Cold air funnels and isolated severe storms possible

Cold air funnel clouds are possible in the relatively cold, unstable air mass in place over the Ohio valley today, along with isolated heavy downpours, small hail and an isolated severe storm.  Cold air funnel clouds are relatively weak rotations that develop in a relatively cold air mass.  They are weaker than normal funnel clouds and rarely reach the ground.  However, it is something to be aware of today since they can occasionally reach the ground and cause damage.  Cold air funnels occurred Sunday in Indiana.

Localized rainfall…

I began my watering program this week for the first time this year as drought stress was beginning to show itself. Last night, after a day which broke the record for the coolest July 18 high in Cincinnati history, dark clouds developed late and radar indicated some isolated showers.

During the evening, the skies grew dark here and radar indicated a small shower moving slowly into my part of the county. This developed into a small complex of showers which essentially sat in place for three hours pouring rain down on my dry yard. When all was said and done, I had 0.82 inch in my rain gauge. I guess I can turn off the water for a while!

I must be living right!

I checked the radar estimated precipitation and it showed appreciable rainfall over a very small area, and it did not indicate anything as heavy as what I measured. Very localized.  Could this be what CoCoRaHS was set up to detect?

It will be interesting to see if there are any other reports of decent rainfall
since there are other CoCoRaHS sites near mine but outside what appeared to be the heavier rain area.

Update:  As expected, this was a highly localized event:

COOPERATIVE STATION REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1009 AM EDT SUN JUL 19 2009

                TEMPERATURES  CURRENT      24 HR
LOCATION        MAX MIN 7AM   WEATHER      PRECP
__________________________________________________
INDIANA………
ALPINE                                      0.04
BROOKVILLE      72  53  62                  0.00

KENTUCKY……..
NAPOLEON        75  54  54   PARTLY CLOUDY  0.00

OHIO…………
BELLEFONTAINE    69  51  57                 0.00
BUCKEYE LAKE                                0.20
CHEVIOT          70  55  56                 0.80
CINCY-FERNBANK   71  56  61  MOSTLY CLOUDY  0.00
COLMBS VLY CRSS  72  55  57                 0.03
HUNTSVILLE       73  52  55  PARTLY CLOUDY  0.01
JEFFERSONVILLE                                 T
KINGS MILLS                                 0.00
LAURELVILLE                                 0.00
MIAMITOWN        72  56  59                 0.41
NEW CARLISLE                                0.00
NEWARK           81  53  53  PARTLY CLOUDY     T
SPRINGFIELD                                 0.00
SPRINGFIELD 2    70  59  60  CLOUDY         0.00
ST PARIS                                    0.02
UTICA                                       0.03
VERSAILLES                                  0.03
WAVERLY          74  56  58  SUNNY          0.00
WILMINGTON       69  56  59  CLOUDY         0.02

KENTUCKY MESONET STATIONS (WWW.KYMESONET.ORG)
__________________________________________________
SITE     STATION              MAX / MIN / 24 HR
ID       LOCATION             TEMP/ TEMP/ PRECIP
__________________________________________________
CRRL     CARROLLTON 2 E        71 /  54 / 0.00
SWON     OWENTON 5 E           69 /  53 / 0.00

COCORAHS PRECIPITATION SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
911 AM EDT SUN JUL 19 2009

COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS
THESE REPORTS ARE CONSIDERED SUPPLEMENTAL AND UNOFFICIAL
VALUES ARE FOR THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS ENDING AROUND 7 AM LOCAL TIME

.B ILN 0719 E DH07/PP/SF/SD/SW
:
:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN SOUTHEAST INDIANA
:
:                                               SNOW   SNOW  WATER
:                                        PCPN   FALL  DEPTH  EQUIV
:
INDR3   : AURORA 3.9 W             *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /   MM /   MM
INOH1   : AURORA 3.6 SSE           *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /   MM /   MM
INWN2   : RICHMOND 0.9 SE          *   :    T /  MM /   MM /   MM
INWN4   : CENTERVILLE 0.3 N        *   :    T /  MM /   MM /   MM
:
:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY
:
:                                               SNOW   SNOW  WATER
:                                        PCPN   FALL  DEPTH  EQUIV
:
KYGL1   : GLENCOE 3.8 NNE          *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /   MM /   MM
:
:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN SOUTHWEST OHIO
:
:                                               SNOW   SNOW  WATER
:                                        PCPN   FALL  DEPTH  EQUIV
:
OHBT2   : BECKETT RIDGE 3.9 NW     *   :    T /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHBT7   : TRENTON 0.7 SE           *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /   MM /   MM
OHCK1   : SPRINGFIELD 1.1 NNW      *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /   MM /   MM
OHCN4   : WILMINGTON 5.4 SSW       *   : 0.03 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHDL2   : WESTERVILLE 4.0 N        *   : 0.21 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHFR2   : DUBLIN 3.2 ENE           *   : 0.07 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHFR8   : NEW ALBANY 2.8 SSE       *   : 0.19 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHFR10  : WESTERVILLE 0.2 WNW      *   : 0.10 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHFR12  : UPPER ARLINGTON 2.4 NNW  *   : 0.05 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHHM3   : WYOMING 1.2 NW           *   : 0.04 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00
OHHM4   : CLEVES 2.7 NNW           *   : 0.04 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00
OHHM5   : CHEVIOT 0.9 SSE          *   : 0.82 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHHM9   : WHITE OAK EAST 0.9 E     *   : 0.22 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHMY4   : CENTERVILLE 1.7 WSW      *   : 0.02 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHMY5   : FARMERSVILLE 1.7 E       *   : 0.04 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHMY6   : CENTERVILLE 1.4 SW       *   : 0.03 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHPB1   : EATON 1.0 N              *   : 0.00 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00
OHRS1   : CHILLICOTHE 3.7 S        *   : 0.01 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHSH1   : SIDNEY 5.3 NE            *   : 0.13 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHSH4   : ANNA 3.1 NNW             *   : 0.03 /  MM /   MM /   MM
OHUN1   : MARYSVILLE 1.5 NNE       *   : 0.08 /  MM /   MM /   MM
: