are expected to be light,
generally under 0.1".

-- Mainly dry from Sun into Tue, but isolated showers possible --

Global models suggest that the remnant upper low over Ontario and
the Great Lakes this weekend will comprise the western portion of a
developing omega block, with an associated downstream blocking
anticyclone situated near Labrador. Accordingly, guidance indicates
that the nearby upper low will shift little through Tue. Within this
regime, isolated rain showers/sprinkles cannot be ruled out each day
from Sun into at least Tue, given the continuation of cool temps
aloft, ample boundary-layer moisture, and the periodic approach of
low-amplitude vorticity maxima embedded in this flow. Boundary-layer
warming will primarily favor isolated showers during the daytime as
diurnal cumulus develops/deepens, but periods of sunshine are also
expected each day.

Regarding nighttime temps, subfreezing low temps are expected on Sun
morning across the interior northern portion of the forecast area.
Subsequent mornings (Mon and Tue) are likely to have more
widespread subfreezing temps, given the expectation of favorable
radiational cooling conditions. Growers/gardeners may wish monitor
forecasts and protect tender plants from the cold, as needed.

-- Wed and beyond --

EPS and GEFS means both suggest a persistence of the midlevel
blocking anticyclone near Labrador into late next week. Upstream,
the EPS mean depicts a midlevel trough/low over the Southern Rockies
on Wed, with the GEFS mean faster and less amplified with this
feature. Overall, guidance has trended southward with the precip
associated with this wave (into the southern CONUS), favoring
relatively benign weather across the forecast area late in the
week.
newest oldest
Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

Maybe cold till June? Wow, just wow, WOW!

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Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)
Andy W
Andy W

Plenty of 60’s on the way next week! Don’t be fooled by the fake news spewed on here!

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/b523690bfd952b86fef3627c919dd9855281a8da16b83c10bdd381c64ae12cbc

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

FACTS – The average high this time of year is 60 degrees to low 60’s and no 60’s are in sight! Wow what a cool pattern we are stuck in! Wow just wow, WOW! Incredible!

Kyle (Portland, Ionia County)
Kyle (Portland, Ionia County)

Going to be a little bit, but looking forward to the arrival of 80 degree air once it gets here more consistently.

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

No 80’s till June!

Kyle (Portland, Ionia County)
Kyle (Portland, Ionia County)

Definitely in a cool pattern from here foreword for some time.

Slim

From the NWS NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE EACH NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT IT WILL BE AN UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR MASS DROPPING IN FOR THIS PERIOD. TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB DROP TO -4 TO -8 DEG C THROUGH THE PERIOD WHICH IS WELL BELOW NORMAL. CLOUD COVER MAY LIMIT THE OVERALL COVERAGE OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES SO SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE IMPACT EXISTS. BUFKIT OVERVIEWS FROM THE GFS DO SHOW A FAIR AMOUNT OF MOISTURE DURING THIS PERIOD SUPPORTING THE CLOUD COVER POTENTIAL. EVEN WITH THE CLOUD COVER…MODELS ARE GENERATING NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES EACH NIGHT. ENSEMBLE… Read more »

INDY
INDY

Great Bon Fire weather this weekend keep the hoodiees out yeahbh enjoy the cool end of April…INDay

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

Sounds great!

Andy W
Andy W

My new AR’s each have got about 100 rounds out through them! The cooler weather is great for shooting. We’ll probably bring the 12 gauges up to fire at some clays!

Andy W
Andy W

Golf today, cutting some trees and AR shooting up north at my buddy’s camp tomorrow!! Fantastic weather for that!! Can’t beat it!!!

Andy W
Andy W

Average highs only in the mid 50’s this time of year, so WGAF if there ore no 70’s & 80’s in the forecast. Temps in the 50’s and 60’s are OUTSTANDING this time of year!!!!

Nathan (Forest Hills)
Nathan (Forest Hills)

The average high is 60 today, and 64 at the end of the month.

Andy W
Andy W

Oh well, big whoop, I ain’t complaining. This weather is fine with me!

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

Rock on Nathan! Keep up the good work!

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

No 80’s in sight, no 70’s in sight and no 60’s in sight! How is that possible?

Andy W
Andy W
Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

Wow not even 50 degrees yet! Get ready for a cold weekend! Forget golf!

Andy W
Andy W

Golfing today as a matter of fact! Beautiful day for it! Courses are beautiful green!

Andy W
Andy W

Oh come on Michael my post was pretty funny, that got deleted. I’m sure even Rocky got a chuckle out of it!

Rocky (Rockford)
Rocky (Rockford)

Obviously the cool pattern continues to rock! Get ready for frost and freeze warning and weeks of below normal temps! Wow just wow!

Andy W
Andy W

Check out this farmer spreading snow on his field getting ready for the colder temps this weekend!! Gonna be perfect for Rocky to do some snow shoeing!! I can get his address for you so you can head over on Sunday!!

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Mark (East Lansing)
Mark (East Lansing)

SpaceX’s expectations were low for the launch, and rightly so. That thing is huge. It flew for what, four minutes? That’s pretty darned good. They learn a lot from yesterday and continue to improve. When we were in Florida two weeks ago, we had dinner outside on the Cocoa Beach Pier. It’s cool because you can see the Cape and one of the launch pads from the pier.

Slim

Several years ago we were in Cocoa Beach for a cruise. The night before our cruise we stayed in Cocoa Beach and there was a nighttime launch. The view even from the motel parking lot was fantasist. And we were about 15 miles away.
Slim

*SS*
*SS*

We traveled to Florida in tht 90s for band. Our charter bus driver heard there was going to be a launch after midnight…he was willing to take us. So we were fortunate to see a launch at night. It was Amazing. I will never forget that bus driver’s kindness and that night!!!

Mark (East Lansing)
Mark (East Lansing)

We were down there when the final nighttime Space Shuttle launch happened. We were 20 or so miles away, but it was still AWESOME!

Slim

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 74/41. Officially there was 0.16” of rain fall. And 22% of possible sunshine. Here at my house there was 0.37” of rain fall most of that fell in a thunderstorm just before 9PM. The overnight low so far here in MBY is 43.
Slim

Slim

For today the average H/L is 60/39 the record high of 84 was set in 1985 the record low of 22 was set in 1952. The record snow fall amount of 2.0” fell in 1924. Yesterdays high of 74 could be the warmest high for the rest of the month. This weekend looks to be very cool and the next week looks to be cooler than average
Slim