Weather outlook: whew(!) and more whew(!)
"There’s no prolonged rain in sight…"The drought
will continue."
Meteorologist Thomas Andretta
By KEVIN WISER
Express Staff Writer
Meteorologists warn that a change in this summer’s hot and dry
weather pattern may not come until the winter storm cycles of November.
According to the National Weather Service in Pocatello, above normal
temperatures and below normal rainfall conditions should persist in the Wood River Valley
throughout the summer and into the fall.
Though temperatures are expected to moderate slightly over the coming
weekend, meteorologist Thomas Andretta said yesterday he doesn’t expect much of a
break from the heat in the Wood River Valley.
As for precipitation, Andretta said, "there’s no prolonged rain
in sight."
"We’ll see a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms later this
week, but we don’t expect a prolonged period of rain," Andretta said. "The
drought will continue."
Andretta said the average daytime humidity in the Wood River Valley is a
dry 15-to-20 percent.
"The low humidity makes it all the more hot and dry," Andretta
said.
Andretta said the ridge of high pressure that has been sitting over
northern Utah and southern Idaho for most of the summer isn’t expected to move
anytime soon.
"The persistent high over the west is stronger and further north than
usual," Andretta said. "Because it hasn’t moved is the reason for the
intense dryness and heat we’ve had this summer."
Andretta said this summer’s stagnant weather pattern is caused when
upper level pressure remains stationary and doesn’t move for weeks.
"Consequently, the weather doesn’t change," Andretta said.
"We’re not expecting a big enough disturbance to break down the high and move
the stagnant air mass."
Andretta said the 30-day outlook for south central Idaho calls for
temperatures to be 5 to 10 degrees above average with below normal precipitation, which
Andretta said translates into "not much rain" for the month of August.
Andretta said the 90-day forecast calls for pretty much the same with
temperatures 3 to 5 degrees above average and precipitation slightly below normal through
October.
