Monday was partly sunny, warmer and considerably more humid than Sunday with dew points soaring once again. Considerable cumulus cloud buildups in the mid-afternoon had a significant effect on the peak partial eclipse viewing (82% of totality at peak which was at 1442 EDT) I took a lot of observations with my VP2, particularly with the USG VP2 across the street which has a solar radiation sensor on it, and provided the most dynamic changes to view during the eclipse. Of course having more effect on the readings was the cloud variability, and also the shower (0.09″) that fell just a bit after peak. I also noted increased bird activity about 45 mins after peak eclipse time (today’s featured image is trying to show this, not sure how well you can see the birds flying around above the top of the building), when I also had a significant solar radiation data spike (negative, an over 200 w/m squared) within 2 minutes at 1530. Now at 0757 we have clear skies with temps in the low 70s with dew point temperatures in the lower 70s. The Monday minimum temperature from the VP2 in the shelter on the ground nearby (70.7°) was recorded at 0332 while the maximum temperature (89.3°) was recorded at 1354. Dew point temps raised significantly today ranging from 67° up to 79°. Relative humidity values raised quite a bit today (95% – 62%). Barometric values also rose today, ranging from 30.09″ at 1800 to 30.20″ at 0738.

Remember now you can get the new ground-based VP2 data on Weatherlink. You can access the data through http://www.weatherlink.com/user/walrusman444

I rose too late today, only catching the effects of the eclipse at peak partial eclipse here at 1445. I scrambled a bit to start recording data but managed to get a good amount on the upswing, mostly the solar radiation data as previously mentioned. There was an early evening tornado warning out for an area in southern Maryland about 50 miles south of me. Other areas got severe thunderstorms, and also some flooding. I had a bowl of cereal and a banana with coffee after the eclipse excitement calmed down. I got some email and weather database work done. I never did get approved by GLOBE for making observations into their system; I can make them post-event as I was told by a NASA scientist I know. I talked with Ray and Marty in the evening, and watched some of the RAW wrestling show. I had a late dinner of a tray of chicken and spinach lasagna, and a nice salad I made up with several ingredients I have from recent grocery delivery orders. The big thing I worked on in the early morning hours was finishing up my July data form and writing up a summary of my major climate happenings for July for the North Jersey Weather Observers (NJWO) WEATHERSHELTER monthly publication and also for the NJWO online Blog. I had a few cashews later. I had my usual water intake and vitamins and medicines that I take every day.

We now have clear skies with temperatures in the low 70s at 0757. Tuesday should be mostly sunny with scattered clouds at times and hot and humid, with highs in the low 90s and lows in the low-mid 70s. Cooler temps the rest of the week, with highs in the low 80s on Wednesday and around 80° on Thursday with lows around 60° under scattered to at most partly cloudy skies and no real rain chances. Upper 70s and upper 50s for pleasant highs and lows under partly cloudy skies to wrap up the week on Friday and now extending into Saturday.

On Channel 4 radar at 0757 we are void of precipitation in the four state mid-Atlantic region. Closest precipitation is out in a SW/NE line cutting through IN and MI heading north into much of ON at this time. Not sure where it is going to go, but it doesn’t appear those showers/storms will make it to our area this week.

As of 0757 EDT, the data from the VP2 (coming from the ground radiation shield about 4 feet off the ground just under and out from the balcony), the Lakewood WXBug station and the USG VP2 station across the street are as follows :

Station Relative Location Temp RH DP BP Wind High/Low temp today
VP2 Ground 71.5 98 71 30.04S NA 89.3/70.7

There was 0.09″ of rain recorded on Monday (cocorahs gauge – now located off the apartment property across the street from my initial two locations just off the inactive putting green – near the Montessori School playground. No sprinklers there at all on this county property) My VP2 gauge measured 0.03″ with a max rain rate of 0.94″ at 1615.

August precipitation is 3.71″

Year-to-date (YTD) precipitation total is 30.62″

VP2 Across the street (USG) 73.0 97 72 30.06S NA 90.9/72.6

There was 0.09″ of rain recorded in the USG gauge on Monday. The max rain rate was 0.19″/hour at 1616.

WX Bug Lakewood 4500 ft, 74 89.7 69.6 30.05S Calm G SW 5
140° from station 91/71

The Lakewood rain gauge reported 0.07″ of rain on Monday.

Temp on the VP2 at 2400 was 73.9 RH 95% BP 30.10F DP 72.4.

Good morning from the clear, warm and muggy Walrus early on this Tuesday morning.