Charlie Phillips

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Though the current #NorEaster is bringing temps ~5-10 degrees below-avg for Mid-Atlantic/NE due to rain & N/NE winds, the moisture has subtropical origins. Water vapor imagery goes from 9/23-26; note the moisture originating near FL and becoming entrained into the parent low.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Satellite animation showing heavy monsoonal thunderstorms over New Mexico today. T-storms will persist through Thursday, and heaviest tstorms will occur Wed pm. Widespread 1-2" expected for NM though Thu, with 4+" possible over terrain and under slow-moving storms.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

VERY close lightning bolt at 11:56 pm 9/3/2026 in Kalorama neighborhood. Unfortunately, was opening window/adjusting camera at the time!

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Heavy rain/wind and frequent lightning in Kalorama neighborhood around 11:50 pm, Thu 9/3/2026

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Satellite from 10:11 AM Thu 9/3/2026 to 2:41 AM Fri 9/4/2026, showing large MCS over N Ohio that traveled 500 miles SE to Mid-Atlantic by Fri am. Note the intensification right over the DC metro area shortly before midnight, where the strongest winds/rain were found.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Radar loop from 1:25 PM EDT Thu 9/3/2026 to 6AM EDT Fri 9/4/2026, showing the long-lived & intense t-storms across the Mid-Atlantic & Washington DC. Strongest of these storms moved through DC between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM. Strongest t-storm for parts of DC since 2012 derecho!

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

https://t.co/9WANqb2oAj

Tornado touched down a little west of Ames today. Sirens around town went off. Didn't see the tornado, but saw the "whale's mouth" underneath the shelf cloud before the squall line pushed through. #tornado

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Radar loop from 10:40 am 4/17/2026 to 11:05 pm 4/17/2026 showing rapid development of QLCS with many severe thunderstorm warnings (yellow), flash flood warnings (green), and tornado warnings (red).

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Satellite loop from 8:31 am 4/17/2026 to 12:01 am CDT 4/18/2026, showing a line of convection explosively developing along a cold front in the early afternoon.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Visible satellite on 1/8/2026. We had chilly, unstable WNW flow, giving a few showers in the lowlands, heavy snow in the Cascades, and sunny conditions over Central/Eastern WA. Note the mtn waves in the lee of the Cascades, visible as nearly stationary, narrow bands of clouds.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

https://t.co/XdjA2Ycqmp

Blog with a review of the recent atmospheric river/flooding event and look ahead to another, weaker atmospheric river early next week. #wawx

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Here is the Jan 2009 #atmosphericriver, which brought record flooding to Central Cascades (esp. Snoqualmie). Note the more westerly direction than 2006 or 2025. Very strong rainshadow over Seattle while Cascades saw a foot of rain! Loop from 4pm 1/4 - 4pm 1/9. #wawx

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

And here's the loop from 4pm 11/2/2006 to 4pm 11/8/2006, famous for bringing 18" to Mt. Rainier Ntl Park in 36 hrs. #Atmosphericriver was similar to 2025, but stalled over WA the entire period. If 2025 had stalled like 2006, flooding would likely be even worse than 2006! #wawx

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Here is the satellite loop from 4am 11/30 - 2am 12/4 of the 2007 #GreatCoastalGale and #atmosphericriver.

2007 had 100mph winds along coast, winds much weaker in 2025. 2007 also had more SW'erly direction, favoring Olympics/Willapa Hills with record flooding for Chehalis. #wawx

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

Animation of the #atmosphericriver from 4pm, Sat 12/6 to 4pm Thu, 12/11 that caused widespread #flooding across the PacNW. The AR focused over WA on 12/8, sagged to OR on 12/9, and returned to WA on 12/10. Would have been even worse if it stalled over WA the entire period!! #wawx

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

https://t.co/wVxHJccMex

Blog with latest #atmosphericriver conditions and forecast. This will be a major event with 3-6" rain in the lowlands but significant rainshadowing over North-Central Puget Sound (including Seattle). Over a foot of rain over some parts of the Cascades.

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

https://t.co/f1nzKt0d1B

New blog on a major snowstorm expected for the Midwest beginning Friday night and persisting through Saturday. If you are in the Midwest and are traveling for the holiday, plan accordingly! @NWSDesMoines

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

https://t.co/PzUafpGaUv

New blog on the #aurora. Lots of pics, along with a little brief "aurora 101" and a discussion of how geomagnetic storms can disrupt the power grid. #northernlights @NWSDesMoines

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

New blog on the first snow of the season for Iowa! This is part of a large pattern change and early-season arctic outbreak that will bring freezing temps to the Deep South, coolest early next week.

https://t.co/2vggDlphNG

[Charlie Phillips @WeatherPhillips]

First snow day in Iowa! Animation shows IR sat from ~6:20 am to ~2:20 pm CST w/ overlaid 500mb heights/winds. NW Iowa saw up to 4 inches of snow, mainly rain south of Des Moines. A slushy half-inch here in Ames, mainly on grassy surfaces. #snow #iowawx @NWSDesMoines