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Sunday, October 8, 2017

Daily Weather Briefing for Sunday, October 8, 2017





LOCAL OUTLOOK

The remnants of Hurricane NATE will pass to our west today and tonight, bringing heavy rain and high winds with it. Rain and scattered thunderstorms will dominate the weather pattern for the first half of the week. The last half of the week will be dry and a little warmer than is seasonal.

DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response.

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.

WEATHER SPONSOR





Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month. 

Oct 2 to Oct 13, specific surplus pavers will be offered at reduced pricing, pallet quantities only (limited). 

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:



All your masonry needs are available. Phone number is 828.524.8545, public is welcome, we’ll help with your with your next project.   



Weather Almanac for October 8th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County

Highest Temperature 85°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2007
Lowest Temperature 26°F in Highlands in 1988
Greatest Rainfall 3.50 inches in Franklin in 1879


Record weather events for October in Macon County

Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on Sept 4, 1954
Lowest Temperature 12°F in Highlands on Sept 30, 1910
Greatest Rainfall 9.91 inches in Highlands on Sept 29, 1964
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands on Oct 20, 1913


THREE DAY OUTLOOK



TODAY High winds and heavy rains expected

Patchy fog through the day is possible. Cloudy with rain, heavy at times. Highs will be in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Calm winds early, gradually increasing from the south and southeast to an expected sustained wind speed of about 10 mph by 6 pm. Wind gusts will be in the 10 to 15 mph range with occasional gusts in the 20 to 25 mph range later in the afternoon. Higher elevations will experience higher wind speeds, especially those facing the southeast. Wind gusts in the higher elevations will be in the 20 to 30 mph range with occasional gusts in excess of 40 mph, especially later in the day. Rainfall amounts will vary from half an inch to over 2 inches depending on elevation and whether or not the location is a southeast facing slope. The Nantahala area could receive more rain than the rest of the county.

TONIGHT High winds peak and heavy rains continue

Patchy fog is expected overnight, along with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are expected, mainly after midnight. Lows in the 60s.

Winds

Winds are expected to peak and slowly begin to shift from the southeast to come of-of the south and south-southwest through the night. Winds are expected to peak in the 20 mph sustained range around midnight with gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range in the valleys. The higher elevations and south facing slopes will see wind sustained wind speeds in the 30 to 40 mph range and gusts near 50 mph. After midnight, the wind speeds are expected to gradually decrease. By 6 am, sustained wind speeds should be around 10 mph or so from the south-southwest with gusts near 20 mph. The higher elevations and south-facing slopes will see winds a little higher.

Rain

Rainfall rates are expected to be in the 0.25 to 75 inches per hour range and occasionally ramp up as rain bands pass through the area. Thunderstorms are also expected, mainly after midnight. The total rainfall from 6 pm to 6 am in expected to be in the 1 to 4-inch range, with some locations having the potential for up to 6 inches. The places expected to see the most rain are the south-facing slopes, higher elevations, including the Highlands area and the Nantahala area on the western side of the county.



COLUMBUS DAY

Rain showers and thunderstorms are expected, with an increased chance of thunderstorms after noon as a cold front will pass through the region on the heels of Nate. Highs in the 70s and winds 5 to 10 mph out of the south and southwest are expected. Rainfall amounts in the neighborhood of a quarter to half an inch is expected.

MONDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the 60s and light winds out of the south. 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms.



TUESDAY

Mostly cloudy with highs in the 70s. Some locations in the valleys may see 80 degrees. 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Mostly cloudy with lows in the upper 50s in the higher elevations and the lower 60s in the lower elevations. 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

HAZARDS

The remnants of Hurricane NATE will pass west of the region much sooner than forecast. The major impact on Macon County will likely be the wind. Sustained winds in the 20 to 30 mph range in the lower elevations are forecast, and winds are expected to approach 50 mph on the ridges and south facing slopes. Widespread power outages will happen if this occurs. Those of you who live in outlying areas should be prepared to be without power for a few days. Remember to NEVER touch downed power lines or attempt to cross flooded roadways.

Here is a Reminder of Helpful Phone Numbers:

To report a non-emergency condition: 369-9116
Highway Patrol Dispatch: 1-800-445-1772 or *HP on your cell phone
Franklin Police: 524-2864
Highlands Police: 526-9431
Animal Control: 349-2106
Sheriff's Office: 349-2104

HOW TO REPORT AN ELECTRICAL OUTAGE

Duke Energy

Call 800.769.3766 or in Spanish 866.4.Apagón (866.427.2466).

If you see a fallen power line or safety hazard, call Duke Energy at 800.Power.On (800.769.3766) or in Spanish 866.4.Apagón (866.427.2466) or contact your local emergency services immediately. Do not touch a power line or anything in contact with it and keep others away until help arrives.

Haywood EMC

To report or inquire about power outages, call 1-800-951-6088



The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for potentially heavy rain our region is currently expected to receive from the remnants of Hurricane Nate on Sunday and Monday. It is posted below for your convenience.

..TODAY...Heavy rain possible. The remnants of Tropical System Nate may affect the region during the latter half of the holiday weekend. There exists the possibility of excessive rainfall and gusty winds, with the strongest winds over the mountains.

..MONDAY...Heavy rain possible. Strong and gusty winds will continue as well.

**HIGH WIND WATCH**

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
...Strong winds associated with Nate will impact portions of the area Sunday afternoon through Monday morning...

.The passage of tropical system Nate west of the Mountains will cause strong winds particularly over higher terrain.

...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a High Wind Watch, which is in effect from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.

* LOCATIONS...Areas in and close to the mountains of far western North Carolina and northeast Georgia
* HAZARDS...Strong winds are expected to cause tree falls and
power outages.
* TIMING...Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.
* WINDS...South 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power lines. Scattered power outages are expected.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A High Wind Watch means there is the potential for a hazardous high wind event. Sustained winds of at least 40 mph...or gusts of 58 mph or stronger may occur. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts.


**FLASH FLOOD WATCH**

...HEAVY RAINFALL TO AFFECT THE EXTREME SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...
.Heavy tropical rainfall will develop across the southern Appalachians tonight through Sunday ahead of, and to the east of, the remnant circulation of Tropical Cyclone Nate. Very dry conditions currently across the region will likely limit much of any flooding until the heaviest rainfall arrives Sunday night.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

* Although conditions have been dry recently, heavy rainfall rates from abundant tropical moisture associated with the remnants of Nate could well produce isolated flooding in the extreme southern Appalachians Sunday night. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches are likely over the southern mountains, with isolated totals of 6 to 8 inches in the most upslope prone areas.

* Isolated flash flooding of streams, low-lying areas, and also poor drainage areas will be possible Sunday night. Minor river flooding could develop along the upper reaches of the French Broad, Little Tennessee, and Pigeon Rivers.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.


Macon Media maintains a Severe Weather Preparedness Page at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/p/breaking-news-hub.html for those who are interested.


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



TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK

Hurricane Nate has made landfall on the Gulf Coast much sooner than forecast and will be passing west of us tonight.

Here is the Friday evening update posted by Levi Cowan of Tropical Tidbits. He did not post one last night. Check out his website for the latest on Hurricane NATE. [LINK]




Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Sun Oct 8 2017

For the North Atlantic...The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Hurricane Nate, located near the Mississippi coast.

1. Shower activity associated with a nearly stationary low-pressure system located about 750 miles southwest of the Azores is limited, and this system has lost some organization during the past few hours. However, this low still has the potential to become a subtropical cyclone today before environmental conditions become unfavorable for development.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...70 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...70 percent.


TROPICAL STORM NATE



Hurricane Nate Discussion Number 15
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL162017
1000 PM CDT Sat Oct 07 2017

A ragged central dense overcast persists over Nate's center, but radar trends have shown all of the deep convection migrating to the north and northeast of the center, likely due to increasing south-southwesterly shear. Still, the northern eyewall, which will be moving onshore the Mississippi coast soon, remains quite vigorous. An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft recently measured a maximum 850-mb flight-level wind of 89 kt and some SFMR values around 70 kt. Although the SFMR could be affected by wave shoaling in this case, the data as a whole appear to support an initial intensity of 75 kt. Nate's central pressure has been rising slowly, with the latest report from the plane being 984 mb.

Nate has turned northward and slowed down a bit with an initial motion of 360/17 kt. On this course, the hurricane is expected to make a second landfall along the Mississippi coast within the next hour or two. After landfall, Nate should turn gradually toward the northeast and accelerate again during the next day or two while it moves between a large mid-level high off the southeastern U.S. coast and a large trough digging into the central U.S. This steering pattern will take Nate across the Deep South, Tennessee Valley, and central Appalachian Mountains during the next couple of days. The new NHC track forecast is unchanged from the previous one.

With landfall imminent, no changes in intensity are expected before that time. After landfall, land and increasing shear should contribute to fast weakening, and Nate is expected to become a tropical storm in 6-12 hours and then weaken to a tropical depression by 36 hours. Nate is likely to become a remnant low by 48 hours, and the global models suggest that the cyclone will be absorbed by another low or cold front by 72 hours. That scenario is now reflected in the NHC forecast.


KEY MESSAGES:

1. Nate is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge flooding near and well east of where the center makes landfall, and a storm surge warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Okaloosa/Walton county line in Florida. Maximum flooding of 7 to 11 feet above ground level is expected along the Mississippi coast within the next several hours.

2. Hurricane conditions are spreading onshore along the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, where a hurricane warning is in effect. The strongest winds are expected to occur primarily to the east of the track of the center.

3. Nate's fast forward speed after landfall will bring tropical-storm-force winds well inland across portions of the southeastern U.S. Tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for portions of southeastern Mississippi, much of Alabama, and western Georgia.

4. Nate will bring heavy rainfall of 3 to 6 inches with isolated totals of 10 inches east of the Mississippi River from the central Gulf Coast into the Deep South, eastern Tennessee Valley, and southern Appalachians through Monday, resulting in the potential for flash flooding in these areas.

5. Moisture from Nate interacting with a frontal zone will also bring 2 to 5 inches of rain with isolated totals of 7 inches across the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians Sunday and Monday, which will increase the risk for flash flooding across these locations.


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 08/0300Z 29.9N 89.1W 75 KT 85 MPH
12H 08/1200Z 32.1N 88.2W 50 KT 60 MPH...INLAND
24H 09/0000Z 35.7N 85.3W 35 KT 40 MPH...INLAND
36H 09/1200Z 39.3N 80.2W 25 KT 30 MPH...INLAND
48H 10/0000Z 42.1N 73.7W 25 KT 30 MPH...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW
72H 11/0000Z...DISSIPATED


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. If you want text published, please include a paragraph with your photo, flyer or graphics. Please include date(s) and time(s).
There is no charge for civic, educational or nonprofit groups, except for groups or events that receive funding from the TDA, TDC, and EDC, where full rates apply.



National Alliance on Mental Illness
Appalachian South

Meets each Thursday at 7pm
The First Methodist Church Outreach Center
at the intersection of Harrison Ave. and West Main Street
(directly across from Lazy Hiker Brewery)

Come join our weekly support group for anyone suffering from mental illness and their family or friends. This includes Depression, Bipolar,8chizophrenia, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Etc.

Here you will find:
— others living with mental health challenges YOU ARE NOT ALONE
- learn coping skills and ?find hope in shared experience
- help learning how to break down stigma and guilt surrounding mental health
- how to live life with the expectation of a better a better future

Kay (706)970-9987 Denise (828)347-5000)

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 impacting 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.



Sun and Moon

Sun

Begin civil twilight 7:09 a.m.
Sunrise 7:34 a.m.
Sun transit 1:21 p.m.
Sunset 7:07 p.m.
End civil twilight 7:33 p.m.


Moon

Moonrise 8:50 p.m. on preceding day
Moon transit 3:37 a.m.
Moonset 10:31 a.m.
Moonrise 9:34 p.m.


Phase of the Moon on October 8, 2017: Waning Gibbous with 89% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon on October 5, 2017 at 2:40 p.m. (local daylight time)



Sky Guides for this week

I took some epic photos of the solar eclipse, but have not yet had time to process them. I will be producing material from the photos and video for sale as a fundraiser for Macon Media. --Bobby

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. Macon Media rewards early sponsors/underwriters with lifetime guaranteed low rates while newer sponsors/underwriters pay higher rates based on the date they first support Macon Media.

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



Posted at 5:00 am on October 8, 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. 

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