Flooding and the leftovers

Well, rain poured down in the Atlanta area yesterday causing the flash flooding that everyone feared, falling on already saturated ground, causing the rivers and creeks to crest above flood stage. Unfortunately, that is just an appetizer. Another dose of flooding rain is rolling in tomorrow, which will put much of north Georgia under water. Now, that area of storms over on the west coast... guess what that is... It's the system formerly known as Super Typhoon Melor. That's right, the remnants of Melor have tracked all the way across the Pacific Ocean and have decided to pummel the west coast of the US with flooding rain. That area is preparing for mudslides. As if they didn't have their share of natural disaster with all the wild fires they endured over the summer.

We've had dreary skies and rain/drizzle in my neck of the woods, which seems to be taking its toll on people, that and the sticky humidity... I think we are ready for some colorful fall-like weather!

Have a superb day!!
~Dewdrop

Lenticulars!

SKY WATCH FRIDAY time! Welcome all sky fans!!! I might not have time to respond to you, but I will try my best to visit!!!

Our hosts: Klaus Sandy Ivar Wren Louise Fishing Guy

Thanks, also,to Dot and Tom, who were instrumental in the success of this blogging event. You should definitely come fly with us! Once again, I am sharing some of the beauty that our great God blessed me with...

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

I have never seen lenticular clouds before, the lens or saucer shaped clouds that generally form over or around mountains. I live in south Georgia. There are no mountains, just trees and farms. I wasn't sure I would ever have the pleasure of experiencing a lenticular altocumulus cloud, but once again, our gracious God showed me... I shot this lenticular cloud Saturday morning, while my wonderful groom was driving us to an event out of town.

Lenticular clouds (Lenticularis), also known as "flying saucer clouds," "angelship clouds", "cloudships", "clouds of heaven", are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction.

Lenticular clouds are the most common member of an unusual class of clouds that remain stationary while the wind blows through them. They are normally generated by mountains. They form because of two fundamental properties of air and water. First, when air is lifted and expanded, it cools. This is why temperature normally decreases with height. Second, as air cools, the amount of water it can hold decreases. If air that is already holding almost as much water vapor as it can hold is lifted and thus cooled, the water will condense out fairly promptly onto any particles that may be in the air, forming a cloud. If the air is dry to start with, the air has to be lifted much farther before a cloud forms. When the air descends again, it is warmed, and the cloud droplets evaporate.
~sourceSometimes the air is forced into a wave pattern, generating what is known as a wave cloud. Wave clouds can look like strings of discs spreading out from the leeward side of the mountain. They can also form miniature waves which sometimes look exactly like a choppy sea. If you look around the cloud, you may see a geographical feature which is creating the conditions which lead to the formation of lenticular clouds. If you don't see a mountain or hill, there is probably a current of air running in the opposite direction to create a wave cloud.
~source

That aside, Melor made its way through Japan while we were sleeping, now just an extratropical depression. Sadly, two deaths are blamed on Typhoon Melor. Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Basin, the now Tropical Depression Henri (On-ree) is losing steam as he drifts through the Atlantic. A tropical wave on his heels shows little likelihood of development in the very hostile environment.Back in the states, we have a line of rain and thunderstorms literally inundating Missouri with torrential rains, leading to extensive flooding.
Residents within areas of the flood watches and warnings should exercise extreme caution. Water levels can rise suddenly, easily sweeping cars and people away. If there is water over the roadway, Turn Around, Don't Drown™. You never know how deep the water is, or even whether or not the road is still there. Water can easily wash away overpasses. Don't become a rescue mission... or worse.

Have a safe day!
~Dewdrop

Typhoon Melor about to make contact with Japan

As we wait to see what impact Typhoon Melor will have on Japan, we see ANOTHER tropical storm whip up over the Atlantic basin. Welcome Tropical Storm Henri (ridiculously pronounces On-ree... whatever!), hovering over by the Lesser Antilles; however, not expected to impact them. In fact, doesn't look like Henri (on-ree) will have much impact on anywhere. Tropical Storm Henri just arrived on the scene, and he isn't expected to be anything more than a remnant low beyond tomorrow.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE RATHER HOSTILE

Sorry, Tropical Storm Henri (On-Ree), you missed your prime.

Now, back over in Japan... fortunately, Tropical Storm Parma still spins and dumps rain over the northern Philippines. That system has been all over northern Philippines. They have got to be tired of the rain by now. Unfortunately, Typhoon Melor still rages onward toward Japan, with parts of the country already beginning to feel the impact of waves and wind. The typhoon is expected to make landfall in the wee hours of their night, but within the next several hours. With only 86mph winds, Typhoon Melor is the equivalent of a category 1 hurricane. I don't anticipate a horrible impact.

P.S. Yesterday's severe weather warnings amounted to a few hail reports. Sigh.

Have a great day!
~Dewdrop

Japan braces for Typhoon Melor

How much will you remember of the system formerly known as Tropical Storm Grace? That's right, she is no more. Her remnants have been absorbed by a frontal system, so what we saw as Grace for the blink of an eye, is nothing but a memory, if even that. Most people don't remember insignificant storms. If I say Andrew, you know which storm I am talking about. If I say Katrina, you know. What about Tropical Storm Marco??? Anyone remember that one? Didn't think so. Have no fear, the now stirred tropics are showing minimal signs of life, with an invest area off to the east of the Lesser Antilles...... a little more typical of what we might expect to see at this stage of the game.

In the western Pacific, we still have Tropical Storm Parma, basically stationary over parts of the Philippines (just what they don't need), and we have Super Typhoon Melor Melor, which has lost some intensity, but is still a force to be reckoned with. Typhoon Melor has its sites set on Japan, specifically between Osaka and Tokyo. After breezing by Okinawa, Melor is expected to reach Japanese soil by early Thursday (their time), as a typhoon, though hopefully not as strong.
Closer to home, the country's midsection is facing a threat of some severe weather. A low racing across Minnesota and Wisconsin has a tail of thunderstorms dragging down into Texas, seriously a line of storms stretch from northern Minnesota, over the Kentucky, then down into the base of the Texas panhandle. It looks like two rounds are possible, with damaging winds being the greatest threat and a potential for severe hail. Tornadoes are not likely

A NON-ZERO TORNADO THREAT WILL...HOWEVER ...EXIST FROM NRN LA AND CNTRL/SRN AR INTO ADJACENT PARTS OF TN AND MS WITH ANY SUSTAINED STORMS/POSSIBLE SUPERCELLS THAT INTERACT WITH RESIDUAL WARM FRONTAL SEGMENTS ON SW FRINGE OF ERODING COOL DOME.

Have a safe day!!
~Dewdrop

Tropical Storm Grace makes an entrance on stage right

We have a strong tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin!!! What?! That's right... Tropical Storm Grace. Packing winds of 70mph, itty bitty Tropical Storm Grace is expected to remain harmless, but she is expected to turn toward Europe and cause some waves in Portugal and Spain.... and possibly head toward Ireland? Interesting. Fortunately, she is not expected to get to be more than a tropical storm.

Analysis of Grace


Now, in the western Pacific, we have a totally different tale, amidst, earthquake and tsunami recovery... deadly flooding after a drenching tropical storm, Typhoon Parma barely missed Manila. With already 300 deaths in that area, the near miss, was a prayer answered. Instead of additional and compounded loss of life, only 16 succumbed to the grips of Typhoon Parma, now just a spinning tropical storm, held in position by SUPER TYPHOON MELOR... (really a beauty, as far as storms go...)

Sunday morning Melor was a super typhoon spinning about 240 miles west-northwest of Saipan, packing sustained 167-mph winds and 200-mph gusts at its center — equal to a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic
~source

...which is actually on track for skimming by Tokyo, but fortunately just as the equivalent of a category 1 hurricane. Let's pray they are right about the intensity forecast...

Have a super day!
~Dewdrop

Philippine Islands brace for Super Typhoon Parma

Generally, I don't talk about the western Pacific in my tropical discussion, but unfortunately, the western Pacific tropics have become big news, as now Super Typhoon Parma (equivalent of our category 4 with 140mph), is bearing down on the already flood-ravaged Philippines. Typhoon Parma sets sites on the Philippines, spawning President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to declare the entire nation under a "state of calamity" as anticipation builds. Residents of the Philippians are still in early stages of recovery after Tropical Storm Ketsana ravaged the islands with flood waters and mudslides, which stole the lives of 293 people, just last weekend! Parma is expected to strike the main northern Philippine island of Luzon on Saturday as the equivalent of a strong category 3, at least. With 3 million people already impacted by last week's tropical storm, they are undoubtedly distressed over the coming storm. As far as evacuations are concerned, in such a depressed area, you run into problems getting people to leave behind everything they own.

"There is some resistance because they don't want to leave their homes behind for fear of looting," Melchito Castro, the disaster response chief in one threatened district, the Cagayan Valley, told The Associated Press. "If they can't be persuaded, we will be forced to get all the children and minors."
~source

Fortunately, it looks like Typhoon Melor, which was hot on the heels of Parma, is expected to turn to the north and track toward Japan. Prayers are in order for the people in the path of these storms, that emergency management makes wise decisions, and lives are spared. God be with them.

~Dew