A pretty low pressure

This is a satellite image from this morning and if you look of the N.C. coast, you can see the swirl of a low pressure over the gulf stream.

It is not too late in the year for these coastal lows to form. I remember one year (1991 or 1992) we had a very potent nor'easter in late May that left 4-5 inches of rain in eastern NC and 5 feet of snow on Mount Pisgah (just south of Asheville) This low pressure is particularly notable for its compact shape and elaborated comma shape - it could be in a text book. Much more delicate than the brawny St. Patty's day and Tax day nor'easters from earlier in the year.

This low pressure is slinging back moisture and wind onto Hatteras island making for a very unpleasant May day. This is part of the breezy pattern we have here, a squeeze between a strong high up to the north and the low pressure off of NC.

The benefit for the breezy days with air off the ocean is the clarity of the sky - while crisp yesterday, the sky was a brilliant, almost fall-like blue. Probably one of the last crystal clear days until Fall as the Bermuda High should be setting up soon and pumping up muggy air from the south.