NATIONAL OUTLOOK
...Heavy rain and flooding persists across California...
...Snow possible for the Northeast this weekend...
Intense rainfall rates and strong wind gusts have significantly affected portions of California since Friday. Various impacts observed so far with this Pacific storm system have included rapid runoff leading to rising creeks/streams, cars swept away in rushing flood waters, downed trees, mudslides/debris flows and sinkholes. Much of the state has flood watches and flood warnings in effect, especially for southern California, and will persist this weekend. Nearly continuous onshore flow is forecast through the weekend-- keeping California and portions of the Pacific Northwest in a very active, anomalously wet pattern. Mountain snow is forecast for Sierra Nevada range and for elevations above 5500ft in central Nevada-- winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect for these areas.
Warm, moist air moving northward from the Gulf will help generate showers and thunderstorms across portions of the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi valley and the Gulf Coast. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted portions of north-central Texas favorable for strong, possibly severe, thunderstorm development on Sunday. Refer to the SPC webpage for additional information about the potential for severe weather.
The higher elevations of New England could have snow, or a rain/snow mix, today as a front moves through the area. Light snow may linger into Sunday after the front has passed. For the central and eastern states, mild and dry conditions are expected this weekend.
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
Firefighters from the Otto Fire Department, Station 5 from Rabun County, North Carolina Forest Service and United States Forest Service stopped a forest fire at 6 to 7 acres in size, that, according to NC Forest Service personnel, had the potential to grow to 300 to 500 aces. More on this on this at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/long-ridge-fire.html
LOCAL OVERVIEW
A weak upper low is expected to arrive in the region tonight then move off the east coast Sunday. The full effects of a strong upper ridge moves in to start the week with much above normal temperatures. Another period of light rainfall is possible mid week as a weak upper trough moves through the region. A cold front approaches at the end of the week with possible showers and thunderstorms.
THREE DAY OUTLOOK
Saturday
Cloudy with highs near 60. Calm winds shifting to come from the southwest in the afternoon. 40% chance of rain, mainly after 9 am with rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch expected. This on and off drizzle event should be over between 5 pm and midnight.
Saturday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Mostly cloudy with lows near 40 and variable light winds.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy, with skies becoming mostly clear by the late afternoon. Highs near the mid to upper 60s and winds out of the northwest.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear with lows near 40 and calm winds.
Washington's Birthday
Mostly sunny with highs near 70.
Monday 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 or 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.
February 21 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the FHS Fine Arts Building
Youth Night Out Teen Dating Violence and Healthy Relationships.
Presented as a partnership of Angel Medical Center, Macon County Public Health, REACH of Macon County and Discover Church.
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 18, 2017
North Carolina
High Temperature 86ºF in Greenevers, Duplin County in 1927
Low Temperature -18ºF in Brevard, Transylvania County in 1958
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.00 inches in Fayetteville, Cumberland County in 1879
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 19.8 inches in Greenevers, Duplin County in 1896
Macon County
High Temperature 73ºF in Franklin in 1890
Low Temperature -6ºF in Highlands in 1900
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 2.59 inches in Highlands in 1940
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 11.0 inches in Highlands in 1979
Astronomy
Twilight Begins: 6:50 am
Sunrise: 7:16 am
Sunset 6:19 pm
Twilight Ends: 6:45 pm
Day Length: 11 hours 55 minutes
Sunrise to Sunset: 11 hours 3 minutes
Moon Phase: Last Quarter at 2:33 pm
Moonrise 12:50 am
Moonset 11:47 am
Observing the Skies
Evening Events and Planets
Venus and Mars are the bright evening planets.
VENUS
Rises 8:44 am
Sets 9:28 pm
Brightness -4.5 Magnitude
Distance 0.418 AU
Constellation: Pisces
MARS
Rises 9:19 am
Sets 9:53 pm
Brightness 1.3 Magnitude
Distance: 1.968 AU
Constellation: Pisces
Morning Events and Planets
MERCURY
Rises 6:51 am
Sets 5:10 pm
Brightness -0.4 Magnitude
Distance 1.358 AU
Constellation: Capricornus
SATURN
Rises 3:28 am
Sets 1:13 pm
Brightness 1.4 Magnitude
Distance: 10.443 AU
Constellation: Ophiuchus
JUPITER
Rises 10:24 pm
Sets 9:44 am
Brightness -2.1 Magnitude
Distance: 4.800 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 5:08 am on Feb 18, 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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