Damp holiday

Rosy Mound Natural Area

Friday turned into a good weather day, continued cool (temps in the 50s & 60s) but with a clear & brilliant blue sky. I took advantage of the opportunity & managed a good long hike through Rosy Mound (see new photos here). Am so glad I went then 'cause we've been back in the cloudy, rainy, thunderstormy pattern for the last 3 days, making the holiday weekend a literal washout.

Artie, left, & Gumbo

Never mind...what's better to do on a rainy holiday than go to the movies, so spent a couple hours Saturday with Mac, his son & daughter-in-law being amused at a screening of The Day After Tomorrow, one of the most over-hyped and silliest disaster films I've ever seen. But much better, spent yesterday evening at Mac's as he hosted a very pleasant holiday get-together/indoor barbecue for all 7 of us, plus his son Chris' 2 wonderful English bulldogs.

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Flood Watch / Flood Statement — Expires 8:00 PM EDT on May 31, 2004 — Statement as of 8:42 am EDT on May 31, 2004

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids has issued an * urban and small stream flood advisory for the following counties: Mason County in west central Michigan, Oceana County in west central Michigan, Muskegon County in west central Michigan, Allegan County in southwest Michigan, Ottawa County in southwest Michigan *until 400 PM EDT.

* widespread rainfall of one to two inches occurred on Sunday across the west Michigan counties bordering Lake Michigan. Additional showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall are expected today... with another inch or so of new rain possible in a short period of time. This will likely cause flooding of streets and low lying areas... as well as quick rises in smaller creeks... Rivers and streams.

* At 840 am... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated numerous showers and a few thunderstorms developing over the advisory area and moving North at 30 to 40 mph. The radar was estimating rainfall rates of up to one inch per hour in the heavier showers.

Flood Watch / Flood Statement — Expires 8:00 PM EDT on May 31, 2004 — Statement as of 11:37 am EDT on May 31, 2004

... The urban and small stream flood advisory for Muskegon... Allegan and Ottawa counties has been canceled...

Law enforcement in each County reports that there is no standing water left on roads. Local streams remain relatively high... but these streams should fall during the afternoon. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon... but rainfall will be very scattered in nature and it is not expected to create problems.

Therefore... the urban and small stream flood advisory has been canceled. Monitor NOAA Weather Radio or local television or radio for the latest weather information.

Nowcast as of 3:30 PM EDT on May 31, 2004

Now: Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop over the area through 4:30 PM. Look for pea size hail...wind gusts to 40 mph...and rainfall at the rate of one half inch per hour. Urban flooding is possible due to the saturated ground.