It's a bit chilly

It started with March and now April is becoming a bit bipolar. Below is the forecast discussion for Union, NJ:

There’s a possibility for rain/snow showers this evening due to a deep trough created by a low pressure system currently over Eastern Canada. We can expect a low of around 33 degrees tonight. For Thursday, temperatures will rebound as we can expect a slight warm-up with temperatures in the lower 60s and mostly sunny skies. Temperatures will remain near the low 50s for the remainder of the week as we can expect a low pressure from the central plains to move in bring the possibly of some showers. For the weekend we can expect cooler temperatures as another unseasonably cool air mass settles in from Canada.

OK I know I’m a meteorology student but come on snow for tonight? Early today there were already a few reports of flurries and as I recall only a couple of days ago we had sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. April is a month of extremes though. One day the temperature can be near 90 and the next there could be snow. Talk about indecisive!

Evening Rainbow

The interview went well and it looks like I might be interning at NBC 10 Philly this summer! I’ll know within the next week or two!
As my mother and I were driving back from the NBC 10 studio, we saw a gorgeous rainbow.

I love this picture!

Taken earlier in the evening, when the rainbow was more faint.

***A wind advisory is in effect for the region and the surrounding area. We can expect wind gusts as high as 50 mph, as deep low pressure moves to the north. High pressure will build behind the low causing gusty winds tonight into Saturday***

Mid-Day Storm/ Job Opportunity

I’m in Moorestown, NJ for today, I have an interview with meteorologist Glenn Schwartz of NBC 10 Philly at 5 pm today. It’s a media/weather broadcasting internship. I’m nervous but oh so excited, wish me luck!

Just a few hours ago we had a cell of heavy rain, thunder and lightning. As of now that cell has pasted but we are not in the clear yet. According to NOAA, we can expect a chance of showers tonight and new rainfall amount of a tenth to a quarter of an inch possible.

Below is a screen shot of the storm from my television:

Storm 4/3/09

Gotta love those Spring showers!

Thunderstorm Safety

The area was hit with severe yesterday as the first thunderstorm of the season which brought thunder, lightning and heavy rain in a short time span. One of my classmates informed me that in his area they also received hail.
I have always found thunderstorms interesting. The dynamic of how they form and are able to produce such phenomenon like tornadoes and lightning is what got me into meteorology. I would watch the storms from the porch of my home in South Jersey, with my father as my mother would stay inside the house and think that we were both crazy. Learning the structure of the storms now and the intensity that most can produce, I must say that we were a little crazy watching the storm from the porch as the lightning would strike a couple of yards away from us. Thunderstorms are serious and should not be taken lightly, especially in the case of lightning or hail. According to Mike Utley, a lightning strike survivor and founder of Struckbylighting.org, 70% of lightning strike incidents occur before and after a storm. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Utley in the Spring of 2008, when he came to speak at my school. He told his amazing story about how he was struck by lighting while playing golf and after the strike he spent 38 days in the intensive care unit and 2 months of rehabilitation. He created the website to educate the public about the dangers of thunderstorms and lightning and offer tips on how to stay safe. Below are a few other facts on lightning:

• Lightning is the only weather-related thing that goes from Earth into outer Space (blue jets).
• Lightning travels up an down and DOES strike MORE THAN ONCE (up to a 100 times a second), it is a “straw” through the air, it’s not a constant charge though it is a negative to positive charge.
• The average lightning bolt is 6 to 10 miles long and the record is 106 miles ( so just because you see lightning in the distance, it does not mean that it can not “reach out and touch you.”)
• A car is safe from lightning because of the metal frame, NOT BECAUSE of the rubber tires.
• Lightning is 5 times hotter than the sun.
• Lightning strikes tall, objects and that “NOTHING ATTRACTS LIGHTNING.”
• When lightning strikes something with moisture on the outside (i.e. sweat, rain) it is more likely to travel on the outside, also know as a flashover (reducing the risk for extreme damage) , when lightning strikes something the is dry, it is more likely to travel through the object (lets just say scientists tested this on a dry piece of wood and the wood exploded).

Water Update!!!! The rain from yesterday’s storm as well as the precipitation we received the day before, has greatly helped with the water deficit situation. Though we are still below the average for this time of the year, yesterday’s storm alone brought 0.42 inches of rain to our area.

Area Forecast (valid March 31st to April 5)

We can expect sunny skies and temperatures in the lower 60s tomorrow as high pressure builds over the area throughout Tuesday, which will be moving offshore by the evening where we can expect temperatures in the lower 40s with mostly cloudy skies. A cold front will move across the region as we can expect temperatures to reach into the mid 50s for Wednesday and Thursday as well as a chance of rain for both days. Another frontal system is projected to pass through on Friday when we can expect a high temperature around 58 and chance of showers. For the weekend high pressure is expected to settle in with milder temperatures for the region.

Rain in the forecast?

I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow for the possibly of precipitation in our area. Even with the slight precipitation we got on the first day of Spring, we still are below the average for this time of year. This is according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, NJ. The average for this time of the year is 3.9 inches and in viewing data recorded from over a span of the last 30 days ( February 22, 2009 to March 23, 2009) we have only received 0.08 inches of rain in Union, NJ. We need those spring showers!

Currently a low developing in the south will be moving in to our area tomorrow possibly bringing new precipitation amounts between a tenth to a quarter of inch. Our next chance for precipitation won’t be until the weekend when another low, this time from over the great lakes, moves into our region possible bringing new rainfall amounts. I’ll keep you updated on the current conditions with the precipitation situation. We are currently not in a drought but with prolonged periods without rain we may be headed that way.

For more information about the current outlook on the average annual precipitation for New Jersey, check out:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/marfc/Maps/NJ_counties_mtd_color.htm

Welcome Spring

It’s the first day of Spring and for some parts of the area there was a surprise this morning…snow! You just gotta love March! The month came in like a lion and in the seasonal transition, winter just seems like it can’t let go. Last night temperatures were in the lower 40s and as a cold front moved through the region later in the morning temperatures dropped to 33 degrees. 32 degrees is not always necessary for the phenomenon of snow and the there have been cases in which it snowed with temperatures in the mid to upper thirties. The snow fell for a good portion of the morning we collected some precipitation from this event.

From the National Weather Service:

Snowfall Totals (March 20, 2009)

NEW JERSEY

…BURLINGTON COUNTY…

SOUTHAMPTON 0.6 820 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

MOUNT LAUREL 0.4 642 AM 3/20 ON SNOWBOARD

…CAMDEN COUNTY…

LINDENWOLD 0.2 830 AM 3/20 ON GRASS AND CARS

…MERCER COUNTY…

HOPEWELL 1.4 730 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

PENNINGTON 1.0 700 AM 3/20 COCORAHS – ON GRASS

EWING 0.8 1013 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

…MIDDLESEX COUNTY…

SOUTH BRUNSWICK 2.0 700 AM 3/20 COCORAHS – ON GRASS

EDISON 1.0 845 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

…MORRIS COUNTY…

LANDING 0.3 612 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

…SOMERSET COUNTY…

HILLSBOROUGH 0.7 700 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

PENNSYLVANIA

…BUCKS COUNTY…

NEWTOWN 0.3 700 AM 3/20 COCORAHS – ON GRASS

FURLONG 0.2 920 AM 3/20 ON GRASS

This is information taken from the weather station in Mt. Holly, NJ. In Moorestown the accumulation was 0.02 inches early today and currently the temperature in Moorestown, NJ is 42 degrees with overcast skies, which is also the high for today. It is below the average of 50 degrees for this time in March and can you believe but just this past year, a record was set today for the record high of 60 degrees. Now that’s Spring! We can expect a low of 27 with partly cloudy skies tonight, as the high which is now over the great lakes, moves into the region by Sunday. We can expect temperatures in the lower 50s for Saturday and near 59 degrees for Sunday as a cold front will move through the area Sunday night, leaving slightly below average temperatures towards the beginning of next week.

Welcome Spring I’m looking forward to some interesting stories.

Earth Hour 2009

Wherever you are on the planet, on Saturday, March 28, 2009, participate in a worldwide event: Earth Hour 2009. All you have to do is turn off non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour (8:30 pm local time). Earth Hour was created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and has become a growing tradition since it originally began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, in which 2.2 million businesses and homes turned off their lights for one hour. In the following year, the message had spread globally, resulting in 50 million people turning of their lights in 2008. Homes and businesses are not only participates. Landmarks including the Sydney Opera House, the Coca Cola Billboard in Times Square, NY and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA turn off their lights as well.
So why turn off the lights? Turning off non-essential lights and electrical appliances helps to concern energy as well as raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. The international event will be taking steps towards a new level this year.
From the Earthhour.org website, “In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday. “
As of now, 1,500 cities and 80 countries, will be turning off their non-essential lights on March 28, 2009, which is a major increase from the confirmed number of 35 participating countries for Earth Hour 2008. Join in on the chance to make a difference, turn off those lights on March 28, 2009!

Current Conditions

I’m at home in Moorestown, NJ (South Jersey) now for Spring Break. Many of my forecasts will be for the Union, NJ (North Jersey) because that’s where attend college.

Right now in Moorestown, the temperature is 46 with a light rain/mist mixture. We can expect mostly cloudy skies and a low around 36 for tonight with a slight possibly for showers before 10 pm.

In Union, the temperature is 44 with overcast skies. For tonight expect a low around 33 with mostly cloudy skies and a chance of showers before 11 pm.

Spring is Almost Here!

The first official day of the vernal equinox a.k.a. Spring is March 20th at exactly 7:44 am EST!

Mark it on your calendars and let’s hope for some warmer temperatures and sunnier skies like we had today.

Fact:

From time and date.com, “The word “equinox” derives from the Latin words meaning “equal night” and refers to the time when the sun crosses the equator. At such times, day and night are everywhere of nearly equal length everywhere in the world.

It is important to note that while the March equinox marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, it is the start of autumn in many parts of the southern hemisphere.”