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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Daily Weather Briefing for February 15, 2017


Weather Advisories and Warnings Across the USA

Weather Advisories and Warnings Across the USA

NATIONAL OUTLOOK

...More snow for parts of the Northeast and precipitation returns to the western states by the end of the week... Across the Great Lakes region, a northern stream disturbance originating from central Canada will keep snow chances in the forecast through mid-week with a fresh surge of colder air. This will generate another nor'easter near eastern New England by Wednesday night, but does not appear to be as intense as the previous storm that just hammered the region.

However, winter storm warnings are in effect for this event for northern New England. Lake effect snow is also likely downwind of the Great Lakes. Elsewhere across the continental U.S., expect the weather to become unsettled for the Pacific Northwest by Wednesday as the high pressure ridge begins breaking down and allows for a Pacific storm system to come closer to the coast. Wintry precipitation should make it to the northern Rockies by Thursday morning. California also starts to get rain by Thursday and working its way down the coast by Friday morning. Sunny to partly cloudy conditions are expected across much of the central U.S. over the next few days as high pressure governs the overall weather pattern there.



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 NEWS


The Macon County Commissioners met last night. Full video of the meeting is posted online. [LINK]

The commissioners adjourned the meeting and will be holding a joint meeting with the Macon County Planning Board at the Environmental Resource Center on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 5 pm.

LOCAL OVERVIEW

Low pressure and a cold front will move off the east coast late today as high pressure builds into our region from the west. Temperatures will be near normal through Thursday. A rapid warming trend will commence over the weekend. Weak low pressure crosses our region Saturday and Saturday night.

THREE DAY OUTLOOK




Wednesday

Rainy until around 2 pm. Highs near the upper 40s. Light winds out of the northwest rising to 10 to 15 mph by mid morning. Wind gusts up to 25 mph. Rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch expected.

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear with lows near the mid to upper 20s and winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.




Thursday

Sunny with highs near the lower 50s and winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear with lows near the upper 20s and winds out of the northwest.




Friday

Sunny with highs near the lower 60s.


Friday Night

Mostly clear with lows near the mid 30s.




HAZARDS

No hazardous weather is expected.

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



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 15, 2017



North Carolina

High Temperature 84ºF in Laurinburg, Scotland County in 1989
Low Temperature -12ºF on Mount Mitchell, Yancey County in 2015
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 3.65 inches in New Holland, Hyde County in 1933
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 18.0 inches on Mount Mitchell, Yancey County in 1991

Macon County

High Temperature 76ºF in Franklin in 1989
Low Temperature 0ºF in Highlands in 1943
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 1.96 inches in Highlands in 1893
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 6.0 inches in Highlands in 1895


Astronomy


Twilight Begins: 6:53 am
Sunrise: 7:19 am
Sunset 6:16 pm
Twilight Ends: 6:42 pm
Day Length: 11 hours 49 minutes



Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous with 78% of the Moo's visible disk illuminated
Moonset 10:03 am
Moonrise 11:01 pm


Observing the Skies

Evening Events and Planets


Chart shows sky at 8:30 pm tonight




Venus and Mars are the bright evening planets.

VENUS
Rises 8:54 am
Sets 9:32 pm
Brightness -4.5 Magnitude
Distance 0.437 AU
Constellation: Pisces

MARS
Rises 9:25 am
Sets 9:54 pm
Brightness 1.2 Magnitude
Distance: 1.948 AU
Constellation: Pisces



Morning Events and Planets

Chart shows sky at 4 am tomorrow morning





MERCURY
Rises 6:48 am
Sets 4:57 pm
Brightness -0.3 Magnitude
Distance 1.341 AU
Constellation: Capricornus

SATURN 


Rises 3:39 am
Sets 1:24 pm
Brightness 1.4 Magnitude
Distance: 10.487 AU
Constellation: Ophiuchus

JUPITER
Rises 10:36 pm
Sets 9:56 am
Brightness -2.1 Magnitude
Distance: 4.840 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 4:25 am on Feb 15, 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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