Winter Wonderland!!!!

Here are some pictures from today's snow storm around 3:15 in the afternoon. Enjoy!

My House

The Front Steps


My car


Can you find it?

The backyard

It's beautiful!

Winter Wonderland!

Blizzard of 2009

I'm home (Moorestown, NJ) for the winter break from my school and with 2 more days until the official start of winter, the snow and the wind from storm that we have gotten today, really is a blast of winter. As of 11:45 am the total amount for Moorestown was 4.5 inches, but this storm is not over yet. The Weather Channel is calling this storm the Blizzard of 2009 and I can see that because of the snow and the high winds at 17 to 25 mph. The cams from the different areas that they are showing like the White Housed in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA, are also unrecognizable because of the whiteout conditions from the blowing snow. Around the area the totals from the storm vary in Mount Holly, NJ the total at 9:45 am was 2.3 inches and in Burlington,NJ the total was 1 inch at 7:46 am. Atlantic City,NJ at 7:00 am had 2.6 inches and Philadelphia, PA had 2.0 inches at 7:00 am. These are just the totals from earlier today and more is expected from the storm. The forecasters are saying that the rate at which the snow is falling is 1 to 2 inches an hour and are predicting the storm to be over by 6:00 am tomorrow.

Travel has been halted by the storm and I saw the Philadelphia International Airport is reporting 6 hours delays today and many cancellations. If you do not have to be on the road, do not go on the road. Stay indoors if you can, with the high snow totals the car may get stuck. This storm is historic in some areas. In Baltimore, MD they are reporting up to 15 inches of snow and in Washington, DC the totals are near 20 inches of snow. It may be more once the storm is officially over. For my area we've probably received much more accumulation since 11:45 this morning and 8 to 10 more inches is predicted to accumulate by the end of the day. Below is a map from the Weather Channel, showing predicted precipitation accumulations.


This is a surface map valid 12:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, from the Weather Channel. See how the low pressure is off to the coast. Further North of this map is a high pressure system which is blocking this low pressure system and the cold air from the high pressure system is feeding in with the moisture of the low pressure system and the result is the snow! The winds are strong because the isobars between the high pressure system and the low pressure system is tightly packed and the tighter the isobars are between the gradient of high pressure to low pressure, the stronger the winds are.


Stay tuned to your local weather channel or news report for more updates on the storm. I'll post some pictures from around my area of later tonight. Be safe!

Snowfall Totals and Rain Ahead

What a storm it was last week and tonight we'll be getting precipitation too, just not in the form of snow. Atlantic City did receive some snow on Saturday, NOAA measured 0.3 inches at the Atlantic City airport. Moving further northward from Atlantic City, Mount Holly National Weather Sation measured near 0.8 inches while Delran, NJ recieved 0.7 inches. I live in Moorestown, NJ for the time when I am not in school in Union, NJ and when I got back to Moorestown Sunday night, most of the 0.7 inches of snow had already melted, due to the partly sunny skies and the slightly warmer temperature near 43. There was some snow accumulation on my car. The total for Philadelphia Airport was a trace while the total for National Park in Gloucester County was a trace as well. Further North in Morris County, Marcella recieved 6.1 inches while Raldolph recieved 4.5 inches. Parts of Delware, New York and Pennsylvania recieved snow as well. If you wish to view more snowfall totals of last weeks storm, visit: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/ and then click the icon at the top entitled "Public Info."

(Area Forecast, Union NJ- December 8 to December 13)

Tonight we'll be seeing much precipitation in the form of rain, so don't forget your unbrellas as a strengthening low pressure system from our west moves into the region. Except a low around 35 for tonight. That low pressure system will remain in our area for Wednesday as we can expect showers throughout the day and a high near 44. A warm front will be passing through the region Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night as we can expect lows for Wednesday around 37. Thursday looks to be breezy with winds out of the west at 15 to 25 mps. Gust may reach up to 37 mph. Expect mostly cloudy sky conditions and a high near 40 for Thursday as well. High pressure will move into the area for Friday into Saturday as we can expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 37. Sunday looks to be another chance for some rain as a coastal low will move into the region. Expect a slight chance of showers and a high near 38.

A Ripple In the Clouds

Just wanted to share a few pictures I took of the clouds yesterday from my work window. Please disregard the reflection of the lights on the window. These clouds were absolutely amazing!

It's coming!

I'm in Southern New Jersey in Moorestown, for today. In a few hours I will be going to Atlantic City for the weekend. Just wanted to post an update on the current conditions of this wintry mix that's bring some joy to many people along the East Coast and which has also brought Houston, TX it's earlier snowfall in history. Currently in Moorestown it is 38 degrees, with light rain. The system is moving up the coast and by tonight we should be seeing some snow! NOAA is stating that the chance for snow tonight is 100% and the area could be receiving up to 3 inches. For Northern New Jersey, around the Union area, the possibly for snow is high as well and the region could be receiving close to 1 inch of snow. Below is the current radar from Accuweather of the system:

We can see that to the north and north west, the snow is currently falling and for our region the temperatures are continuing to fall and the rain will be changing over to snow tonight. Stay safe!

Near Record Temp/Snow this weekend?

I'm sure you felt the warmth as you stepped outside earlier this morning and last night temperatures in our region were above normal as well. I'm sure so might be wondering is it December or Spring? Well, we almost reached a record here for our region this morning. The temperature was 67 recorded at 6:51 am and looking at the history for the Newark region, the temperature today reached rather close to the record set back in 1998 which was 70 degrees. The average for this time of the year is 40. Today's high was 27 degrees above normal though, and I must say, the temperature felt rather nice. The cold front from our west moved into the region this afternoon, dropping the temps down to 63, which is much cooler than this morning but still considerably away from the average for this time of year. It is also quite breezy outside as the front moves through. Currently the wind is from the west at 16 mph and gusts up to 22 mph. So will we be getting any closer to the average temperature for the month of December?

There is a chance for snow on Saturday night, as a low pressure system from off the coast moves into the area. The models (The GFS and the NAM) have shown this low off the coast with high pressure to the North which is an ideal set-up for snow. The temperatures will also be ideal for snow to occur in the region. NOAA is expecting temperatures to drop down to 29 degrees Saturday night. The chance for the region getting snow on Saturday is 30% according to NOAA and down in South Jersey is 50%. Let's our fingers crossed for a snowflake or two, for many areas of the state, Saturday night could be our first snow of the season!

Back to Average Temps

Hey everyone, hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed your Thanksgiving day and Black Friday if you went out and shopped. Once again I have been lagging behind in updating the blog, many assignments with school. I'm sure you've been feeling the cooler temperatures these past few days. For this week it will be getting a bit milder.

(Area Forecast-Union, NJ)
November 29- December 6

We are feeling the effects of a high pressure system which is located towards our south today. We can expect sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 50s for this afternoon. A cold front will move through the region Monday as we can expect showers before 2 pm and a temperature of 54 and breezy conditions with west winds at 8 to 14 mph. Wind gust may reach as high as 23 mph, for Monday. High pressure will then be in our area for Tuesday into Wednesday as we can expect partly sunny skies and a high near 50 for both days. A low pressure system will be moving in Wednesday night into Thursday as we can expect a chance for showers Wednesday night and into Thursday. Don't forget those umbrellas! Thursday will also be slightly cooler with a high temperature near 47 for the afternoon. The weekend looks to be pleasant as high pressure moves into the region. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high near 46 for Saturday and sunny sky conditions and a high near 45 for Sunday. Be safe!

Getting cooler...

(Forecast 11-2 to 11-8)
Union, NJ

Hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Halloween. Maybe some of you were dancing to Thriller by Michael Jackson, I know I was :-) Though it rained in the Jersey area, I must stay that the night was quite warm for this time of the year. The that rain we got was from a cold front that passed through the region and unfortunately we'll be feeling the effects this week. For Tuesday we can expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 58 as high pressure from the west moves into the region.. Tuesday night will be chilly, as we can expect a low in the mid 30s. For Wednesday we can expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 43. There's a chance of showers throughout the day, for Thursday so you may want to bring your umbrella with you on the way to work or school. The high is expected to be around 49 for Thursday and the low for Thursday night is expected to be 35. Another cold front will come through the region Friday as we can expect a high of 49 with sunny skies. For the weekend the temperature will rebound slightly with high temperatures expected to reach into the mid 50s and mostly sunny sky conditions for both days.

Be safe!

Below-Average Temps Ahead

(October 12- October 18)
Valid for Union, NJ

Colder air from Canada, will be coming to our region this week, so you may want to bring a jacket with you if you can. For Monday (Columbus Day), we can expect partly sunny skies and a high in the mid 50s. Winds will be from the north at 5 to 8 mph, and then will shift to the south as a low pressure system from our south. For the evening we can expect a low around 48 and a slight chance of showers after 1 am. Don't forget your umbrellas Tuesday because there is a slight chance of showers before 3 pm. Expect a high of 62 and slightly breezy conditions from the northwest at 8 to 11 mph, with winds increasing to 17 to 20 mph after 3 pm. A cold front will pass through the region Tuesday night, as it will be chilly with a low around 40. A high pressure system will move into the region Wednesday, as we can expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 55. For Thursday we can expect a chance for showers and a high near 50 and for Thursday night we can expect showers and a low near 42 as a low pressure system moves in from the South. For Friday expect a chance for rain and a high near 54. The weekend looks to be pleasant, due to a high pressure system from the northwest, with a high in the mid 50s for Saturday and for Sunday we'll be seeing a slight warm-up with mostly sunny skies and a high near 58.

Be safe and have an enjoyable holiday!

Feeling Extra-Topical?

Hurricane forecast for England, in October? That's right! Tropical Storm Grace just blow right by the United States and ended up near the United Kingdom a few days ago. Unusual, I'd say so! The storm developed off the coast of Azores, in late September as an extra-tropical area of low pressure. By October 4, the storm had formed and at 11:00 AST that day it was named Grace, by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) due to it's relatively deep convection and eye-like feature. Convection continued to persist due to low wind shear, even though the storm was already in waters not normally warm enough for a tropical storm to develop. Due to the intense jet stream, the tropical storm blew on a northeastern track over the Atlantic, rather than the more common southly track over the northwestern Atlantic. The storm intensified slightly as it moved over the waters and then began to decrease as it moved closer to the land surface, the next day. It's max winds where reported to peak at about 70 mph, for about one-minute. On October 6, Tropical Storm Grace dissipated over England, after bringing minor rainfall and high winds to Wales, Ireland and Capel Curig, United Kingdom.

According to the Hurricane Specialist's Unit (2009), "Operationally, Grace was not classified a tropical storm until it reached latitude 41.2°N; this marked the second northernmost formation of a tropical storm in the Atlantic on record, only Tropical Storm Alberto of 1988 had formed farther north." It also "...marked the farthest northeast a tropical cyclone formed in the Atlantic basin, surpassing that of Hurricane Vince in 2005."

Unfortunately these reports were proven to be incorrect after a post-storm analysis by the NHC, finding that "Grace had become a tropical storm 12 hours earlier than initially stated, becoming tropical at latitude 38.3°N." - source here.

Regardless if Tropical Storm Grace, was extra-tropical or just tropical, I'm sure it surprised a lot of weather forecasters!

Track of Hurricane Grace (courtesy of weather underground)

Definition of Extratropical- "

-->Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth (outside the tropics) having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and horizontal gradients in temperature and dew point otherwise known as "baroclinic zones." source

Degeneration and Cooler Temps

The Atlantic is quiet once more. On September 26, Tropical Depression Eight decided to take a turn towards the cooler waters of the northwestern coast of Africa. There the tropical depression would degenerated back into a tropical wave. There's still a good two more months until the Atlantic season is over, the final date for the season is November 30th. Let's at least see Grace! The Pacific hurricane season, has been very active producing 16 named stores, in which 6 of those named storms became hurricane and 3 of those hurricanes were major (category 3 or higher). Like the Atlantic season hurricane, the last day for the Pacific season in November 30th and currently no storms are active.

Forecast (September 29 to October 4)
Union, NJ

Don't forget your sweaters, tomorrow because Fall is here! The trees are already starting to turn and with the cold front that came through earlier this evening, the temperatures for this week will be slightly cooler. For Tuesday, expect a high of 70 with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers after 3 pm. For Tuesday night, expect temperatures around 50 degrees and chance for some sprinkles around 9 pm. On Wednesday, we'll be feeling some milder temperatures with a high around 64. A strong storm system will be slowly drifting Northeast from the great lakes into New England Wednesday night as we can expect a slight chance of showers throughout the day. A weak high pressure system will build in the region by Thursday as we can expect sunny skies, and a high near 63. That high will move offshore by the evening as we can expect partly cloudy skies and lows around 43. For Friday we warm up a little as a warm front approaches from our south. Expect a high around 68 with mostly sunny skies. That warm front will move into the tri-state region by Saturday as we can expect a high near 70 and mostly cloudy skies. Expect a slight chance of showers Saturday night as a cold front, following behind the warm front, moves into the region. Expect a high of 50 for Sunday with a chance of showers throughout the day. Stay safe everyone!!!

Foodweather...I like it

Imagine if you woke up one morning and you looked outside the window and instead of it raining or snowing just water droplets and frozen water droplets, it rained orange juice or snowed ice cream. That's the part of the plot behind one of my favorite books that I loved to read as a child, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. Now I would always read this book before I went to bed when I was younger and when I heard that Hollywood, would be making this book into a movie, I must say that I was worried at first. As a 22-year-old college senior, I have seen my share of childhood favorites which have been turned into more commercialized Hollywood disasters. I feared that the wonderment and innocence of the text would be glamorized by flashing lights. Oh but I had nothing to fear. This movie sent me on whirlwind of emotions as it was amusing, thoughtful and heartfelt. Though some of the underlining themes may be a little too much for children to understand today, the nature of the film was much like that of the book that I read when I was younger.

Though the storyline is a bit different than that of the book, the characters in either are ones to love. From the grandfather who told the kids a story in the paperback, to the police officer who helped save the town in the movie, the individuals always seemed to remind me of someone I could relate to. The main characters in the movie may inspire the kiddies to become scientists, inventors and even a meteorologist as well That's what the whole story is based on and even more amazing is the concept of foodweather! It's a cute movie and I'm sure the whole family will love it. This weather girl approves!

Hurricane Talk, Flooding and a Return

Gosh it's been over a month since I've posted an entry on here, so long that it is technically Fall . I unexpectedly took a break from posting entries and there's been a lot going on with the weather and the environment. The 2009 Atlantic Hurricane season is still active until November 30 and the actual peak for this season has come and passed. Since I last posted an entry there have been two named storms. Erika and Fred. Erika became a tropical storm on September 1 after forming northeast of the Leeward Islands. The storm gained a greater potential as it moved across the Atlantic, strengthening to 60 mph. The next day however, the storm decreased in intensity and and was downgraded to a tropical depression the following day. Six days later, on September 7, a tropical wave of the coast of Cape Verde, formed what would later become Tropical Storm Fred, by the end of the day. The tropical storm quickly gained strength and became a category 1 hurricane in the early morning of September 8. The storm continued to gain intensity throughout the evening, becoming a category 2 hurricane, six hours after first becoming a category 1 hurricane. Fred made history not once but twice. The first is because of its location. The storm is the strongest storm to ever be recorded, to be captured so far south and east in the Atlantic by satellite imagery. Hurricane Fred is also one of only three hurricanes which were east of 35°W where it gained intensity to a category 3 hurricane. Due to vertical wind shear, the storm weakened to a remnant low on September 12. It remained a remnant low until September 20 (Two days before the first day of Fall) when it dissipated near Bermuda. As a remnant low Fred caused some havoc in the southeast, and produced widespread heavy rainfall. As a result, Fred caused historic flooding in Georgia, with a reported 20 inches falling near Atlanta, Georgia and caused over $250 million dollars in damages.

The Atlantic is currently brewing another storm as well. Tropical Depression Eight formed earlier today from a tropical wave off the coast of Cape Verde. The minimum central pressure is 1008 mb and it is moving northwest at 14 mph, with winds at 35 mph. Below is the five day forecast cone for the storm:


If this storm is named, the next name in on the storm names list is Grace. Now I know it's a far stretch but this years list also provides the name Kate, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get at least five more named storms so I can bug my best friend Kate, by possibly this season's storm with her name :-)

I'm back and I will definitely be posting more entries. Check back and stay safe!

2009 Atlantic Season Update

Tropical Storm Ana has dissipated and as well as Tropical Storm Claudette which formed quickly off the shore of Tallahassee, Florida. Claudette was interesting because of quickness in which it formed. The storm was formed on August 16, out of a tropical wave and an upper-level low system. The winds had reached 50 mph by that afternoon and the storm made landfall on Santa Rosa Island, Florida. By August 17, the storm had weaken and dissipated over Georgia, the following day.

Currently Bill is active in the Atlantic Basin. Tropical Storm Bill had been upgraded to Hurricane Bill on August 17 after satellite imagery captured what to be an eye forming and the intensity of the storm increased. Bill intensified into a major hurricane (Category 3) on August and was upgraded to a category 4 hurricane on August 19. Since then the storm has weaken to a Category 2 and the path of the hurricane looks to "hug" the North Eastern Coast and just miss Bermuda. The storm may intensify again once it passes by Bermuda and tracks towards Canada. The storm is moving northwest at 18 mph with winds at 115 mph. Current watches and warnings are for Bermuda. Below is Hurricane Bill's projected path:

***Hurricane Bill passing by the coast will result in an increase in coastal danger. For the New Jersey Coast this weekend (Saturday August 21, 2009 to Sunday August 22, 2009), forecasters are predicting waves to reach close to 8 to 11 ft and rip currents will be stronger. If you are planning to go to the shore this weekend be advised of these dangers and check with your local weather forecaster before you head out into the water. Stay safe!***

Storm Regeration and Progression of Bill

We finally have our first tropic storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season, as well as another tropical storm behind it, Bill. Tropical Depression Two degenerated into a system of low pressure, over the Atlantic ocean on August 13. The remnants of this storm regenerated over the central Atlantic earlier today and finally has become the first tropical storm of the season, Ana!

Currently Tropical Storm Ana is 40 mph and is headed west at 17 mph. Below is the projected path of this storm:


A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Netherland Antilles. Check out this public advisory for more information.

Behind Tropical Storm Ana is Tropical Storm Bill has winds at 40 mph and is moving west at 16 mph. The storm formed southwest of the Cape Verde islands earlier today and strengthened to a tropical storm around 5 this evening. Below is the 5-day predication cone for Bill:

For the latest forecast and advisory for Tropical Storm Bill, check out this link.
Both storms are predicted to strengthen within the next 24 hours. Finally Ana has formed in the Atlantic basin and not just Ana, but Bill as well!

source: National Hurricane Center

Something's A Brewing

After about a month and a few days we finally have a storm that may become a hurricane! Tropical depression two formed off the coast of Cape Verde, earlier this morning. Could this storm be the beginning of Ana? The season started prematurely with tropical depression one which formed on May 28 and became an extratropical storm the following day. Since then the Atlantic Coast has been relatively quiet, when compared to the Pacific Coast which has had nearly eight named storms by now. Currently Maka is active in the Pacific Coast. The inactivity for the Atlantic Coast is not that uncommon, in fact 2009 is the second consective year to not have a storm form in June. No storms formed in July as well and that is very remincient of the 2000 season, when no storms formed in the month of July as well. Will this depression become tropical storm Ana? It looks to be very much so, as this storm is become more organized. The waters of the Atlantic are warm which is proving moisture for the storm, and will give it strength. Below is the 5-day prediction cone of the depression. Something's definitely a brewing.

Source: NOAA

Lightning Will Reach Out and Touch You

Those are the words of Mike Utley, a lightning strike survivor. On Sunday, severe storms, swept through Union, NJ and the surrounding area, and unfortunately as reported by myfoxny.com, four men in Newark, NJ were struck and one of those men has died. It was reported that the men were struck a little after 6 pm behind 250 Mount Vernon Place which is an apartment complex. They were trying to seek shelter from the heavy rain and were under a tree when they were struck. At first one man was reported to have suffered critical injuries while the other three suffered non-life threatening burns, but today it has been updated that one man has died as a result from their injuries. The four men were cousins. My condolences to the family of the lightning strike victim.

Thunderstorms are very dangerous and when caught outside in one, options for shelter might not be readily available. One of the worse places for shelter is under a tree. Lightning will reach out and touch you and it will most likely strike the tallest most isolated object. If you ever find yourself outside in a thunderstorm, go inside a building or your car or truck if you can. Make sure the windows are completely shut. If not, avoid water, the high ground and open spaces. Also avoid all metal objects including electric wires, fences, machinery, motors, power tools, etc.

Unsafe places included:

-Underneath canopies
-Small picnic or rain shelters
-Trees.

If you are outside and lightning is striking nearby, you should:
Crotch down by putting your feet together and placing your hands over ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder. If you are with other people, stand apart and avoid proximity (a minimum of 15 ft.) to other people. Lightning travels through the ground.

If outdoor activities are in progress, suspend the activities and find shelter. Wait at least 30 minutes from the last observed flash of lightning or sound of thunder. If someone is injured, call 911 immediately and apply First Aid procedures if possible. Heed thunderstorm watches and warnings and take to heart these safety tips, so you can stay safe in a thunderstorm.

Article here.
Lightning Safely tips here.

Rainy Week Ahead/Texas Drought

The forecast is valid for Union, NJ and the surrounding area

(July 27 to August 2)

Don't forget to bring your umbrella because all this week there looks to be a chance of rain every day this week. For today we can expect a high of 86 with chance showers throughout the day due to a cold front dissipating across the region. The temperature won't drop for Tuesday as we can expect a slight chance for thunderstorms and a high in the upper 80s. For Wednesday into Friday a series of troughs will develop over the region and we can a chance of thunderstorms and highs near 87 on Wednesday and Thursday and a a chance for some scattered thunderstorms on Friday. Expect a high near 86. For the weekend, the slight chance for thunderstorms remains, as deep moisture builds over the region. Expect a high in the mid 80s for Saturday and Sunday.


The rain will definitely be keeping the grass green and nourish those blossoming flowers, which is a great contrast to what is going on towards our south. Texas and other states are in need of rain, in fact parts of Texas are in a drought and Recently I went to George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., for a scholarship program at my university, and the grass there looked so dry. Looking at the forecast for DC, it looks like they'll be getting a good chance for rain this week, as they can expect a chance for thunderstorms each day. The same goes for Jasper, Texas, as they can expect a slight chance of rain this week, though it probably won't be enough to get the state out of an extreme drought situation.

For more information on the Texas Drought, check out the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://drought.unl.edu/DM/Monitor.html

New Zealand moving closer to Australia?

I was browsing Yahoo earlier today, when an article about a powerful earthquake in New Zealand caught my eye. The earthquake which occurred last Thursday, measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, actually pushed the South Island of New Zealand closer to Australia. According to the article, the movement is measured to be 30 cm closer to the continent of Australia and that the quake was so powerful that it changed the shape of the South Island of New Zealand. The two land masses are separated by the Tasman Sea which is merely 2250 km wide. This recent earthquake is the strongest New Zealand has had in almost 78 years and the biggest display of force that the world has seen so far this year. The article goes on to state, that scientists eventually believe that the island will settle back into place, though this reverse motion may take up to hundreds of years. This quake was usual because its epicentre. Quakes are known to New Zealand because it lays along the meeting point of the Pacific and Australian continential plates, the recent quake however, struck along the right boundary of the Australian and Pacific plates. The damage of this quake was slight considering the high magnitude of 7.8, as only slight damages to building were reported in the southwest Fiordland region of the South Island.

Check out the Yahoo article here for more information on this earthquake as well as the Australian report of this event found here.

It's Eclipsic

OK so I don't know if eclipsic is a word but what I do know is that I'm referring to the longest duration of a total solar eclipse in the 21st century, which is set to occur tomorrow, in central and northeastern India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, and the Ryukyu Islands. A partial solar eclipse is set to occur in Southeast Asia, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Central Pacific Ocean area and its islands. An eclipse of any sort won't be happening here in America though :-(

It's been almost a year sense the last total solar eclipse which captured in Nunavut, northern Greenland, central Russia, western Mongolia, and western China on August 1, 2008. The most recent solar eclipse was an annular eclipse early this year, on January 26, 2009. That eclipse was seen in southeast Sumatra, Jakarta and Borneo. So what actually is the cause of a solar eclipse? Well a solar eclipse is the result of when a new moon passes between the sun and the Earth. By doing this the sun appears to be totally or partially covered, which is amazing considering the size difference of the two masses. In earlier times when solar eclipses were not as well known, the event could be seen as very ominous and scary. For a few seconds to a few moments, the sun is literately blocked out during a total eclipse and the sky is dark. For 6 minutes and 39 seconds the area in the path of the total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009 will be dark. The next time for a duration near the time of this historic event, won't be until June 13, 2132.

Eclipses are a truly remarkable natural phenomenon and are one of the many displays of nature's beauty and magnificence. Though most of these events, when they do actually occur, are not contiguous across the globe, when they do happen, it is best to view it firsthand. The last time I remember seeing a solar eclipse in America (and I'm 22) is on Christmas Day in 2000. I remember my father purchasing special "Solar eclipse Christmas 2000" glasses, so that our eyes would be shielded from the sun's rays. It was a special time that I got to share with my family that day and even more special because of the rarity of such an event. I'm happy I got to view the eclipse and although it was partial, the next predicted date for a solar eclipse occurring on Christmas Day isn't until 2307!

Fear not, that year is only for a predicted solar eclipse occurring on Christmas Day. Many solar eclipses will happen before that year, with a estimated 224 solar eclipses estimated for 2001 to 2100 AD. Though many will not be visible for the United States, mark this down on your calendar...the next time a solar eclipse will be visible for the US is May 20, 2012. It won't be a total eclipse but an annular eclipse (this is when the new moon is completely aligned with the sun and covers the center of the sun). The next time for a total eclipse won't be until July 11, 2010 and that will be visible southern Chile and Argentina and southeastern Polynesia. I might book a flight to Polynesia to see that one...

40th Anniversary/ Meteor Showers

Today marks the 40th anniversary of when Apollo 11's lunar module carrying Edwin "Buzz" E Aldrin Jr., Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, successfully landed on the moon. Or did they? Numerous reports of hoaxes and myths have followed this historic occurrence, and even one of the most popular phrases in American history, was misquoted. What Armstrong stated in the audio contact made from the moon on that day back in 1969 was "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." In interviews, however, Armstrong has stated that he meant to say "a man" instead of just "man." Regardless of the fact, that the crew might have never really landed on the moon, the possibility and the dream of reaching Earth's satellite, has been fulfilled in other NASA missions. NASA has plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary by broadcasting the audio of that historic moment among other activities. Check out http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/events.html for more information.

As much as I have been fascinated with weather, I have enjoyed learning and studying the night sky. Space is still considered an extension of the atmosphere (exosphere), and there are studies on the weather occurring in space, cleverly called "space weather." In fact, lighting is the only atmospheric phenomenon that can be seen from outer space and are known as blue jets. The term space weather refers to solar flares, meteor showers and the solar wind to name a few. One of my favorite past times is to watch meteor showers. Meteor showers are caused when the Earth comes in contact with debris from an object such as a comet. As this debris falls it breaks up in the Earth's atmosphere becoming dust, small pebbles and sand and never really hit the Earth's surface. Rarely during a meteor shower, there will be a large meteor that falls to the ground potentially causing harm, over the area in which the meteor shower is set to occur.

I like watching the showers with my father. The best times to watch them are after midnight and just before dawn. Each shower is different however and it is best to check the farmers handbook or a astronomy website for the best time to watch the meteor shower and when a specific one will occur. Check also to see if the meteor shower is viewable in your specific hemisphere. A good website for this information is 2009 Meteors Showers found at this link. There they give the name of the showers, the date of the occurrence, and the frequency of the meteors predicted an hour. The frequency of the meteors an hour makes for a good show. The occurrence of a clear sky and not much light around the viewing area, make for a good show as well.

According to the website the next meteor shower will be the Delta Aquarids which will be occurring from July 28 to the 29th. The frequency of the meteors will be relatively slow, assuming that 20 meteors are predicted to be observed during the night. The next shower in July is the Capricornids which will be occurring the 29th through the 30th. The rate of meteors falling for this occurrence looks to be slow as well with only 15 meteors descending per hour. The Capricornids, according to the site, are known to produce fireballs. The next meteor shower that I would recommend viewing for first time viewers or just anybody who wants to see a meteor show is the Perseids in August. The Perseids will be occurring from the 12th to the 13th with a frequency of 60 meteors per hour. If you were wondering about how these meteor showers get their names, it is because of the constellation that the meteors usually fall in. Normally the meteors will streak across the sky, with their tails pointing back towards the constellation. For more information on meteor showers check out: http://www.earthsky.org/article/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide.

Enjoy this historic day and keep an eye on that sky!

Area Forecast (July 20 to July 26)

This forecast is valid for Union, NJ

I'm back at Kean University, for my summer research, that's why the forecast will be for Union, NJ and the surrounding area. Hope you all enjoyed your weekend of sunshine and pleasant weather conditions because this week looks to be very rainy. For today we can expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 80. For tonight, that high pressure which has been over us, giving us this dry weather, will be moving off shore as there is a possibility for showers before midnight. With that high pressure moving offshore, a warm front from the south will move in, though we won't be feeling the effects of the warm front until Wednesday. A deep upper level low will move in along the East coast for Tuesday as we can expect showers throughout the day. The temperature will be slightly cooler with a high near 73. For Tuesday night, expect a possible thunderstorm before midnight with heavy rain, patches of fog and a low near 64. Another wave of low pressure will move into the region for Wednesday as it looks to bring another chance for rain after 3 pm, and the temperature will rebound. Expect a high near 85 and mostly cloudy skies. For the rest of the week, expect more unsettled weather, with a chance of showers possible and a high temperature in the mid 80s for each day.

source: NOAA

Are Forecast (July 11- July 17)

This forecast is valid for Moorestown, NJ

Fire up those BBQs because today looks like it's going to be a very pleasant day. Expect a high around 83 with mostly sunny skies. Make sure to pack everything up tonight as a cold front will be sweeping through the region, and there is a possible of some storms mainly before 3 am Sunday morning. For Sunday expect mosly sunny skies and a high near 82 as high pressure will build over our area into Monday. For Monday we can expect a high near 85 and mostly sunny skies. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Monday night as a weak cold front moves through the region. Expect sunny skies and a high near 84 on Tuesday, and another chance for showers on Wednesday as low pressure from our west moves into the area. Expect a high for Wednesday expect around 86. Thursday that low will move in and showers are expected throughout the day. Expect a high close to 90. The low will move out by Friday, as it looks to be dry with partly sunny skies with a high near 83. Enjoy the week!

Area Forecast (June 23 to June 28)

This forecast is valid for the area surrounding Moorestown, NJ

Summer is finally here, and it’s actually sunny! For the past few days, 10 to be exact, rain and cooler temperatures have swept taunted over our region but that is all about to change as high pressure moves into the region mid-week. For today we can expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 82. Low pressure will move into the area by Wednesday, as there is a slightly chance of showers Tuesday night into Wednesday. Expect a high of 80 for Wednesday and partly cloudy skies and a low of 65 Wednesday night. We’ll be feeling the heat on Thursday as we can expect a high temperature around 90, mostly sunny skies and slightly breezy conditions with west winds at 4 to 7 mph. For Friday, the forecast looks to be pleasant with mostly cloudy sky conditions and a high near 87. For the weekend, Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 90, and an evening low of 68. Sunday looks to bring another chance for showers, as we can expect mostly cloud skies and a high in the upper 80s.

The Eye

***Just some background information about the picture***

I wanted to share a picture that I captured a few days ago. It was taken in the parking lot of the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, NJ. It caught my attention because the cloud formation was HUGE and as I was amazed by its towering size, I noticed that the center of the cloud was open. With the sunlight behind the formation and the open space in the center, it looked like an eye. To me at least. I also like how other cloud types are displayed in the picture as well as the orange glow of color towards the bottom. Enjoy!

New Cloud Type Debate and Cloud Formation

There may be a new cloud type in which Jane Wiggins, a woman from Iowa shot a picture of. Just take a look at the of the clouds here:


Personally, I believe this picture is amazing though the clouds do look quite frightening. This picture raises the question as to whether the phenomena in this shot is a legitimate new type of cloud and has been the fuel to a debate among meteorologists and cloud physicists, around the world. If this is named as a new cloud type, then we are looking at the first new cloud to be recognized by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) since 1951. Though the photo is undated, the presumed time of capture is around 2006.

Clouds are formed when water vapor in the air, cools to its dew point or the temperature for which that parcel of air is cooled at a constant barometric pressure. This process results in the water vapor condensing into water droplets. The water droplets condense onto microscopic dust particles or condensation nuclei which is floating around in the atmosphere. Many atmospheric phenomena throughout the world is formed by this process or convection, which is when the air parcel cools by expansion as it moves upward in the atmosphere and as the water droplets condense latent heat is released into the atmosphere, which in return causes the formation to rise.

-->There are many different types of clouds, which can be classified into four simplified fields: cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and nimbus. Cumulus clouds are vertically developed clouds, also known as the fair weather clouds, stratus clouds are layered cloud that form at a low altitude, cirrus clouds are the high altitude clouds that are thin and wispy (my favorite clouds) and nimbus clouds are usually combined with other types of clouds and are known as the rain clouds. Of course there are MANY more clouds which form as a combination of these four basic types, such as stratocumulus clouds which are gray and appear just before a storm.

So what are the clouds in the picture? Unfortunately it may take years for the clouds in the above picture to be recognized as a new clouds as scientists debate if the clouds in this picture are in fact unique. Some articles featuring this picture, include some meteorologists quoting to have spotted a similar type of cloud formation and these clouds may not be uncommon at all. There may also be a name for this formation 'altocumulus undulatus asperatus' (see this link for the article). Nevertheless, the clouds in the picture are certainly memorizing and the mystery behind the photo is enough to incite the mind.