Monsoon's Update: Heavy Rain Tuesday to Wednesday; Hunkelhoff's Show to Debut...
Hey all,
Just wanted to alert you to some heavy rain coming to our area.
Tuesday 11/30 will be overcast with the high climbing to the low 50s by mid-afternoon. Expect some drizzle and showers by late morning, followed by steadier rain developing in the early evening and night.
Temperatures will be nearly steady overnight into Wednesday, when rain could be heavy at times. Look for the heaviest precipitation throughout the morning and early afternoon Wednesday. It's going to be really windy, too. And we could even get a heavy thunderstorm or two--rare for 12/1 to say the least. Flood watches have been posted since we could get as much as 2.5 inches (perhaps more) in some places. This event will taper to showers and drizzle by early evening; temperatures will fall precipitously through the night.
Thursday will be much cooler and breezy with a high in the low 40s and an overnight low in the mid 20s. More of the same on Friday and Saturday.
Keeping an eye on a potential for snow on Sunday 12/5, but that's sketchy right now.
[On 12/5 at 10pm, A&E's new reality series "The Hasselhoffs" will debut. I will be live blogging during the show, so be sure to join me here for feverish chatter and breathless Hoff-worship!]
...and by the way, here's footage of The Hoff's triumphant "Baywatch"-themed return to "Dancing With the Stars" for the finale...
Next week will be quite cold with highs not even making it out of the 30s. Snow on the 12th or 13th? Stay tuned...
Monsoon's Thanksgiving Weekend Forecast 2010
Big changes in our weather coming, along with the first chance of frozen precipitation. Here’s your forecast for Thanksgiving weekend (and a bit beyond)…
Wednesday 11/24: Noticeably cooler and windy with plenty of sunshine. Clouding up overnight. High 51, low 32.
Thursday 11/25: Overcast. Precipitation will begin before daybreak, and we may therefore see some snow or sleet before it becomes all rain. Rain continues through the evening. Temperatures hold nearly steady in the low 40s throughout the day. High 44, low 40.
Friday 11/26: Cloudy and windy with a few breaks of sun; we may have a lingering shower or two, especially early. It will feel damned bitter. High 45, low 27.
Saturday 11/27: Sunny, breezy, and chilly. High 41, low 25.
Sunday 11/28: Sunny and a little milder. High 48, low 31.
Monday 11/29: Sunny and a little milder still. High 52, low 39.
Tuesday 11/30 through Thursday 12/2: Temperatures falling through the 50s and, by Thursday, into the 20s. Rain showers are possible late Tuesday and Wednesday, and we’ll have to keep an eye on Thursday for the potential of wintry precipitation.
As you may have noticed, forecasting snow and sleet really gets the ol’ blood pumpin’ through Monsoon’s veins. Here we go!
Monsoon's Weather Alert - potential for severe weather
My good people,
Just wanted to alert you to a bit of potentially severe weather headed our way...
Overcast and unseasonably warm this evening; light showers and drizzle developing around midnight. Look out for isolated severe thunderstorms, as well as brief periods of heavy rain (which will be more widespread) overnight and into Wednesday morning.
Slight chance of a lingering shower Wednesday afternoon, then clearing. High Wednesday in the low 70s.
Thursday will be mostly sunny and very windy, with wind gusts possibly reaching 40mph. High Thursday will be in the mid 60s, but it will feel a bit cooler.
Friday will be partly cloudy, breezy and cooler with highs only in the low to mid 50s.
The weekend is looking nice: partly cloudy with highs in the mid 50s.
Next week will be rainy and chilly. So sorry.
Anywho, that's it.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Thursday evening, 21 October 2010
Here it is, my fine people...
Friday 10/22: mostly sunny, seasonably cool, and rather windy. High 59, low 38. Patchy frost is possible overnight Friday into Saturday.
Saturday 10/23: partly sunny and somewhat milder, but still breezy. High 66, low 46.
Sunday 10/24: clouds mixed with sun; even milder. High 71, low 53.
Monday 10/25: overcast and mild with the chance for a few showers, especially late. High 72, low 58.
Tuesday 10/26: mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a couple of lingering showers possible early. High 66, low 50.
Wednesday 10/27: sunny and breezy with plenty of sunshine. High 64, low 42.
Thursday 10/28: clouds mixed with sunshine. High 62, low 44.
Friday 10/29: cloudy and markedly cooler with showers likely throughout the day and into the evening. High 52, low 33.
Saturday 10/30: mostly sunny and cooler with a high only in the mid to upper 40s and a low perhaps dipping into the 20s. Places that haven’t had frost yet will get it on this night, most def.
Sunday 10/31: partly sunny with highs in the mid to upper 40s and lows into the 20s.
The first week of November: autumnal high pressure dominates; plenty of sunshine and dry conditions, with highs generally around 50 and lows generally in the low 30s.
Beyond: look for a bit of November Rain and milder conditions heading into the second week of the month.
In the third week of November, it will rain frogs.
(That scene's from an incredible, sprawling 1999 film called Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is about three hours of wide-ranging, crushing despair, and then this.)
And hey - let's be careful out there...
Monsoon's Weather Update for Wednesday, 13 October 2010
It's been a while, my good people, since I have posted here. I thought it was high damned time for a weather report. So here goes.
Thursday 10/14: Overcast with rain beginning by mid to late morning. Rain will be heavy at times, especially in the afternoon and evening. Chilly with a high only in the mid to upper 50s. Rain tapering overnight as the low gets down into the low to mid 40s.
Friday 10/15: Mostly cloudy and becoming quite windy with periodic showers; expect sustained winds of 25mph with some gusts exceeding 40mph. Afternoon highs near 60; continued windy with a diminished chance of showers in the evening. Overnight low in the mid 40s.
Saturday 10/16: Partly sunny, cool and still really windy, with sustained winds in the mid to upper 20s and gusts perhaps reaching as high as 50mph. Winds tapering a bit late with an overnight low dipping into the upper 30s!
Sunday 10/17: Mostly sunny, breezy and autumnally pleasant with a high in the low to mid 60s; overnight low around 40.
Monday 10/18: Brilliant sunshine, breezy, and a high in the upper 60s.
Tuesday 10/19: Plenty of sunshine with a high in the mid 60s.
Wednesday 10/20: Overcast and chilly with periods of rain; high in the mid 50s.
Thursday 10/21: Rain. Temperatures holding steady in the 50s.
Friday 10/22: Sunny, cooler and nice. High in the mid 50s, low in the mid to upper 30s.
Next weekend: Sunny and pleasant with highs in the mid to upper 50s.
Beyond: A cold front early in the week of the 25th will bring us some showers followed by the coldest temperatures of the season so far. Look for highs only in the low 50s and some possible frost (music to the cloggy ears of allergy sufferers) by the end of October.
Weekend Update / DWTS Post-Mortem
Let’s get this out of the way: Prince David of Hoffston was the very first participant voted off “Dancing with the Stars” earlier this week. Bad because I would have liked to see him exhibit some more of his stilted gyrations and manic facial expressions—and I think the world is poorer for his going.
Silver linings: the real ballyhoo begins in December with the premiere of his A&E reality show. And his early departure means I never longer have to watch the putrid DWTS again…
Anywho. The weather – it’s a season of change, so I thought I’d give you my latest thinking…
Friday 9/24: sunny to partly cloudy and continued unseasonably hot; somewhat humid. High 93, low 66.
Saturday 9/25: sunny, breezy and pleasant. High 82, low 53.
Sunday 9/26: cooler with periods of clouds and a few passing showers, but not nearly a washout. High 73, low 55.
Next week: rather rainy. Rain Monday, showers and thunderstorms Tuesday, showers on Wednesday. High all three days will be in the mid 70s. Clearing and seasonably cooler on Thursday and Friday with highs just in the upper 60s.
Next weekend: Saturday looks nice; Sunday looks rainy.
Close Encounters and Autumnal Vicissitudes...
Weather-Shieldings,
(Sorry – I’m teaching Beowulf right now and it’s difficult to get it out of my head.)
Watching Close Encounters on the big screen reminded me of a time when the movies were about humanity as much as they were about spectacle. The movie was utterly riveting and genuinely breathtaking, but did not contain one explosion, car chase, or murder. And yet, given the lack of those elements, it wasn’t tame or simplistic or cloying, like so much Disney fare. On the contrary, it made powerful statements about who we are, how we want others to see us, and about the power of wonder to cut through even the most entrenched cynicism, the most thickset rationality. 
Last night, went to my favorite movie theater (Penn Cinema, Lititz) for the latest installment in their “Monday Night Movies” series. I’ve written before about this outstanding theater, which features state-of-the-art screens, Digital 3D, and impressive amenities. And construction is nearly complete on a new IMAX theater next door to the main building, slated to open in time for the Harry Potter release on Nov. 19th.
The experience reminded me of seeing Poltergeist in the early 80s and being terrified by the scene of the mother trying desperately to get out of a pit dug to accommodate an in-ground pool, clawing at the mud in the pouring rain and sliding again and again back into a nightmarish clutch of skeletons. No one cut off his own foot, there were no meat cleavers to the chest, and no one was disemboweled—and yet it remains one of the most frightening moviegoing experiences of my life. (The creepy clown in that kid's room didn't help matters, either. Yeesh.)
Here’s a full-season list of the Monday Night Movies series. I highly recommend taking the short trip down 222 for one (or more) of these features. (Email me for easy directions.)
9/13 Gone With the Wind
9/20 Close Encounters of the Third Kind
9/27 Kelly’s Heroes
10/4 Titanic
10/11 Jailhouse Rock
10/18 From Here to Eternity
10/25 The Goonies
11/1 The Shining
11/8 Caddyshack
11/15 The Big Lebowski
11/22 Planes, Trains & Automobiles
11/29 True Grit
12/6 Home Alone
12/13 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
So enough about me. How’s the weather?
Weather narrative: The next couple of weeks will feature highs in the 90s and highs that will barely make it into the 60s; that’s what I call a season of vicissitudes. The next few days will be increasingly humid and rather hot, with highs at or near 90 throughout the rest of the week. Watch for isolated thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon.
The weekend is looking somewhat volatile, weather-wise. Saturday looks like the better of the two days, with the just the chance of some passing showers; Sunday may have more widespread showers. Highs both days will be in the mid 70s, considerably lower than the previous several days.
Next week, after a rainy Monday, we settle in for some weather typical of early autumn: highs in the upper 60s. By the end of next week, highs will struggle to get into the 60s at all.
The following weekend (the first weekend of October) is looking beautiful.
Beyond the forecast: By mid-October, we’ll see highs only in the low to mid 50s and lows dipping into the 30s…
Monsoon's Weather Forecast and Hassel-chat
My good people,
Before I get to the weather, allow me to indulge in a bit of brief Hoff-related chitchat. In point of fact, David Hasselhoff is poised to make a powerful statement about his versatility, his star quality, his ichweissnicht (je ne sais quoi, auf Deutsch) in the coming months.
Just under two weeks ago, The Hoff was “roasted” memorably, if crudely, on Comedy Central.
Beginning in September, he will compete on the upcoming season of “Dancing with the Stars.” (Big ups to Mo and Nicole for scooping even me on this story!) This is a show I’ve never watched, save when Ozomatli performed live on one of the episodes. But rumored participants in this season’s competition, aside from Mikhail Baryshnik-hoff, include Audrina from “The Hills,” The Situation from “Jersey Shore,” Bristol Palin, Octomom, Brandy, and Michael Bolton. (Is it “Dancing with the Stars” or “Dancing with the Has-Beens and Never-Wases”? I mean, aside from The David, of course.) Not to mix metaphors, but that’s what I call an irresistible train wreck of biblical proportions.
And finally, his A&E reality show, elegantly titled “The Hasselhoffs,” premieres in December.
My “live blogging” during the Hoff Roast was a success, so I was thinking of bringing it back for DWTS and/or the A&E show. Thoughts?
Alright, enough of that. It’s time for…
the weather:
Weather narrative: Here at the end of summer (at least for those of us in the education field), the weather has been rather nice: highs in the 70s to low 80s with low humidity. Friday and Saturday should also be quite pleasant, as temperatures will be only moderately above normal and humidity will remain low.
The final heat wave of the summer will begin Sunday, the first of five straight days with high temperatures 90 or above. A relatively low dewpoint and light north and northwest breezes should make things much more tolerable than during other heat waves this summer, when heat indices soared above 100 for days at a time. But still, damned hot.
Things start to moderate toward next weekend, and conditions will be about normal for this time of year.
In terms of tropical storms, Hurricane Danielle is strengthening, but will deal only a glancing blow to Bermuda before heading back out to sea. I’m more interested in Earl, which is currently a tropical storm but looks as though it will intensify into at least a category 3 hurricane. Some models are suggesting that Earl could make landfall along the eastern seaboard, perhaps in our area, around 9/5. Stay tuned for updates.
A return of the heat and humidity will be an unwelcome visitor around the middle of the following week (9/7 and 9/8), but I think that will be short-lived.
Future weather: As we head toward the end of that week (9/9 and 9/10), the humidity will break with some strong thunderstorms and conditions will be drastically cooler. Highs will be in the 70s and lows in the lower 50s.
Winter sneak-peek: There has been a good bit of talk already that we’re going to have a harsh winter. Just today I was talking with Amy about the quantity and girth of acorns on many lawns right about now. As it turns out, extreme heat and humidity during a summer can beget larger and more plentiful acorns, which in turn can be a harbinger of a severe winter. That’s Farmer’s Almanac stuff, there, but there could be some truth in it.
I will, of course, release a comprehensive winter forecast sometime in November. But my preliminary investigation has yielded some sense of what I think we’re in for: late November and December are colder than normal; January thaws; February is frigid; winter temperatures last into March and even early April, with wild fluctuations in between. In terms of wintry precipitation, I don’t see a repeat of the “snowmageddon” of 2009-2010, but a series of smaller snow events, ice storms, and the like, which can be just as dangerous, if not more.
Again, this is a thumbnail sketch; much more detail to come.
I hope everyone has a fantastic 2010-2011 school year!
Monsoon's Weather Report for Thursday, 12 August 2010
Here's the forecast...
Weather narrative: Rain and storms Thursday may linger into Friday, but Saturday 8/14 and Sunday 8/15 look clear with lower humidity. Humidity builds back in late Sunday, though, bringing with it the chance of thunderstorms at almost any time in the first part of next week.
The end of next week will be warmer and more humid still, with temperatures several days flirting with (or perhaps eclipsing) the 90-degree mark. This spell of tropical conditions won’t break until Tuesday 8/24 or Wednesday 8/25.
Future weather: Humidity breaks around mid-week as a strong cold front moves through, bringing with it potentially damaging severe storms. That following weekend (8/28 and 8/29) is looking gorgeous with highs in the low 80s, low humidity, and a nice breeze.
Monsoon’s Heat Wave Alert for Saturday, 3 July 2010
After a few idyllic days with highs in the 70s and pleasant breezes, we’re in for the first real heat wave of the summer: with temperatures reaching into the 90s on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Blech.
Saturday 7/3: Starting out cool; overnight temperatures will be in the 50s around here. Temperatures will climb rapidly in the afternoon, reaching 88. Low 62. And here we go.
Sunday 7/4: Hot, but not yet really disgustingly humid. High 94, low 65.
Monday 7/5: Blazing sunshine with increasing humidity. You'll feel like an hours-old cheeseburger baking under a merciless heat lamp at a rest stop Roy Rogers. High 96, low 69.
Tuesday 7/6: Hazy, hot and humid. Just soupy. Any time you spend outside will feel like you are swimming through a steaming vat of sweat bisque. High 97, low 71. Heat indices in the 100s.
Wednesday 7/7: Hot, humid, and partly cloudy. By this point you will have forgotten your name, and hallucinations will be common. You’ll move with the leaden, apathetic steps of a high school sophomore walking back to class from the lavatory. Someone will ask, "Hot enough for ya?" and you will stab him in the forehead with your car keys. High 95, low 70. Heat indices again in the 100s.
Thursday 7/8: Blah, blah, yadda, blah. You will get into your car and burn yourself on the seat, the steering wheel, and the gearshift all before you start the damned thing. You'd like to cry out, but the humidity will prevent you from catching your breath, so you just blast the A/C and get on your way. But sadly, you are now delirious and forget where you are going. High 93, low 70.
Friday 7/9: The heat wave breaks as a weak cold front comes through, which may touch off a few thunderstorms. High 91, low 66.
Saturday 7/10: Breathing freely will again be possible. High 85, low 55.
Sunday 7/11: Clouds mixed with sunshine and cooler. High 76, low 53.
The following week: Rainy to begin the week, then a bit warmer with highs in the 80s. By the third week in July, I think we’ll see another heat wave brewing.
Severe Thunderstorms Friday in Berks, northern Lancaster Counties
Looking at a line of severe thunderstorms heading toward the central and southern Berks / northern Lancaster County area. First showers and storms should be in the area around 5pm, then there's a chance of further storms anytime until about 9 or 10pm this evening. Storms could include large hail, damaging winds, and soaking downpours.
Saturday looks hot and humid again (high in the upper 80s) with an even better chance of late afternoon and evening storms.
On Sunday there could be some strong storms in the morning, then skies will be clearing and it will feel noticeably less soupy. High will only get up to around 80.
Next week is looking more seasonable with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. Next really good chance for rain is Thursday and Friday.
Next weekend the 12th and 13th, things heat up again. Temperatures will reach or exceed 90 and heat indices will be well into the triple digits.
Stay tuned...
Thursday Thunderstorms: When and Where?
It’s been hot. Soon, it will not. Then, again. Here’s how…
A cold front slams into a hot, humid air mass and brings us thunderstorms that could be damaging. These will develop anytime between 3 and 9pm, and could bring high winds, large hail, and some brief, soaking downpours. Some areas may not see these storms, but most will.
Here’s an extreme example of what it’s like to have baseball-sized hailstones falling from the sky, from an Oklahoma storm about a week ago…
Today will be warm and increasingly humid with thunderstorms possible, as mentioned above. High 88, low 64.
Friday will be partly to mostly cloudy and far more pleasant, with a passing shower or two possible. High 74, low 52.
Saturday looks gorgeous – partly cloudy with a pleasant breeze. High 78, low 56.
Sunday and Monday look warmer still, but not terribly uncomfortable, with highs in the mid 80s. Most importantly for those of you with outdoor plans, I don’t see any chance for precipitation on either of those two days.
The first week of June is looking a little cooler (highs in the 70s) and rainier (especially Thursday and Friday).
Enjoy and be safe!
Monsoon's Forecast for Tuesday, 25 May 2010, featuring the Super-Extended WeatherTable 7013
A new weather forecast, complete with WeatherTable. Hey - you deserve it.
The weather:
Weather narrative: On Tuesday we’ll see increasing heat and humidity, which will hit us full force on Wednesday. Some thunderstorms will likely move through on Thursday evening, leaving behind more moderate conditions. Right now, it’s looking at though Memorial Day will be chilly with the potential for a few showers, but outdoor plans should be safe for the most part.
Things warm up again toward the end of next week, and then another front comes through next weekend to wash away the mugginess. When that happens, we’ll see some more rain.
Future weather: After a strong cold front comes through, look for moderating temperatures (highs in the low to mid 70s) as we get into the second week of June.
Enjoy!
Imagine All the Blue Skies...
It’s been too long, my good people, but it’s getting toward the end of the school year, and that means that I find far too much of my time taken up with actual work. It's terribly inconvenient.
The clouds are parting, though (couldn’t resist the weather metaphor), and so I’ve been able to delve back into my love for meteorology.
Expect a Bunk update soon, too.
It’s rainy and cool today, but I’m seeing both bluer-skied and warmer weather straight ahead. Check it.
Tuesday night 5/18: overcast with a leftover shower or bit of drizzle. Low around 50.
Wednesday 5/19: partly cloudy and a bit milder with a slight chance of a passing shower or two early. High 68, low 52.
Thursday 5/20: plenty of sunshine and warmer with gentle breezes. High 80, low 54.
Friday 5/21: sunny, breezy, and pleasant. High 82, low 58. This is Imagine Day at Mifflin, and things are looking gorgeous for an event often beset with unwelcome chilly or rainy conditions.
Saturday 5/22: partly sunny and more humid with a chance of showers or thunderstorms late. High 78, low 61.
Sunday 5/23: partly to mostly cloudy with a couple of showers or thunderstorms moving through. High 76, low 59.
Next week and weekend: highs in the 70s for the first half of next week, with a couple of showers possible on both Tuesday and Wednesday—but neither day will be a washout. We’re looking at a return of warm and humid conditions by Thursday (when highs will be in the 80s). By next weekend (the 29th and 30th of May) we’ll be looking at highs approaching 90 as we enter a period of instability.
Beyond: more seasonable conditions will prevail, with highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows in the 50s. Humidity, instability, and the chance for precipitation return toward the middle of June…
Quick weather update, 12 April 2010
Just wanted to give you all an update on the weather, as we'll see a bit more rain and somewhat more seasonable highs than we've had of late...
Tuesday 4/13: cooler and overcast with a few showers, mainly in the afternoon; clearing late. High 56, low 41.
A weak cold front approaches, bringing with it scattered showers moving in from the northwest throughout the day on Tuesday. Not a washout, but you may want to have an umbrella handy.
Wednesday 4/14: milder with plenty of sunshine. High 64, low 38.
Thursday 4/15: partly cloudy and breezy for much of the day; clouding up late. High 71, low 49.
Friday 4/16: overcast with showers and drizzle possible throughout the day and into the evening. High 66, low 50.
Saturday 4/17 and Sunday 4/18: cooler and generally overcast with rain possible, particularly Saturday. Highs around 60, lows around 40.
Next week: The pattern holds with partly cloudy conditions predominate; highs will be in the lows 60s and lows in the low 40s. Look for a chance of showers on Wednesday 4/21 and Thursday 4/22.
Beyond: Below normal temperatures with highs in the low 50s and temperatures perhaps flirting with the freezing mark here and there. Then, for the end of April: a dramatic warm-up.
Weather Update: 3/30 through next week
Here’s what to expect over the next week or so, weather-wise: rain, then cool, then pleasant, then warm.
In more detail:
Tuesday 3/30: rather windy and noticeably cooler with rain off and on, tapering late. Rain from this evening to Tuesday night could total up to half an inch to three-quarters of an inch in the forecast area. I think areas west of Philadelphia and the immediate suburbs are going to miss the bulk of the heaviest rainfall heading up the coast. High 50, low 42.
The accumulated rainfall through Wednesday: note that the heaviest amounts (reds and oranges) are along the coast and back into Philadelphia, while we'll see more moderate amounts (greens).
Wednesday 3/31: clearing and winds diminishing throughout the day; becoming milder. High 61, low 38.
Thursday 4/1: sunny, breezy and quite a bit milder. High 74, low 50.
Friday 4/2: sunny and unseasonably warm with mild southwest breezes. High 79, low 54.
Saturday 4/3: sunny and really warm, more than 20 degrees above the normal high for this time of year. I mean, just ridiculous. Really. High 82, low 55.
Sunday 4/4: partly sunny and not quite as warm. High 74, low 52.
Monday 4/5: partly cloudy with a passing shower or two in the morning. High 69, low 46.
The rest of next week: generally partly cloudy with highs hanging in the 60s and lows in the 40s.
Beyond: the following weekend is cooler with highs in the 50s and rain possible.
The Vicissitudes of Spring ... The Majesty of Bunk
Stay tuned after the weather update for brand-new Bunk content!
The weather...
Weather narrative: We’re going to see the fickle vicissitudes of early spring over the next couple of weeks. After today (Sunday) we can bid a fond adieu to the 70-plus temperatures and “spring fever” of the past few days. Monday will bring in a cold front, and with it some rain and plummeting temperatures. Look for the bulk of the rain late Monday afternoon and evening, perhaps lingering into Tuesday morning.
On Wednesday it gets back up into the low 60s, but a stiff wind will make it feel more like autumn than spring. On Friday we get cooler again with showers possible on that day and on Sunday.
Next week (the last week of March) is looking rather cold and rainy, with the possibility of frozen precipitation early on Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th. This will just be a little dusting or coating – a reminder of what we’re leaving behind, and what we won’t see around these parts again until year’s end.
Beyond the forecast: As we get into what is, for many of us, an abbreviated Spring Break, I’m seeing temperatures rebound into the low to mid 50s (closer to normal for this time of year) with drier conditions generally.
And now, as promised: The Bunk.
I’ve been remiss in providing you updates and pictures of The Bunk here in the New Year; I was a bit preoccupied with the snow, the snow, the snow.
The Bunk is 19 months old now (or he will be, on Wednesday), and remains, believe me, and absolute gentleman. Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the very card or calendar of gentry. [Someone help me: we finished Hamlet a month ago, and yet I cannot stop quoting it. It is not, nor it cannot come to good. See?]
Anywho, he’s a delight. Yesterday he seemed to have finally understood the concept of “fetch” while we mucked about on the tennis courts, but only fleetingly: when he became more interested in a far-off sound, an intriguing smell, or a passing dog, the game was over. He has a formidable bark whose depth and apparent ferocity belie the mildness and poofery of his appearance.
Here are some snapshots of The Bunk being The Bunk, in his own inimitable way.
The Bunk maintains his dignity despite being clad in Christmas-themed garb - Boxing Day 2009 
Lounging happily betwixt two pieces of furniture, his body on the chair and his head on the hassock, The Bunk takes both malleability and adorability to new heights - January 2010 
DFW: Down for Whatever - January 2010 
The Bunk, plastered to my side, some idyllic weekend - February 2010 
The Bunk breaks his own previous record for malleability, wedged into the chair in the sunbeam, fast asleep - February 2010 
Fully splayed, looking like an albino Grover - February 2010 
Who's a sleepy boy? You are! You are! - March 2010 
The Bunk, at play, yesterday - March 2010
Spring is near.
After what seemed like a solid week of rainy, chilly days, we’re getting a nice reward here with brilliant sunshine and highs in the mid 60s throughout the region. Esbenshades is open, Boehringer’s just opened, and although the spring opening at Shupp’s Grove is a full month away, spring is definitely in the air.
Here’s a look at the weather in store for the last few days of winter and the first week or so of spring…
Wed 3/17: continued mild with brilliant sunshine as a high pressure system sets up over our area. Look for highs once again in the mid 60s and overnight lows in the mid 30s.
Thu 3/18: sunny and mild once again and somewhat breezy; highs in the mid to upper 60s and a low around 40.
Fri 3/19: sunny and mild again. Look for highs in the upper 60s (some areas could actually reach 70!) and lows again near 40.
Sat 3/20: sunny to partly cloudy and still mild, with highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the low to mid 40s. Happy first day of spring!
Sun 3/21: mostly cloudy, breezy and mild with a high again in the low to mid 60s. Slight chance of some showers later on Sunday night, when we should expect a low in the low 40s.
Mon 3/22: sun and clouds mix; cooler with temperatures closer to normal for this time of year (highs in the low 50s, lows in the low 30s).
Tue 3/23: partly cloudy and seasonably pleasant with highs in the low to mid 50s and lows in the low to mid 30s.
Wed 3/24: partly to mostly cloudy and a bit milder with highs perhaps reaching the upper 50s.
Thu 3/25: clouds arrive ahead of a low pressure system, keeping highs in the low 50s.
Fri 3/26 and Sat 3/27: overcast, rainy and chilly with highs only reaching about the mid 40s.
Sun 3/28 and Mon 3/29: partly sunny and still cool with highs in the upper 40s at best.
Preliminary spring break (or what’s left of it) forecast: looks like the typical early-April pattern holds and we see highs in the upper 40s to low 50s with a few rainy days.
Stay tuned!
Monsoon's Rainy Forecast for Tuesday, 9 March 2010
As the snowy season recedes into memory, and the bulging snow piles shrivel to filthy, pepper-flecked knolls in the far reaches of parking lots, we can look ahead to a rainy mid-March. Here are the details...
Wednesday 3/10: partly cloudy with plenty of sunshine to start; becoming cloudy late. High 58, low 36.
Thursday 3/11: mostly cloudy with rain showers and drizzle developing by late afternoon. Light rain continues on and off into the evening and overnight. Temperatures holding in the low 50s.
Friday 3/12: cloudy and breezy with intermittent rain; becomes heavier at night. Temperatures generally in the mid 50s.
Saturday 3/13: cloudy and windy with steady rain, especially early. Watch for flooding problems developing, particularly at waterways and poor drainage areas. High 58, low 44.
The heavy rains we'll be seeing in the mid-Atlantic on Friday night into Saturday morning
Sunday 3/14: overcast with some lingering showers possible, mainly early, tapering by the afternoon. From Thursday to Sunday most of us will see anywhere from three-quarters of an inch to an inch and a half of rainfall. High 56, low 39.
Next week: seasonably cooler with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid to upper 30s. A bit of rain is possible here and there on Monday through Wednesday, but the next steady rain will come through around Thursday 3/18 to Friday 3/19. Cold overnight and early-morning temperatures could result in a few flurries on Friday or Saturday, but nothing accumulating.
Beyond: seasonably cool (or just a tad below normal) into the third week of March, with highs in the mid to upper 40s and lows at or just below freezing.
Snow: there’s a chance, really, until early April. But I truly don’t think so.
Monsoon Anticipates, Answers Your Weather Queries
As the winter comes to a close, I know some of you have questions about the coming weeks, weather-wise. As your faithful blogger, it is my job to not only answer your questions, but to anticipate them.
And so.
What’s this weekend going to be like?
Niiiiiice. Expect plenty of sunshine both Saturday and Sunday with high temperatures approaching (and maybe on Sunday, eclipsing) 50, and a pleasant breeze.
So are we going to get this gargantuan snowstorm, the March 7th 40-incher predicted by Berks almanac-diviner Lester Moyer?
It would appear that we will not…as I said a couple of weeks ago.
What about next week?
Nice again, at least for most of the week. Highs will be in the low 50s on Monday, and the upper 40s through Thursday, with overnight lows just above freezing. Skies will be partly cloudy in general. Expect showers anytime from Friday through Sunday—but these will be rain showers.
And while you’re at it, what’s it going to be like the following week, the 15th through the 19th?
A bit warmer, actually. Highs are going to get into the mid-50s on Monday and Tuesday, then on Wednesday into Thursday we’re looking at chillier conditions and some rain (which may mix with some wet snow at night).
Level with us: is there going to be any more freaking snow?
I really think we may be finished with accumulating snowfall for the season. Seriously.
When can we expect spring-like temperatures?
April? May?
When can I begin wearing my tube-top and culottes out in public again?
Never. Trust me.
If there are any other questions I can answer for you, email me by clicking on the “Monsoon” below!