LOL. The clouds are forming over Phoenix but IDK. Lets just say the forecasters are stumped.
12Z PSR RAOB FROM THIS MORNING CAME IN QUITE A BIT DRIER IN THE LOW
LEVELS THAN ANTICIPATED...MUCH DRIER THAN THE FCST SOUNDINGS. THE
DRIER AIR CERTAINLY WANES OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE HIGHER-POP FCST FOR
THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ESTIMATED MEAN LAYER MIXING RATIOS COMING IN
AROUND 10G/KG. FURTHERMORE...PRETTY MUCH ALL THE MODELS /WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE NAM/ INDICATE IT SHOULD BE RAINING OVER CENTRAL
PHOENIX RIGHT NOW /DURING THE 12-18Z PERIOD/...AND CLEARLY THAT IS
NOT THE CASE. HOWEVER...WE ARE STILL SITTING IN A GOOD SPOT FOR SOME
DECENT UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT IN THE WAY OF UVV AND JET DYNAMICS /RIGHT
ENTRANCE REGION OF 65-85KT JET MOVES OVER CENTRAL ARIZONA BY 00Z/.
12Z TWC RAOB FROM THIS MORNING IS QUITE A BIT MORE MOIST IN THE LOW
LEVELS...WITH AN ESTIMATED MEAN LAYER MIXING RATIO CLOSER TO 13-14
G/KG. PSR SOUNDING AND KIWA VAD WIND PROFILES BOTH INDICATE A DECENT
LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY WIND...WHICH COULD HELP ADVECT SOME OF THE MORE
MOIST AIR BACK INTO THE CENTRAL DESERTS...BUT THE PROFILE ALSO
INDICATES VEERING...WITH A MORE SOUTHWESTERLY /DRIER/ FLOW IN PLACE
FROM ABOUT 8K FT AGL ALOFT. THUS...DIFFICULT FORECAST IN STORE FOR
TODAY...NOT AS CLEAR CUT AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. SEEMS THE DRY LINE
OVER THE WESTERN CWA MAY BE FAR ENOUGH EASTWARD NOW WITH THE
PROGRESSION OF THE PACIFIC TROUGH THAT MUCH OF PHOENIX WILL
REMAIN ON THE DRY/WEST SIDE OF ANY ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON.
HOWEVER...FURTHER EAST...WHERE PLENTY OF MOISTURE RESIDES...THE
POSSIBILITY FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...WITH
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL...LOOKS MUCH MORE REASONABLE. WILL
GO AHEAD AND TRIM BACK THE POPS A BIT FOR AT LEAST THE 18-00Z TIME
FRAME...AND HIGHLIGHT THE MORE FAVORED HIGHER TERRAIN LOCALES FROM
THE FAR EAST VALLEY EASTWARD. WILL ALSO MONITOR AIRCRAFT SOUNDINGS
AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE TODAY...IN HOPES OF AN UPDATED MOISTURE
PROFILE THAT MAY HELP ANSWER A FEW OF OUR QUESTIONS EARLY THIS
MORNING AS TO WHAT IS IN STORE FOR THIS AFTERNOON. ASIDE FROM THE
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE POP/WX GRIDS FOR THE FIRST PERIOD...THE
DRYING TREND AND FORECAST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK LOOK ON
TRACK.
The little man (whose presence is supposed to indicate rain for the uninitiated) is all the way out the house on my genuine Black Forest weather station. "Gunther" hasn't been this far outside all Monsoon season. If I don't get rain I'm calling some mystic-crystal type up in Sedona to put me on the come-to-the-Vortex-and get-enlightened list and start selling Red Rock passes to anybody who wants to park in front of my house.