Record Breaker/Earth Day Wrap-Up

The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous for the region as temperatures reached into the 90s. Yesterday we hit a new record of 93 degrees which is 10 degrees higher than the previous record set back in 1985. On Saturday the maximum temperature of 90 ranged closely to the record of 91 degrees which was set back in 1960. I know I’m enjoying these temperatures they feel like summer! Another good day to get out and enjoy the weather will be occurring tomorrow but Spring is on the rebound, as we can expect a 30 degree drop in temperature, more near the seasonal average of 65, on Wednesday and into the rest of the week.

Area Forecast (April 28-May 3)

For Tuesday we can expect sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 80s and close to 90 in some areas. We can also expect slightly breezy conditions with winds west at 7 to 10 mph which will be increasing to 19 to 22 mph. For Tuesday night, a strong cold front will be moving through the region, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 pm. For Wednesday we can expect cloudy conditions with a chance of showers throughout the day and a high temperature of 61 degrees. Thursday into Friday looks to bring more Spring showers as a frontal system moves through region and temperatures remain in the mid 60s for both days. For the weekend we can expect a slight warm-up as Saturday looks to be a high temperature of 71 degrees and chance of showers, and for Sunday expect mostly cloudy and temps near 69.

Earth Day 2009 at Kean University was very interesting, the forecast for the day was showers for the afternoon and considering that statement, the weather was pretty good for most of the day. Though the day was cool and a mild 55 was the maximum temperature. Myself, my classmates Amy and Tori, were able to mark storm drains before the events were ordered to wrap up because of the rain. Below is a picture from the event at my school.

*Sorry for the delay in posting entries. I only have 2 weeks left of school and the work has been piling up. I also wanted to state that I did not continue with the internship at NBC 10 in Philly. My schedule for the summer looks packed considering I will be working on a summer research project as part of the Ronald. E. McNair scholarship program. *

Watchful eye on Asteroid Apophis

I was browsing on AOL yesterday and an article on Asteroid Apophis caught my interest. I love studying the weather and the causes and effects of the movement of the atmosphere, but I also love reading and learning about Earth Science and the various aspects which make up our gorgeous planet.
The asteroid is the size of a 25-story building and on April 13, 2029 the asteroid will come relatively close to Earth, within 18,000 miles as a matter of fact. The odds of the asteroid colliding with the Earth is 1 in 45,000 and the probability is 2.7% but still after reading this article I found that this asteroid is a little too close for comfort. Also the name Apophis is Greek and comes from the ancient Egyptian god Apep of darkness and chaos. It received this name because it was rated number 4 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale (where 0 is the lowest and 10 is the highest), for 2 years after it’s discovery in 2004. The asteroid has since dropped to 0 for the 2029 date, however predictions for possible impact in April 13, 2036, has given the asteroid a numer 1 rating for that date.
There are many asteroids, comets and other space matter that come close to hitting the Earth or fall through the Earth’s atmosphere every day. Scientists keep watchful eyes on these objects in case one such like that of Asteroid Apophis which can potentially come close to colliding with the Earth. Though many of these object pass by the planet, some space matter does hit. In 1908 an asteroid around 50 meters in length, exploded over an unpopulated area of Russia, leveling trees for 800 miles. Then there’s always that 6.2 mile asteroid which is thought to have lead to the extinction of dinosaurs.
The data collected is all from the projected path of the asteroid and considering the date of 2029, the risk factor may be years away but this asteroid still shows the possibility that as the planet is floating around in outer space, an object such like that of an asteroid can strike it. Let’s hope in 2029 the asteroid will just pass the planet with no harm. It would be cool to see the asteroid though with a telescope or with naked eye as you can in the event of a meteor shower or lunar eclipse.
Link to the article can be found at: http://news.aol.com/article/asteroid-apophis/426922
For more information on Asteroid Aphohis visit: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/apophis/

Forecast April 15th through April 19th

It’s the last bit of rain we’ll be seeing for the area until next week, as a low pressure system moves off the coast Wednesday night. We can expect mostly cloudy skies and spots of Spring showers Wednesday and a a high of 52 which is slightly below average for this time of year. For Thursday temperatures are on the rebound as high pressure from Canada moves into the area bringing sunny skies and a high more towards where we are supposed to be at this time of year, of 59. Friday the high remains in the area, as we can expect sunny skies and a high temperature of 70! 70 is nice but in no where near the record of 97 set back only 7 years ago in 2002. Saturday looks to be fair as well with mostly sunny skies and a high of 70, temps will take a slight dip for Sunday as a back door cold front will move through the region Saturday night. Expect mosty cloudy skies and a high of 58.
Currently the area is experiencing cooler temperatures at 46 degrees and light rain. Conditions are breezy with winds averaging at 17 mph from the northeast.
I’m definitely looking forward to this weekend, sunny skies and temps in upper 60s to 70. Now that’s Spring weather and with all this rain, I’ve never seen the grass so green and the trees have already began to bud.

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