Daily Weather Briefing for Wednesday, October 3, 2018

LOCAL NEWS

Fraternal Order of Police Host Candidate Forum

The FOP Lodge #81 hosted a forum last night in the big courtroom in the Macon County Courthouse. Candidates for Sheriff and District Court Judge participated. [LINK]


Franklin Town Council Meets for October 2018

Video of the October 2018 regular meeting of the Franklin Town Council has been published. [LINK]

Franklin Town Council Passes Resolution Proclaiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day [LINK]


Fontana Regional Library Catalog Changes Set for Oct 11th-15th

From Thursday, October 11 through Monday, October 15, the NC Cardinal library catalog (shared by Fontana Regional Library and more than 160 libraries across the state) will undergo necessary maintenance and upgrading. During that time, the online catalog will not be fully available either to patrons or to library staff. [LINK]


OUTLOOK

A dominant upper-level ridge of high pressure will persist over the region through the end of the week, supporting above to well-above normal temperatures and humidity, while keeping precipitation chances minimal. A cold front will approach from the northeast this weekend, bringing temperature closer to normal and increase rain chances.



Record Weather Events for October 3rd

Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)

Highest Temperature 889°F in Franklin in 1954
Lowest Temperature 24°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1974
Greatest Rainfall 7.03 inches in Highlands in 1898


Record Weather Events for October (1872-2017)

Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on Oct 5, 1954
Lowest Temperature 12°F in Highlands on Oct 30, 1910
Greatest Rainfall 9.91 inches in Highlands on Oct 4, 1964
Greatest Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands on October 20, 1913


An expanded almanac is available that covers record weather events, climate averages, and an astronomy section. [LINK]


WEATHER FORECAST MAPS

Forecast maps for 8 am, 2 pm, and 8 pm. 
[click on any image in this article to enlarge]
(These images replace the three-day forecast maps)

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FRANKLIN AREA

Today

A slight chance of showers between noon and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs near the lower 80s. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Patchy fog before 2am, then patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows near the lower 60s. Calm wind.

Thursday

A 20 percent chance of showers after 3pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with lows near the lower 60s. Calm wind.

Friday

A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Sunny, with a high near 85.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, with lows near the low-to-mid 60s.



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

Today

A slight chance of showers after noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Patchy fog between 1am and 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a lows in the lower 60s. Calm wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

A 20 percent chance of showers after 3pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with lows in the lower 60s. Calm wind.

Friday

A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Sunny, with highs in the lower 80s.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, with lows in the lower 60s.



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HIGHLANDS AREA

Today

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 70. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a slight chance of showers between 8pm and midnight. Patchy fog between 1am and 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 75. West northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with lows in the lower 60s. North northwest wind around 6 mph.

Friday

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. Sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.



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NANTAHALA AREA

Today

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 3pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with highs near the upper 70s. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Light northwest wind.

Friday

A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Sunny, with highs near the upper 70s.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.



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GOES-16 GeoColor - True Color daytime, multispectral IR
12:32 am to 3:27 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



GOES 16 - Band 15 - 12.3 µm - Dirty Longwave Window - IR (Precipitation)
12:37 am to 3:32 am this morning


TROPICAL OUTLOOK

Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Wed Oct 3 2018

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

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Leslie, located over the central Atlantic Ocean.

1. A large area of cloudiness and showers located over the central and southwestern Caribbean Sea is associated with a broad area of low pressure. Conditions appear to be favorable for some gradual development of this system late this week and this weekend when the low drifts over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...low...30 percent.




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.

Organizers of political events must make themselves available for a video interview at least 7 days before a political event they wish Macon Media to promote. Two weeks is the preferred time frame to maximize awareness.

Fontana Regional Library Catalog Changes Set for Oct 11th-15th

From Thursday, October 11 through Monday, October 15, the NC Cardinal library catalog (shared by Fontana Regional Library and more than 160 libraries across the state) will undergo necessary maintenance and upgrading. During that time, the online catalog will not be fully available either to patrons or to library staff. [LINK] http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/fontana-regional-library-catalog.html

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 7:05 a.m.
Sunrise 7:30 a.m.
Sun transit 1:22 p.m.
Sunset 7:15 p.m.
End civil twilight 7:40 p.m.


Moon

Moonrise 1:13 a.m.
Moon transit 8:31 a.m.
Moonset 3:47 p.m.


Phase of the Moon on October 3, 2018: Waning Crescent with 36% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: Last Quarter on October 2, 2018 at 5:45 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]

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Published at 3:58 am on October 03, 2018 

Link added to candidate forum at 5:25 am.

#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, University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and the Weather Prediction Center.