Wednesday was a much warmer day, actually hot, but at least with low enough dew points to not make it too oppressive (yet), with full sun and high temperatures in the upper 80s. The Wednesday maximum temperature reached 87.8° @ 1543 while the Wednesday minimum temperature was 52.0 @ 0636. The dew point temperatures continued to rise on Wednesday, but still remained comfortably dry as we start the steamier month of May, ranging from a low of 39° @ 0020 up to a high of 51° @ 1125. The barometric pressure started out high early, reaching 30.20″ @ 0915 down to a low of 30.05″ @ 1538. The relative humidity rose a bit on the high side, ranging from a high of 77% at 0314 to a low of 20% at 1538.

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. The web address for my data on weather underground is: https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KMDrockv200#history/ I contribute daily to cocorahs as Rockville 2.8 WNW, Station ID MD-MG-115 on https://www.cocorahs.org/ Please remember that Weather Underground does not report snow data, and reflects what is recorded automatically through the tipping bucket VP2 gauge. I use the data I post to cocorahs as my “official” precipitation total each day.

I rose in the late morning as I was paid a visit by Marty around 1100. He wanted to see Robin and Gideon, who had not gotten here yet when he arrived. We all got together then went to lunch at Nantucket Reef across the street for some great food and continuing Marty’s brief visit. He was one of the co-conspirators involved with the carrying out of Robin and Gideon’s surprise visit. Marty left around 1500 to beat the afternoon rush hour home. We all kind of rested a bit, eventually Robin and Gideon returning to their room. We got it together by mid-evening, while I was watching the first few innings of the Yankees 4-0 victory over the Astros, and met up with Robin’s friend Maria and her friend Whitney at the long-time chili favorite (of Robin’s in particular) Hard Times Cafe, located only a few miles away down route 28 towards central Rockville. Their grilled wings and jalapeno poppers are really good and we had plenty of them to go around! I had Chili Bubba and Robin had her traditional 5-way chili mac. We had a great time visiting. Robin returned me home about 2300 then went briefly to visit her sister Tracy who was working at the Shady Grove La Mex. I talked with Ray a few times, particularly with updates on Gideon and Robin, and his ever-changing phone situation. As usual, I had plenty of water throughout the day, along with my vitamins and supplements and prescriptions.

Wednesday was sunny and hot, with high temps soaring well into the upper 80s with lows in the low 50s as we continue our early May “mini-heat wave”. Overnight into Thursday we had clear skies and mild temps, with lows only falling into the low 60s. During the day Thursday heats up further, into the low 90s under partly cloudy skies, with lows in the mid 60s. Friday looks partly cloudy and still hot, with high temps around 90° and lows in the low 60s. Saturday should cool off quite a bit under cloudy skies and a 90 POP for rain, highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 50s. Sunday continues the cloudy skies and relatively cool temps, with another 90 POP for showers, highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s. Monday should be mostly sunny with highs in the mid 70s and lows around 50°.

On the Channel 4 radar at 0835 the 4 state mid-Atlantic region is clear at this time. Closest precipitation can be found in parts of the midwest, over parts of IL, IN, MI and NW OH, bending around to parts of northern New York that eventually will work in to our area by the weekend.

As of 0835 Thursday, 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 WX Bug station are as follows:

Sunny, warm and calm – looks to be another hot one for Thursday !!

Station Relative Location Temp  RH    DP     BP       Wind High/Low temp for Wednesday
VP2              Ground          72.0° 55%  55° 30.12″R   NA    87.8/52.0

The total precipitation in the cocorahs gauge was 0.00″ through midnight Wednesday. The VP2 tipping bucket rain gauge under my balcony also recorded 0.00″ through midnight Wednesday.

Wednesday’s precipitation was 0.00″
April precipitation 3.57″
May precipitation 0.00″
April snowfall 0.0″ (last report of the season – see you in the late fall!!!)
The seasonal snowfall total is 12.0″ (last report of the season, though technically the reporting season lasts till June 30 – not much of a chance for any more this season unfortunately).
Year-to-date precipitation total is 11.74″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 72° 46% 49° 30.14″S SSW 2 G WSW 4
                              140° from station                       91°/53°
The Lakewood rain gauge reported 0.00″ of precipitation on Wednesday. Fortunately it has reset the monthly total to 0.00″ for May and an unchanged 2018 year-to-date (YTD) amount of 14.81″. I still believe at times the great disparity between the Lakewood WX Bug station precipitation amount total for the month and year and my cocorahs gauge based data is that the Lakewood precip values are estimated/adjusted from radar.

At 2400 obs Tuesday night the temperature from the VP2 was 74.8° RH 42% BP 30.06″S DP 50.2°
Clear, warm, dry at 2400

Good morning from the sunny, warming up fast, and dry home of the walrus early on this Thursday. With my daughter and grandson taking up much of my time the next several days, I may or may not be able to regularly report here as much, if at all, each day so don’t worry about me. We look to have some fun and catching up to do.