MWN intern brings the content! "Death Ridge" Builds into the Mid-South

As most of our readers know, MemphisWeather.net is staffed by yours truly (meteorologist and founder Erik Proseus) as well as social media interns who assist in nowcasting on our social media platforms and occasionally blog on local weather patterns.  Currently, the interns are two Mississippi State University graduate students in Meteorology: William Churchill and Patrick Luckett.

Image courtesy adamr
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This fall I have a unique opportunity to assist one of them on a class project, as well as hopefully increase the amount of content posted to this blog.  William, who has served as an MWN intern since late this spring, will be cross-posting his own blog (required for his Weather and Forecasting class) to the MWN Blog.  We expect that this will keep this blog more current with respect to content on local weather patterns, while also assisting William by allowing more viewers to see his fine work and meeting requirements for his forecasting class. I am pleased to have William post regularly on the MWN Blog and hope that you will enjoy his content!

Please note: William's content will be posted verbatim on the MWN Blog.  Any commentary by Erik will be noted in brackets [EP: like this].  Also, no two forecasters present the same forecast.  It's the nature of interpretation of the available data. William's forecast will be included if it is a part of his blog.  It may not match the MWN Forecast. Consider it simply a "second opinion." :-)  We look forward to any feedback that you have!

Without further adieu, William's first post:

Even though it’s nearly meteorological fall, summer seems to just be getting started in the Mid-South.

Above is an initialized map from the GFS showing a large area of high pressure nearly directly over the mid-south. This high pressure is expected to remain over the area for the majority of the week, before weakening and easing west. However, the effects of the ridge look to be present for at least a week before subsiding a bit. MOS guidance suggests several days towards the end of the week near 100 degrees. This combined with humid air will make for an uncomfortable start to September. The death ridge will remain strong enough to prevent any rain for some time. In fact, the next chance of rain could be associated with a trough moving east to west due to the ridge weakening and shifting west. Any significant precipitation still seems unlikely as we’ll just eventually be able to get some afternoon storms due to a weakening cap on the atmosphere.

William's Memphis Forecast:
Tuesday:  A few clouds. High 92; Low of 72
Wednesday:  Sunny. High of 95; Low of 74
Thursday:  A few clouds. High of 96; Low of 75
Friday:  A few clouds. High of 98; Low of 76

-William C., MWN Social Media Intern

[EP: Weather dictionary time! Death ridge is a term used by storm chasers and the meteorological community in reference to a massive area of high pressure that signals the "death" of precipitation chances, and any severe weather when referenced by chasers, due to strong subsidence of air beneath the high. It does not insinuate that anyone's life is about to end.]

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