This past July was the 7th warmest on record for the city of Portland since temperature records began in 1940. The warmest July was last year with an average temperature of 72.7 degrees. The coldest July on record was back in 1962 with an average temperature of only 64 degrees. Needless to say probably not too many beach days back in 1962!
Thanks to sea breezes the warmest temperature in Portland was 90 degrees in July which the city hit on the 13th and 14th. 20 days saw temps at 80 degrees or higher with 10 days in the 70's. The coldest day of the month was on the 10th when the mercury fell to 52 degrees.
The official outlook for the month of August from the Climate Predication Center puts southwest sections of Maine above normal temperatures wise with equal chances of being above or below normal elsewhere. With any luck we'll continue to have some nice weather to enjoy the outdoors during our summer!
Craig
Forecaster Comments: A significant event located on the Sun facing Earth took place on July 12. The effects of this event will begin to reach Earth early on the 14th of July GMT.
Observers in North America should watch for aurora on the nights of the 14th and 15th local time. Depending on the configuration of the disturbance, auroras may be visible as far south as the middle tier of states.
Activity may remain high also on the 16th. Auroras should be visible Southern New Zealand, Tasmania, and of course, Antarctica
I'm checking in from the top of New England, making the annual trek to the summit of Mt. Washington to stay with the folks at the Mt. Washington Observatory. It's like coming home - I spent 4 years living and working on the summit, year round, for the Observatory about 10 years ago. Now with News13 we try to come up each year in February and do some live reporting from the summit in the extreme cold and wind, to show folks the extremes in weather from right here in our back yard. This year the schedule worked out a little different and instead of going live we're shooting some stories to bring back and show you in a couple of weeks. As far as the weather is concerned, it's actually been "tame" by Mt. Washington standards so far. Yesterday the wind was calm on the trip up and the sun was shining bright. A nice sunset, a clear night with hopes of seeing an aurora (no such luck) and a gorgeous sunrise this morning with an undercast (be sure to check out my photos I've posted on Facebook).
The temperature was chilly, but not cold on Sunday - near 10 degrees for much of the day before rising into the 20s for today. I heard Brian, one of the observers, saying that it's amazing how mild 20s feels when he goes outside to make the observation each hour. The snow started falling here a few hours ago and now that there is fog there is rime ice. The supercoole water droplets in the clouds freeze to objects on the summit and pile up into the wind, covering everything and causing the observers to have to climb 3 flights of stairs and ladders to go de-ice the wind instruments at the top of the tower. At night while sleeping in the bunkrooms you can hear the night observer knocking the ice off - metal on metal, as he takes the crowbar to the metal ring that holds the instruments. The vibration knockes off most of the ice without actually having to touch the delicate instruments.
So without much extreme weather to go play in (so far) we've been focusing on the folks who live,work and volunteer here at the Observatory. We had a pie making contest for pie day today and they will be judged tonight (wish me luck). Some viewers have sent in great questions and I am putting together a story on the food, pantry, and volunteer chefs.
Tomorrow, with a little more wind and icing we'll shoot some of the research stories I want to tell. Looking forward to it! Keep an eye out for more pics from the summit on my Facebook page as the next couple of days unfold.
Cheers,
Sarah
The terror doesn't just ramp up--it's exponential. I wasn't thinking clearly. It was just so cold. When I couldn't touch bottom, I realized how fast I could drown. I had a ski pole, but I couldn't dig it into the ice enough to get leverage. With just my head above water, surrounded by ice chunks, I tried to yell for help. There was so much pressure on my chest that my voice was a loud whisper. I couldn't project.
I wore myself out struggling for a minute or two, then tried to relax and tread water by kicking my feet. I was surprised at how much buoyancy I got with minimal effort. To conserve energy, I rested my head on the ice shelf. I soon realized that using that leverage point, I could project my voice by doing stomach crunches as I yelled.
"I was encouraged when I heard a response from the shore, but I was sure I wasn't visible. Every few seconds I put out another call. I kept trying to push up onto the ice, but my backpack was catching. I realized that I wouldn't be able to pull myself out with my backpack on, but the only way to remove it was to submerge. I struggled with that decision: What happens if something pulls me away from the hole? I went under, and my clothing got trapped in the straps, pinning my arms. That was the darkest moment. I shook violently, nearly dislocating my arms. Suddenly, the backpack came free, and I came back to the surface, gasping for air. Now I was able to scoot my back up on the shelf and was even able to get one skate up, but I was on my back and couldn't lift myself. It was like a vortex, because once the ice is wet, it's so slippery. Exhausted, I would yell, rest about 10 seconds, then yell again.
Of all the beautiful sights I saw that day, the one that is most deeply imprinted on my mind is of Peter Sherwin rushing toward me, pulling his aluminum boat, with John Strauss pushing from behind. I was lucky. John had been waiting to go somewhere, but his son was taking an extra-long time in the shower. Pete was just out collecting some firewood. He was about to go back inside and turn up the football on TV. It was absolute chance that they heard me at all"
Quite an account from Paul and a reminder to us that even experienced skaters and others heading out on the ice can run into trouble. Here are some guidelines (for CLEAR ICE ONLY) from the Maine Warden Service:
2" or less - STAY OFF
4" May allow Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5" often allows for Snowmobile or ATV travel
8" - 12" of good ice with supports most Cars or small pickups
12" - 15" will likely hold a Medium sized truck
Stay safe this weekend and have a great one!
Cheers,
Sarah
So far our winter has been mild and virtually snow free leaving many folks wondering what exactly is going on with the weather. We had a snowstorm just before Halloween, then the warmest November on record, followed by a very warm December where 8 days saw temps of 50 degrees or higher! The good news is we are saving on our heating and energy costs but for folks wanting to take out the snow mobile or go skating on the pond the winter is not cooperating so far.
Weather is cyclical in nature and does seem to follow certain patterns over the years. The two largest events affecting our weather so far this winter are La Nina in the Pacific Ocean and something called the North Atlantic Oscillation ("NAO"). Let's first talk about La Nina.
La Nina is the opposite of El Nino that we hear so much about. During a La Nina the ocean waters of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal. La Nina occurs every couple of years alternating with El Nino where the waters become warmer than normal. These changes have an impact on the global weather patterns. In the U.S. typical La Nina winters will be drier and warmer for much of the southern part of the country with wetter and cooler conditions in the northwest. For us in the northeast La Nina may cause us to be drier and warmer however much of that depends on what the NAO is doing.
The North Atlantic Oscillation ("NAO") has a large impact on the location of the jet stream and where storms travel during the winter months. To get a little technical with you, the NAO is fluctuations between a permanent low pressure area near Iceland and a permanent area of high pressure located near the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. The strength of the low and high change and as they change is causes the jet stream to either be pushed north back into Canada or to come farther south into the U.S. The jet stream is the "river of air" that our storms follow along their travels. When the NAO is in its "positive phase" there is a large difference in pressure between the low and the high causing the jet stream to stay more to our north keeping us warmer.
Since mid November the NAO has been in a strong positive phase and as a result our temperatures have been milder than normal. Unfortunately the NAO has not been able to be forecasted reliably much past a week. Some computer models are showing that the positive NAO phase will weaken in the coming weeks which would allow colder air across the northeast and potentially more storms. But since there are other factors at work, namely La Nina, it remains to be seen if this will actually occur.
Looking at historical patterns I think February and March will be colder and stormier months and for snow lovers I hope I am right!
Craig
I'll try to post photos from these and other memorable weather events of 2011 tomorrow on my WGME page on Facebook. Wishing everyone the best in 2012.
Charlie
Seems that records were broken left and right this past year, and while 2011 isn't officially over I wanted to look back through the records that were left behind each month:
January
February:
February2 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range, 4 degrees separating the high and low temperature for the dayMarch 10 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (4 degrees) TIED
March 18 - Warmest High Temperature (68 degrees)
March 18 - Warmest Average Temperature (54 degrees)
April:
April 1 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (3 degrees) TIED
April 11 - Warmest Low Temperature (43 degrees) TIED
April12 - Warmest Low Temperature (49 degrees)
April 28 - Warmest Low Temperature (54 degrees)
April 28 - Also a Monthly Record - Warmest Low Temperature for all of April (54 degrees)
May:
May 22 - Coldest High Temperature (50 degrees) TIEDMay 22 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (4 degrees) TIED
May 30 - Warmest High Temperature (86 degrees)
May 2011 - Warmest Average Low Temperature (47.4 degrees)
June23 - Coldest High Temperature (60 degrees)
June 23 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (4 degrees)
June 24 - Coldest High Temperature (56 degrees)
June 24 - Coldest Average Temperature (55 degrees)
June 24 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (3 degrees)
July:
July12 - Warmest Low Temperature (70 degrees) TIED
July18 - Warmest Low Temperature (69 degrees) TIED
July 21 - Warmest Low Temperature (72 degrees)
July 21 - Warmest Average Temperature (85 degrees) TIED
July 22 - Record High Temperature (100 degrees)
July 22 - Warmest Low Temperature (76 degrees)
July 22 - Warmest Average Temperature (88 degrees)
July23 - Warmest Low Temperature (71 degrees)
July 23 - Warmest Average Temperature (83 degrees)
July 29 - Greatest Precipitation (2.49 inches)
July30 - Warmest Low Temperature (67 degrees) TIED
Lots of monthly records broken in July as well:
July 22 - Warmest High Temperature for July (100 degrees)
July 22 " Warmest Low Temperature for July (76 degrees)
July 22 - Warmest Average Temperature for July (88 degrees)
July 2011 - Warmest Monthly Average (72.7 degrees)
July 2011 - Warmest Average Monthly Low (62.8 degrees)
And Annual Records Broken This July:
July 22 - Warmest Low Temperature (76 degrees)
July 22 - Warmest Average Temperature (88 degrees) TIED
July 2011 - Warmest Monthly Average (72.7 degrees)
July 2011 - Warmest Average Monthly Low (62.8 degrees)
August:August 15 - Greatest Precipitation For The Day (1.47 inches) TIED
August 15 - Warmest Low Temperature (66 degrees) TIED
August 28 - Greatest Precipitation (1.42 inches)
August 28 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (9 degrees) TIED
September:
September4 - Warmest Low Temperature (63 degrees) TIED
September7 - Coldest High Temperature (63 degrees) TIED
September7 - Smallest Daily Temperature Range (7 degrees) TIED
September25 - Warmest Low Temperature (64 degrees)
September25 - Warmest Average Temperature (74 degrees) TIED
October:
October 8 - Record High Temperature (81 degrees) TIED
October 9 - Record High Temperature (85 degrees)
October 9 - Warmest Average Temperature (69 degrees)
October 10 - Record High Temperature (81 degrees) TIED
October 14 - Warmest Low Temperature (58 degrees)
October 27 - Greatest Daily Snowfall (Trace) TIED
October 29 - Greatest Daily Snowfall (2.7 inches)
October 30 - Greatest Daily Snowfall (2.5 inches)
October 29-30 - Greatest 24 Hour Maximum Snowfall For October(5.2 inches)
October 2011 - Greatest Total Monthly Snowfall (5.2 inches)
November:
November6 - Greatest Daily Temperature Range (34 degrees)
November 7 - Greatest Daily Temperature Range (34 degrees) TIED
November 10 - Warmest Low Temperature (51 degrees) TIED
November 14 - Warmest Average Temperature (58 degrees)
November 28 - Warmest Average Temperature (54 degrees)
November 29 - Warmest Low Temperature (48 degrees)
November29 - Warmest Average Temperature (53 degrees)
November 2011 - Warmest Average Monthly Temperature, Warmest November On Record (44.7 degrees)
November 2011 - Warmest Average Monthly High Temperature (55.0 degrees)
Statistics:
Number of Daily Records Tied or Broken: 53
Number of Monthly Records Tied or Broken: 11
Number of Annual Records Tied or Broken: 4
Months With Fewest Records Broken: January and February (1)
Month With Most Records Broken: July (20)
Day With Most Records Broken: July 22 (8)
Record Broken Most Frequently: Warmest Low Temperature (18)
2011Highlights:
June" Abnormally cool temperatures
July" Record warmth as temperatures reach 100 degrees
August" Hurricane Irene slams East Coast with record rainfall
October- After a day in the 80s we ended up with the earliest significant snowfall recorded as winter storm pounds the Northeast the weekend before Halloween
November - Abnormally mild temperatureIf you're like me, you tune to the Discovery Channel's 'Deadliest Catch' to see the extreme weather and epic storms those fishermen endure. Well tonight is one of those historic nights in the Bering Sea. A blockbuster storm is lashing parts of Alaska tonight with with the potential for hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions. The central pressure in this storm is expected to be between 940 and 950 millibars which is comparable to a category three hurricane. Here are just a few excerpts from the National Weather Service Forecast Discussion (Alaska Region Headquarters)
LIFE-THREATENING STORM BEARS DOWN ON ALASKA: Damaging winds, coastal flooding, and blizzard conditions are among the expected impacts of a Bering Sea "super storm" expected to slam into Alaska this evening
A direct hit is forecast for Nome, Alaska where the conditions will resemble a snow hurricane. Sustained winds of 45-60 mph (with higher gusts) and 8-14 inches of snow are forecast along with a storm surge as high as 8 feet early Wednesday evening (local time) at the coast. The NWS likens the storm to the November11-12, 1974 storm which is the strongest in that city 113 years of records.
Major differences between the 1974 storm and this upcoming storm include the fact that tides were much greater in the 1974 storm, NWS said. However, sea ice extent is currently much lower than it was in 1974, thus providing no protection along the coast and greater fetch.
You can track updates on this storm tonight via NWS Alaska Region Headquarters.
Tonight's infrared Satellite image in the Bering Sea click here.
For station observations in Alaska click here.
Have a nice night,
Charlie
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Do hurricanes or winter storms cause the highest storm surges along the Maine and New Hampshire coastlines?
ANSWER: Both! Hurricanes and winter/spring storms can cause significant storm surges along the Maine and New Hampshire coastlines. However, because the coast gets hit by many more winter storms than hurricanes, the greatest surges in the past have come from winter or spring storms. In fact, of the top ten surges recorded in Portland, nine were from winter/spring storms while only one was from a hurricane (Hurricane Carol, 1954,
tie for 8th highest surge). The greatest surge reported in Portland was 4.3 feet on March 3, 1947. This compares with the 3.3 ft surge observed with Hurricane Carol.
On February 2, 1976, an intense winter storm caused a storm surge along the mid and Down east coast of Maine from Brunswick to East port.After reaching the coast, the surge of water funneled up the Penobscot River causing a surge of over 10 ft in the city of Bangor.
Reportedly, at around 11 am, the water level in the city rose more than 12 ft in just 15 minutes,
submerging approximately 200 vehicles. Many people were trapped in buildings by the frigid water, and some had to be rescued quickly from the tops of their cars.
In addition to snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain, winter storms bring the threat of high winds and coastal flooding to northern New England. Dense fog, caused by warm air moving over cold snow-covered ground, is also a frequent hazard in northern New England during the winter and early spring.
HIGH WINDS
High winds can occur before, during, and after major winter storms and can make driving difficult and dangerous, especially if you drive a high-profile vehicle. If your vehicle starts to swerve due to the wind, slow down. High winds can cause snow to blow and drift, reducing visibilities and causing slippery conditions on the roadways. Also, high winds bring increased
danger from falling trees, which can lead to power outages.
To alert the public to potentially dangerous wind events, the National Weather Service in Gray issues HIGH WIND WATCHES, HIGH WIND WARNINGS, and WIND ADVISORIES. These alerts are based on the following criteria.
HIGH WIND WATCH - Sustained winds of 40 mph or greater or frequent gusts to 58mph or greater are possible within the next 24 to 48 hours.
HIGH WIND WARNING - Sustained winds of 40 mph or greater or frequent gusts to58 mph or greater are likely within the next 24.
WIND ADVISORY - Sustained winds of 31 to 39 mph or frequent gusts to between 46and 57 mph are likely within the next 24 hours.
In addition, WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES are issued when blowing and drifting snow reduces visibilities to 1/4 mile or less creating a significant hazard on the roadways.
COASTAL FLOODING & BEACH EROSION
Coastal flooding can precede or accompany major winter storms. Strong south, southeast, east, and northeast winds can cause water to pile up along the Maine and New Hampshire coastlines causing tide levels to rise above normal. In addition to abnormally high tides, large waves associated with a storm can cause substantial beach erosion along the coastline.
To alert the public to the potential for coastal flooding, the National Weather Service issues COASTAL FLOOD WATCHES and COASTAL FLOOD WARNINGS. In determining the potential threat from a particular storm, the National Weather Service considers the timing and height of the normal tides, the timing of the storm,and the expected storm surge that will accompany the storm.
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH - Coastal flooding possible within the next 24 to 48 hours.
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING - Coastal flooding likely within the next 24 hours.
Note that beach erosion can occur from large storm-generated waves even though the tide levels may not be above flood levels. In these cases, the likelihood and severity of any beach erosion is addressed in the public forecast product.
DENSE FOG
During late winter and early spring, warm air moving northward from areas to our south, often encounters the cold snow-covered ground in northern New England. This combination of warm air moving over a cold surface often results in the formation of dense fog. Precipitation will also enhance the likelihood of dense fog formation. Motorists should be extremely careful when
driving in these conditions. Visibilities may change from good to near-zero visibility in a matter of feet. In some cases, the fog may be so dense that it may be difficult to even see the edge of the road. In addition, dense fog may hide other hazards such as deer or moose in the roadway, stopped motorists, or flooding. Be especially careful at night.
There you have it, an overview of winter weather concerns as we head toward the winter season. Storm Team13 acts in cooperation with the folks at the National Weather Service office in Gray - it is our job to get these watches, warnings& advisories out to you as soon as they are issued.
Meantime, we actually have a warm up to talk about in the 7day - 60s at the start of next week, perfect conditions for election day on Tuesday. Have a great weekend - sun instead of snow this weekend!
Cheers, Sarah
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Does the wind chill temperature affect my car or car battery? Will my car be harder to start when the wind chill temperature is cold?
ANSWER: No to both questions. Your car and your car's battery are affected only by the actual temperature. Wind chill temperatures are a measure of the rate of heat loss from the human body. For a car left overnight, the temperature of the car is approximately the same as the surrounding air, so there would be no additional heat loss due to wind, hence no wind chill.
In general, morning temperatures are coldest on nights with little or no wind.Therefore, your car battery is more likely to fail on a night with little or no wind than a windy night.
Cold air, strong winds, and cold wind chill temperatures are common in Maine& New Hampshire during the winter. However, if you are not prepared, these cold conditions can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, and possibly death. To understand the dangers and warning signs associated with the cold, let's examine how the human body regulates its temperature.
HYPOTHERMIA
The human body loses heat during the winter due to the conduction and convection of heat from the skin to nearby air, due to evaporation of moisture from the skin surface, and due to normal respiration. To compensate for this heat loss, the body burns energy to produce heat to keep the body temperature at a relatively constant level. However, if a body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, the body temperature will cool to below normal levels, a medical condition known as hypothermia.
Hypothermia will gradually worsen unless the overall rate of heat loss can be stopped. The warning signs for hypothermia may start with shivering and shaking and may end in death. Initially, as the body temperature starts to drop,shivering begins. At the same time, the brain begins to reduce the amount of blood that is circulated to the extremities of the body in order to conserve heat for the vital organs near the body's central core. If the central core of the body continues to cool, uncontrollable shaking, memory loss,disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion may develop. These are all signs of a very serious situation. If the body core temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, just 4 degrees below normal, immediate care is needed, as the person will likely be come irrational. Once the body core temperature drops below 90 degrees, the person loses muscle control, and outside help is the person's only hope for survival.If that help is not available, heart and/or respiratory failure and death will eventually follow as the core temperature continues to drop.
If a person is suffering from hypothermia, it's critically important that the person be warmed properly. If warmed improperly, death may result. In a hypothermic person, cold blood is concentrated in the extremities. If the see xtremities are warmed too quickly, this cold blood will be released into the body's central core, possibly lowering the central core temperature to a fatal level. Use the following steps to raise the core temperature of a hypothermicperson:
Remember, temperatures do not have to be below freezing for hypothermia to develop. The combination of temperature, wind, and exposure to the elements can be deadly. Hypothermia can develop in elderly people in a cool room with few, if any, warning signs.
FROSTBITE
Fost bite is a condition in which the body tissue actually freezes. Frostbite is often associated with hypothermia. In a hypothermic person, the brain greatlyreduces the amount of blood that is circulated to the extremities of the body and they begin to cool. This increases the chances that the tissue at the end of the extremity may actually freeze. The most susceptible areas for frost bite include the fingers, toes, nose, and ear lobes.
WIND CHILL TEMPERATURE
Cold air and high winds contribute the possibility that a person may develop hypothermia or frostbite. To help measure the cooling effects of wind and cold air on the human body, a value
known as the wind chill temperature was developed. While inanimate objects are not affected by wind chill, warm blooded animals, including humans, are susceptible to the cooling
affects from the wind.
To alert people to the dangers associated with the combination of wind and cold temperatures, the National Weather Service issues Wind Chill Warnings and Wind Chill Advisories. The following values are used for all of New Hampshire and western and southern Maine.
WIND CHILL WARNINGS - issued for wind chill temperatures of -30 degrees or colder
WIND CHILL ADVISORIES - issued for wind chill temperatures between -20 and -30degrees
Extremely cold temperatures, even without wind, also increase the threat off rostbite, especially if you are outside over an extended period of time. Be sure to dress appropriately for any outside activities on cold days.
With a mini warm up into the 50s today & tomorrow we don't have to worry much about hypothermia or frostbite, but it's a good reminder of what's to come. While working on the summit of Mt. Washington the staff on the summit were trained to recognize these ailments, hopefully you will now be able to recognize them more easily as well.
Sarah
Welcome to Winter Weather Awareness Week - Day 2! There are some big differences between watches and warnings and we use them a lot here in the weather office. The National Weather Service office in Gray relies on those of us in the media to get the word out when a watch, warning or advisory is issued - it's important for our viewers to know what each of these means...
A WATCH is issued to alert the public that dangerous winter conditions are possible within the WATCHED area, generally within the next 24to 48 hours.
A WARNING is issued to alert the public that dangerous winter conditions are likely to occur in the WARNED area, generally within the next 12 to 36 hours, or are occurring.
An ADVISORY is issued to alert the public that winter conditions are expected to cause a significant inconvenience and may be hazardous. If caution is exercised though, these situations should not be life threatening.
The following Winter Storm Criteria are used for all of New Hampshire and western and southern Maine (warning & watch criteria vary for different parts of the country):
BLIZZARD WARNING
Snow and/or blowing snow will combine with strong winds to produce near-zero visibility. Deep drifts and dangerous wind chill temperatures often accompany these conditions. The exact criteria used for these warnings include the following conditions which are expected to
persist for 3 hours or more.
Sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 mph or more...and falling and/or blowing snow which reduces visibilities to 1/4 mile or less.
WINTER STORM WARNING
An average of 6 inches or more of snow/sleet is expected.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
An average of at least 4 (but less than 6) inches of snow/sleet is expected across the area. Winter weather advisories can also be issued for mixed precipitation events or for blowing snow.
ICE STORM WARNING
Freezing rain is expected to cause a glaze of ice1/2 inch or thicker.
FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY
Freezing rain is expected to cause a glaze of ice on roads and sidewalks, but less than 1/2 inch is expected.
While the National Weather Service does not issue warnings or advisories for storms that produce less than an average of 4 inches of snowfall...these storm scan be deceptively dangerous to motorists. In terms of the deaths that a relinked to the snow storms...the majority are as a result of traffic accidents...and many of those accidents occur with only small accumulations of snow. Slow down as soon as snow begins to accumulate. In Ice or
Snow - Take It Slow!
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Does a blizzard warning mean that there will be more snow than a
winter storm warning?
ANSWER: Not necessarily. Blizzard warnings are issued for situations where the combination of snow and/or blowing snow...and wind will caused reduced visibilities (1/4
mile or less) for 3 hours or longer. This combination creates extremely hazardous conditions. While no minimum amount of snowfall is required for blizzard conditions, heavy snow, near zero visibility, deep drifts, and dangerous wind chills are often a part of these hazardous weather events.
Have a great day, and happy November!
Sarah
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
During the January 1998 ice storm and recovery period, which of the hazards associated with the storm caused the most injuries and fatalities...
ANSWER: While it is difficult to document all the auto accidents and all the ice related injuries, the National Weather Service does keep track of fatalities that are directly attributed to storms (does not include auto accidents). During the ice storm and recovery period, 8 people died in Maine and New Hampshire as a result of the storm. Carbon monoxide poisoning was responsible for 3 deaths, hypothermia was responsible for 3deaths, 1 person was killed while cleaning up fallen debris, and one person was killed from a roof collapse. In addition, a utility worker was seriously injured by a falling tree, and an estimated 300 to 400 people suffered some level of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Talk about timing! Still more than 50 days away from the official start of winter and we got a record breaking snowstorm over the weekend. Several weeks throughout the year the National Weather Service have awareness weeks and it just so happens this week is Winter Weather Awareness week.
For today, the focus is Winter Weather Preparedness (which we got a taste of this past weekend)
YOU
Based on statistics, the majority of winter weather-related fatalities are men, probably because men take more risks, and do not prepare for the possibility that something may go wrong.
The majority of the fatalities related to snow and ice are actually men over 40years old. About 70 percent of the fatalities occur in automobiles while about25 percent are people caught out in the storm. As for the hypothermia-related fatalities, about 75 percent are men, about 50 percent of the fatalities are people over 60 years old, and about 20 percent of the fatalities occur inside the home.
YOUR VEHICLE
Check the antifreeze and battery in your car or truck to make sure they can withstand the cold winter temperatures. Check your tires to be sure that you will have adequate traction in the snow - and keep your gas tank near full to avoid water and ice in the fuel or fuel lines.
As much as possible, try to avoid traveling in dangerous conditions. Don't take chances. Be prepared for the possibility that you may become stuck and stranded, particularly if you drive on infrequently traveled roads. When riding in a car, be sure to have the appropriate winter clothing. If you get stranded on the way to where you're going, you will need those warm clothes. Ina storm, whether big or small, allow extra time to get where you're going. The first 1/2 inch of snow is sometimes the most slippery. Slow down. When driving,remember that there are many hazards, such as black ice, that you won't see before it's too late. Keep all your
windows clear of snow and ice and clear snow away from your car's headlight sand taillights. Be sure that someone who is not traveling with you is aware of your travel plans. Also, consider purchasing a cellular phone if you frequently travel in isolated areas in the winter.
If you should happen to become stranded in a storm or in extremely cold conditions, stay with your vehicle. Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat. Make sure that the exhaust pipe is not blocked and that there inadequate ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. As much as possible,make your vehicle visible to rescuers by tying a red-colored cloth to the antenna or by turning on the inside dome light while running the engine. Move your arms, legs,
fingers, and toes to keep blood circulating and warm.
OUTSIDE PLANS
When planning winter activities, keep on top of the latest forecast. Be willing to change your plans if the weather is bad. When going outside in the winter,always dress for the outside conditions, even if you plan to be outside for only a few minutes. Remember, if you happen to slip and fall, you could be outside for a lot longer than you had planned. Always stay warm, and wear layered clothing to trap the body's heat. If needed, you can put on or take off clothing to help regulate your body temperature. When outside in the winter,try to avoid becoming overheated. Perspiration can rapidly cool the body to below normal levels.
YOUR HOME
Your home is likely the safest place to be during a winter storm. However, you should prepare for the possibility that you might lose heat, phone service,electricity, and water during a storm. In preparation for this possibility,keep an ample supply of extra food and water, and make sure that you have a sufficient supply of any needed medicines. Have a battery operated radio and flashlights ready in case they are needed, and have plenty of extra batteries available. Impossible, have an alternate source of electricity or heat, but be absolutely sure that you know how to operate that alternate source safely. If you plan to use an electrical generator, make sure the generator is connected properly to your home's electrical system, and that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors operating properly to alert you to any unanticipated dangers.
If you do lose power to your home during a winter storm, be extremely careful with those alternate sources of heat and electricity. Close off any unneeded rooms and be sure your smoke detectors are working properly. Too avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, operate electrical generators outside in a well ventilated area, and be sure that the fumes are not being blown
back into your home. Wear layered clothing to keep warm and be sure to eat plenty of food and drink plenty of liquids so that your body can produce thereat it needs to stay warm.
It is still fall, however, and I thought we should look back at a few Halloween numbers. Over the past 15 years the coldest Halloween was in 2002 where our max was 46 degrees and min temp was 21 degrees. (Tonight our temps will stay closer to 30 degrees). The warmest was in 2005 with a high temp of 70! This year will go down as the Halloween with the most amount of snow on the ground for many.
Happy Halloween!
Sarah
If you follow Storm Team13 you may be on to the fact that Charlie, Craig and I are fans of all kinds of weather - some of us enjoy the winter weather more. Maybe it was the time some of us spent living and working on Mt. Washington. Well, during my time there I met some amazing people, a handful of them have gone on to jobs working"on the ice," a.k.a. Antarctica.
Two friends of mine, Mike and John, are down on the ice this summer (summer in the Southern Hemisphere, winter here in the Northern Hemisphere). There are different stations across the continent, and Mike Finnegan will be at the Byrd Camp, a small camp in Western Antarctica that acts as an operational hub for the National Science Foundation. Click here to read about Byrd and watch videos about life on the ice at the camp.
John Bauhs is stationed at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, directly at the South Pole. Most of my friends have gone on to the Pole to take weather observation, help with construction or even help manage the facility and staff- John is a first in this group I'm lucky to know, he is at the Amundsen Scott Station as a chef. John has shown off his culinary expertise for presidents,rock stars, weather observers and plenty of other folks. He and Mike are both amazing guys and the staff at both stations are lucky to have them.
If you want to follow along on John's adventure (not only an exceptional chef,but a great writer as well) check out his blog, appropriately titled Cold Cuts,you can find it by clicking here. No pictures on the blog yet, but they're bound to be there soon.
Send your warm wishes!
Cheers,
Sarah
Did you see those beautiful wavy stratus clouds this afternoon? They're an alto stratus cloud called Undulatus (undulating or wavy) Asperatus. The name translates approximately as roughened or agitated waves. The turbulant undulating winds within the stratus layer produce the wavy pattern. It turns out the Cloud AppreciationSociety is trying to have them named as a new cloud type called Undulatusasperatus (or just, asperatus). If the World Meteorological Organization adds asperatus to the classification scheme, it'll be the first addition since 1951. I've posted several viewer photos of today's clouds on my WGME page on facebook. Have a nice night.
Charlie
If you've been watching Storm Team13 faithfully over the past 9 years the introduction "Tyler from Saco" may be familiar to you. When I started here at WGME nearly 10 years ago Dave Santoro and I received a letter from an 8 year old in Saco named Tyler.He was fascinated in weather and he wanted to know if he could join our team of hard working Weather Watcher volunteers. Turns out Tyler was a true meteorologist in the makin gand now 9 years later he is interning with me while he is applying to schools for meteorology next year. This is all an introduction for Tyler to chime in on his past 9 years of exciting weather and exciting firsts....
"Hi everyone! It's often said that in order to achieve true success, your vocation needs to be your vacation. Workplace motivation aside, I've come to realize the accuracy behind that statement. Of course, my longtime involvement with weather and TV production has not been a financial endeavor, at least not yet anyway. However, nearly ten years after my first report as a weather watcher for WGME, it's become evident to me that I am destined for a career related to meteorology and/or broadcasting.
That wasn't the case a decade ago when I first submitted a letter and hand-drawn weather map to Dave Santoro asking if I could be the station's eyes and ears for Saco. At the time, I was a third grader with an interest in weather, along with a serious case of shyness. Hundreds of weather reports and phone calls later, any reservations I had in terms of talking weather had vanished. In fact, I was on the fast track to a unique television opportunity.
In between my first year of middle school and my first year with braces, I was offered the chance to do live weather hits from right outside my house. As any11-year-old weather enthusiast would, I jumped at the opportunity. Lights and cameras aside, it was a great chance for me to talk about something I enjoyed,while also getting a taste of live TV. Over the course of that summer, I participated in roughly seven or eight live weather hits, all of them from various locations around my front yard. That eventually paved the way for another adventure - phone interviews during winter storms. During the course of the next several winters, I would avidly track and follow impending coastal systems, waiting for the phone call that signaled it was time to hit the airways. This was one of my favorite weather watching opportunities, as it was exciting and informative all at the same time.
As I write this blog, I'm currently a senior in high school with aspirations of majoring in meteorology when I venture off to college next fall. This year, I'm acting as a reporter, news director, weather expert, and sportscaster for my school's public access TV station - Thornton Academy Television (Channel 3). My experience with live TV in years past has developed into a genuine love of all things weather and TV related, especially around the Thornton Academy campus. I'm also currently interning under Sarah during the morning show, which has opened my eyes to a completely new aspect of my intended career path.
All in all, I've been extremely fortunate to find a career I enjoy well before I need to enter the workforce. That said, it wouldn't have been possible without the help and guidance of so many people, especially everyone at WGME.This certainly isn't the end of my weather journey. In fact, if all goes well,it's likely just the beginning. "
There you go, Tyleris 17 going on 27! I've been fortunate to be able to mentor Tyler over the years and when he thanks us over and over again I try to explain that it's what HE did with the opportunity given to him 9 years ago. You get from an opportunity what you put into it!
Cheers,
Sarah
Remember watching Hurricane Katia pass by off shore last Friday. She produced nothing more than some big swells in our area, but created bigger problems for our friends across the pond. Tropical Storm Katia slammed into England and Ireland today with 80 mph winds, power outages, and one reported death. At last check electric companies were working to restore power to 10,000 properties in England. While it's rare for Atlantic tropical cyclones to affect the UK, it's not unheard of. In fact, in 1996 Lili caused an estimated $250 million in damage and killed five people in England. Katiastarted her journey as just a cluster of thunderstorms off of Africa coast back on August 28th (the same day Irene hit us).
Charlie
JUNE JULY AUGUST SUMMER 2011
...TEMPERATURES...
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 62.7 72.7 68.0 67.8
30 YEAR NORMAL 63.4 69.1 68.0 66.9
DEPARTURE MINUS 0.7 PLUS 3.6 NORMAL PLUS 0.9
RANK (1 THROUGH 71) 37TH (T) 1ST 25TH (T) 12TH
(1 = WARMEST)
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 92 100 83 100 - JULY 22
LOWEST TEMPERATURE 42 56 53 42 - JUNE 5
...PRECIPITATION...
MEASURED (INCHES) 3.61 4.64 5.20 13.45
30 YEAR NORMAL 3.79 3.61 3.14 10.54
DEPARTURE MINUS 0.18 PLUS 1.03 PLUS 2.06 PLUS 2.91
RANK (1 THROUGH 141) 50TH 24TH (T) 16TH 18TH
(1 = WETTEST)
GREATEST RAINFALL
IN ANY 24-HOUR PERIOD 1.18 2.81 1.63 2.81 JULY 29-30
...DEGREE DAY DATA...
HEATING DEGREE DAYS 105 0 3 108
NORMAL 106 17 28 151
DEPARTURE MINUS 1 MINUS 17 MINUS 25 MINUS 43
COOLING DEGREE DAYS 43 247 103 393
NORMAL 57 144 120 321
DEPARTURE MINUS 14 PLUS 103 MINUS 17 PLUS 72
...WIND...
AVERAGE SPEED 6.9 MPH 8.7 MPH 7.1 MPH 7.6 MPH
NORMAL 8.4 MPH 7.7 MPH 7.6 MPH 7.9 MPH
DEPARTURE -1.5 MPH +1.0 MPH -0.5 MPH -0.3 MPH
HIGHEST WIND GUST 40 MPH MISSING 52 MPH MISSING
...SEA LEVEL PRESSURE...
HIGHEST (IN INCHES) 30.20 30.11 30.23 30.23 - AUGUST 31
LOWEST (IN INCHES) 29.65 29.54 29.11 29.11 - AUGUST 28
SUMMER 2011 NORMAL DEPARTURE
...Number of days with...
MAX TEMPERATURE 90 OR WARMER 5 4.2 PLUS 0.8
THUNDERSTORMS 13 11.8 PLUS 1.2
DENSE FOG (VSBY 1/4 MI OR LESS) 15 16.8 MINUS 1.8
0.01 INCH OR MORE PCPN 39 31.4 PLUS 7.6
1.00 INCH OR MORE PCPN 4 2.0 PLUS 2.0
WARMEST SUMMER ... 68.7 DEGREES IN 1988 AND 2010
COLDEST SUMMER ... 63.7 DEGREES IN 1954...1962 AND 1964
WETTEST SUMMER ... 22.31 INCHES IN 2009
DRIEST SUMMER .... 4.10 INCHES IN 1999
Here is a list of daily records set or tied during the summer of 2011...
DATE RECORD PREVIOUS RECORD
JUNE 23 60 - COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE 63 DEGREES IN 1951 & 1990
JUNE 23 4 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE 5 DEGREES IN 1951
JUNE 24 56 - COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE 56 DEGREES IN 1969 /TIED/
JUNE 24 55 - COLDEST AVERAGE TEMP. 55 DEGREES IN 1941 & 1984
/TIED/
JUNE 24 3 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE 4 DEGREES IN 1969
JULY 12 70 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 70 DEGREES IN 1943 /TIED/
JULY 18 69 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 69 DEGREES IN 1970 & 2005
/TIED/
JULY 21 72 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 71 DEGREES IN 1977 & 1991
JULY 21 85 - WARMEST DAILY AVERAGE TEMP. 85 DEGREES IN 1977 /TIED/
JULY 22 100 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE 94 DEGREES IN 1994
JULY 22 76 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 73 DEGREES IN 1994
JULY 22 88 - WARMEST DAILY AVERAGE TEMP. 84 DEGREES IN 1994
JULY 23 71 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 69 DEGREES IN 1955
JULY 23 83 - WARMEST DAILY AVERAGE TEMP. 82 DEGREES IN 1955 & 1978
JULY 29 2.49 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION 1.61 INCHES IN 1885
JULY 30 67 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 67 DEGREES IN 1970, 1979,
1983 & 2009 /TIED/
AUG 15 1.47 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION 1.47 INCHES IN 1929 /TIED/
AUG 15 66 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 66 DEGREES IN 1973 /TIED/
AUG 28 1.42 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION 0.91 INCHES IN 1922
AUG 28 9 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE 9 DEGREES IN 1997 & 2006
/TIED/
Here is a list of monthly records set or tied this summer for the month of
July...
JULY 22 100 - WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE 99 DEGREES ON JULY 21, 1977
JULY 22 76 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 74 DEGREES ON JULY 17, 1969
JULY 22 88 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMP. 85 DEGREES ON JULY 21, 1977
& JULY 21, 2011
JULY 2011 72.7 - WARMEST MONTHLY AVERAGE 72.4 DEGREES IN JULY 1974
JULY 2011 62.8 - WARMEST AVG MONTHLY LOW 62.6 DEGREES IN JULY 2006
HERE IS A LIST OF ANNUAL RECORDS SET OR TIED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2011...
DATE NEW RECORD OLD RECORD
JULY 22 76 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE 74 DEGREES ON JULY 17, 1969;
AUG 5, 1988 AND AUG 2, 2006)
JULY 22 88 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMP. 88 DEGREES ON AUG. 2, 1975
/TIED/
JULY 2011 72.7 - WARMEST MONTHLY AVERAGE 72.4 DEGREES IN JULY 1974
JULY 2011 62.8 - WARMEST AVG MONTHLY LOW 62.6 DEGREES IN JULY 2006
Here are some steps you can take to help your trees...the leaves that are falling and have the black spots should be raked and either burned (with appropriate fire permits) or composted. If you choose to compost it's important to smother the leaves with layers of grass. The fungus spores need to be burned or smothered so they don't carry over this winter.
Hurricane Irene continues to churn to our south tonight after leaving the Bahamas and is now headed towards the north. For the past couple of days we have had the extraordinary benefit of being able to let you know that it was time to prepare for Irene's eventual visit. The computer models that we use for guidance have been rather consistent in their forecast solutions which rarely happens with tropical systems. It is for this reason that we have felt confident enough in our forecast to give you plenty of time to get ready.
The exact track and strength of Irene is still in question and as good as the computer models are in forecasting we still can not forecast the intensity of a hurricane beyond 72 hours very well. There are too many environmental variables and too much we still do not understand of how these storms interact with their surroundings. And of course the exact track is difficult to narrow down beyond 48 to 72 hours as well. When you have a land falling hurricane 50 miles can make a big difference! This is why we still need to watch and wait. But now is not the time to wait to prepare for the storm. This is extra time we have to prepare should be used to make sure you and your family are safe when the storm does finally arrive.
To put things into perspective, let's look at some of the past hurricanes with a similar track that have effected us here in Maine and NH. The most recent would be Hurricane Gloria in 1985. Gloria tracked up the Eastern Seaboard crossing over the outer banks of NC and then scraped along the shoreline all the way up the East Coast making landfall again in Long Island, NY and then traveling up through NH.
A couple of notable events from Hurricane Gloria in Maine:
The track of Gloria was significant because the storm tracked to our west putting Maine on the eastern side of the storm. The eastern side of the storm has the strongest winds and largest storm surge. Typically the most rainfall falls to the west of the storm which was the case with Gloria as Portland received only .41 inches of rain!
Hurricane Carol in 1954 also took a similar track as the forecast path of Irene. Some notable events in Maine from Carol:
Carol also tracked to our west putting us on the eastern side of the storm.
The best advice is to hope for the best but plan for the worst. Proper planning will make sure that you get through whatever Hurricane Irene brings us with as little inconvenience as possible.
Craig
A cold front passed through last night touching off the showers and thunderstorms and ushering in drier and less humid air. Dewpoint temperatures have fallen into the 40's and 50's which is in the comfortable range for most. Dewpoint temperatures give you an idea of how much moisture there is in the air. The higher the dew point, the more moisture is in the air, and the more uncomfortable we feel. Here's a look at the dew point scale:
Dewpoints How We Feel
High pressure is building in out of Canada bringing in the low humidity and this will stay with us as the high slides over us. By Saturday the high is moving off the coast and since air flows around high pressure systems in a clockwise fashion we will start to see west to southwest winds bringing the humidity back into New England.
By Sunday the high will be sitting around Bermuda so we will have a Bermuda high set up pumping all the heat and humidity all the way from the Gulf coast up to New England. This will mean dewpoint temperatures rising back into the lower 70's by late Sunday into Monday. Temperatures will also be on the rise approaching 90 degrees on Sunday and at least 90 degrees on Monday.
Stay cool,
Craig
The official statistics have been released from the National Weather Service in Gray for the month of June in Portland and as one might expect the month ended up being below normal. Not what you might expect though. The average temperature came in at only 0.2 degrees below normal. It felt a little cooler than that didn't it?
The daily mean average takes into account both the daytime maximum and nighttime minimum temperatures so you really have to look at those as well. The daily maximum temperature was 1.2 degrees below normal thanks to all those cool days we experienced. But the nighttime minimum was actually above normal by 0.9 degrees. This makes sense when you think back at all the cloudy days and nights we saw during the month. 14 days of the month saw at least a trace of rain, which means we did in fact have a lot of clouds. Clouds help keep the nighttime temperatures warmer since they act as a blanket and hold in the heat from the day.
The total rain for the month of June in Portland was 3.61" which was 0.33" above normal although parts of the state saw more rain depending on where showers and thunderstorms traveled through.
One of the reasons the month felt so cool was the 3 days that never got out of the 50's and the fact that the city of Portland only saw 1 day above 90 degrees and only 4 other days at 80 degrees or warmer. The ocean sea breezes helped keep coastal towns much cooler than interior sections for the month.
Looking ahead to the month of July the official long range forecast is calling for equal chances of being above or below normal temperature wise. Based on the current atmospheric setup and the lack of La Nina and El Nino I think the month of July will be fairly normal for us.
Here's hoping for lots of sun!
Craig
Now that we are finally seeing warmer weather and the ocean is starting to warm up from its bone chilling temperatures more of us will be heading the beach. The beaches are a great way to enjoy Maine summer's with the sand, surf, food, and of course people watching. But remember the beach also has a few hidden dangers to be aware of.
By now we know that sunscreen is a must, gone are the days of using baby oil to lie out in the sun. But rip currents in the ocean can be more surprising. Would you know what to do if you get caught in one and find yourself being pushed out to sea? Did you know that about 100 lives are lost every year in the U.S. from drowning due to rip currents? Did you also know that about 50,000 people are rescued from rip currents by lifeguards each year?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") wants you to remember to "Break The Grip of The Rip." Don't become a statistic by knowing what to do and teaching your family members what to do if they are caught in a rip current. By remembering the saying "Break The Grip of The Rip" you can remember these steps if you are ever caught in a rip current:
Of course you should also follow these simple tips when heading to the beach:
Ok so I have my beach chair, my sunscreen, my cooler of goodies, and I know what to do if I'm ever caught in a rip current. Now if only the ocean would get a little warmer. As of today in Old Orchard Beach the ocean is about 58 degrees. Hmmm, I think I'll be waiting just a bit longer before I put more than my big toe in the water.
See you out on the beach. :)
Craig
This morning's thunderstorms produced an abundance of lightning as they traveled across Maine and NH, lightning tracker on the Doppler HD was picking up about 6,000 lightning strikes per hour across the region. It certainly gave for a nice light show in the early morning sky but this is also a good time to think about lightning safety going into the summer season.
The National Weather Service compiles information each year on lightning fatalities and historically lightning has been the number two killer in the U.S. each year. Last year though, thanks to public safety information, lightning fatalities slipped to number three, behind flooding and tornadoes.
During our summer season we spend a lot of our time outdoors and this also happens to be our prime season for thunderstorms and lightning. Many of the injuries and deaths due to lightning occur from people involved in outdoor recreational activities. As a result it's important to plan ahead and know what to do when a thunderstorm approaches. John Jensenius a Lightning Specialist at the National Weather Service says "while outside, keep an eye on the sky and an ear to the air to look and listen for signs of a developing storm. Remember, if you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm and need to get to a safe place immediately."
A good saying to teach your kids and to remember yourself is "When thunder roars, go indoors."
Craig
Severe storms producing tornadoes affected Southwest Missouri (NWS Springfield County Warning Area) during the afternoon and evening of May 22, 2011. Large portions of Joplin Missouri were severely damaged. Results of damage assessed yielded a rating of an EF5 (greater than 200 mph).
Latest reports from Tuesday evening 5/24 indicate an estimated 122 fatalities and several hundred injured in the Joplin MO area. The Joplin tornado is the deadliest since modern recordkeeping began in 1950 and is ranked 8th among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
The tornado surpassed the June 8, 1953, tornado that claimed 116 lives in Flint, Mich., as the deadliest single tornado to strike the U.S. since modern tornado recordkeeping began in 1950. The deadliest tornado on record in the U.S. was on March 18, 1925. The Tri-State Tornado (MO, IL, IN) had a 291-mile path, was rated F5 based on a historic assessment, and caused 695 fatalities.
The US tornado death toll through the month of May this year is the highest since modern record keeping began in 1950. Also, 2011 is already ranked 8th among the deadliest tornado years in U.S. history. More information on 2011 Tornado statistics can be found at the following web site: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/2011_tornado_information.html
The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued by NOAAs Climate Prediction Center " a division of the National Weather Service. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:
Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicate that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
The United States was fortunate last year. Winds steered most of the seasons tropical storms and all hurricanes away from our coastlines, said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. However we cant count on luck to get us through this season. We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook.
Climate factors considered for this outlook are:
Remember your Greek letters? In meteorology we use the Greek letter omega (it's the one that kind of looks like an upside down "U") to describe a particular weather pattern in which the jet stream becomes shaped like the Greek letter. The jet stream is like a river of air that steers our storm systems across the globe. A more typical jet stream would flow across the United States from west to east with a few ripples along the way.
Instead over the next several days our jet stream is going to be "stuck" in an omega blocking pattern. If you were to follow the jet stream it would enter the United States over southern California and then turn sharply north through Montana and well north into Canada. After traveling just west of Hudson Bay in Canada the jet stream comes back into the U.S. over Wisconsin and heads south all the way to the Gulf Coast only to then turn sharply back up the eastern seaboard. If you draw this out on the map it looks like the Greek letter omega.
These patterns are called blocks since they stay in place for several days to even weeks in some cases. In both the east and west coast we are in "dips" in the jet stream so we'll experience unsettled weather with clouds and periods of rain. In the center part of the country they are under the "ridge" of the jet stream so they'll experience dry and warm weather.
We see these omega blocks several times a year usually in the spring and fall and they do eventually break down. This time around it looks like our omega block will start to break down late in the week. In the meantime we'll just have to wait and hope that we are getting this dreary weather out of the way now instead of during our summer!
Craig
To date, NOAA estimates the outbreak spawned 305 tornadoes, making this the largest tornado outbreak in history " surpassing the April 3-4, 1974 outbreak with 148 tornadoes. So far, the NWS has surveyed damage from 178 tornadoes and determined that two topped the Enhanced Fujuta scale at EF-5, four were EF-4, and 21 were EF-3. Dozens more have been categorized as EF-2 or lower.
It's estimated that there were more than 600 tornadoes during the month of April this year, shattering previous records. The previous April tornado record was 267, set in 1974. The previous record number of tornadoes during any month was 542, set in May 2003. So far this year there have been an estimated 881 tornadoes. The annual tornado record is 1,817, set in 2004. May is historically the most active month for tornadoes.
With an estimated 327 deaths, this is the 3rd deadliest tornado outbreak on record, behind 1925 with 747 and 1932 with 332. So far, 2011 is the 13th deadliest year for tornadoes on record with 369. The deadliest year on record is 1925 with 794.
NOAA is now conducting and publishing information from aerial imaging flights over some of the hardest-hit areas as requested by federal, state and local disaster response agencies. I haven't seen images like these before. If you click here and then choose a swath from one of the tornadoes you will get the aerial view.
While the numbers are awe inspiring and fascinating to ponder there is of course the human element to this. Folks are rebuilding their lives, their families, their towns and cities. The Red Cross has a way to donate to specific causes, for more information click here.
Sarah
A WATCH indicates that the atmospheric conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop. If a WATCH has been issued for your area, keep an eye on the sky, and monitor NOAA Weather Radio or News13 for any possible warnings.
A WARNING indicates that severe weather is imminent or is already occurring. If a WARNING has been issued for your area, be prepared to seek a safe shelter if you are in the path of the storm.
Now that winter storm season is over with our eyes are on thunderstorms, flash flooding and possible tornadoes. Every thunderstorm is not a severe thunderstorm - so you won't hear us use the phrase all the time. To be considered a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM the cell must produce damaging wind gusts of at least 58 MPH and/or hail at least 1" in diameter.
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from the cloud to the ground. A funnel cloud is a rotating cloud that IS NOT touching the ground. So you won't ever hear a funnel cloud warning, that would be in a severe thunderstorm, but you may hear a Tornado Watch and/or Warning.
Flash Flooding occurs very rapidly, usually due to very heavy rain from a slow moving thunderstorm. Flash Flooding is one of the deadliest weather phenomena - not necessarily here in Maine but on a worldwide scale.
It's easy to be reminded that we're not exempt from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Every time I pass the trees in Gorham snapped in half from the tornadoes last year or drive through Epsom, NH where a deadly tornado swept through a few years ago, I'm reminded of the importance of getting info out to folks as quick as possible.
For now though, enjoy the sun and 60s and stay tuned!
Cheers,
Sarah
Now that spring is finally here in Maine and the snow has all melted in my yard I took the time to do some outdoor spring cleaning the other day. This involved raking the yard and putting out my 2 story birdhouse mounted on a poll in the backyard. I apparently was not the only one noticing my efforts with the birdhouse as in less than 24 hours I had 2 tenants already moved in!
2 pairs of chickadee's have moved in and seem quite happy with their new home. They spend their days flying in and out busy building their nests completely ignoring my 2 pugs that walk back and forth below. These guys obviously have some keen eyesight; I wonder how much of the install they noticed. The quick move into their new home got me wondering exactly how these guys know when to move in and where.
Doing some research I came across 2 helpful websites, The National Wildlife Federation and Nest Watch from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. So as one might suspect, the length of the day is the cue for birds, or in our case the chickadee's, that it is time to breed. In Maine, and other colder climates, they have to time their breeding so when they are feeding their nestlings there is actually food to feed. Since our chickadees hang out in Maine for the winter they have spent the winter looking for a good breeding area. In our case the chickadees had probably chosen my backyard as a good area but the installation of the duplex was the true deciding factor that this was home.
Birds want to choose a safe place for their young that include adequate food sources and protection from predators. I'm guessing that the pugs in the backyard probably add a sense of security for the chickadees since they keep away all the squirrels, cats, and other birds. I've seen birds in the past use the pug's fur for their nest so who knows perhaps that was the deciding factor in moving into the new chickadee pad.
Whatever the reason I now get to watch the 2 pairs of happy parents tending to their new home. I wonder what style they have chosen to decorate their new place.
Craig
Let's talk some signs of spring here - we "sprung ahead" last weekend, I can see some grassy spots between snow banks on my lawn, I'm looking forward to skiing in a t-shirt, the veggie seeds have arrived in the mail.....spring fever breaking out all around as spring officially arrives in less than a week (Sunday at 7:21PM here on the east coast).
Sunday will be the brighter of the two weekend days ahead, so I don't want you to spend time indoors trying to stand eggs on end, I'm going to suggest you try it out Saturday or even wait for a rainy day next week or next month. It's a longstanding myth that an egg can be stood on end ONLY at the Vernal Equinox; in fact, it is just as "easily" done the other 364 days of the year.
This is also the time of year that people are spotting more robins at the bird feeder and in the bushes; but did you know there are robins in Maine throughout the winter months? Did you spy any this past winter? According to the Maine Audubon, American robins are partial-migratory birds - meaning they head south in the winter and north in the summer, but there are populations that overlap. So summer robins here in Maine head further south and robins spending the summer in Canada end up in our backyards during the winter months. Sometimes you can go a winter without seeing a robin - this may be due to harsh weather keeping them hidden away in the brush to take shelter, or just that were not looking for them during the winter months...but we're looking closer this time of year for those signs of spring.
Alright, I'm not trying to rain on our signs of spring, there are plenty of signs out there that warmer weather is just around the corner. Did I mention the 50s in the forecast? I think I'll at least unpack those seeds this afternoon...
Cheers!
Sarah
I'm a few days late on this anniversary, but not for a lack of viewers and weather watchers weighing in with memories of a blizzard that brought southern Maine to a stand still. We don't hear talk about it often, but the blizzard started on February 17th in 1952 and continued for 3 days, trapping people in their homes and bringing business to a standstill. From Lewiston to Portland to parts of York County,2 feet of snow piled up. Perhaps more impressive than the 3 day snow totals -70 MPH wind gusts caused snow drifts of 15 FEET in spots.
One of our longtime weather watchers, Mike, wrote in that his parents were stranded in Portland and it took them 4 days to be able to make the trip back to Sebago. The storm was deadly, 5 lives were lost and at the same time thousands of motorists were stranded as most state roads were completely blocked. Vintage Maine Images has some amazing pics (not only of this blizzard but some nice Maine history pics in general), click here to see a picture of Academy Street in Hallowell after the storm.
We hear a lot about the Blizzard of 78 and even the Blizzard of 1888, but the Blizzard of '52 is often under the radar (that may have been an intended pun). Perhaps its because it is not part of our record books here in Portland.The storm brought just over 25 inches to the city, while the greatest 24 hour snowfall in Portland was in January of1979 with 27.1 falling January 17-18; the snowiest winter was the winter of1970-71 with 141.5 of snow recorded. But for Lewiston the 26 of snow that fell was the most snow from one storm since 30 fell in L/A during the Blizzard of 1988.
Its not always the numbers that are most impressive,sometimes its the way a community is brought to a stand still and then the way the members of the community pull together during a storm that will mark our memories. Thank you to Mike and to some of our other viewers who have written in with stories from their parents, aunts, uncles.
Cheers,
Sarah
Here in Maine, the tornadoes in Gorham and other parts of southern Maine and the late summer heat wave were two of our top weather headlines for 2010. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has now published their own list of significant weather events over the past 12 months. Here is the Top 10 list as voted by a panel of weather and climate experts...
Top 10 National Weather Events of 2010
1. Consecutive Winter Blizzards/Extreme Snow Season (December-February) - Remember how hard hit the D.C. area was hit last year? 56.1 inches of snow for the capital area, the heavy snow totals brought the D.C. area to a complete halt several times.
2. Nashville and Central TN flooding (May) - The first two days of May started off with record breaking rainfalls through parts of TN, close to 20 inches of rain fell over a 2 day period. Several rivers flooded, included the Cumberland River that affected downtown Nashville.
3. Hot Summer in the East (June-August) - Our heat wave in Maine was at the end of August/beginning of September...Definition of a heat wave is at least three consecutive days of 90 degree heat or more.
4. Midwest Super Storm (October) - This "mega-storm" smashed barometric pressure records for most of the U.S. (except for pressures measured on the east coat). Lowest pressure was 28.21" of mercury at Bigfork, MN. Tornadoes, violent thunderstorms and torrential rain swept through the midsection of the U.S., this resulted in 24 tornado reports and over 200 reports of wind damage just on October 27th.
5. Hawaiian Drought (Throughout 2010) - The drought led to some unusual problems; Feral donkeys have broken through fences and barriers to drink from swimming pools. Residents using wells have spent up to $350 a month to have water hauled in from fill stations. Farmers, including macadamia nut farmers, lost millions because of lost crops.
6. No hurricanes made U.S. landfall despite active Atlantic Hurricane Season (June-November) - The Atlantic season started with Alex at the end of June and ended with Tomas at the end of October into the first week of November.
7. Near Eradication of Continental U.S. Drought (July) - Just about every part of the U.S. experienced drought conditions at some point last year, starting in the west then the Midwest and eventually parts of the east. By the end of the year each area had received enough rain to wipe out drought conditions.
8. Vivian, SD Hailstone (July) - 8 inches in diameter, and just shy of 2 pounds!
9. New England Flooding (February-April) - Portland, Boston, New York City and parts of New Jersey all had record rain in March. Rhode Island was one of the hardest hit where government buildings, schools and even parts of I95 were closed down after they received over 16 inches of rain for the month!
10. Minnesota as Tornado Leader - According to the NWS Storm Prediction Center, Minnesota had 145 tornado touchdowns. Each case will be reviewed this year to come with a final, official total but the number will likely not change enough to knock Minnesota out of first place for 2010. Texas came in second place at 105. This is the first time Minnesota has been at the top of the list.
more »
©2013, WGME - Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
