Hang On To Your Hats!!!

Hello Again.

Here we are, with gray skies and the breeze is kicking up somethin' fierce.  We are sandwiched between two high-octane weather makers.  To the west, stalled high pressure.  To the east, Hurricane Sandy, preparing to turn into New York/New Jersey/DC and make life hard on them for the next few days.  Let's take a look and see what we have:

SANDY:  The big player in the game right now, Sandy is becoming one of, if not THE strongest storm this late in the storm season as far north as she is.  As of now, she is about 205 MI southeast of Atlantic City and 260 southeast of New York City, moving north-northeast at 18 MPH.  Her minimum pressure is 27.85" (943 MB) and maximum sustained winds are 90 MPH.  The National Hurricane Center thinks she will STRENGTHEN and make landfall just south of New Jersey, bringing with her plenty of storm surge water, wind, flooding rainfall, and heavy snow in the higher elevations of Appalachia inland.  KY, NC, WV could see three feet of snow in the mountains!  Keep watching the National Hurricane Center page at www.nhc.noaa.gov for info.

SUMMARY:  Now that I have detailed what Sandy is expected to do, let's look a bit closer to home. Sandy will cause some very strong winds and drop some rain as her outer bands fall apart into rain showers, with perhaps a few flurries mixed in during the evenings, as the mercury approaches freezing during the overnights.

We'll stay in this pattern all week, as Sandy has effectively shut down any due west upper air patterns.  She is spinning and pulling all sorts of cold air in from Canada, creating a big trough that any trailing systems would need to run well north or south to get around.  Clearing isn't expected until Friday or Saturday, along with temperatures near 50.

RAIN:  Expect a near 50/50 shot at rain for the Tuesday through Thursday time frame, then slow clearing and a return of some sunshine to the area.  Take a look at the map from the National Weather Service.  Don't be surprised to see precipitation amount go up some, as we see where Sandy (or what's left of her) tracks after she makes landfall.  Right now most places around here should come in around a half inch tops, with more as you go east.  Just look at the Mid-Atlantic and New England - SEVEN inches forecast!

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

As a sidebar, no severe weather expected anywhere in the US, the Storm Prediction Center has just a couple of "SEE TEXT" area for locally heavy rain and such from Sandy.

Here's the forecast for Jackson and surrounding areas including Spring Arbor and Grass Lake

Today, High Wind Advisory, cloudy and cold, high 46, winds NW increasing to 15-25 MPH with gusts to 40 MPH possible.

Tonight, High Wind Advisory still in force, continued overcast and cold, lows near 34, winds N 15-25 MPH, becoming 20-30 MPH late with gusts to 45 MPH possible.

Tuesday, cloudy, very windy and chilly.  Chance of rain or a few flurries later in the day.  High Wind Advisory continues through evening drive, colder, high 43, winds N 20-30 MPH, gusts to 50-55 MPH possible.

Tuesday night, cloudy skies, chance of rain with flurries or a touch of snow mixed in, low near 33.  Winds N 20-30 MPH, some gusting to 40 MPH still possible, these should start rolling back late.

Halloween, cloudy and cool, not as windy, chance of some scattered showers and maybe a flurry, high 45.

More later including the six day outlook!  Blessings.