Memphis in May blog » Weather/Traffic

The Beale Street Music and Mud Fest

Jon W. Sparks — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:08:16 +0000

ABC24 Eyewitness Weather forecaster Henry Rothenberg gives us the skinny on today’s weather at BSMF. “It’s pretty much going to stay gray with light showers around.”

So with rain coming off and on, it’s a lot like yesterday, maybe with showers not lasting quite as long. Yes, it’ll continue through the evening with temperatures — it’s 68 now — staying at about the 70 degree level.

Tomorrow the front will push through, Rothenberg says, giving us a couple days, anyway, of dry weather.

Ain’t that the way it goes sometimes.

–Jon W. Sparks

Playing on the Rain Stage …

Jon W. Sparks — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:54:11 +0000

Eyewitness Weather 24 forecaster Henry Rothenberg delivers the verdict: The cold front pretty much turned stationary on top of us and we can expect showers and thunderstorms today and tomorrow — maybe even worse tomorrow.

Winds are calm at the moment and the rain is cooling things. “Temperatures will struggle to hit 70 or 71,” he says, so taking your panchos and a light jacket or windbreaker is advisable.

Tomorrow especially, the rain won’t be as scattered and it’s pretty widespread around the area. There’s potential even for some flash flooding.

Are you gonna let the weather get in the way of Al Green? The Roots? Elvis Costello? Korn?

–Jon W. Sparks

Weather update: there’ll be moisture with your music

Jon W. Sparks — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:57:33 +0000

Henry Rothenberg of Eyewitness Weather 24 has an update for us. It’s looking about the same as he predicted yesterday: rain coming in and out, but temps reasonable.

“As far as heavy rainfall, it’ll be heaviest during the overnight hours,” he says. “Then Saturday will be a repeat. Sunday is the main day I’m concerned with.”

For temps today he’s going with a high of 83 today. “We’ll get a break in the cloud deck to heat us up this afternoon,” he says.

It’s about 75 now and there are sprinkles well north in the Dyersburg area. So, as Rothenberg says, “We’re keeping the tradition alive.”

Wear those galoshes (and my co-blogger Lindsey knows all about how to galosh fashionably, yet sensibly).

–Jon W. Sparks

Music Fest weather: Nice. And wet.

Jon W. Sparks — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:11:12 +0000

Thanks to Henry Rothenberg with the Eyewitness Weather team for an update on what to expect on Tom Lee Park this weekend. Overall, Rothenberg says, temps will be great, with just a little bit of humidity. And how about the rain? He says: “We’re going to keep with tradition.”

I talked to him this morning and he says: “We’re going to have highs tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday of 83 but kind of a gray day with some isolated and scattered thunderstorms — not constantly long-lived thunderstorms but they’re in, they’re out, here comes another one. That’s going to be the trend Friday and Saturday. Sunday we may get more scattered storms maybe a little longer lived — 78 will be the high.”

Rothenberg puts the positive spin on it: “What is Beale Street Music Fest without rain? It makes for the fun, going out in the elements being out in the rain and mud and having a good time with friends.”

Well, he’s right, because it gets proven year after year.

If you go, look me up — I’ll be blogging here, tweeting (follow me at jonwsparks) and doing some backstage videos.

See you in the mud.

–Jon W. Sparks