"The Pneumonia Front"Memorial Day here in Milwaukee was a sunny 81F -- the first 80-degree day of the year. It was the perfect day to be outdoors. But once the sun went down, a pneumonia front moved in, and the temperature dropped by 40 degrees. Right now, it's staying steady at a chilly 41F, with freeze warnings in effect for northern Wisconsin, and frost possible within the next 24 hours.
For those unfamiliar with the weather term, a
pneumonia front is a rare meteorological phenomena that is observed along the western shores of Lake Michigan (aka, the Wisconsin side) during the warm season. These cold fronts are heavily modified by the still-cold waters of the southern Great Lakes, and result in one hour temperature drops of 16 degrees (F) or more.
The winds have shifted too... from being light and out of the west, to blowing in from the northeast, and gusting up to 40 mph along Lake Michigan. I live about 4 miles inland from the downtown shoreline, so I'm definitely experiencing the chill... and the gusts.
The normal temperature for yesterday -- May 26 -- is only 70F. So to drop 40 degrees like this, definitely qualifies as weird weather. However, after a record winter of 100 inches of snow, and constant shoveling... should we really be surprised?
-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:02 AM I I
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