Wednesday was another beautifully sunny, fall day. Autumnal color has been slow in my immediate neighborhood to change, and after getting out into more of county byways on Wednesday, the whole area is slow to change tree leaf color for mid-October. Temperatures once again held to the more traditional fall daily pattern with lows in the low 40s in the early AM, rising to the mid 60s in the mid afternoon. Dew points ranged from 50 down to the upper 30s. Now at 0556 we have clear skies with chilly temps once again. Temperatures are in the mid 40s with dew points in the lower 40s. The Wednesday minimum temperature from the VP2 (41.1°) was recorded at 0547 while the maximum temperature (65.4°) was recorded at 1401. Dew point temps ranged from 50° down to 39°. Relative humidity values rose some today (93% – 51%). Barometric values rose a bit more today, ranging from 30.30″ at 1853 up to 30.41″ at 0946.

Remember now you can get the VP2 data on Weatherlink. You can access the data through http://www.weatherlink.com/user/walrusman444. I am also now on weather underground. My ID is KMDROCKV200 and my station is called “Gardens of Traville.” Data is online, normally just about in real-time.

I was up in the early afternoon to go to my Kaiser health center in Gaithersburg to get my INR (blood thinning level) checked. I had a banana and some cereal bars just prior to leaving. I watched the exciting 5th game of the Yanks/Astros playoff series, won by New York 5-0 in a great pitching performance by Tanaka and some key clutch hitting by several Yankee stars. I talked with Ray in the mid afternoon and evening as we discovered through an email from Jeff T that our long time great Hagerstown observer Greg Keefer has finally made official COOP weather observer status. We explored the data and compared his data to the nearby Hagerstown regional airport. Later, I also discussed this great news with Marty. I also talked with Tracy on her way into work in the late afternoon. I ate the leftover yellow rice, chicken and vegetables, heated up in the oven for a good while. It was still delicious! Later, I had a few triscuits to snack on. I also read my email and facebook communications at times throughout the evening. I had prune juice and some spicy V8 around dinner time along with my vitamins, colace and ice water.

We now have a clear sky at 0556 Thursday. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the lower 50s on Thursday and mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s Friday, again with sunny skies. A really dry week with slowly warming temps. Saturday and Sunday should be mostly sunny with perhaps a few scattered clouds, with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low-mid 50s.

On Weatherbug at 0556 the radar is clear throughout the Eastern U.S. including most of Florida at this time.

As of 0556 EDT, the data from the VP2 (coming from the ground radiation shield about 4 feet off the ground just under and out from the balcony) and the Lakewood WXBug station are as follows :

Station Relative Location Temp RH DP    BP    Wind   High/Low temp today
VP2           Ground          44.9  93 43 30.27S    NA    65.4/41.1

There was no rain in the cocorahs gauge on Wednesday. Likewise in the VP2 tipping bucket under my balcony.

October precipitation is now 1.41″.

Year-to-date precipitation total is now 34.97″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 43 100 43 30.26S Calm G S 1
                            140° from station                    71/38

The Lakewood rain gauge reported no rain on Wednesday.

Temp from the VP2 at 2400 was 50.3 RH 87% BP 30.31S DP 46.7. Clear and chilly at midnight.

Good morning from the partly cloudy and comfortably cool Walrus early on this Thursday.