MikJournal Monday 05/22/2017 Another Stubborn Trough

I'm seeing a pattern here. Another in a series of stubborn, slow-moving low pressure systems meandering across the country, bringing showery conditions and cooler temperatures. My young garden does not know any better. I try to explain to my plants that this is not usually the way the weather behaves here this time of year. But, somehow I get the sense that my plants don't necessarily understand me either.

However, let me say as of this date, the 22nd of May, Louisville's average temperature (the daily high and nightly low divided by 2) is now 1.4 degrees above normal for the month. This follows a prolonged period of below normal readings. Lexington, you are now 2.0 degrees above normal. In addition, you in Lexington have officially recorded more rainfall than Louisville, by about 0.25".

Bowling Green is running nearly 2 degrees above normal and has recorded 4.40" in the rain gauge. Their weekend rainfall was 2.65" officially.

In fact, here in Louisville, there was quite a variety of amounts recorded over the weekend. I live in the southwest part of the county in Valley Station where I picked up 2.56". A little farther to my southwest (about 4-5 miles away), a rain gauge measured 2.76". Yet, a nearby school no more than 0.25 mile away northwest of my location, its rain gauge measured 2.13". Pleasure Ridge Park had 2.23". Just north of that is Shively at 2.39".

However, just east of my location in Fairdale, only 1.32" was recorded, the airport at Standiford Field officially recorded 1.19". In the eastern part of the county, barely an inch was recorded at a St. Matthews school.

Even though I do not rely on QPF forecasts completely, when I checked it early last week, a forecast of 1.50 to 2.50" was expected across much of Kentucky.

A look at Kentucky Mesonet sites for the period of Friday thru Sunday, I found a top ten list for you...

Hardinsburg, in Breckenridge County, actually had two locations in the top ten...(1) - 3.24"; also (6) - 2.35".
(2) - Carrollton, in Carroll County at 3.11"
(3) - Brandenburg, in Meade County at 2.90"
(4) - Pikeville, in Pike County at 2.50"
(5) - Cynthiana, in Harrison County at 2.49"
(7) - Owenton, in Owen County at 2.31"
(8) - Paintsville, in Johnson County at 2.20"
(9) - Morehead, in Rowan County at 1.93"
(10) - Whitley City, in McCreary County at 1.64"

Certainly, we do want to forget about Scottsville, in Allen County. Even though they did not crack the top ten for the Friday thru Sunday time frame, they recorded 6.00" of rainfall for the last 5 days. Amazing! In addition, our friends in Pikeville received 3.83" during the last 5 days.

More wet weather is on tap for the week. But, for now, let's enjoy the next couple of days before the wet and cool arrive later. I know I have a lot of work to do. Well, time to get at it.

MS