A BREAK FROM THE HEAT IS ON THE WAY !!


AFTER AN UNUSUALLY HOT START TO THE SUMMER DURING THE FIRST
THREE WEEKS OF JUNE, A TEMPORARY RESPITE IS ON THE WAY!
THE IMAGE BELOW SHOWS THE CHANGE IN THE UPPER AIR PATTERN
EXPECTED NEXT WEEK (SUNDAY, JUN 27 THROUGH THURSDAY, JUL 1).
THE GREEN LINES INDICATE THE WIND FLOW PATTERNS ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES ABOUT 20,000 FEET UP IN THE AIR. THESE WINDS ARE
GENERALLY KNOWN AS "STEERING CURRENTS," AND THEY HELP TO
GUIDE WARM AND COLD AIR MASSES FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
THE WINDS FLOW FROM WEST TO THE EAST, OVER THE "RIDGES"
AND DOWN THROUGH THE "TROUGHS."
AS YOU CAN SEE, DURING THE SUNDAY-THROUGH-THURSDAY PERIOD,
THE "TROUGHS" OVER THE WEST AND EAST COASTS BECOME
DEEPER, WHILE THE "RIDGE" OVER THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES
BUILDS NORTHWARD INTO CENTRAL CANADA.
SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE? WELL,
WHENEVER A STRONG RIDGE BUILDS IN THE UPPER LEVELS OVER THE
CENTRAL UNITED STATES AND CENTRAL CANDADA, IT TENDS TO PUSH
STRONG COLD FRONTS SOUTHWARD INTO TENNESSEE, BRINGING
COOLER AIR IN FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. BY LATE MONDAY AND
MONDAY NIGHT, A STRONG COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO DROP
SOUTHWARD ACROSS OUR AREA AND BRING A DROP IN TEMPERATURES
AND HUMIDITIES. BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, DAYTIME HIGHS
WILL BE MAINLY IN THE 80S, WITH NIGHTTIME LOWS DROPPING INTO
THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 60S (WITH EVEN SOME UPPER 50S POSSIBLE
ALONG THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU!). DEW POINTS WILL ALSO FALL,
RESULTING IN LOWER AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES.
