Thundery Morning

[2naSalit]

The NWS had issued severe thunderstorm warnings for this window of time.

This morning, around 2:50am, I was awakened by near constant lightning flashes, a strobing kind of constant. The thunder was distant. I got up and went out to my porch to see that the sky was overcast and the distant lightning lit up the whole sky from some 50 miles away on the west side of the pass. There was another lightning source to the NW which seemed in competition with the approaching storm to the WSW.

This went on for over half an hour when the thunder started to get louder and then, the hail, at 3:30am. It was about marble sized hail which after about ten minutes turned to serious downpour for another half hour then it stopped raining while another thunder cloud moved into place to repeat the process but without the hail.

At this point, a fifth cloudburst is dumping a moderate to intense rain on us.

All this rain in between hot days has kept the rivers high and not far from flood stage. I went over near Red Lodge yesterday and observed some of the damage along the Stillwater River, it was extensive. All along all the rivers, for hundreds of miles, the banks and flood planes are littered with debris, mostly splintered wood and remnants of trees. I was there as part of a transport for a friend and didn't have my camera with me so I didn't get pictures but it looks a lot like the pictures I posted of the Yellowstone River just hours after the flood surge. What I also noticed was that the Beartooth Mountains still have quite a bit of snow up above 8-9000ft which means the rivers will stay high for at least another couple weeks since we also appear to have a bit of rain coming yet.

At least we haven't started burning down yet and it's already July.

[Siwsan]

1. There's heavy rain in the forecast for overnight and tomorrow for mid-Michigan

We've had some very hot, dry days and we need the rain. I haven't had to mow the lawn in about 2 weeks, and this is the earliest in the year this has ever happened.

On the bright side, it's great weather for the tomato plants.

[2naSalit]

2. I was looking at...

That mass forming over the western northern plains and heading for the lakes on satellite this AM.

https://www.aviationweather.gov/satellite

I just hope the ground absorbs a lot of it because it looks like a lot of rain for several states in that region. I just hope it's only rain and not tornadoes.

[Siwsan]

3. I did see a report that this might be a bad tornado season

For the last two years I've been in the tornado warning zone and both times it passed just to the west of me. I'm going to get important stuff ready to take down to the basement (legal papers, photos, jewelry) and also put some cat food and jugs of water close enough to move fast.

This storm system isn't supposed to arrive until about 3. So far we are in the 'marginal risk zone'.

[2naSalit]

4. Good idea...

Also, how many kitty carriers do you need for the boys? I've never tried to put more than one animal in a carrier, they may get crazy under stress, or not.

[Siwsan]

5. I have to buy one more.

My niece has a big wire crate she used to use for her dog that recently crossed that rainbow bridge. I'm going to see if I can borrow it.

As long as I close the work room and utility room doors, the boys can wander free, which might be far less stressful for them.

Hmmm. I think I'm going to reconnect the dehumidifier and make it a more comfortable space, if needed.

[2naSalit]

7. Dehumidifier...

A necessity in those parts!

Now the big cloud has passed and the sun is rising, clear sky for a good part of the day now, more storms in the afternoon. Standard fare in milder summers.

I hope you won't need to execute the "last call" as I have named it.

[AllaN01Bear]

6. dry as a bone in sonora ca since june 22nd

[2naSalit]

9. That's what we had last year at this time...

With no snow pack to speak of and triple digit temps for weeks. It was scary, this is freaking Montana, most of which is north of the 45th parallel!

Back in the 70s and 80s I recall that around here a heat wave was when it got over +85F.

[AllaN01Bear]

8. looked at noaa 3 day surface charts for your area and eep.

https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/national_forecast/natfcst.php
jinkies !!!!

[2naSalit]

10. Yup.

Thanks for the graphic. It seems to be the pattern for now. The good thing is that it's pushing the start of the inevitable fires. Hopefully any lightning starts will get rained out before they take off. It rained hard enough to do that here but that's not always true of the lightning strike zone which extends far beyond the rain zone.