08-14-2015, 01:53 AM
Hi Carey,
"Rain on Mauna Kea Summit...& just heard a crack of thunder...although still a little warm for snow...maybe later..."
Very frustrating night. Skies cleared up but humidity was too high to consider observing. I think the chance for snow in August this year isn't good, but there's another night to go with this storm and we're expecting even more moisture tonight. However, temperatures are not expected to drop below freezing. They didn't overnight and they aren't forecast to fall that low tonight. I guess we'll see.
If there has to be precipitation, most observatories prefer snow rather than rain. Rain and wind tends to find the smallest place to get water inside the enclosures. Snow just sits there for the most part disappears very quickly.
"Rain on Mauna Kea Summit...& just heard a crack of thunder...although still a little warm for snow...maybe later..."
Very frustrating night. Skies cleared up but humidity was too high to consider observing. I think the chance for snow in August this year isn't good, but there's another night to go with this storm and we're expecting even more moisture tonight. However, temperatures are not expected to drop below freezing. They didn't overnight and they aren't forecast to fall that low tonight. I guess we'll see.
If there has to be precipitation, most observatories prefer snow rather than rain. Rain and wind tends to find the smallest place to get water inside the enclosures. Snow just sits there for the most part disappears very quickly.
