Hi.
Let me address one of my weather peeves: the notion that temperatures are going to be "10 degrees above normal" or "15 degrees below normal for this time of year." When forecasters talk about "normal" temperatures, they're talking about the average, or mean. Averages often reflect huge range differentials.
For example: the average high for today's date (March 30th) in Reading, PA is 56 degrees. The actual high today (3/30/16) was 59 degrees. On the same date in 2015, it was 56. On 3/30/14, it was 47. 2013, 53. 2012, 61. The average of those five years is 55.2 degrees. When calculated using all the years available (that is, going back to 1943), it would come out to 56.
So when the temperature was 61 on 3/30/12, we were not "5 degrees above normal" ... it was just 61 degrees. When it was 47 on 3/30/14, we weren't "9 degrees below normal" ... it was just 47 degrees.
Which brings me to the next six days.
Historically, the average high temperature for the period from March 31st to April 5th is 57 degrees.
Let's look at what to expect in the coming six days:
Thursday 3/31: sunny to start, but increasing clouds and wind by late afternoon. Some showers in the evening and maybe even a thunderstorm. High of 71.
Friday 4/1: breezy and quite warm with a shower (and widely scattered thunderstorms) in the morning and early afternoon. High 74.
Saturday 4/2: partly sunny and quite windy with cooler temperatures. Watch for a stray shower. High 60.
Sunday 4/3: colder still with a few snow showers (!) possible early Sunday morning. Still windy. High 43.
Monday 4/4: overcast with a few rain showers in the afternoon. High 51.
Tuesday 4/5: overcast with snow showers (maybe even enough to coat grassy surfaces and whatnot, but not enough to cause travel disruptions) turning to rain. High 44.
So that's a wide range of temperatures. Highs ranging from 45 to 75. (Lows, accordingly, ranging from the 20s to the 50s.)
The average of all of the widely variant high temperatures is ...............
Wait for it.........
57 degrees.
BOO YA!!!!!
Stay tuned for updates.
And happy 68th birthday to Rhea Perlman on March 31st.
And happy 44th birthday to Jill Scott on April 4th.
Monsoon
P.S. If there any errors in my use of the maths or math terminology, please tell me, math teacher friends. But be gentle.