While we are likely to see some level of cloudiness over the next several days, it’s not likely we will see any rain or snow out of them…at least not until about this time next week. Temperatures will range from seasonable (upper 60s) to slightly warmer than average (low 70s) through Tuesday. While it is still early, there is some indication that the weather will move into a wetter pattern mid-next week, with the possibility of valley rain and mountain snow.

(Back to questions from kids)

DEAR MIKE: Why can you tell how far away a lightning bolt is by counting? WONDERING

DEAR WONDERING: You can tell by timing how far the sound follows the sight.

With lightning, both light and sound are generated almost instantaneously. Fortunately, light travels a bit faster than sound: 186,000 miles per second as opposed to about 1,000 feet per second. If you are 5 miles away, the light would take about .0000269 seconds to get to you, or basically no time at all.

So once you see lightning, start counting the seconds off (one watermelon, two watermelon….). Since sound travels about 1,000 feet per second, and a mile is just a little over 5,000 feet, every 5 seconds the sound takes to get to you will equal about a mile that the lightning is away. Lightning 5 miles away will be heard in about 25 seconds. If you hear thunder less than 5 seconds after seeing lightning, then its past time to get inside.