Tuesday, May 13, 2008

WLFI softball team rolls thanks to quiet severe weather season


We have been really lucky when it comes to severe weather so far this year! It is almost unheard of to have gotten through March, April, and the first half of May with no severe thunderstorms. It has been a record-setting season for tornadoes to our south. Over the weekend there were over 20 fatalities due to tornadoes and severe weather and over 560 damaging storm reports. The only lightning I could find last night anywhere close to us here at home was Kelly Crull of Sports Team 18 running down the first base line. As you see above, she is lightning quick and even though she was out on this play she has a batting average well over .500.


WLFI had its first non-forfeited victory in about 2 years last night. That drought was broken, but there is another drought to talk about and that is our severe weather drought. We have not had any widespread severe thunderstorms here in Lafayette since August 24th of last year. Usually I am tracking softball size hail this time of year as you see below but instead it was all about softball last night!

How long will we see these smiling faces below? Well, I think we will have some more fine softball weather tonight, but we may have to watch things a little more closely for severe weather on Wednesday afternoon. The Storm Prediction Center will have a risk of severe weather most likely up to Illinois, which is close enough to home to watch it closely. But, I still think the bulk of severe weather will stay to our south.

The big difference-maker has been a split flow and a jet stream pattern much farther south than normal. The jet stream is what adds spin to our thunderstorms which can sometimes cause severe weather. Notice yesterday's highs, showing the bulk of the really warm and true Spring weather is staying well south of Lafayette. When could this shift our way and increase our severe weather chances? I will have more answers here on the blog later today and tonight on the news.


I will see you soon. Make it a wonderful day!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

With Darcy on your team how can you go wrong?

Anonymous said...

Mike, alot of us get home after 6:00 news, and are in bed before 11:00, due to wacky work hours, like you have! we love your blog and look for weather updates, but some of us are not able to watch tv i8 news due to workinig hours. would be nice if you could see your answers on the blog too, Just an FYI

Thanks for all you do! Tonight I am lucky, I get to stay up late, and we have a mist of rain and thunder. Miss watching you on TV cause we all have to work strange hours.

Anonymous said...

Mike, alot of us get home after 6:00 news, and are in bed before 11:00, due to wacky work hours, like you have! we love your blog and look for weather updates, but some of us are not able to watch tv i8 news due to workinig hours. would be nice if WE could see your answers on the blog too, Just an FYI

Thanks for all you do! Tonight I am lucky, I get to stay up late, and we have a mist of rain and thunder. Miss watching you on TV cause we all have to work strange hours.

May 14, 2008 12:23 AM

Anonymous said...

ONE THOUSAND ONE, ONE THOUSAND TWO.ONE THOUSAND THREE..........GOODNESS HEARD THE THUNDER WOKE ME UP WHAT A GREAT LIGHT SHOW!