NATIONAL OUTLOOK
...Severe weather likely across portions of the central and eastern U.S....
...Record warmth expected from the Midwest to the East Coast...
...Enhanced wildfire danger across the southern Rockies to the southern Plains today...
Unseasonably warm temperatures will be in place today from the southern Plains into the Midwest ahead of a strong cold front. High temperatures will range from the 60s and 70s from the Ohio Valley through the mid-Mississippi Valley eventually reaching the 90s across south Texas. These temperatures will be a good 10 to 25 degrees above late February averages. Besides warm temperatures, other ingredients will be present today to support a threat for severe weather of all types from the ArkLaTex into the Ohio valley, including tornadoes, large hail, damaging straight line winds and flash flooding. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted locations from central Arkansas to much of Indiana with an enhanced risk of severe storms for today through tonight. Farther south and west, high winds and low relative humidity across the southern to central High Plains will support a wild fire threat today behind a dryline which will extend north to south across central Oklahoma and Texas. Winds could gust to 60 mph from eastern New Mexico into parts of west Texas.
As the strong cold front advances east for Wednesday, the anomalously warm temperatures and severe weather threat will shift east, affecting locations from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Temperatures are forecast to break daily high temperature records for today and Wednesday in advance of the cold front. Temperatures will only fall to near average behind the cold front as the very cold air is locked up in northern Canada for the time being.
Winter weather in the form of light to locally moderate snow will affect portions of the upper Mississippi Valley into the northern Great Lakes region late tonight. Rain is forecast to change to snow as colder air filters in behind a strengthening surface low tracking from the Midwest into southern Ontario. Accumulations should be focused from southern Wisconsin into Michigan storm totals are expected to be largely below 6 inches through Thursday morning.
After light coastal rain and mountain snow for the Northwest today, the remainder of the West Coast will see a break from precipitation through the middle of the week. Temperatures will continue to be near or below average with the next round of noteworthy precipitation expected to reach the Pacific Northwest toward week's end.
LOCAL NEWS
The Macon County Board of Education met last night. Full video of the meeting is on the blog. [LINK]
LOCAL OVERVIEW
A warm front will lift north across our area today warming temperatures further and then a cold front crosses the area Wednesday night preceded by showers and thunderstorms, some of the could be severe. Cool high pressure will drop temperatures to near normal for the second half of the week. As the high moves off the Carolina coast, a warm southerly flow brings temperatures above normal again Sunday and Monday.
THREE DAY OUTLOOK
Tuesday
Patchy fog early. Mostly cloudy with highs near the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning, then from the southeast in the afternoon. 50% chance of rain with rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch expected.
Tuesday Night
Patchy fog around midnight. Mostly cloudy with lows near the mid 50s and light winds out of the southeast.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with highs near 70. Winds 5 to 15 mph from the southeast shifting to come from the southwest, then west, beginning in the afternoon. Wind gusts could reach 20 to 25 mph. 70% chance of rainfall with rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch expected. Thunderstorms possible after noon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy with lows near the mid 30 after the front passes. Winds will shift from the west to come out of the northwest overnight with higher gusts expected after 3 am. Near 100% chance of rain and thunderstorms, with the greatest chance of severe thunderstorms occurring between 11pm and 6 am.
Thursday
Sunny with highs near the mid 50s.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear with lows near 30.
HAZARDS
No hazardous weather is expected today. A line of severe thunderstorms may arrive in our area overnight Wednesday between midnight and 6 am. The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Macon County. The text is posted below for your convenience.
...WEDNESDAY...Severe weather possible. A vigorous cold front will sweep through the region on Wednesday. Showers and thunderstorms are expected, some of which could become severe with damaging winds and frequent lightning being the primary threats.
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.
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.
Be the Voice for a Child! Don’t let another child’s voice go unheard. The Guardian Ad Litem program is currently seeking volunteers in your community to be the voice of a foster child in court. The North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program thrives on volunteerism, and its vital work is only made possible by dedicated volunteers who are committed to the cause of keeping children safe from future harm. We will have a training class for volunteers in Sylva starting March 16, 2017. We would love to have you join us. It's not too late to apply!
If you have an interest in becoming the voice for a child, contact Joe Allen at the Macon County GAL office at 828-349-7222 or Shannon Cowan at the Jackson County GAL Office at 828-587-2087. You can also find out more about the program by visiting www.ncgal.org or www.facebook.com/ncGuardianAdLitem
Weather Extremes Almanac for February 28, 2017
North Carolina
High Temperature 88ºF in New Bern, Craven County in 1962
Low Temperature -8ºF in Montreat, Yancey County in 1935
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 6.21 inches in Brevard, Transylvania County in 1962
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 12.0 inches in Laurel Springs, Ashe County in 2005
Macon County
High Temperature 79ºF at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1996
Low Temperature 6°F in Highlands in 2002
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.00 inches in Highlands in 1882
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 6.0 inches at the Nantahala in 1937
Astronomy
Twilight Begins: 6:39 am
Sunrise: 7:04 am
Sunset 6:28 pm
Twilight Ends: 6:54 pm
Day Length: 12 hours 15 minutes
Sunrise to Sunset: 11 hours 24 minutes
Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent with 5% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated
Moonrise 8:24 am
Moonset 8:52 pm
Observing the Skies
Evening Events and Planets
Venus and Mars are the bright evening planets.
VENUS
Rises 8:05 am
Sets 9:05 pm
Brightness -4.4 Magnitude
Distance 0.357 AU
Constellation: Pisces
MARS
Rises 8:59 am
Sets 9:49 pm
Brightness 1.3 Magnitude
Distance: 2.034 AU
Constellation: Pisces
Morning Events and Planets
MERCURY
Rises 7:01 am
Sets 5:55 pm
Brightness -1.0 Magnitude
Distance 1.381 AU
Constellation: Aquarius
SATURN
Rises 2:51 am
Sets 12:37 pm
Brightness 1.3
Distance: 10.287 AU
Constellation: Sagittarius
JUPITER
Rises 9:42 pm
Sets 9:03 am
Brightness -2.2 Magnitude
Distance: 4.681 AU
Constellation: Virgo
Sky Guides for this week
Sky and Telescope Magazine
Astronomy Magazine
ANNULAR ECLIPSE TODAY
There will be an annular eclipse of sun today. It will not be visible from here, but you can watch in on the SLOOH website. [LINK] http://live.slooh.com/stadium/live/the-southern-ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse
The eclipse will be visible from Africa to the southern portion of South America. Sky and Telescope has an article on the event. [LINK] http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/february-26-annular-solar-eclipse/
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 3:45 am on Feb 28, 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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