End of an Era...

I am sad to see the shuttle program come to an end. I have always had a fascination with the program, and it's sad to see that era draw to a close. And as others have pointed out, for me too, that's something now gone from my bucket list. I was at the Cape to watch a launch in the 90s, but the countdown was stopped at 0:07.

However, I am sure new and exciting things are in the space program's future....even if it might be a while.

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Good shower and storm chances today and tonight

An upper level disturbance and a cold front are approaching the region today, and those features will interact with our warm and muggy airmass and produce scattered showers and storms today through tonight. The severe weather threat today and tonight is a little higher than recent days due to the influence of that upper air disturbance....damaging winds are the primary threat. There remains the potential for some localized flash flooding issues as well.

Sort of a tricky forecast tomorrow as drier air begins to slip in from the north. For the time being, I will maintain the chance of some lingering showers and storms, but for northern NC, those chances will be highest during the morning.

It looks like drier air should win the battle for Sunday in most areas with rain chances confined to South Carolina and immediate SC border areas.

Heat will build early next work week with lots of mid 90s by Monday and especially Tuesday.

It still appears a back-door cold front will move in by mid-week, bringing the chance of some showers and storms. There are signs we might see a bit of a cool-down behind that front for the end of the work week, but I am always skeptical of potential frontal passages in mid-July.

Tropics...

A disturbance in the eastern Gulf continues to be monitored. I still doubt this becomes a classified tropical system, but soaking rains are possible in parts of Florida especially over the next day or two.

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More scattered storms...

Again today, look for scattered storms to fire as the afternoon and evening hours unfold. Highs today will be close to 90 for much of the Piedmont.

An upper level disturbance ripples our way later tomorrow into tomorrow night, and I expect a healthy round of showers and storms to accompany it.

Today through tomorrow night, a few severe storms are possible, and some localized flash flooding issues will likely crop up. And of course, remember the lightning....when thunder roars, go indoors.

Tropics...

I am still watching disorganized showers and storms from Cuba up into parts of Florida and the western Bahamas. No sign of this organizing at all, but this will bring some tropical downpours to parts of Florida and maybe coastal parts of Georgia and the Carolinas over the next couple of days.

I posted this via the social media platforms yesterday afternoon, but I will share it here as well. Here is an excellent time lapse of the haboob (dust storm) in Arizona earlier this week.

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