Daily Weather Briefing for Tuesday, August 29, 2017

LOCAL OUTLOOK

High-pressure ridging down the Appalachians will keep our area cooler than normal over the next several days. Low pressure will track northeast along the Carolina coasts through Tuesday and may develop into a tropical storm as it moves east of our area. A cold front will settle across the region Wednesday and may retreat north as a warm front later in the week as the remnants of Harvey move north along the Mississippi River Valley, resulting in scattered to widespread showers and storms.


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.


Weather Almanac for August 28th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 96°F in Franklin in 1948
Lowest Temperature 40°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1968
Greatest Rainfall 3.89 inches in Highlands in 1940


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. Partly sunny with highs in the Franklin and the main valley of the county in the lower 80s and 5 to 10 degrees cooler in the Highlands area and higher elevations. Light winds out of the northwest with a brief rise in the winds before noon to 5 mph, then back to light winds. 20% chance of rain, mainly after 10 am.


TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with a chance of fog developing after midnight. Lows near 60 in the Franklin and main valley area and 5 to 8 degrees cooler in Highlands and the higher elevations.



WEDNESDAY

Mostly cloudy with highs near 80 in Franklin and the main valley and 5 to 10 degrees cooler in the Highlands area and the higher elevations. Winds are light and variable. 40% chance of rain with rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Cloudy with lows in the lower 60s in the Franklin area and 5 to 8 degrees cooler in higher elevations. 40% chance of rain, with thunderstorms possibly developing in the early morning hours.



THURSDAY

Cloudy with highs in the mid-70s. 50% chance of rain.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the upper 50s to lower 60s, depending on elevation. 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

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 Tue Aug 29 2017

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

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Harvey, located just offshore of the middle Texas coast.

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten, located just offshore of the South Carolina coast.

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

1. A tropical wave and associated low-pressure area located a couple of hundred miles southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are conducive for development, and a tropical depression could form within the next few days over the eastern Atlantic. The low is forecast to move generally westward at 15 to 20 mph over the tropical Atlantic during the next several days. Regardless of development, heavy rain is possible over portions of the Cabo Verde Islands through Wednesday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...medium...50 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...80 percent.




Tropical Storm Harvey Discussion Number 35
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092017
1000 PM CDT Mon Aug 28 2017

The center of Harvey has been moving east-southeastward over the extreme western Gulf of Mexico this evening. Although there is no deep convection near the center of Harvey, thunderstorm activity has continued to increase well north of the center, along the immediate northwest Gulf Coast and has spread inland over the Greater Houston area, worsening the catastrophic flooding situation. Another band of heavy rainfall is moving inland over portions of southern and southwestern Louisiana. Widespread rainfall totals of 30 to 36 inches have been observed in southeastern Texas and the Houston Metropolitan Area. Storm totals could reach 50 inches in some locations, which would be historic for the area.

A NOAA National Ocean Service observing site near Matagorda Bay has continued to report sustained tropical-storm-force winds this evening, and data from this and other nearby stations still support an initial intensity of 40 kt. Given the current structure of the cyclone and the lack of convection near the center, little change in strength is expected while Harvey moves over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. After landfall in about 36 hours, gradual weakening should occur as the circulation moves farther inland.

Harvey has been moving east-southeastward or 120/3 kt. The storm is forecast to turn northeastward, then north-northeastward over the next couple of days as a ridge to the northwest of the system weakens and Harvey is steered around the western side of a ridge over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The track guidance has shifted slightly eastward and the new NHC track has been adjusted in that direction.


Key Messages:

1. Ongoing catastrophic and life-threatening flooding will continue across southeastern Texas. Additional rainfall accumulations of 10 to 20 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 has spreading farther east into Louisiana. Additional rainfall amounts of 10 to 20 inches are expected in southwestern Louisiana, with rainfall amounts of 5 to 15 inches expected in south-central Louisiana. Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are expected in southeast Louisiana and coastal Mississippi and Alabama. 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.

3. While Tropical Storm Warnings have been extended eastward along the coast of Louisiana and a Storm Surge Watch has been issued, the impacts of winds and storm surge are expected to be secondary compared to that of the rains.


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 29/0300Z 28.2N 95.3W 40 KT 45 MPH
12H 29/1200Z 28.1N 95.0W 40 KT 45 MPH
24H 30/0000Z 28.5N 94.5W 40 KT 45 MPH
36H 30/1200Z 29.5N 94.0W 40 KT 45 MPH
48H 31/0000Z 30.7N 93.4W 35 KT 40 MPH...INLAND
72H 01/0000Z 33.4N 91.9W 30 KT 35 MPH...INLAND
96H 02/0000Z 35.5N 90.0W 25 KT 30 MPH...INLAND
120H 03/0000Z 38.0N 86.5W 20 KT 25 MPH...POST-TROP/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 6:38 a.m.
Sunrise 7:04 a.m.
Sun transit 1:34 p.m.
Sunset 8:04 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:30 p.m.

Moon

Moonset 12:30 a.m.
Moonrise 2:34 p.m.
Moon transit 7:53 p.m.
Moonset 1:10 a.m. on following day


Phase of the Moon on August 29, 2017: First Quarter at 4:13 a.m.




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 3:50 am on August 29, 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.