Daily Weather Briefing for Saturday, April 29, 2017

LOCAL OUTLOOK

A Bermuda high will continue summer like weather across the region through the end weekend until a strong cold front approaches from the west Sunday night. The cold front will move across our region on Monday. After the front passes, weak high pressure will move across the southeast for Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the atmosphere will reload with another slow moving system bringing wet weather to the area late next week.

Weather Almanac for April 29th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 90°F in Franklin in 1970
Lowest Temperature 26°F in Highlands in 1992
Greatest Rainfall 3.10 inches in Franklin in 2014
Greatest Snowfall There has been no measurable snowfall on this date since 1872 when weather records began being kept.

LOCAL NEWS

The big news in Macon County this week has been the announcement by Mission Health that the Labor & Delivery Department at Angel Medical Center will be closing. Lost in the uproar of that was the news that a $40 million-plus new hospital will be built. 

There is a forum planned to discuss the loss of the Labor & Delivery Department is planned for Sunday at the Gazebo at the corner of Main Street and Iotla Street. More details can be found on the Facebook event page. [LINK]

You can read about what happened regarding this story at the following links:

ANGEL ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO OB/GYN PROGRAM

HARRIS HOSPITAL SUPPORTS COMMUNITY

MISSION HEALTH PRESS CONFERENCE IN ASHEVILLE REGARDING INVESTMENT IN MACON COUNTY (video of the press conference is included)

THREE DAY OUTLOOK



TODAY

Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly sunny with highs near the mid-80s and winds 5 to 10 mph out of the south. Wind gusts could be in the 20 mph range. 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4 pm or so.

TONIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows near 60 and winds out of the southeast.30% chance of showers and thunderstorms.




SUNDAY

Patchy fog early. Partly sunny with highs near the upper 70s to low 80s and winds 5 to 10 mph out of the southeast. 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8 am.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the lower 60s and winds 10 to 15 mph out of the southeast. Wind gusts will be in the 20 to 25 mph range. 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after midnight.





MONDAY severe weather may be possible

Cloudy and rainy with highs near 70 and winds 10 to 15 mph out of the south. Wind gusts will be in the 20 to 25 mph range. 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms.

MONDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy with lows dropping into the upper 40s. 60% chance of rain, mainly before midnight.


HAZARDS

Hazardous weather is not expected today. There may be severe weather on Monday. Strong storms are expected to form ahead of a cold front.

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 in pdf format or a high-quality photo, to editor@maconmedia.com
There is no charge for civic, educational or non-profit groups.


People's Climate Sister March WNC

MARCH DETAILS:
2pm - March begins at Big Bear Picnic Shelter, E. Main Street, Franklin. We will have speakers & music to kick off the event!
3pm - March through downtown Franklin begins. Route is approx. 1.5 miles (there is a big hill walking into town). If you are unable to walk the march we encourage you to join the rally at Big Bear shelter, then hold your signs at the town square where marchers will end.
March ends at the Gazebo on the Square in downtown Franklin. There will be community organizations with information tables until 5pm.

This is positive, family friendly event. Please bring signs, personal water bottles, and WEAR GREEN!

CARPOOLING is strongly encouraged. Parking is available at Big Bear and also at Mainspring, across the road. We will have signs posted.

Contact forwardfranklinnc@gmail.com for more information or visit the facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1290528817707288/

SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

On January 1, 2017, the Syringe Exchange Program of Franklin began operating a comprehensive harm reduction program to address the opioid epidemic that is affecting western NC. Opioid overdose reversal kits including naloxone are available free of charge. If you have any questions about our services or if you know someone interested in volunteering, please contact Stephanie Almeida at 828-475-1920.



Astronomy

Twilight Begins: 6:17 am
Sunrise: 6:44 am
Sunset 8:18 pm
Twilight Ends: 8:45 pm



Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent with 14% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Moonrise 9:37am
Moonset 12:02 am (tomorrow)



Evening Events and Planets

Chart shows sky at 10:30 pm tonight



Morning Events and Planets

Chart shows sky at 4 am tomorrow morning




PLANET POSITION SUMMARY



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

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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 5:15 am on April 29, 2017

#WNCscan #MaconWx #MaconSafety

Data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, Ian Webster's Github, 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.