Weather and Not The Weather

I decided to combine the weather features along with non-weather items this go around. Seems like I've been focusing quite a bit on the impending impact of the UARS somewhere on the planet.

By the way, I don't have the latest update. However, I did come across this fascinating statistic:


Each dot represents a bit of known space junk that's at least 4 inches (10 cm) in low-Earth orbit, where the space station and shuttles roam. In total, some 19,000 manmade objects this size or bigger orbit Earth as of July 2009; most are in low-Earth orbit. Countless smaller objects are also circling the planet.
CREDIT: NASA/Orbital Debris Program Office

By the way, hopefully, this will break the stress of whether anyone will be ultimately impacted by the falling satellite. Check this old Saturday Night LIVE clip of John Belushi, the "science editor", discussing the impending fall of the SkyLab satellite.

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The death toll has now surpassed 100 following the major earthquake that struck India last Sunday. The rescue efforts have been hampered by persistent heavy rains. Click HERE for more information.

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Speaking of earthquake news, Seattle WA has recorded a minor earthquake on the order of 3.2 just a little earlier this afternoon. Some residents may have felt it, but no damage was expected to be reported.
"The U. S. Geological Survey intensity website indicates it was felt as weak-to-light shaking to by a few dozen respondents, mostly in the North Bend-Snoqualmie area." - komonews.com
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Now, for the weather...
All indications point toward another one of those pesky cutoff lows that will be hanging around like a fly ready to be swatted into the next century.



FOR TONIGHT...CONSENSUS OF THE SHORT RANGE MODELS AGREE THAT UPPER
TROUGH OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST WILL DEEPEN CONSIDERABLY AND THEN
CLOSE OFF.

FOR FRIDAY...UPPER TROUGH SHOULD BE CUT OFF BY THIS TIME WITH ITS
PLACEMENT SOMEWHERE OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS OR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. EXPECT MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION TO END BY THE AFTERNOON
HOURS WITH PARTIAL CLEARING WORKING IN FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST.
THIS CUTOFF LOW IS STILL EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER, AS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, THE LAST COUPLE MODEL RUNS PLACE THIS FEATURE WELL WEST OF WHERE YESTERDAYS MODEL RUNS HAD IT. THE CENTER OF THIS LOW IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE OVER NORTHERN IL/IN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
Rainfall amounts for the entire period still look like about an inch or so.

MS