NATIONAL OUTLOOK
...Rain and snow for the southwest U.S., and another winter storm for New England by Sunday night...
...Major winter storm expected to hammer the Northeast U.S. and heavy rain is likely over parts of Texas and the southern Rockies...
The surface low pressure system currently tracking eastward across the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic region is forecast to undergo rapid intensification by Sunday night and into Monday once it exits the New England coast. It will become a powerful nor'easter with blizzard conditions expected for parts of Maine as the winds become quite strong. Winter storm warnings are in effect from upstate New York to northern Maine, where snowfall amounts of 8 to 16 inches are likely with locally higher amounts. Coastal flooding could also be an issue for this region. Given the strong pressure gradient that is expected to develop in the wake of this storm, widespread windy conditions are expected as far west as the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic region, where high wind bulletins are already in effect for potential gusts in excess of 50 mph through Monday morning.
Out West, rain and mountain snow will continue to fall across the Southwest as a cold front drops southward, and a deep upper level low moving across northern Mexico will keep conditions unsettled through Sunday and into Monday. Periods of rain, heavy at times, and scattered thunderstorms will develop ahead of the system across the lower elevations of the southwest, moving into the Four Corners region by Sunday. Heavy snowfall is forecast across the higher terrain of the central and southern Rockies. Precipitation should spread into Oklahoma and Texas by Monday, with an enhanced axis of heavy rain likely across west-central Texas where 1 to 3 inches of rain could fall.
GOFUNDME ESTABLISHED FOR FAMILY WHO LOST HOME IN FIRE
A family with three children, two girls, ages 14 and 8, and a boy, age 4, has lost their home due to a fire. A GOFUNDME has been established to assist the family with clothing and other needs while they are homeless. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/family-of-5-loses-all-in-house-fire to find out more.
LOCAL OVERVIEW
Western Atlantic high pressure combined with flat ridging aloft will work to keep conditions mostly dry and unseasonably warm today. A mostly dry cold front will pass through the region tonight leading to temperatures closer to normal into midweek. Another frontal system crosses our region on Wednesday followed by cooler temperatures late in the week.
THREE DAY OUTLOOK
Sunday
Patchy fog early. Mostly cloudy with highs near the lower 70s (the record high for today is 72°F!). Winds will be 5 to 10 mph out of the south, then switching to come of of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 25 mph. 40% chance of rain, mainly before 10 am.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with decreasing clouds becoming mostly clear by midnight. Lows near freezing with wind chills in the 20s. Winds out of the northwest 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 25 mph.
Monday
Sunny with highs near the mid 50s and winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph, gusting to 20 mph.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy with lows near 30 and winds out of the northwest calming before midnight.
Tuesday
Partly sunny with highs near the mid to upper 50s.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy with lows near the mid to upper 30s. 40% chance of rain, mainly after midnight.
HAZARDS
A Wind Advisory will be in effect from 4 pm this afternoon until 1 pm MOnday afternoon. The details of the advisory are posted below.
..MONDAY...High winds possible. Strong wind gusts will taper off through the day on Monday.
As always, you can check to see what advisories, watches and warnings are in effect for Macon County by visiting http://is.gd/MACONWARN
***Wind Advisory***
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
351 AM EST Sun Feb 12 2017
...VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS FROM LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY MONDAY...
.Strong northwest winds will develop behind a cold front across the North Carolina mountains by the end of the day today. The winds will strengthen overnight and start to weaken Monday morning, as low pressure intensifies off the New England coast. Pockets of damaging winds are expected, especially along and just below the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge, and across portions of the upper French Broad Valley.
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST MONDAY...
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a Wind Advisory...which is in effect from 4 PM this afternoon to 1 PM EST Monday.
* LOCATIONS...The North Carolina mountains along and west of the French Broad River Valley.
* HAZARDS...Strong winds gusts.
* TIMING...Winds will turn from the northwest by around sunset early this evening. Winds will gradually strengthen throughout Sunday night, likely peaking between midnight and sunrise Monday morning.
* WINDS...Northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
* IMPACTS...A few trees and tree limbs may be blown down. Isolated power outages are also possible. Travel may be difficult for high profile vehicles.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult... especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite source of weather information for the latest updates. Additional details can be found at www.weather.gov/gsp.
MACON CALENDAR
If you have an event you wish to be added to this calendar, please send the information, along with a flyer of photo, to editor@maconmedia.com
There is no charge for civic, educational or non profit groups.
FRANKLIN BIRD CLUB MEETING AT LIBRARY
February 20
Franklin Bird Club meeting. “Cherokee Bird Legends and Myths” by Barbara Duncan. 7:00 pm at the Macon County Public Library.
MARDI GRAS DINNER TO BENEFIT REACH OF MACON COUNTY
A Mardi Gras Dinner to benefit REACH of Macon County will be held at Root + Barrel Kitchen on Main Street on Tuesday, February 28th at 6:30 pm.
Reserved tickets are $75 and open seating is $60.
More information is on the flyer posted here.
Weather Extremes Almanac for February 12, 2017
North Carolina
High Temperature 86ºF in Belhaven, Beaufort County in 1925
Low Temperature -13ºF in Banner Elk, Avery County in 1981
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.90 inches in Highlands, Macon County in 1900
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 24.0 inches on Mount Mitchell, Yancey County in 1985
Macon County
High Temperature 72ºF in Franklin in 1961
Low Temperature 0ºF in Highlands in 1899
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.90 inches in Highlands in 1900
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 11.0 inches in Highlands in 1895
Astronomy
Twilight Begins: 6:56 am
Sunrise: 7:23 am
Sunset 6:13 pm
Twilight Ends: 6:39 pm
Day Length: 11 hours 43 minutes
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous with 97% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated
Moonset 8:22 am
Moonrise 8:09 pm
Observing the Skies
Evening Events and Planets
Venus and Mars are the bright evening planets.
VENUS
Rises 9:03 am
Sets 9:35 pm
Brightness -4.5 Magnitude
Distance 0..458 AU
Constellation: Pisces
MARS
Rises 9:32 am
Sets 9:55 pm
Brightness 1.2 Magnitude
Distance: 1.928 AU
Constellation: Pisces
Morning Events and Planets
MERCURY
Rises 6:44 am
Sets 4:46 pm
Brightness -0.2 Magnitude
Distance 1.320 AU
Constellation: Capricornus
SATURN
Rises 3:49 am
Sets 1:35 pm
Brightness 1.4 Magnitude
Distance: 10.530 AU
Constellation: Ophiuchus
JUPITER
Rises 10:48 pm
Sets 10:08 am
Brightness -2.1 Magnitude
Distance: 4.881 AU
Constellation: Virgo
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.
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 5:20 am on Feb 12, 2017
#WNCscan #MaconWx #MaconSafety
Be kind to one another.
Data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, 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.
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