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7/27 Update: Next Storm/Next Snow Forecast Discussion from the Cherrywood Observatory – July 25-27, 2019

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

In Brief:

A fair amount of monsoon/tropical moisture will remain in place for a few days while another front will increase convergence and shower coverage some on Thursday. Things remain seasonably warm with afternoon showers on into next week.

Update for July 27th:

I'm winging it back from the Bay Area and there isn't any real change to the forecast. The upper level high (discussed below) will wobble around to our southwest. Various amounts of moisture will enter the state (with an overall downward trend through the middle of next week). There will be another front drifting in Saturday which will increase afternoon shower and thunderstorm chances and slightly depress temperatures. The bottom line is; not many will see rain. It's the summer doldrums!

End Update July 27th extension.

Forecast Discussion:

The upper level high pressure center (that well cover below) will continue to bring a flow of tropical moisture up into the state (green arrows and grey shades in Figure 1). This same high will bring a cool front down Thursday that will provide lift for more showers cross northeast Colorado (nothing severe is expected at this time - Figure 2).

The Longer Range Forecast:

Even with afternoon showers and thunderstorms possible every day - the biggest effect of the front and moisture will be a lot of cloudiness and slightly cooler temperatures for a couple of days (Figure 3). The entire pattern is being governed by this large high pressure/high height center over the desert southwest (Thursday morning Figure 4 and next Wednesday Figure 5). Even though the ridge would normally give us above normal temperatures, we will remain on the eastern side of the high for the next 10 days (mostly) which will bring in northerly air flow. This will also keep the Great Plains unusually cool for a while (watch the high center wobble in the animation of the upper air pattern over the next 10 days - Figure 6). More later!

Figure 1: the water vapor satellite image (browns/reds are dry air, whites and light grey is moist air, purple/blue is ice and high cloud tops). From the the Weather Channel.
Figure 2: The forecast surface map for Thursday night from NCEP.
Figure 3: the graphical forecast for the next 10 days for Longmont, CO from weatherunderground.com
Figure 4: The 500mb forecast upper air analysis for Thursday AM. Pink dot is Longmont. Red lines are troughs, blue lines are ridges.
Figure 5: The 500mb forecast upper air analysis for next Wednesday AM. Pink dot is Longmont. Red lines are troughs, blue lines are ridges.
Figure 6: Animated gif of the 500mb map (and height anomaly) animation for the next 10 days from the GFS and tropicaltidbits.com

Current Weather

Light snow

Light snow

36°F

UV Index
2 Low
Pressure
30.27 Falling
Visibility
2 miles
Dewpoint
30 °F
Humidity
81%
Wind
ENE 2.2 mph
Gust
4.3 mph
Wind Chill
36 °F

Hourly Forecast

Today
1 PM
36°F
Flurries
Today
2 PM
38°F
Showers
Today
3 PM
39°F
Cloudy
Today
4 PM
40°F
Cloudy
Today
5 PM
41°F
Cloudy
Today
6 PM
40°F
Cloudy
Today
7 PM
40°F
Cloudy
Today
8 PM
39°F
Cloudy
Today
9 PM
38°F
Cloudy
Today
10 PM
38°F
Cloudy
Today
11 PM
38°F
Cloudy
Tomorrow
12 AM
38°F
Cloudy

7 Day Forecast

Rain and snow

Thursday

41 °F

Cloudy and much colder; snow showers this morning, accumulating a coating to an inch followed by a couple of showers this afternoon


Mostly cloudy

Thursday Night

35 °F

Mostly cloudy


Mostly cloudy w/ showers

Friday

48 °F

Chilly with some sun, then turning cloudy; a little rain in the afternoon


Rain and snow

Friday Night

34 °F

Periods of snow; rain mixed in early, accumulating an inch or two


Flurries

Saturday

46 °F

A bit of morning snow with little or no accumulation; otherwise, cloudy and chilly; storm total snowfall an inch or two


Intermittent clouds

Saturday Night

31 °F

Partly cloudy


Partly sunny

Sunday

69 °F

Warmer with partial sunshine


Partly cloudy

Sunday Night

44 °F

Partly cloudy


Intermittent clouds

Monday

77 °F

Pleasantly warm with a blend of sun and clouds


Intermittent clouds

Monday Night

39 °F

Increasing clouds


Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise
6:17 AM
Sunset
7:43 PM

Based on AccuWeather data