Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Severe T-Storm Watch #552

CanisLupusArctos · 06-16-2008, 09:13 PM

Kjblithe, tonight's wind direction is not unusual at Black Cat WeatherCam. The two most dominant wind directions are from the NW and from the SE, along the length of the lake. Black Cat Island has a very exposed location, which has been a "storm magnet" over the years. A few years ago I phoned in an observation to Ch. 4's Barry Burbank in Boston and reported a SE wind averaging 30 mph and waves 2-3 feet every 3 seconds. He was amazed, and told me everywhere else was calm. Two hours later, it was calm here, too. Stuff happens here that only happens on the open lake - often the open lake generates its own weather.

Southeast is the 'default direction' here. When the wind is calm everywhere else, the wind will kick up out of the SE here. It is the direction of almost all fair weather winds and all sundown winds.

Severe storms most often develop to the west of here. Every severe storm has an updraft feeding it. This can cause wind to get sucked toward the developing line of storms. However, this isn't the way it always happens.

Today's SE wind was probably a product of the ocean influence, which we never lost. We came very, very close to breaking into sunshine today. Satellite images showed the bulk of the clouds leaving us, but the low-level depressing junk remained. As you noted, the temp was a bit cool today. That was another product of the ocean influence.

LG, You are right in saying the air just didn't seem right for a severe thunderstorm; the watch #552 has been canceled. SPC thought for sure that the clouds would break and allow the sun to destabilize the atmosphere here, but the ocean influence held on tight. You're also right in noting the nasty look to the south. Very heavy rain is now traversing Massachusetts and parts of southern NH. This is the remnants of the severe thunderstorms. They produced golfball size hail in western Mass. this afternoon.

The ocean influence here may have made for a depressing sort of weather day, but it did keep the damaging storms away. Radar showed them dying as they moved into our cooler air mass.

06-16-2008, 09:13 PM	#4
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	Kjblithe, tonight's wind direction is not unusual at Black Cat WeatherCam. The two most dominant wind directions are from the NW and from the SE, along the length of the lake. Black Cat Island has a very exposed location, which has been a "storm magnet" over the years. A few years ago I phoned in an observation to Ch. 4's Barry Burbank in Boston and reported a SE wind averaging 30 mph and waves 2-3 feet every 3 seconds. He was amazed, and told me everywhere else was calm. Two hours later, it was calm here, too. Stuff happens here that only happens on the open lake - often the open lake generates its own weather. Southeast is the 'default direction' here. When the wind is calm everywhere else, the wind will kick up out of the SE here. It is the direction of almost all fair weather winds and all sundown winds. Severe storms most often develop to the west of here. Every severe storm has an updraft feeding it. This can cause wind to get sucked toward the developing line of storms. However, this isn't the way it always happens. Today's SE wind was probably a product of the ocean influence, which we never lost. We came very, very close to breaking into sunshine today. Satellite images showed the bulk of the clouds leaving us, but the low-level depressing junk remained. As you noted, the temp was a bit cool today. That was another product of the ocean influence. LG, You are right in saying the air just didn't seem right for a severe thunderstorm; the watch #552 has been canceled. SPC thought for sure that the clouds would break and allow the sun to destabilize the atmosphere here, but the ocean influence held on tight. You're also right in noting the nasty look to the south. Very heavy rain is now traversing Massachusetts and parts of southern NH. This is the remnants of the severe thunderstorms. They produced golfball size hail in western Mass. this afternoon. The ocean influence here may have made for a depressing sort of weather day, but it did keep the damaging storms away. Radar showed them dying as they moved into our cooler air mass.