Weather It Is (Would Anyone Be Annoyed?)

Good Afternoon:

Would anyone be annoyed (with me) if Yom Atzmohut (Independence Day) turns windy and cold (and maybe even rains)?

I ask because the bearer of (potentially) bad news is, sometimes (or more often) blamed for whatever transpires (even if wrongly so).

As someone just said to me: our weather pattern is still more like winter than spring (and definitely not summer).  Waves of low pressure continue to move across Europe and high pressure anchored over northwestern Europe continues to amplify the trough over eastern Europe.  The phasing of southern stream storms (which by themselves might not be noticed) with the northern jet stream periodically provides us with a reprise of winter.

At the moment, there is a 25 to 30% chance that our Independence day will, in fact, be not an ideal day for the beach, as well as a picnic.

Until then, we have to contend with a sharp upper level trough approaching from the west that will bring a chill and potentially light to moderate rain most likely  to the center mountains (and Dead Sea Valley) tonight and possible over the desert areas of the south tomorrow. There will be scattered showers in the north as well.

There isn't a lot of moisture with this storm, but the intensity of the 500 mb trough suggests the potential for a rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning (and, possibly, a heavier shower as well).

From Shabbot until mid-next week, temperatures will start to warm up and eventually feel like spring -- just in time for possibly a brief return of winter.

Barry Lynn