Fall is here!

Well, after 3 days of warmth, including 2 that were around 90 here in late September, along with plenty of high dewpoints -- Fall has arrived! Today is cloudy, windy, and cool. The first real fall weather type day. With the equinox now in our rear view mirror, the sun has set on the north pole. Light is very limited north of the Arctic Circle and things will only go downhill from here. Before we know it, the junk we know as snow will invade our lives.

September Squall Line

 Sept 21st, the day before the start of Astronomical Fall, or the Equinox, a healthy (and severe) squall line approaches NE IL from Iowa. Taking on a bit of a "bow" shape, as severe winds push this squall line towards us. Reports of Semi's being pushed over and power lines down have been pretty common so far. The shear (how the winds change with speed or direction as you go up in height) is not conducive to tornadoes today but for winds and heavy rain, it sure is.

I love our atmosphere!

Awesome Hurricane Imagery

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/

Lake Breeze 09/13/10

Even though the winds are generally west-northwesterly, there is enough temperature difference between the water and land, as well as enough northerly component of the wind, to allow for a lake breeze in Chicago today. That enhanced line of echoes that runs north-south, parallel to the Lake Michigan shoreline, is the edge of the lake breeze, itself.

Hurricane Igor

National Hurricane Center (link)

Welcome!

Well,  my name is Matt Powers. I work for the College of DuPage Meteorology Dept (NEXLAB), mostly as the Storm Chasing Asst, managing the webpages, organizing case studies, and basically supporting the program in any way possible. I plan on using this blog to update things on the weather, give my opinions on anything that might pop up, talk about my travels, and discuss my favorite food. :)  It will be about 80% weather and 20% other things, I would suppose. I hope you all enjoy!

http://weather.cod.edu/