Well this post should be shorter than most have been of late as I am caught up and this is just the report for Friday, which didn’t feature anything particularly significant occurring weather-wise. But at least the government shutdown is over for the next three weeks (at least) so that is definitely significant, especially here in the DC area for active government workers and their beleagured families. 

Friday was sunny/clear and seasonably cold with highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s. 

The maximum temperature was 38.0° at 1102.

The minimum temperature was 24.8° at 2359.

Dew point temperatures ranged from a high of 26° @ 0000 down to a low of 10° @ 1738.

Relative humidity values ranged from a high of 75% @ 0000 down to a low of 38% @ 1621.

Barometric pressure ranged from a low of 29.92″ @ 0013 up to a high of 30.25″ @ 2351.

Friday had no precipitation. My January monthly total is still 3.54″ and also is my year-to-date total for 2019.

My year-to-date snowfall is on hold unfortunately at 12.7″ with the seasonal total at 14.8″.

My current online data (except for rainfall/snowfall – use the cocorahs link shown below for that dataset) is showing regularly on Weather Underground. My data is posted there every 5 minutes. My ID is KMDROCKV200 and my station is called “Gardens of Traville.” Data is online, normally just about in real-time now as it is being updated on a 5 minute interval. The web address for my data on weather underground is: https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KMDROCKV200

I contribute my precipitation data 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, just as it does on WxLink 2.0. The tipping bucket has been producing erratic values at times so should not be used save for general precipitation timing. For example during our big snowstorm earlier this month the snow didn’t melt at all during the storm, and only started to record precipitation amounts a few days later when the sun and above freezing temperatures started to melt the snow.

I actually use the data I post to CoCoRaHS from my 4 inch CoCoRaHS gauge I read manually as my “official” precipitation total each day. I also use a snow stake outside my balcony window to get an idea on how much snow has fallen (while it is snowing) and how much snow is on the ground.

Partly cloudy with seasonably cold temps on both Saturday and Monday with highs around 40° and lows in the 20s.

Sunday should still be partly cloudy but have warmer high temps, reaching near the 50° mark by mid-afternoon. Lows should still be in the 20s.

On Tuesday clouds come in with high temps in the low 40s early but dropping through the twenties to the teens by late evening as a strong cold front passes through. Rain showers early may turn over to a brief period of snow that may lay down an inch or so, ending by mid-afternoon as this really cold air (hyped up as the “polar express”) behind the front is very dry with dew points dropping below the zero mark.  

On Wednesday and Thursday, very cold temps/wind chills will be definitely in evidence. Wind chills may reach down to around the zero mark, air temps should only max out in the 20s with lows in the low-mid teens, perhaps dipping into the single digits in the coldest spots. Sunny skies will at least warm the heart at times when the wind slacks off like it will occasionally. 

Midnight Friday night found the temperature at 24.8°, relative humidity 69%, pressure still rising at 30.25″ and dew point down to 16.1° under clear skies.

Currently at 1057 the temperature has risen to 33.6° after an early morning low of 21.3° at 0553 under altostratus overcast skies, relative humidity at 50%, barometric pressure still rising at 30.29″, and the dew point holding at 17°’.

Good morning from the Walrus on this mostly cloudy, cold Saturday morning.