Californians and other waterlogged residents of the Southwest have been at the mercy since last Thursday of driving downpours produced by an all-but-stationary storm system. A relatively infrequent jet stream orientation in the region has led to the system’s incredibly sluggish movement. Referred to as a “rex block” by meteorologists, the storm-slowing pattern features a pool of warm air to the north of the storm which separates high altitude steering winds into two distinct bands. The storm stalls in the much calmer air between as pressures build to the east. It’s a set-up which has subjected the Southwest to repeated waves of rainfall—including downpour-generating t-storms—for days. A rare tornado watch covered southern California Tuesday. 5-day rain totals reached 21” at Opids Camp in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles. L.A.’s 10.24” for February, 2005 is more than all the rain of the past three February’s combined.
-Tom Skilling
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
