Daily Weather Briefing for Wednesday, April 26, 2018

APOLOGY

I apologize for being so late with the daily weather briefing. I grossly overslept this morning. --Bobby

LOCAL NEWS

The Macon County School System became aware of a potential suicide pact among some Mountain Valley Intermediate students who were members of an online group on Instagram and they took steps to investigate it and they reached out to parents asking them to monitor their children's activities online. More on this incident may be read on the blog. [LINK]

Candidates who are challenging the incumbent county commissioners met with residents of the Nantahala Community on Tuesday Night to answer questions and speak with them about their visions for Macon County. Video of that event is on the blog. [LINK]

LOCAL OUTLOOK

An area of low pressure will cross the region today through early Friday, bringing rain chances back to the area. High pressure will build across our area this weekend and persist into early next week.


WEATHER SPONSOR



Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/

All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help with your with your next project.





Weather Almanac for April 26th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin in 1986
Lowest Temperature 23°F in Highlands in 1919
Greatest Rainfall 3.2 inches in Highlands in 1939
Greatest One-Day Snowfall No snowfall has been recorded on this date since record keeping began in 1872

Record Weather Events for April (1872-2017)

Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on April 26, 1986
Lowest Temperature 13°F in Highlands on April 1, 1987
Greatest Rainfall 7.00 inches in Highlands on April 7, 1895
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 9.5 inches in Franklin on April 4, 1987



THREE DAY OUTLOOK

The images below represent the daily forecast at 8 am for today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Click on any of them to enlarge.



----------------------------------
FRANKLIN AREA

TODAY

Showers, mainly after noon. High near 63. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

TONIGHT

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers. Patchy fog after 11pm. Low around 46. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

FRIDAY

A 20 percent chance of showers between 10am and 11am. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

SATURDAY

Sunny, with a high near 70. Light northwest wind becoming west northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 42.
-----------------------------------------
OTTO AREA

TODAY

Showers, mainly after noon. High near 63. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

TONIGHT

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers. Patchy fog after 11pm. Low around 46. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

FRIDAY

A 20 percent chance of showers between 10am and 11am. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Sunny, with a high near 70. Light northwest wind becoming west northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

---------------------------------------------
HIGHLANDS AREA

TODAY

Showers, mainly after noon. High near 62. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.


TONIGHT

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers. Patchy fog after 11pm. Low around 46. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.


FRIDAY

Partly sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.


FRIDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.


SATURDAY

Sunny, with a high near 70. West northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

--------------------------------------------
NANTAHALA AREA

TODAY

Showers, mainly after noon. High near 58. Light and variable wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

TONIGHT

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11 pm, then showers likely. Patchy fog after 11pm. Low around 45. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

FRIDAY

A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 62. West northwest wind 6 to 9 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

SATURDAY

Sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.


SATURDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

----------------------------------------


GOES 16 - Band 15 - 12.3 µm - Dirty Longwave Window - IR
2:37 am to 5:32 am this morning


HAZARDS

Hazardous weather is not expected today.


Macon Media maintains a Severe Weather Preparedness Page at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/p/breaking-news-hub.html for those who are interested.

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



5:32 am this morning



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 graphics. 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.



OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

I am writing to thank the residents of Franklin, Highlands, and Macon County for spreading joy to children around the world this Christmas. Through the generosity of the Macon County community, 4,636 shoeboxes were collected; and the Western North Carolina Area Team was able to exceed our goal by collecting 20,038 shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. The International total for 2017 was 11,012,840 shoeboxes!

As National Volunteer Week (April 15 – 21) approaches, I wanted to pass along information about an opportunity for Macon County residents to join a local volunteer team with Operation Christmas Child. This project of the international Christian relief organization, Samaritan’s Purse, sends gift-filled shoeboxes to millions of children in need each year and gives local residents the opportunity to make a worldwide impact. “National Volunteer Week is a great time to become a part of this international project,” said June Trull, who heads up the Western North Carolina Area Team of Operation Christmas Child.“Joining an Operation Christmas Child Area Team is an amazing way to give back year-round and share God’s love with children in need.”



Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries since 1993. This year, the local Western North Carolina Area Team hopes to collect 21,000 shoebox gifts to contribute to the 2018 global goal of reaching more than 11 million children in need.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Thank You
Brenda Hackett
Samaritan's Purse
Media Support
Western North Carolina Area Team
Operation Christmas Child
828-369-6674/ bjandhack@hotmail.com
samaritanspurse.org/occnewsroom



COMMUNITY WALK ON THE GREENWAY

The Friends of the Greenway invites the community to participate in a "Walk on the Greenway" on April 21, 2018 at 10:30 AM beginning at the Macon County Library (on Siler Rd). Sunny Himes will lead about a 2 mile walk, highlighting several natural communities including a Red Cedar-Hardwood Woodland, Montane Alluvial Forest, and Floodplain wetlands. Discussion points will be historic and current uses of the land around the Greenway, how these uses shaped today's terrain and plant community compositions, and the challenges of wildland restoration in a popular urban park. Ms. Himes is a lecturer at Western Carolina University in botany, ecology and introduction biology. She is a past FROG Board member and continues to manage restoration projects on the Greenway. A $5 donation is suggested for this benefit walk. Send email of your interest in participating on the walk to: frog28734@gmail.com.




From Bully to Buddy, A Community Forum
Please note this forum is now taking place on the 26th of April

Bullying affects us all in different ways. Let’s work this out together.
Sincere invitations to the bully, the bullied and those in between — all ages — all genders Featuring: interaction, role playing, dialogue, discovery and direction (and some fun!)

This forum will be taking place on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 PM - 8 PM
pin in Tartan Hall at First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church Street, Franklin, NC

Join the event page on Facebook to find out more and to receive updates. [LINK]




Uptown Gallery classes
(These are on-going classes – repeat weekly)

Free classes and open studio times are being offered at the The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Join others at a painting open studio session every Tuesday from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm or on Thursday from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. 

Bring your own materials and join an on-going drawing course led by gallery artists on Fridays, from 11am – 2 pm. For information on days open, hours and additional art classes and workshops, contact the gallery on 30 East Main Street at (828) 349 – 4607.




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 6:22 a.m.
Sunrise 6:49 a.m.
Sun transit 1:31 p.m.
Sunset 8:14 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:41 p.m.


Moon

Moonset 4:29 a.m.
Moonrise 3:56 p.m.
Moon transit 10:35 p.m.
Moonset 5:06 a.m. tomorrow morning


Phase of the Moon on April 25, 2018: Waxing Gibbous with 79% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: First Quarter on April 22, 2018 at 5:46 p.m. (local daylight time)




Sky Guides for this week


Sky and Telescope Magazine 
Astronomy Magazine


There will be three solar and two lunar eclipses in 2018. [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]

CROWDFUNDING 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 5:45 am on April 26, 2018

#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.