We could get a few more hit or miss light showers on Friday. Better chances of scattered showers/storm on Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, it still doesn’t mean rain for everyone. I’m telling you, it may take a tropical system to kick-start things.

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Justin here, in the midst of a handful of days off from work. Nice to finally have a little rain here and there, eh?

I noticed that Brittney at NIT posted some fantastic tornado footage earlier this afternoon and wanted to pass the link along. The tornado in question is one that I will never, ever forget. Watch the video and tell me it wouldn’t be great if News 2 had one of those vehicles! I added a few more links below her post, including some incredible pictures from a former News 2 weather intern.

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We awake this morning to find light rain moving up from the south this morning. All surface reports have been of sprinkles but its a welcomed sight on StormTracker. We expect some thunderstorm activity today on the western fringe of our area this afternoon; tomorrow the storm chances spread over all of middle Tennessee. The chances are a mere 20% but those chances increase by Sunday when a weak cold front moves overhead; the storms chances will double to about 40%. Here are the forecasted highs for our area today. More in clouds cover than yesterday.

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Thursday brings an Air Quality Alert for those with sensitive lung conditions, the very young and elderly. Those folks should stay indoors as much as possible as this stagnant weather pattern persists.

The ridge of high pressure hanging over us is also keeping the rain out. And, just think, it is still May!

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Yes, McDonalds is even in Japan! Here, they have a shrimp burger that we’d love in America.

I don’t need to tell you how much you need the rain. It hasn’t rained since I left 8 days ago, and it has been since May 16th that Nashville recorded any rainfall. In addition, latest observations (4pm) show Nashville with a dew point of only 41, temp 87, relative humidity only １９％.

With winds gusting to 22mph there is a definite fire danger. I don’t have anything against smokers, but please don’t throw cigarettes out of your car window.

I know you are aware of the water restrictions and burn bans.

I always like to give you a few tid bits about Japan when I am here. A few days ago, I was downtown in the Shibuya district that looks a lot like Times Square in New York with skyscrapers, huge video screens, thousands of people, etc. There is a statue in tribute to a dog named “Hachiko”.

Click to enlarge.

It’s an interesting but sad story about Hachiko. He would always wait at the train station for his master to return from work. One day his master died at work. Hachiko continued to come to the train station every day at 3pm waiting, and waiting. Word spread about him and he became famous in Japan as a symbol of loyalty. People came to bring him food and pet him. Finally, after 10 years Hachiko died in the same spot where he always waited. To read the whole story told by Tim Young CLICK HERE.

Sayonara for now. I’m praying for rain in Middle Tennessee.

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We’ll have a little more in cloud cover today than yesterday but other than that a repeat performance of our weather. Highs today in the upper 80’s with a hazy, partly cloudy afternoon ahead. Rain chances start to show up on our western fringe today; by Friday just about all of middle Tennessee will enjoy at least a slight chance (20%) of rain. The rain chances improve slightly by weekend but no drought-busting weather pattern chance in the 7-day forecast.

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Ahhhh! Thom Rawls took this photo in White House back when it used to rain in middle Tennessee. What we wouldn’t give for a rainy day!

The drought is getting worse and only a spotty shower or two west of Nashville on Wednesday. Only isolated chances by the weekend. And then just scattered stuff by Monday/Tuesday of next week.

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The weather pattern of late is more like late July and early August with a Bermuda High suppressing our rain chances. Hot and dry conditions have been the norm across middle Tennessee this second half of May.

This will be the tenth day in a row of plus 80 degree weather. We’ve gone almost 2 weeks (almost half of the month) without measurable rain at the Nashville airport.

So far this May we are averaging a high 5.5 degrees above normal (83 degrees compared with the normal of 77.5) with the last two days forecasted to be both hot and dry.

Below is a map showing the percentage of normal rain each location has received so far in 2007. Some areas in the south need as much as a foot of rain to catch up. It is looking more and more that 2007 will be the third year in a row of below normal rainfall (typically we get about 48 inches of rain a year).

The areas in red are counties described as being in “Extreme Drought”. Two weeks ago that area comprised about 10% of Tennessee, as of last Friday the area totals about 25%.

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We’ll have a daytime high again slip into the upper 80’s with an afternoon haze and a few clouds. Not talk of rain; we’ll have to wait until Friday before some chance of rain enters the picture. A front should move into middle Tennessee by this weekend not only bringing cooler temperatures but decent rain chances as well. The drought is getting worse, we haven’t had any rain at Nashville in ten days. Below are some of the deficits for our area:

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Very dry conditions across middle Tennessee and the National Weather Service office in Old Hickory warns of an elevated fire danger for our area. We are in a drought and that’s made for some dry grass and brush. With Memorial Day in progress today please exercise caution while using a grill or campfire.

We are still hoping for a little relief by Thursday or Friday when slight rain chances start to return to middle Tennessee. Until then please be careful with any outdoor fires or smoking materials.

The forest fires down south of us are making for some hazy conditions today as the smoke plume is wrapping around the high pressure system dominating our weather pattern and showing up in the skies above.

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