Monday gradually warmed up overnight and during the rest of the morning under increasing clouds. It officially ended our cold snap (defined by max temps <= 32) at 12 days (last above 32 max was 34 on 12/26) with 1600 being the time when the temperature got over the 32° mark. The meager snow cover is now a trace of snow and ice on the ground. The Monday minimum temperature from the VP2 (17.0°) was recorded at 0229 while the maximum temperature (35.5°) was recorded at 2332. The ground remained very cold, and the light rain (.03″) that fell froze on contact. There was some non-measurable snow and sleet falling at times. My dew point temperatures also rose above the 32 mark much later (2220 in the evening), first time since Christmas Day (12/25). They ranged from 4° at 0000 up to 34° at 2313. Relative humidity values rose significantly from yesterday’s values (95% – 43%). Barometric values continued to lower all day, from a midnight high of 30.42″ at 0000 down to 30.11″ at 2150.

Nice jet contrail out of clear sky from Tuesday morning about 0830 EST

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 arose by mid-afternoon to check on the icy conditions outside, but didn’t venture out as it was quite slippery and dangerous in spots around my apartment. I started entering my December data into the master 2017 spreadsheet. I emailed Ray’s December summary on the NJWO for publication in their WEATHERSHELTER monthly newsletter. I received some December observer data summaries on email. 

We have sunny skies now this Tuesday morning with temps in the low thirties. Dew points are just about the same so some areas in the region have dense fog, but not here – sunny and clear all the way. Look for continued relatively mild condition for the rest of the week with highs in the low-mid 40s and lows in the mid 20s (Tue) and low 30s (Wed) under partly cloudy skies both days. Mostly cloudy skies on Thursday, with highs reaching the low 50s, lows in the mid 40s. Friday should feature cloudy skies and a 90 POP for rain with a high around 60° and lows in the mid 40s. Clearing and colder over the weekend as it looks like now at first glance.

On the Channel 4 weather website at 0847 radar is showing scattered snow showers falling in parts of northern NY and New England along with rain over much of Florida at this time.
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As of 0847, 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 with damp, moderating cold and icy spots. See today’s featured image for some of the icy spots. 

Station Relative Location Temp RH DP   BP     Wind High/Low temp Monday
VP2            Ground         31.7  96 31 30.26R   NA     35.5/17.0

There was 0.03″ of mixed ice and water in the cocorahs gauge on Monday. The VP2 tipping bucket rain gauge under my balcony recorded 0.03″ of precipitation on Monday through midnight. I am now down to a trace of snow/ice in scattered spots in my immediate area. Roads and sidewalks are quite icy at this moment, but the sun should melt and dry that up later today.

January precipitation is 0.06″.

January snowfall is 0.5″.
Snow on ground T
The seasonal snowfall total is 4.3″.

Year-to-date precipitation total is 0.06″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 31 100 31 30.18S Calm   G S 4
                            140° from station                      36/14

The Lakewood rain gauge showed 0.06″ of precipitation on Monday. Some of that probably is old snow melting through. It is still mysteriously reporting 0.20″ monthly and yearly January 2018 precipitation at the present time. I have no idea why the 0.06″ registered on Monday wasn’t added to this 0.20″ amount.

Temp from the VP2 at 2400 was 35.3 RH 95% BP 30.12R DP 33.9. Cloudy and relatively mild but icy at 2400.

Good morning from the sunny, relatively mild, and somewhat icy Walrus early on this Tuesday morning.