Daily Weather Briefing for Monday, August 28, 2017

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school for most Macon County children, so please be on the lookout for school buses between now and the end of the school year. Macon Media has posted some graphics to help motorists know when they should stop for school buses and other safety tips to follow during the coming school year on the blog at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/back-to-school-safety-tips-for-2017.html

LOCAL OUTLOOK

High pressure over the Eastern Seaboard will keep our area cooler than normal over the next several days. Low pressure will track northeast along the Carolina coasts today through Tuesday and may develop into a tropical storm. A cold front will drop south into the area on Wednesday and stall out, lingering through the end of the week.


WEATHER SPONSOR



Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for the month. They have all your masonry products (block, mortars, tools), plus feature Belgrade Pavers and Sakrete Products. Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC.

Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/

Their phone number is 828.524.8545, all are welcome, let them help you with your next project.


DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response. 

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.



Weather Almanac for August 28th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 94°F in Franklin in 1948
Lowest Temperature 44°F in Franklin in 1968
Greatest Rainfall 3.06 inches in Highlands in 1949


Record weather events for August in Macon County

Highest Temperature 99°F in Franklin on Aug 9, 1980
Lowest Temperature 40°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Aug 29, 1968
Greatest Rainfall 9.68 inches in Highlands on Aug 13, 1940


THREE DAY OUTLOOK



TODAY

Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly cloudy with highs in the Franklin area near 80 and 5 to 10 degrees cooler in Highlands and the higher elevations. Calm winds early, the from the northeast by mid-morning.


TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the Franklin area near the upper 50s and 5 to 8 degrees cooler in the Highlands area and the higher elevations. Light winds out of the northeast.



TUESDAY

Partly sunny with highs in the Franklin area in the lower 80s and variable light winds. Slight chance of rain.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the lower 60s and a slight chance of rain.



WEDNESDAY

Mostly cloudy with highs near 80. Calm winds in the morning, then from the southwest in the afternoon. 30% chance of rain.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the lower 60s. 40% chance of rain.

HAZARDS

Hazardous weather is not expected today.

As always, you can check to see what advisories, watches, and warnings are in effect for Macon County by visiting http://is.gd/MACONWARN



TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK


Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Mon Aug 28 2017

For the North Atlantic...The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Harvey, located near Matagorda Bay, Texas.

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten, located off the southeast U.S. coast.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...90 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...90 percent.

1. A tropical wave located near the coast of western Africa is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for gradual development of this system while it moves westward at 15 to 20 mph over the tropical Atlantic during the next several days.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...medium...50 percent.




Tropical Storm Harvey Discussion Number
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092017
1000 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017

The unprecedented flooding rainfall event continues to unfold over much of southeastern Texas. Harvey has been moving slowly east-southeastward during the past few hours, and heavy rainbands continue to form over the northwestern Gulf and train inland over much of the upper Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana. Storm total rainfall amounts in the 20-27 inch range have been observed across much of the Greater Houston area, and additional rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 inches are expected over the next several days. Rainfall totals could reach 50 inches in some locations, which would be historic for that area.

There haven't been any observations of sustained 34-kt winds over land for the past few hours, but the initial intensity remains 35 kt based on the assumption that higher winds are occuring over water, likely in rainbands. The track guidance continues to show Harvey moving just offshore of the Texas coast on Monday, then turning northward and moving inland over northeastern Texas in 48 to 72 hours. All of the global models show some slight deepening ofthe system after it moves over water, but given the lack of an inner core, significant strengthening is not anticipated. The new NHC track and intensity forecasts are similar to those from the previous advisory.

Although the tropical storm warning has been expanded, and may need to be extended eastward along the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts tomorrow morning, heavy rainfall and life-threatening flooding continue to be the primary threats.

Key Messages:

1. Ongoing catastrophic and life-threatening flooding will continue across southeastern Texas. Additional rainfall accumulations of 15 to 25 inches are expected across the upper Texas coast, with isolated storm totals as high as 50 inches. Please heed the advice of local officials. Do not attempt to travel if you are in a safe place, and do not drive into flooded roadways. Refer to products from your local National Weather Service office and the NOAA Weather Prediction Center for more information on the flooding hazard. A summary of rainfall totals compiled by the Weather Prediction Center can be found at: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html

2. The flood threat is spreading farther east into Louisiana. Additional rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 inches are expected in southwestern Louisiana, with rainfall amounts of 5 to 15 inches expected in south-central Louisiana. Please heed the advice of local officials and refer to products from your local National Weather Service office and the NOAA Weather Prediction Center for more information on the flooding hazard in these areas.

FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 28/0300Z 28.8N 96.6W 35 KT 40 MPH...INLAND
12H 28/1200Z 28.6N 96.4W 35 KT 40 MPH...NEAR THE COAST
24H 29/0000Z 28.3N 96.0W 40 KT 45 MPH...OVER WATER
36H 29/1200Z 28.4N 95.7W 40 KT 45 MPH...OVER WATER
48H 30/0000Z 28.8N 95.3W 40 KT 45 MPH...OVER WATER
72H 31/0000Z 30.5N 94.8W 35 KT 40 MPH...INLAND
96H 01/0000Z 32.3N 93.9W 30 KT 35 MPH...INLAND
120H 02/0000Z 34.0N 92.5W 25 KT 30 MPH...INLAND

MACON CALENDAR

If you have an event you wish to be added to this calendar, please send the information, along with a flyer in pdf format or a high-quality photo, to editor@maconmedia.com. If you want text published, please include a paragraph with your photo, flyer or graphic. Please include date(s) and time(s).
There is no charge for civic, educational or nonprofit groups, except for groups or events that receive funding from the TDA, TDC, and EDC, where full rates apply.


September 27th, WEDNESDAY

HOSPICE HOUSE FOUNDATION OF WNC

PEACEFUL JOURNEY
3rd annual charity dining event
hosted by RISTORANTE PAOLETTI at 440 Main Street in Highlands

For information, visit http://hhfwnc.org/peaceful-journey/


National Alliance on Mental Illness
Appalachian South

Meets each Thursday at 7pm
The First Methodist Church Outreach Center
at the intersection of Harrison Ave. and West Main Street
(directly across from Lazy Hiker Brewery)

Come join our weekly support group for anyone suffering from mental illness and their family or friends. This includes Depression, Bipolar,8chizophrenia, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Etc.

Here you will find:
— others living with mental health challenges YOU ARE NOT ALONE
- learn coping skills and ?find hope in shared experience
- help learning how to break down stigma and guilt surrounding mental health
- how to live life with the expectation of a better a better future

Kay (706)970-9987 Denise (828)347-5000)

SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

On January 1, 2017, the Syringe Exchange Program of Franklin began operating a comprehensive harm reduction program to address the opioid epidemic that is impacting western NC. Opioid overdose reversal kits including naloxone are available free of charge. If you have any questions about our services or if you know someone interested in volunteering, please contact Stephanie Almeida at 828-475-1920.



Sun and Moon

Sun

Begin civil twilight 6:37 a.m.
Sunrise 7:03 a.m.
Sun transit 1:35 p.m.
Sunset 8:05 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:31 p.m.

Moon

Moonrise 1:40 p.m.
Moon transit 7:07 p.m.
Moonset 12:30 a.m. tomorrow

Phase of the Moon on August 28, 2017: Waxing Crescent with 44% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: First Quarter on August 29, 2017 at 4:13 a.m. (local daylight time)




Sky Guides for this week

Sky and Telescope Magazine 
Astronomy Magazine


Earth Sky has an article on the eclipses of 2017. [LINK]

Heavens Above has an Android App that will assist you in observing the sky and even has a satellite tracker that will let you know when the International Space Station and dozens of other satellites are overhead. [LINK]

Stellarium is also an app that will assist you in observing the sky. It is available in both Android [LINK] and iOS versions. [LINK]

CROWD FUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month.

If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only. Macon Media rewards early sponsors/underwriters with lifetime guaranteed low rates while newer sponsors/underwriters pay higher rates based on the date they first support Macon Media.

Thank You to the people who have been sending in donations and those businesses who are underwriting coverage of news and events. You have kept Macon Media online. You have made it possible for Macon Media to begin purchasing state of the art equipment and begin work on building a real website with features not employed by any local news outlets.

You can find out more information on how to do that and some of what I plan to accomplish if I reach certain levels of funding at https://www.patreon.com/MaconMedia

Published at 4:45 am on August 28, 2017

#WNCscan #MaconWx #MaconSafety

Data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, Ian Webster's Github, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, The National Weather Service, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, and the Weather Prediction Center.