Thursday was sunny, cold and dry. Temps edged just above the freezing mark during a few short hours in the mid-late afternoon before returning down into the 20s in the mid-late evening and during the overnight, though there was some minor warming in the early morning hours here on Friday. The Thursday maximum temperature from the VP2 (32.8°) was recorded at 1635 while the minimum temperature (22.8°) was recorded at 0741. Dew point temperatures lowered today, ranging from a high of 26° early at 0000 down to 14° at 0720. Relative humidity values also lowered today (82% – 52%). Barometric values started out low but rose most of the day and peaking just before midnight, ranging from a low of 30.25″ at 0000 up to a high of 30.53″ later at 2305.

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 remember that Weather Underground does not report snow data, and reflects what is recorded automatically through the tipping bucket VP2 gauge.

I spoke with Ray a few times during the afternoon and evening, discussing the current statistics that shape the drought monitor status for our area of central Maryland. We are still in moderate-severe drought despite recent rains. With 1.5″ of rain expected this weekend, the drought should be exascerbated some from this significant wet weather for the region on this coming Saturday and Sunday. Also spoke with Marty about this drought reporting issue along with several other subjects.

We were clear overnight but with an increase in high clouds causing the temperatures to rise about 2° from midnight till about 0600, but still basically holding in the mid 20s. Friday should start warming up, under partly cloudy skies with high temps in the mid 40s and lows in the mid 30s. Saturday should turn cloudy with an 60 POP for PM rain showers, highs around 50° and lows in the mid-upper 40s. More rain on Sunday (100 POP) with highs around 60° and lows around 40°. On Monday there should be mostly cloudy skies with only a 10 POP for rain, highs in the mid 40s and lows around the freezing mark. Tuesday should be mostly cloudy with a 40 POP for AM showers, highs in the low-mid 40s and lows in the mid 30s. It looks like a mild, wet period upcoming with no real snow chances, despite the fact that this time period is one of the prime times in the DC area for a snowstorm.

On the Channel 4 weather website at 1103 radar is showing snow areas over the midwest extending eastward into NW PA and western NY. Chicago seemed to be the focal point for the snow overnight, moving eastward to Detroit and Cleveland during the day and evening on Friday.

As of 1103, 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:

A high cloud overcast and cold this morning, moderating later.

Station Relative Location Temp RH DP   BP      Wind  High/Low temp Thursday
VP2             Ground            35.4 66 25 30.58S   NA    32.8/22.8

There was no precipitation in the cocorahs gauge on Thursday through midnight obs. The VP2 tipping bucket rain gauge under my balcony recorded no precipitation on Thursday through midnight.

Thursday’s precipitation 0.00″
February precipitation is 1.83″
February snowfall 0.0″
Snow on ground 0.0″ (reported to the nearest half-inch)
The seasonal snowfall total is 5.2″.
Year-to-date precipitation total is 3.66″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 34 63 23 30.52″R SSE 9 G SE 12 
                              140° from station                           33/20

The Lakewood rain gauge recorded 0.01″ of precipitation on Thursday. It is now reporting a 1.81″ monthly (February) and 2018 year-to-date (YTD) amount of 4.05″ up considerably from yesterday’s report.

I posted the incorrect data for my 2400 observation data yesterday. It should have read: temperature from the VP2 at 2400 was 32.3 RH 77% BP 30.25″F DP 25.9. Partly Cloudy, breezy and chilling down. Thanks to Stan R for pointing out this oversight – I didn’t update the 2400 information from the day previous.

At 2400 obs Thursday night the temperature from the VP2 was 25.4 RH 82% BP 30.53″R DP 20.8. Clear, cold.

Good morning from the cloudy, cold but moderating Walrus (sans snow unfortunately) on this Friday morning.