THEWEATHERMOGIL:: Super Tuesday primary weather, not so super in three states
“Super Tuesday,” perhaps the biggest single day of primary election year voting, has arrived. Twelve states have Republican primaries or caucuses; ten states have Democratic primaries (with American Samoa holding a caucus). Six of the primary states are in the Deep South, with three states (Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee) in the Southeast and three (Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas) across or near the southern Plains. As noted over a week ago, many of the southern “Super Tuesday” states are expected to experience some weather impacts – either rain and/or severe weather (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).
What are the Super Tuesday states?
Both Democrats and Republicans: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont and Virginia.
Republicans only: Tennessee primary and Alaska caucus.
Democrats only: American Samoa caucus.
The southeastern part of the Nation will be faced with the risk of locally heavy rainfall and possibly severe storms (reminiscent in some ways of the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak of Feb. 5 – 6, 2008). Arkansas and the eastern parts of Oklahoma will have a chilly morning rain, followed by cloudy skies (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). Texas will be warm to start, with a cool down as the day unfolds. Alabama and Georgia will see wet weather later today and tonight, as primaries wind down. Otherwise, the weather should be mostly “good,” across the remainder of today’s primary landscape territory.
After today’s primaries and caucuses, I’ll provide periodic updates during the next week or so to keep the weather in focus as additional key primaries take place. Then, look for a continued period of updates for the next three months, thanks to a spate of primaries that doesn’t end until June 14.
Regardless of your party affiliation or political beliefs, I encourage you to use your right and responsibility to vote. I will be voting in the Florida primary on Mar. 15, regardless of the weather.
© 2016 H. Michael Mogil
Originally posted 3/1/16