http://www.wunderground.com
/wximage/Melagoo/781
Sunday afternoon, June 30th, I decided to stay home and not ride my motorcycle, as I did all day Saturday.
The weather radar said the coast was clear. Sure, there were thunderstorms in little green, yellow and red blotches around Georgia, but this is summertime. Thunderstorms here are as common as traffic jams, nasty people and one-finger waves in New Jersey.
Clouds over my home grew darker and meaner … reminding me of the 40-months I worked for Wally World … but the forecast on my smarter-than-I-am phone happily blinked “Dry conditions will continue for the next several hours.”
Then it rained.
Do you know why I’m telling you this? (No, not because I am paid by the word, but that’s a good answer.)
This “Special Weather Statement” covers areas near Lake Lanier:
Mon, Jul 1, 2013, 5:08 PM EDT
… STRONG STORMS AND HEAVY RAIN LIKELY TO IMPACT FOURTH OF JULY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES…
AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE MID SECTION OF THE COUNTRY. THIS WILL ALLOW ABUNDANT MOISTURE TO MOVE INTO NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THIS WILL PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA BEGINNING LATE TUESDAY AND CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE REGION. FOR THIS REASON A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF EASTERN AND NORTHERN GEORGIA WHICH INCLUDES THURSDAY… JULY 4.
IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN… SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE WITH WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH… HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
PEOPLE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK… INCLUDING THOSE ON THE FOURTH OF JULY… SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND BEGIN MAKING CONTINGENCY PLANS IN CASE HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREATENS.
No, I don’t know why they were shouting.
All I know is weather changes. Predictions fail.
It might rain on the 4th of July. It might not. We simply wanted you to know the forecast.
Do not abandon your plans. Just plan accordingly.
Click Here for the Latest Lake Lanier Weather Forecast
Have a great Independence Day!
