Saturday continued our remarkable nearly 2 week cold snap (last above 32 max was 34 on 12/26) with one more max temp day in the teens. The meager snow cover continues to evaporate/ablate slowly under slowly decreasing winds. The Saturday minimum temperature from the VP2 (8.4°) was recorded at 0750 while the maximum temperature (17.3°) was recorded at 1500. My dew point temperatures remained below zero the entire day for the second straight day. They ranged from -2 ° at 0000 down to -4° at 0515. Relative humidity values were about the same as yesterday’s values (58% – 42%). Barometric values rose more from yesterday, from an early morning low of 30.31″ at 0010 up to 30.61″ at 2345. Being that it is early Sunday afternoon, I already know the peak barometer (30.73″) for this cold snap and coldest min temp (5.9°) were reached earlier this morning (Sunday 1/7).

Remember now you can get the VP2 data on Weatherlink. You can access the data through http://www.weatherlink.com/user/walrusman444.

I am posting daily to weather underground. My ID is KMDROCKV200 and my station is called “Gardens of Traville.” Data is online, normally just about in real-time. I contribute daily to cocorahs as Rockville 2.8 WNW, Station ID MD-MG-115. Please take note that Weather Underground does not report snow data, and reflects what is recorded automatically through the tipping bucket VP2 gauge.

I heard from my daughter Tracy through facebook message thankfully that she arrived safely/warmly in Cancun Mexico with her 60th birthday celebrating boyfriend Dennis. I did more work and correspondence on my mountain ID quiz pictures and details, talking it over a bit with Bob Leffler and exchanging email with the Rocketman. I spoke at some length with Marty, who has about had it with this long period of cold and wind which is creating hardships on his existence right now (he likes to get outside and work/exercise – and it has been too cold to really do that comfortably/safely). 

We have sunny skies now early this afternoon with temps in the mid teens after an early morning low in the mid single digits. Reports in from the high country of West Virginia early this morning was a min temp was recorded of -24 at a station in Canaan Valley. Dew points remained below zero until just reaching the zero mark a few minutes ago. The rest of Sunday should be mostly sunny and not as cold or windy (wind chill advisories have been dropped now) , with highs in the low-mid 20s and lows in the teens. Monday should turn cloudy with a major warmup beginning, as temps rise above the freezing mark for the first time in 2018 and first time since December 26th. There is a 60 POP for light rain/ice in the PM with high temps in the mid 30s, lows holding around 30° Monday evening. Look for a continued warm up for most of the next week with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the mid 20s (Tue) and mid 30s (Wed) under sunny skies on Tuesday and partly cloudy skies on Wednesday. There is a 70 POP for rain in the PM hours of Thursday, with highs warming more, into the low 50s. Rumor has it that we may reach 60° on Friday, but that still is far out and remains to be seen.

On the Channel 4 weather website at 1225 radar is showing clear returns within the Eastern U.S. Closest precipitation action is a mixed bag (frozen east, plain rain more west) out in the lower midwest, mostly around IL and MO at this time
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As of 1225, 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 :

Sunny and still very cold.

Station Relative Location Temp  RH  DP   BP      Wind High/Low temp Saturday
VP2                Ground         17.5   47   0 30.65F   NA     17.3/8.4

There was no new snow or anything melted in the cocorahs gauge on Saturday. The VP2 tipping bucket rain gauge under my balcony recorded no precipitation on Friday through midnight. I barely have a half inch of snow in most spots in my immediate area. Roads and sidewalks have been swept and/or blown clear., but many are still white with salt deposits from recent melting efforts.

January precipitation is 0.03″.

January snowfall is 0.5″.
The seasonal snowfall total is 4.3″.

Year-to-date precipitation total is 0.03″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 17 43 – 1 30.57F SSW 3 G SW 9
                              140° from station                           17/5

The Lakewood rain gauge showed no precipitation on Saturday, and no snow melted through. It is still mysteriously reporting 0.20″ monthly and yearly January 2018 precipitation at the present time. I have no idea where that much precipitation has came from – in light of my 0.03″ so far this month/year. It could be leftover from December that took a long time to trickle through but that would be a longshot IMHO.

Temp from the VP2 at 2400 was 11.0 RH 55% BP 30.61R DP – 2.0. Clear and very cold with light winds at 2400.

Good early afternoon from the sunny, cold, and still somewhat snowy Walrus early on this Sunday afternoon.