Those Darn Pop-Up Storms

A relatively common occurrence in the western Carolinas in spring and summer is the “pop-up” thunderstorm; storms that just seemingly develop out of nowhere in the afternoon or early evening hours.  These storms often will not have the aid of any areas of low pressure or any cold fronts to help them along…they rely on daytime heating causing moisture-laden air to rise, creating clouds and eventually showers or thunderstorms.

Sometimes, there’s enough of a breeze to force air to be pushed up the mountain slopes; on these days the mountains and foothills may have a better chance for showers or thunderstorms than other areas.  On other occasions, all we can tell you is that the chance for rain is there; where the storms develop and how many of you get rained on is pretty much left to random chance.

That presents us with a challenge when presenting the weather, particularly around weekends when several events are scheduled and outdoor plans are numerous.  In these situations we may have to keep saying “thunderstorms this weekend”, but we also have to qualify that statement because there will be some spots that won’t get much of anything.  Sometimes, a matter of just a few miles may make the difference…it could be raining at your house, but dry at an event you’re planning on attending.  Or the other way around.  Ah, the joys of random storm placement.

When the forecast presents these little “speed bumps” in what you were hoping would be a nice, sunny day, prepare yourself accordingly.  There probably isn’t a need to cancel anything ahead of time, but be prepared.  Keep an eye to the sky, and if the skies start darkening and you hear thunder, head indoors and be prepared for a “rain delay”.  If you’re hosting an outdoor gathering, have a back-up plan in case you need to shuttle everyone indoors for awhile.  And be prepared to wait; sometimes these storms are slow movers, dumping very heavy rain.

All part of “warm weather season” in the Southeast…