As promised with the beginning of August, I have returned to my old format. For those of you who got used to my recent “cocorahs-based” reports, I have included it at the end of this message. There is necessarily a lot of overlapping information here, but this will only last for a few days till the transition is completed. Any questions please let me know.

Wednesday was warm, humid, and continued the wet pattern of July to get a kick-start to the new month of August’s precipitation total (1.34″). Overnight into Wednesday showers and storms fell in earnest, recording close to one inch. Temperatures remained in the low 70s, with dew points about the same. The Wednesday maximum temperature was 85.9° @ 1604, while the Wednesday minimum temperature was 70.5° @ 0549. The dew point temperatures remained in the 70s all day, ranging from a low of 70° @ 0344 up to a high of 75° @ 0954. The barometric pressure lowered some from yesterday’s values – the lowest value being 29.94″ @ 0409 up to a high of 30.10″ @ 2338. The relative humidity remained high, ranging from a high of 97% at 0543 up to a low of 67% at 1545.

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 precipitation data reflects what is recorded automatically through the tipping bucket VP2 gauge. I actually use the data I post to cocorahs from my 4″ cocorahs gauge I read manually as my “official” precipitation total each day.

I have had quite a whirlwind few weeks since this format went on hiatus and my reports became erratic at times. I had a 2 1/2 day stint in the hospital with a leg infection, and just finished up the antibiotics for clearing it up today. I also had my 68th birthday late in the month, and celebrated with friends and family over last weekend. Also while in this status, I have had a lot of rain, just about daily (12 measurable days out of a possible 18) through today since July 15, when I was in the hospital. I have been having some physical therapy treatments since my hospitalization, and also followup visits with doctors and specialists the past few weeks after getting home from the hospital.

Wednesday was cloudy, damp and quite wet, with highs in the mid 80s (some afternoon sun spiked the temp a bit) and lows around 70°. Thursday has been cloudy with light showers right after midnight with thunder waning, and also more light thunder and light rain in the afternoon. Friday should be cloudy with highs in the low 80s and lows in the upper 60s and a 60 POP for scattered thunderstorms. The weekend looks much warmer, as both Saturday and Sunday will have sunny to partly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 80s to around 90° and lows around 70°. Monday should be partly cloudy and hot with highs about 90° and lows in the low 70s. Minimal chances for rain Saturday and Monday (20 POP) and Sunday (10 POP).

At 2300, Channel 4 radar is showing showers and a few embedded thunderstorms in the region, mostly to my west and southwest out in the mountains of western MD, western VA and much of WV. Movement is SW to NE, so odds are that I won’t get anything significant anytime soon, perhaps a light shower before midnight but that is about it. A flash flood watch remains in place for the foreseeable future, quite possibly as long as Saturday sometime.

At 2300, 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:

Partly cloudy skies, warm without any rain at the moment but with the usual high dew point

Station Relative Location Temp RH DP BP Wind High/Low temp on Wednesday
VP2            Ground            74.5° 95% 73° 30.10″S NA 85.9°/70.5°

The total precipitation in the cocorahs gauge was 1.34″ through midnight Wednesday. The VP2 tipping bucket recorded 1.30″. The max rain rate recorded was 4.20″/hour @ 2148. Marty came by on the day I went in the hospital to work on the VP2 station mount, also last Saturday before our birthday celebrations (Marty’s birthday is the day after mine.) The comparisons between the VP2 gauge and my cocorahs gauge during this wet period has been widely variable and doesn’t fit any particular pattern very well. Generally the VP2 gauge has reported lesser daily amounts, but on the biggest rain day of July on the 21st my cocorahs gauge recorded 4.02″ but the VP2 gauge recorded 9.82″!!!

Wednesday’s precipitation was 1.34″
July’s final precipitation total was 8.14″
August precipitation total is 1.34″
Year-to-date precipitation total is now 31.75″

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 74° 100% 74° 30.14″S SSE 1 G SSE 6
140° from station Wed Hi/Lo 88°/70°

The Lakewood rain gauge recorded 1.15″ of rain on Wednesday. The precip records continued to report the July monthly total precip of 10.70″ earlier today with the 2018 year-to-date (YTD) amount at 45.11″. I definitely continue to believe that at times the disparities 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 Wednesday night the temperature from the VP2 was 72.4° RH 95% BP 30.08″ F DP 71.0°
Cloudy, muggy, light thunderstorm waning but still with light rain falling and fading thunder and lightning.

Good evening from the cloudy, warm and humid home of the Walrus on this soggy Thursday.

Brief report from CoCoRaHS for Wednesday, August 1, 2018
West Rockville 2.8NW Maryland

Daily Precipitation Report
Station Number: MD-MG-115
Station Name: Rockville 2.8 WNW
Observation Date 8/1/2018 11:59 PM
Submitted 8/02/2018 4:10 PM
Total Precip Amount 1.34 in.
Notes
High temp 85.9° @ 1604 Low temp 70.5° @ 0549
Midnight observation – thunderstorm/rain shower just ending, cloudy, muggy, everything wet (again).
Temp 72.4°, relative humidity 95% , barometric pressure 30.08″ F, dew point 71.0°
Heavy thunderstorms in early morning hours and also late evening through observation.
Showers sporadically at other times. Max rain rate 4.20″/hour @ 2148. Some sun afternoon, very humid.
Dew point temps ranged from a low of 70° @ 0344 up to a high of 75° @ 0954.

Final July precipitation total 8.14″.
August monthly precipitation total 1.34″.
Year-to-date total now 31.75″

Duration Information
Precipitation Began 12:00 AM
Precipitation Ended continuous through midnight observation PM
Duration Time Accuracy Very Accurate
Additional Information
Additional Data Recorded Yes
Flooding Minor

VP2 weather station down from 2230 Monday till about 1500 on Tuesday due to ISS battery failure,
replaced Tuesday afternoon and now up and running again fine since then. Some estimation of
temperature and misc other values, particularly on Tuesday, were made based on very reliable nearby
observer data to help complete the record. Official cocorahs rainfall records unaffected.