NATIONAL OUTLOOK
...Strong storm system to affect California and a quieter weather pattern is expected over most of the nation...
Rain and mountain snow has now arrived to much of the western U.S. as a Pacific cold front is making its way inland across the Pacific Northwest and northern California. Heavy snow is likely for the higher elevations of the Cascades and the northern Rockies through Friday as the moisture moves inland.
The main weather event that will make headlines over the next few days will be a rather strong low pressure system that is heading towards California by Friday. This is associated with a deep upper level trough that will generate an occluded surface low that is forecast to reach central and southern California by Friday afternoon. Heavy rainfall is expected for the coastal areas and the nearby mountains, with some locations getting in excess of 4 inches of rainfall by Saturday morning as a deep surge of subtropical moisture is directed towards the region. Flash flooding will be possible given the amount of rain expected.
Elsewhere across the continental U.S., some lake effect snow can be expected downwind of the Great Lakes from strong cold air advection behind the departing nor'easter over eastern Canada. Sunny to partly cloudy conditions are expected across much of the central and eastern U.S. over the next few days as high pressure governs the overall weather pattern there. Warmer conditions are also expected in time for the weekend for many areas.
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
High pressure crosses the Gulf today as the upper trough moves east over the Atlantic. Expect a broad upper ridge to dominate the weather for much of our nation this weekend and early next week resulting in a warming trend. A weak low pressure crosses the deep southeast this weekend. The next weather maker is not expected until mid to late week.
THREE DAY OUTLOOK
Thursday
Sunny with highs near the low to mid 50s and winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph, gusting to 20 mph. The higher wind gusts are expected to occur between 8 am and 5 pm today.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear with lows near freezing and light winds out of the northwest.
Friday
Sunny with highs near the mid 60s. Calm winds early, rising to 5 to 10 mph from the west by mid morning.
Friday Night
Mostly clear with lows near freezing and light winds out of the northwest.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with highs near 60. 40% chance of rain.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy with lows near 40.
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 16, 2017
North Carolina
High Temperature 83ºF in Chapel Hill, Orange County in 1989
Low Temperature -16ºF on Mount Mitchell, Yancey County in 1991
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.22 inches in Andrews, Cherokee County in 1990
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 15.0 inches in Black Mountain, Buncombe County in 1969
Macon County
High Temperature 77ºF at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1989
Low Temperature -4ºF in Highlands in 1991
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 3.90 inches in Franklin in 1873
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 6.0 inches in Highlands in 1895
Astronomy
Twilight Begins: 6:52 am
Sunrise: 7:18 am
Sunset 6:17 pm
Twilight Ends: 6:43 pm
Day Length: 11 hours 49 minutes
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous with 70% of the Moo's visible disk illuminated
Moonset 10:36 am
Moonrise 11:56 pm
Observing the Skies
Evening Events and Planets
Venus and Mars are the bright evening planets.
VENUS
Rises 8:50 am
Sets 9:31 pm
Brightness -4.5 Magnitude
Distance 0.431 AU
Constellation: Pisces
MARS
Rises 9:23 am
Sets 9:54 pm
Brightness 1.2 Magnitude
Distance: 1.955 AU
Constellation: Pisces
Morning Events and Planets
MERCURY
Rises 6:49 am
Sets 5:01 pm
Brightness -0.3 Magnitude
Distance 1.347 AU
Constellation: Capricornus
SATURN
Rises 3:35 am
Sets 1:21 pm
Brightness 1.4 Magnitude
Distance: 10.472 AU
Constellation: Ophiuchus
JUPITER
Rises 10:32 pm
Sets 9:52 am
Brightness -2.1 Magnitude
Distance: 4.826 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 4:16 am on Feb 16, 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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