May 01, 2008 01:10 pm
—
By MARK HANOK
April was an unusually sunny month
in our area, with 13 brilliantly sunny
days, and 26 out of 30 days were sunny
or partly sunny. Precipitation was
about two-thirds of normal, and with
temperatures around six degrees above
normal, it was one of the warmest
Aprils on record.
Right through the month, there was
a very reliable key indicator that the
sunny, dry weather pattern would continue,
but this correlation wasn’t recognized
by meteorologists who rely on
computer models. When it’s warmer to
the north and cooler to the south, look
for bright sunshine in Otsego County,
and when two, three or four rainy days
are predicted, there will likely be only
one rainy day.
That’s been the pattern in April, and
now it looks like the atmosphere will
revert back to an upside-down temperature
pattern as we begin the month of
May. This indicates a continuation of
below normal precipitation, although
at least temperatures will be near normal.
On Friday, low pressure will move
through the western Great Lakes, and
a warm front will stay to the south and
west. We’ll see mostly cloudy skies and
a few showers, but the steady rain will
stay to the south. Highs will be in the
low 60s.
The warm front will move north of
our region on Saturday, and clouds will
give way to partly sunny skies, with
highs from 63 to 68 degrees. An easterly
flow will bring cooler air and showers
to southeastern New York.
On Sunday, as high pressure builds
southward from eastern Canada, a
northerly flow will bring intervals of
clouds and sunshine and the chance of
a few showers. Highs will be around 60
degrees.
Early next week, as a northerly flow
continues, skies will be partly sunny,
with highs in the low 60s.
Mark Hanok is an Otego-based meteorologist.
You can visit him on the
World Wide Web at http://members.aol.
com/weathergazette.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.