Daily update- Friday, February 26, 2016

NWPAC outlook, 26 FEB

The coldest air stays far to the north as the central region warms up and remains cloudy. The south will see another hot day, and the tropics are starting to show some weak signs of life. 

NORTH

The coldest air is holding firm in the northern two-thirds of the north region today, as more southerly locations of eastern China warm up just a bit. The latest, weak storm system is passing through eastern China and Korea today, but will bring little more than a few clouds and a shift in the winds. Another weak system is passing through northern portions of Japan today, bringing a few clouds and a slight chance for rain showers and high elevation snow showers. Temperatures across the region are very reflective of the late winter season, with the very cold air suspended in Mongolia, northern China and eastern Russia, and much warmer temperatures settling into parts of south-central and eastern China. Aside from a few snow showers in these areas, most locales will see a fine day with just a few scattered clouds.

CENTRAL

As we get ready to enter the month of March, we find temperatures warming up considerably across much of the central region, ahead of cooler air pooled far to the north. Colder and drier air is located in the mountains of southern China, helping keep a chill in the air there, but elsewhere, springtime warmth is starting to make its presence felt. Taipei will see more rain today, and considerable cloudiness will affect southern China and northern Indochina as the jet stream drags moisture into the region from the west.

 SOUTH

More heat continues to build in the south as the sun’s angle increases with each passing day, lending to longer days and more direct sunlight bearing down on the region. Once again, portions of Cambodia and southern Vietnam will see the warmest temperatures in the region under mostly sunny skies. An influx of moisture from the tropics is moving into the northern two-thirds of the Philippines today, and will likely stick around through the weekend. The moisture plume is rather significant and the seasonal northeast monsoon is working to push it into the archipelago. Showers will be light with this feature, and temperatures will be held down a bit by the associated cloudiness. Aside from a few showers this afternoon in Singapore, the remainder of the south region will see a hot, dry day, with only scattered clouds.

TROPICS 

Activity in the tropics APPEARS to be increasing, but a quick analysis shows that it is nothing more than a visible reflection of what is likely a pocket of cooler air at the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere. Surface wind convergence along the I.T.C.Z. (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) is negligible, as the region continues to be dominated by the strong northeast monsoonal flow of the season. Nevertheless, considerable pockets of cloudiness are present along the ITCZ, stretching eastward from western Micronesia back to the Marshall Islands. Clouds, showers, and possibly even a few scattered thunderstorms are possible today throughout the region as this moisture slides slowly to the west. The more northerly island locations are still dealing with weak waves of continental energy, producing only a few clouds, and occasional windy conditions.

Have a fabulous Friday!

Courtesy: CIMSS, HKO, Tropical Tidbits, Intellicast, Weather.com, MeteoEarth