Wind Gusts Hit 60 mph in Pulaski as Autumn Barrels In!

There were two severe thunderstorm warnings in Indiana today for Kosciusko and Whitley Counties but it was Pulaski County in the Lafayette viewing area that got hit the hardest. Take a look at the storm reports below from the Storm Prediction Center:

4 p.m. EDT
MONTEREY in PULASKI COUNTY

TREES UPROOTED AND LANDED ON HOUSES. POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS MONTEREY. (IWX)

4:50 p.m.
1 NNE NORTH MANCHESTER in WABASH COUNTY

TREES DOWN ON CARS (IWX)

The good news is no more severe weather is expected. Most of the lightning strikes I picked up in the area were located in Pulaski County and far northern Indiana between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. I will check to see if the line of storms bowed out just enough to bring those severe wind gusts to the surface. I will of course have more on this tonight at 11 p.m. If anybody has friends in the Monterey area tell them I am looking for stories and pictures. Thanks!

Watching Live Doppler 18 & Gusty T-Storms on the Way

3:35 p.m. Update




I just did a new web weather and based on the latest Live Doppler 18 scans it still looks like wind gusts to 40 mph and heavy downpours causing hydroplaning will be our main threats. Lightning tracker which will soon be available on the web by later this week (yes!) is not showing much lightning at all. You have to go north of Winamac to find any lightning at all and it is very sporadic. The line does not seem to be showing signs of bowing out which is also good news. So right now the big thing is to be careful on the roadways heading home and most of our gusty thunderstorms should end by 7 p.m. Then you can expect off and on rain showers until about midnight before our real autumn weather moves in! Right now it is only 51 in Chicago! Stay warm and stay safe!

10 a.m. Update

It should be an interesting afternoon and evening. I am just finishing up cutting my lawn before the bigger thunderstorms and heavier rain moves in this afternoon as expected, especially after 3 p.m. Here is the latest discussion out of the Storm Prediction Center this morning.

MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT A MORE ORGANIZED LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH OVER PARTS OF IL/MO/IND. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW SUFFICIENT DEEP LAYER VERTICAL SHEAR IN THIS REGION FOR EMBEDDED BOW/LEWP CONFIGURATIONS CAPABLE OF GUSTY WINDS. WEAK LAPSE RATES SHOULD LIMIT THE THREAT OF HAIL...AND STRONGLY VEERED NEAR-SURFACE WINDS SHOULD LIMIT LOW LEVEL SHEAR AND TORNADO THREAT.

What this means is that we could see a strong storm or two and I have noticed we have the sun popping out a little outside with plenty of humidity. This will tend to destabilize things even more. The Storm Prediction Center is already concerned about bow echoes and here in Indiana they many times do cause damaging winds and even brief, small tornadoes. Even though we have not been put in a risk area for severe thunderstorms by the folks in Norman, Oklahoma do not let your guard down. Here in Indiana we know to always keep our guard up. I am expecting a few thunderstorms with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. Isolated wind gusts could approach 60 mph which reaches severe criteria. I have noticed our 5,000 foot wind speeds increase to 35 mph by late this afternoon as the line of showers and thunderstorms arrive. This will certainly add some punch to the storms as they move through. So here is one of those days in Indiana where we usually get hit when everybody is downplaying things. Well, you weather team is ready and now you are too. Be safe this afternoon and evening and I will make sure to keep you updated here on the blog and on the tube.

Autumn Will Roar Back in With Thunderstorms Wednesday!

Just checking back in with you! We have some active weather on the way. A frontal boundary will actually move back north as a warm front tomorrow and this warmer air will collide with our chilliest air mass of the season. So I am increasing our heavier rain chances along with possible thunderstorms on Wednesday. We cannot rule out a strong thunderstorm or two. Make sure to tune in tonight for the latest and I will have more specifics here on the blog as well!

Lightning Bugs & A Corona around the Moon Dazzle Lafayette

I know! First there was the pirate bugs, then the biting beetles, and now the attack of the lightning bugs. Chris Pechin spotted the critters on Monday evening. Nature is certainly telling us something is just not right and you know a correction is coming and it's coming soon! Just in case you did not see any lightning bugs last night nature made sure you were dazzled by the moonlight with bluish tints to its ring closest to it and a red tint farther away from it. Believe it or not this moon will not officially be full until tonight. It certainly had its moon beams on high last night. I will have all the details here on the blog today of what caused the corona around the moon and just what a corona is. No, we are not talking about beer here. LOL In the meantime, enjoy the picture above.

I do think our best chances of rain hold off until Wednesday and if anything does fall today it will be in the form of sprinkles. The main storm system that buried parts of Montana with over 3 feet of snow was deflected straight up into Canada by our record-breaking high pressure that brought record highs on Sunday to South Bend (84 degrees) and Fort Wayne (an amazing 87 degrees). Here in Lafayette we had our warmest 3 days this late in the season in 13 years! Record highs were also smashed in Chicago, Madison, and Green Bay. So by time our autumn front arrives it will not have much moisture with it. We may miss out on some needed rainfall but not on some real autumn weather. This snow pack you see above in Montana City, Montana will allow the cold air hold together much better and we will really feel it by Wednesday night and Thursday. The good news is an area of low pressure should form along the front and move our way on Wednesday bringing us at least some scattered rain. Rain amounts look light at this time and I would not worry about the many soccer games going on around the area. I know it is playoff time and nature should not muddy things up much at all! Have a great day and I will be back with more on last night's weather phenomenon and our big changes on the way. Tomorrow is also a big day! We can pick up the Lafayette Christian School Dutch Apple Pies.

It must really be autumn. Here is a picture of our very own Alyssa Rossomme who always does a great job with the morning show along with Seth and Stephanie. She really got into her story. Heating up those apple pies will be a good way to stay warm by later this week and weekend with highs only expected in the 50s! YUMMY, BRING ON AUTUMN AND THE PIES!!

Records Fall & Temperatures Get Ready to Tumble

Is it really October 13th? We had a couple unofficial record highs set today across the area in Brookston and Kokomo. The climate center does not have records for these sites dating back to 1896 like it does for Lafayette, but I am confident that since Lafayette's record high for the date was 84 set back in 1930 that these two sites were likely close to that they either tied the actual records or broke them. This is way I am calling them "unofficial" records. But we can say it was officially warm out there today. Even though we did not set any records here in Lafayette we did tie the record for most consecutive days at 80 or above this late in the season which was also three set back in 1995.


It is great to be back in town after going to a weather conference in Louisville, Kentucky. I think I brought some of the heat back from Kentucky with me. Louisville set a record high of 87 whopping degrees on Sunday while I was in class with hundreds of meteorologists all across the country. Scary, huh? I did represent Lafayette well and won the weather trivia contest of course dealing with stormy weather. I didn't win a trip to Hawaii but I did get a new Midland Weather Radio. That is one gift that keeps on giving here in Indiana. It is great to be home. After talking to many weather buddies across the country I can truly say I have the best weather bloggers and viewers around. I also feel very lucky to work at WLFI that is for sure!

Since I watch out for you like you watch out for me I do have a reality check back in the weather forecast. Notice the majestic win turbines in Benton County above. You have increasing cirrus clouds moving that may bring even bigger changes to the landescape. A real autumn front is coming! This will be quite a jolt to the system even if you are expecting it. Get out the jackets and vitamin C. Take a look at this graph that drops our temperatures almost 50 degrees from Sunday's high of 86 to next Saturday's low of 37 which could certainly bring our first frost of the season depending on cloud cover and wind.

Wayne Turner did a great job of capturing an autumn scene in Brookston above on the Tippecanoe River on Monday evening. It is absolutely stunning. Now you know it will not only look like autumn but it will finally feel like it. I am certainly ready for it like most folks I have spoken to around the area. My wife Julie is back from Florida so I feel like it is Thanksgiving and have a ton of energy! Welcome home honey, now it is time to welcome autumn back! I know it makes me want to dance. I am ready to rumba again!

Speaking of dancing here is a great picture of my daughter Megan and I at the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Dancing with the Stars event on Friday night. It was a special night and I got through the rumba without a problem thanks to my great Arthur Murray teacher Samantha Roth and the evening was highlighted by dancing with my daughter on the dance floor. That is what it is all about. It was certainly a special night I will never forget.

Soaring Eagles & Biting Beetles Take Over the Lafayette Sky

This guy was sitting in a corn field (10-6-08), I'm guessing about 100 yds. from the road. I just happened to be driving by on my way back from a job on Manson Colfax rd. He was about 2 miles east of US 52. I looked over and did a double take, and sure enough, there he was. So I backed up and took this picture of him (see attachment) I had to zoom all the way in. This is the first time I've seen one this close & plain as day, outside of a zoo! Very surreal. This is a big bird! He must have had a hankering for some field mice :) Have a great day!

This is the bald eagle taking flight! Awesome!

Pete Wargo

It doesn't get much better than this! I think Pete's cool pictures sums up our incredible pattern. Normally I track clouds and storms, but in this pattern it is all about the eagles and temperatures taking flight. Here come the 80s once again! There have been a few complaints....but not because of the weather! Check out a friendly e-mail from my weather watchers Charlotte in Monon.

Mike,
THE ASIAN BEETLES ARE HERE IN FORCE! FIRST THE PIRATES NOW THEM . OH WELL IT WAS STILL A NICE DAY. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. CHARLOTTE

These Asian Lady Beetles were attacking me out back when I was doing my weather teases for our main shows yesterday. There were so many of them you could actually grab them out of mid-air. I had Alex the beetle man hold them while I took their picture! Thanks Alex! Luckily, these beetles were not big biters like the ones that found my neck! They are always a sign of unusually warm autumn weather here in Indiana and they also bite usually during our first couple of early Spring weather snaps after cold winter weather. Normally these ladies are out telling us we are having true Indian Summer, but this year of course we have yet to have our first widespread frost and hard freeze so it looks like our beetle crop this year will be stronger and last longer.

I will have more on these good bugs gone bad tonight and why some folks have to vacuum them out of their homes! Also, check back to see if we will set any records and oh yes.....SNOW trying to move our way for Halloween! Have we ever had snow on Halloween? I will answer this question tonight on the news and here on the blog. Check out the big flip in the pattern heading our way for Halloween above! This is the pattern I expect to evolve....we have been talking about an early snow here on the blog for a few weeks in November, but we can't count out October just yet for producing what I call white gold! Niccole, our evening anchor was joking with me about changing her costume after this forecast to the abominable snowman. I told her she was too kind of a person to be a scary monster but it would be fitting for a pattern that could take a CHILLING change. I can see it now....kids will be saying treat or snow this year instead of trick or treat. You better have the treats ready because it could be quite cold. I on the other hand will have both ready for them in the forecast if this forecast verifies. A lot still has to happen for this to verify but I had to put this forecast out there to make sure you do not regret not taking advantage of this great outdoor weather while we have it and the fact that all the meteorological teleconnections, analogs, and models are screaming something big for us in the 3 to 4 week range! Tom Harmeson our Chief Videographer took a picture of the woolly worms that just seem to get darker and darker.

It was also great hanging out with Justin New our weather blogger extraordinaire! He has a great future as a meteorologist. I showed him a few things I look at and his eyes lit up! I think he is ready for another big winter of blogging! Justin and I came up with an idea of giving all of our other weather bloggers a chance to have a station tour and maybe even a cookout. I will brainstorm this idea with management and try to make it happen. Have a great Friday!

Last but not least..tonight is also Dancing with the Stars at the Grand Ballroom at the University Plaza Hotel in West Lafayette. I cannot thank my dance instructor Samantha Roth enough for bringing me along. I had no dance experience coming into this thing and over the last month I have come a long way. In some ways it was more challenging to me than running a marathon. I had to come out of my shell so to speak and tonight I will be ready to RRRRRRRRRRRRRUMBA!! I will have pictures coming your way that is for sure. I like to laugh at myself this should do it!

Another Summer Rewind on the Way But Winter Not Far Away

Hi Mike, sending a pic of my dog Tyton, sitting on the sofa looking out the living room window and wishing for no rain, so he can go outside and play! He is a wimp when it comes to rain and storms. Not the best pic but cute.
Teri

Thanks Teri! Tyton is cute and reminds me of my dog BJ. The good news is we can let our dogs out again without all the drama. It is obvious our best friends think they are humans. What would we do without them. It is perfect weather for walking the dog and even dancing!

It is a beautiful day! It is so nice I think I will go dance....literally. I have dance lessons for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Dancing with the Stars that takes place this Friday. It has certainly been a humbling experience and a lot of fun! This is weather that makes you want to do the rumba!! Before I go I wanted to go over things I am working on for tonight's newscast:

1) Another summer pattern this weekend
2) Our autumn foliage is in trouble with this warm pattern (see below)
3) Frost looking more likely late next week and weekend
4) Snow may fly in Indiana by Halloween (a treat for snow-lovers)

Here is a great picture sent in by Richard Beedle in Warren County at Big Pine Creek. The Sassafrass and sugar maples are lighting up! I am concerned this year about more of a muted color to the trees because while we have had some clear, crisp, and calm nights we are running way behind on our first widespread frost which is a week late and counting. It is the crisp, frosty night and sunny, mild days that allow the trees leaves to hold the sugars better. In the summer to winter pattern we are in it takes its toll on the more stunning colors that can come out this time of year. This does not mean it will be a total wash this season as you see above and that is the good news. Here is a link below to check out more great fall color around the state of Indiana that includes a Lafayette Municipal Golf Course viewand four other sites around the state!

http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/leafcam/

This will be a good site to go to for a reminder that it is indeed autumn. I bought a huge rake last weekend, but it looks like my trees are not even close to dropping any leaves. Whatever happened to our peak foliage coming during the second and third weeks of October. At least we can count on the Covered Bridge Festival at about the same time every year. Here is a link to one of Indiana's great autumn events.

http://www.coveredbridges.com/events/annualEvents.asp?id=1

The covered bridge capital of the world is worth checking out no matter how strange our weather is acting or what the leaves are doing. This leaves me with one of my favorite weather proverbs dealing with fall foliage.

THE LONGER THE LEAVES HOLD THEIR LEAVES.....THE STRONGER THE WINTER AND THE MORE SNOW AND COLD!

This saying may hold some water or should I say snow based on new information coming in to our weather team. We will make our final winter call by Halloween.....preliminary call for snowfall in Lafayette is 20 inches or slightly below average and temperatures milder than average at least for most of January into early February. December could be a bear and don't over look late October and parts of November. I will have more on this here on the blog tomorrow. I better get dancing. Have a great evening and thanks as always for all your support.