The Space Shuttle Is Once Again Visible In The Sky August 31, 2009

(Photo By NASA)
The space shuttle will once again be visible in the night sky as it links up with the International Space Station over the next week and a half. The complete list of observation times, maximum elevation and sky location is listed below. If you are an early bird you can catch the worm [...]

Chilly August Stats August 31, 2009

August has come to an end and the monthly statisitics are below. To sum it up, it was a very cool and wet month compared to average.

Statistic
Fort Smith

Monthly High
96 degrees

Monthly Low
58 degrees

100+ Degree Days
0 days

90+ Degree Days
14 days

Days Not Reaching 80 Degrees
2 days

Average Temperature
78.8 degrees

Temperature Departure From Normal
2.6 degrees below

Monthly Rainfall 
5.10″

Rainfall Departure From Normal
1.91″ above normal

Thunderstorm [...]

Significant Trough & Ridge August 31, 2009

For the last day off August the upper level wind pattern looks more reminiscent of late fall.  A dominant ridge blankets the west, while the northeast sits under a deep trough.  This is known as a ridge trough pattern.

Under the ridge temperatures in southern Canada this afternoon have warmed into the lower 80’s.  Compare that to the 60’s [...]

Hurricane Jimena Could Reach A Cat. 5 Before Landfall August 31, 2009

Photo By: NOAA
Hurricane Jimena is now a strong category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph and winds gusting up to 178 mph. “There’s a good chance this system could be a Category 5 in the next 24 hours,” said Dave Roberts, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Whether [...]

STORMS LATER THIS WEEK August 31, 2009

We have a good chance for some showers and storms later this week with a “Northwest Flow” set up taking shape.  This scenario will allow energy to move in from the Northern Rockies and produce some showers and thunderstorms.  It’s still a little too far out to determine if this will turn into a severe [...]

August Ends With Record Lows August 30, 2009

Above is a map of the temperatures at 850 mb (about 1 mile above the surface). This map is showing the coolest temperatures since the beginning of summer. The temperatures at 850 mb has a direct relationship with the day’s highs and lows, and this week the maps are screaming with fall weather.
The coldest weather [...]

Dangerous Cat. 4 Hurricane Ready To Strike August 30, 2009

Hurricane Jimena is a powerful category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph and gusting to 165 mph. The hurricane is expected to intensify slightly over the next 36 hours and slam into Baja California by mid day Tuesday. Mexico is bracing itself for the first direct hit by a hurricane this year in North [...]

The Work Week Will Start With Record Cold, And End With Storms August 29, 2009

The next round of cold air is moving in overnight Saturday and Sunday. The bulk of the cold air will arrive on Monday morning. High pressure will dominate the area with a clear and dry sky, this will all lead to bone chilling cold for the month of August. Lows are expected to dip into [...]

Get The Jackets On Stand By… August 28, 2009

Cold front number one has pushed through the area, but cold front number 2 is yet to come and its effects won’t go unnoticed. The next blast of cold air will arrive Saturday night and by Monday the coldest of the air will be settled over the area. Monday’s lows will be in the upper [...]

24 Hour Rainfall Totals August 28, 2009

Scattered showers and thunderstorms caused locally heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours. Showers and storms put down some impressive rainfall totals in northwest Arkansas. However, by the time the storms made it to the river valley they had died out. A few more showers redeveloped this afternoon across the southern part of the area. [...]