This is for Mainly KC, and the surrounding areas**

A Dense Fog Advisory was issued last night until 9:00 AM this morning. Visibilities were down to zero in places this morning. There was no pressure gradient, leading to barely a breeze this morning. After all of the rain, and very high humidity, conditions became favorable for fog to form last night through this morning. It is rather rare for this type of set-up on July 31st. Fog is just a Stratus Cloud on the ground, so we have widespread stratus clouds this morning, and it will take a while to get rid of, and see sunshine. Here is a picture of a saturated spider web taken by Chief Meteorologist, Gary Lezak this morning. Notice the dense fog in the background:

We will be tracking a very weak cold front this morning moving across the northern plains.  By Friday evening, the weak cold front is forecast to be near Kansas City, as you can see below:

This front may drift through us and isolated thunderstorms are possible near the front Friday, and then north of the front on Saturday morning.  By Saturday afternoon the front will either wash out, or lift north and fall apart in response to very little support to keep it alive.  Look below at the 500 mb forecast for Saturday night.  An anticyclone (the opposite of a storm system or cyclone) is forecast to be right over Kansas.  With this years LRC anticyclones have had a very difficult time growing and creating heat in our part of the nation.  This is because of the "long term" longwave trough that set up last October and continues today.  It is located from eastern Missouri northward into southern Canada.  So, everytime an upper ridge tries to form into this longwave trough, it just falls apart and shifts to the southeast or west.  This is going to happen again in response to this weather pattern.

The developing ridge, or anticyclone aloft, will help create our first heatwave of the summer. This will be a moderate heatwave and only last a few days, as another cold front approaches the area.  The weather pattern is forecast to shift back into a Great Lakes trough, and when this forms next week a stronger cold front should make it through us bringing a chance of thunderstorms and relief from the heat.  The map below is the 500 mb forecast valid next Tuesday night:

I will write a blog on the LRC (Lezak's Recurring Cycle) tonight or tomorrow!

Alex Pickman...( www.freewebs.com/alexpickman )