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Weather Blog: A taste of summer

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Posted at 1:59 AM, May 06, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-06 06:39:19-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Good Friday bloggers,

Who is ready for a change to less cloudy, cool and rainy weather? If you said yes, then you are in luck.

The storm system of the last two days is the last in a series of three systems that have tracked across the Plains and Midwest since last Friday.

They have brought us many cloudy days and some locations very heavy rain. Our region avoided the worst of the severe weather and flash flooding.

These are radar estimated rainfall totals from the last seven days. Your rain gauge can read differently, as again, these are radar estimated totals.

Southeast Kansas to Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma have all seen 5 to 12 inches of rain with flooding issues. Our region has seen around 2 inches north to 5 to 7 inches south.

A change in the weather would be nice as some locations need to dry out.

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Below is an image of the upper-level flow for next Wednesday. A deep trough is found on the West Coast, while a closed low is found on the southeast coast. The opposite of a trough, a ridge, is found from Mexico to the Great Lakes. A small upper-level high is found near Chicago. This forms an upper-level flow in the shape of the Greek letter Omega (Ω). This is called an "Omega Block" pattern and once it sets up it can last several days. This one will last three to five days, next Tuesday through Friday.

A ridge creates sinking air which leads to mostly dry weather and warming conditions. It is big upper-level highs that can create heat waves during the summer. This is a nice ridge, but not a big upper-level high. It will still get the job done as we are in the middle of the ridge.

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So, what does this mean for the weather next week?

We will be in a large area of very warm to hot and humid weather. The chance of rain is low and there will be high humidity and at times a decent wind from the south. In other words, "a taste of summer." Severe weather threats will be pushed to the western and northern Plains.

A brief shower or thunderstorm could sneak in here Sunday or a day or two next week, but overall it will be dry.

The block will break down next weekend and the door will open again for rain and thunderstorm chances, some severe weather will be possible.

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Here is a day-by-day look at the warming trend as the pattern changes.

TODAY:

The sun should pop out later warming us to the 60s.

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SATURDAY:

We reach the 70s with more sunshine. The 90s are creeping into the Southwest Plains. The average high for this time of year is in the low 70s.

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SUNDAY:

We now reach the 80s with more wind and humidity. 100s are now seen from southwest Kansas to west Texas.

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MONDAY:

We will see highs well into the 80s with 90s not that far away.

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TUESDAY:

We will see highs well into the 80s with 90s not that far away again. Near 100 degrees makes its way to Western Kansas. A cold front will stall well north before it retreats as a warm front Wednesday. That will be the focus of severe thunderstorms.

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WEDNESDAY:

Highs will be around 90 degrees for most locations from Illinois to Colorado. This will continue Thursday and Friday before a new system likely moves east and breaks the "Omega Block."

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You have to love the weather in the Plains!

Have a great weekend and stay healthy.

Jeff