Windy and Cool Today

After a very active weather day yesterday, we're now moving into another stretch of cool and crisp fall-like weather for the remainder of the week. 

The major upper level trough is lifting to our northeast and the surface front is well to our southeast.  Northwest winds in the 10 to 25 mph range will be likely for the first part of the day before the winds gradually relax speeds by late in the afternoon and early evening.  A few morning clouds will linger for the next few hours, but the sun will make another appearance for most of the day allowing temps to move into the mid and upper 50s.  This dry and cool air mass will allow temperatures tomorrow morning to drop into the upper 20s and lower 30s Friday. 

The next storm system will arrive Sunday or Monday, but the first impact of the system will be a return of southerly breezes Friday.  The pressure gradient will begin to crank up this weekend with strong south or southwest winds Saturday and Sunday in the 15 to 30 mph range.   

The storm system will swing over the state just as low level moisture is attempting to return northward, but the current model projections indicate moisture will be confined to the far southeastern or far eastern sections of the state. The GFS did come in last night with more moisture and higher pops.  We have trended slightly higher with a 30 pop for Monday.  Stay tuned, because if moisture can return ahead of this system, we'll be in the running for a few strong storms.  This system ( a medium wave trough) will not be as strong as the last system. 

Earthquakes:

Another 3.6 mag aftershock occurred yesterday afternoon at 1:05PM.

For your reading pleasure:  The New Madrid Seismic Zone.

Copy and place this address in your browser, or search for "  New Madrid Seismic Zone". 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics.php?topicID=71&topic=New%20Madrid%20Seismic%20Zone

I have been intrigued for years regarding the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812.  If you asked most folks where some of the largest earthquakes in the United States have occurred, most answers would either involve the West Coast or and Alaska.  And those would be correct answers.  Very few would answer Missouri. 

Take some time later today and read about the New Madrid quakes and the fault line.