Daily Weather Briefing for Sunday, May 27, 2018

**UPDATE** The entire region has been placed under a Flash Flood Watch until Tuesday morning. Read more about that on the website. [LINK]





LOCAL OUTLOOK

Very moist conditions will persist over the region through the holiday weekend as Alberto develops across the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical moisture will likely affect our area through the middle of next week, bringing the potential for continued heavy rainfall and associated flooding to the region. A pattern change might be in store for late 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/

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Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
822 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2018



The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Flood Advisory for Rapid Rises for...
Northeastern Rabun County in northeastern Georgia...
Southeastern Macon County in western North Carolina...
South central Jackson County in western North Carolina...

* Until 1015 PM EDT.

* At 821 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause minor flooding in the advisory area. Up to two inches of rain have fallen since 700 PM EDT.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Highlands, Whiteside Mountain and Cashiers.

Additional rainfall of one to two inches is expected over the area. This is expected to result in minor flooding.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please report flood water flowing over roads or threatening property, or landslides to the National Weather Service by calling toll free, 1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using hashtag nwsgsp. your message should describe the event and the specific location where it occurred.

Weather Almanac for May 26th (1872-2016)

Weather Almanac for May 25th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 89°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2012
Lowest Temperature 31°F in Highlands in 1961
Greatest Rainfall 2.88 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1981

Record Weather Events for May (1872-2017)

Highest Temperature 92°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on May 20, 1996
Lowest Temperature 23°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on May 2, 1963
Greatest Rainfall 4.2 inches in Highlands on May 23, 1923
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 2.5 inches in Highlands on May 7, 1992

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.



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FRANKLIN AREA

TODAY

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 63. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

MEMORIAL DAY

Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming east southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

MONDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

TUESDAY

Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

-----------------------------------------
OTTO AREA

TODAY

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 9am. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

MEMORIAL DAY

Showers likely before 10am, then showers and thunderstorms likely after. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 78. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

MONDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

TUESDAY

Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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

TODAY

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 60. East southeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

MEMORIAL DAY

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Patchy fog before 8am. High near 69. East wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

MONDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

TUESDAY

Showers likely and thunderstorms after noon. High near 69. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms. Low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

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

TODAY

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Patchy fog between 3am and 5am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

MEMORIAL DAY

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Patchy fog between 7am and 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

MONDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. East southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

TUESDAY

Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

----------------------------------------
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

GOES-16 GeoColor - True Color daytime, multispectral IR



HAZARDS

A period of extended rain is expected over the next several days. Flooding may be possible. For more information about the tropical system that may be developing in the Gulf of Mexico and impacting our region with heavy rain, please see the Tropical Outlook.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook regarding the developing situation and it has been posted below for your convenience.

NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook

..TODAY...Heavy rain with flooding possible. Tropical moisture interacting with a frontal zone may bring organized heavy rainfall back to the region.
..MONDAY...Heavy rain with flooding possible.
..TUESDAY...Heavy rain with flooding possible.
..WEDNESDAY...Heavy rain with flooding possible.
..THURSDAY...Heavy rain with flooding possible.

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

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

GOES 16 - Band 15 - 12.3 µm - Dirty Longwave Window - IR (Precipitation)
3:07 am this morning

TROPICAL OUTLOOK

Subtropical Storm ALBERTO continues to approach the US Gulf Coast. The storm is expected to make landfall early in the week. The main impact to our region will be rain. Flooding is possible. The Tropical Weather Outlook is posted below for your convenience.



Subtropical Storm Alberto Discussion Number 7...Corrected
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL012018
1100 PM EDT Sat May 26 2018

Corrected typo in key message 3

During the past few hours, a burst of convection has formed just north of the low-level center of Alberto, which has caused the center to reform somewhat to the northeast of the previous position.
Despite an overall increase in organization, however, reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft are at best ambiguous on whether the storm has strengthened. The maximum flight-level winds at 925 mb were 45 kt, which would support 30-35 kt at the surface. The maximum SFMR winds outside of the convective burst were 35-37 kt, but since these were higher than the associated flight-level winds it is unclear how reliable they were. In the convection, there were SFMR winds up to near 60 kt which may be due to downbursts and thus are unrepresentative of the strength of the storm. Finally, the central pressure has not fallen since the previous mission and is near 1001 mb. The initial intensity will remain 35 kt, but this could be conservative.

In the next 24 h, Alberto should intensify as a subtropical storm due to the influence of a negative-tilt upper-level trough just west of the cyclone. After that time, the trough is forecast to become a cutoff upper-level low, with the center of Alberto near or just north of the low in an area of lighter shear. This evolution should allow the cyclone to develop a deeper warm core and become more symmetric, and this in turn should lead to Alberto transitioning from a subtropical to a tropical storm by 36-48 h.
There is little intensity guidance that makes Alberto a hurricane before landfall, so the new intensity forecast keeps the same 55 kt peak and landfall intensities as the previous forecast. After landfall on the northern Gulf Coast, Alberto should steadily weaken over land through the remainder of the forecast period.

For the next 12 h or so, Alberto should move generally northward, although some additional eastward reformation of the center remains possible. From 12-48 h, the cyclone should move north-northwestward as it merges with the upper-level low.
This should be followed by a northward motion across the southeastern United States from 48-96 h and a subsequent recurvature into the westerlies. The forecast guidance is in good agreement, and the new forecast track is nudged just a little to the east of the previous track. On the current forecast track, Alberto would make landfall near the 48 h point.


KEY MESSAGES:

1. Regardless of its exact track and intensity, Alberto is expected to produce heavy rainfall and flash flooding over western Cuba, southern Florida and the Florida Keys. Heavy rainfall and flooding potential will expand to include much of the central U.S. Gulf Coast region and portions of the southeastern United States beginning Sunday and will continue into next week.

2. Hazardous storm surge is possible along portions of the central and eastern Gulf Coast beginning on Sunday, including areas well east of the track of Alberto's center. Residents in the storm surge watch area are encouraged to follow any guidance given by their local government officials.

3. Tropical storm conditions are likely within the tropical storm warning area along the Florida west coast on Sunday and within the warning area along the northern Gulf Coast beginning Sunday night.

4. Dangerous surf and rip current conditions will likely spread northward along the eastern and northern Gulf Coast through Monday.


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 27/0300Z 23.9N 84.6W 35 KT 40 MPH
12H 27/1200Z 25.9N 84.6W 45 KT 50 MPH
24H 28/0000Z 27.7N 85.6W 50 KT 60 MPH
36H 28/1200Z 28.9N 86.4W 55 KT 65 MPH...TROPICAL STORM
48H 29/0000Z 30.4N 86.8W 55 KT 65 MPH...TROPICAL STORM
72H 30/0000Z 34.5N 87.6W 25 KT 30 MPH...INLAND
96H 31/0000Z 39.0N 86.5W 20 KT 25 MPH...INLAND
120H 01/0000Z 42.5N 82.0W 15 KT 15 MPH...POST-TROPICAL

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.

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

Free classes and open studio times are being offered at 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 5:53 a.m.
Sunrise 6:22 a.m.
Sun transit 1:31 p.m.
Sunset 8:39 p.m.
End civil twilight 9:09 p.m.


Moon

Moonrise 5:55 p.m. yesterday
Moon transit 11:42 p.m. last night
Moonset 5:23 a.m.
Moonrise 6:54 p.m.


Phase of the Moon on May 27, 2018: Waxing Gibbous with 96% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon on May 29, 2018 at 10:19 a.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

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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 3:20m on May 27, 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, National Hurricane Center, 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.