In The "Dry Slot" - But What Is It?

Here is a view of our visible satellite from 5pm - and look at what we can see:

Sunshine during this massive storm system? That's right. It's because of something we call a "dry slot" and it happens quite often in these parts. They make what would otherwise be the right forecast slightly off - and are predictable only in that they will form.

A quick peek at the National Weather Service's glossary reveals this definition:

Dry Slot
A zone of dry (and relatively cloud-free) air which wraps east- or
northeastward into the southern and eastern parts of a synoptic scale or
mesoscale low pressure system. A dry slot generally is seen best on satellite
photographs.

So there you go - and that dry slot will be shifting slightly south and west over the next 24 hours as this strong, but disorganized, system moves to the West.

Check back on the weather blog over the weekend to find out more about this system!

~KDLT Chief Meteorologist Aaron Shaffer