This ain't quite scientific, but...
I'll throw my hat in with an active upcoming weekend, even without looking at any of this morning's model runs.
Why? The amount of chatter about it among the "weather community." As those of you who were at the Severe Weather conference in Norman early last month may remember, the statement was made several times about the May, 2003 outbreak that "we knew this was coming almost a week out." I distinctly remember the level of chatter about upcoming storms increasing before both the May 2003 and May 1999 events.
My first clue was when the "weather geek" of the station's meteorological staff e-mailed me and the station's primary chaser Sunday with a heads-up for possible severe wx next weekend. The word "severe" doesn't fall out of his mouth unless he's fairly certain. Then I look at the ICT HWO, and they're talking the possibility of severe Sat through Monday. The discussion is even more explict, describing a round on Saturday and a triple point developing in the area on Sunday.
Then I log on here to start a thread about the upcoming weekend, and find it's already been started! Already, five to six days out, we have convergence developing
This morning, I fully expect to find all the discussions in the area looking at the severe threat for the weekend. I won't be terribly disappointed if it's all fallen apart -- after all, this is April, but it's also time for the southern jet stream to shift back north, and that is typically an unsettled time.
Other unscientific indicators: we had a dip below freezing this weekend. When the winter pattern makes an appearance in Wichita the second weekend of April, I've noticed a tendency for the storm season to start fairly soon thereafter.
Those who are looking at chasing in this area this weekend, please do me a favor...drop by my web page,
http://www.ksstorm.info/about.html and send me an e-mail. I'd like to talk with you about phone reports and possible video ;-)
Now, off to find some shred of scientific backing for my gut instinct reaction to the early chaser convergence :lol:
Scott
(Chase Coordinator, KWCH TV 12, Wichita)