Here is an index to assist you in moving from section to section within the article.
**note** The Local and State News Segment has been moved below the Macon Calendar Segment.
Back to Top
Weather
Hazards and Tropical Weather
Almanac
Macon Calendar
Local and StateNews
National News Roundup
COVID-19 News and Updates
Science and Technology
On This Day
Support Macon Media
OUTLOOK
A cold front with widespread showers will push through the region late tonight through Sunday. Dry and cold high pressure will build into the region Monday. A Gulf low pressure system will pass to the south Tuesday, possibly supporting showers focused along and south of I-85. Relatively quiet weather with near to above normal temperatures is expected later in the week.
---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---
Weather Sponsor
Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.
Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC
All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.
---END SPONSOR SEGMENT------
Back to Top
Local Weather
National Weather Map for Today
General forecast through Monday Night
Franklin area
Today
Occasional showers. Areas of fog before 2pm. Highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly before 5am. Patchy fog before 7pm, then patchy fog after 8pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid 40s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 9am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 50s. Winds out of the northwest 3 to 6 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with lows in the mid-to-upper 20s. Calm winds.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 50s.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows around 30.
Highlands Plateau
Today
Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Areas of fog. Highs in the upper 50s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers likely before 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1am and 2am, then showers likely after 2am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid 40s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph shifting to come out of the northwest after midnight. Chance of rain is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10am. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with highs near 50. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 20s. Winds out of the north around 5 mph shifting to come out of the east after midnight.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 40s.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows around freezing.
Otto area
Today
Occasional showers. Areas of fog before 2pm. Highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly before 5am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid 40s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 9am. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid 50s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to10 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 20s. Winds out of the north around 5 mph becoming calm before midnight.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with highs near 50.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows around 30.
Nantahala area
Today
Occasional showers, mainly after 8am. Areas of fog before 4pm, then patchy fog after 5pm. Highs near 60. Calm winds early increasing to come out of the northeast around 5 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers likely. Patchy fog after 8pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid 40s. Winds out of the southwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable by noon. Chance of rain is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 8am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s. Winds out of the north 3 to 6 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around 30. Light and variable winds.
Monday
Sunny, with highs near 50.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 30s5.
Back to Top
Hazards and Tropical Weather
...Areas of Dense Fog This Morning...
Areas of dense fog were occurring early this morning across portions of East Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and southwest North Carolina. The fog was reducing visibilities to below one quarter of a mile. High clouds moving into the area will diminish this fog later this morning.
Motorists are urged to use caution this morning. Allow for extra time to reach your destination, provide more distance between vehicles, lower your speed, and use your low beam headlights.
Back to Top
Almanac
Air Quality
Air quality is in the upper range of green for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the upper range of green.
Fire and Smoke Map
Pollen
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (0.3 out of 12) today with a mixed trace of sources being the main culprit. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (0.3 out of 12).
Record Weather Events for December 18th
Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)
Highest Temperature 75°F in Highlands in 1924 lowest Temperature 0°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1953 Greatest One-Day Rainfall 3.70 inches in Highlands in 1915 Greatest One-Day Snowfall 7.0 inches in Highlands in 1916
Record weather events for December in Macon County
Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin on Dec 31, 1951
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Highlands on Dec 30, 1917
Greatest Rainfall 6.00 inches in Highlands on Dec 14, 1901
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 12.0 inches in Franklin on Dec 21, 1876
All-time record weather events for Macon County
Highest Temperature 101°F in Franklin on Jul 29, 1952
Lowest Temperature -19°F in Highlands on Jan 21, 1985
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands on Jul 29, 1879
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 25.5 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Mar 13, 1993
Back to Top
Macon Calendar
(send your event to calendar@maconmedia.com)
Experiencing Nature Through Expanded Senses
"Friends of the Greenway is hosting an indoor "Experiencing Nature Through Expanded Senses" with leader, Diane Wildermuth. Sessions will be held at FROG Quarters on December 15 at 10:30 AM or 12:30 PM. Contact Diane at 421-5539 or dswnatureguide@outlook.com for additional information or to register."
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is back in 2021! The 1¼ hour round-trip passenger excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot. For tickets, see [GSMR.com]
Dillsboro Lights & Luminaries
Adapted from an old Scandinavian custom of lighting the way for the Christ child, more than 2,500 candles in small white bags line the streets and every storefront is aglow with Christmas lights and decorations. Shopkeepers and restaurants are open late. See Santa and Mrs. Claus as they ride through town in their pickup truck. Write a letter to Santa and drop it off at his special mailbox. Live music on Front Street. For more information, see [Visit Dillsboro]
Back to Top
Local and State News
COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 15, 2021]
• President's Column: The Most Important Gifts Aren’t Wrapped Up in Boxes, They’re Held in the Heart [Macon Media]
• Hundreds of kids kept home from school Dec. 17 as precaution over TikTok violence threat [WLOS-TV]
Viewer video captures the end of an hours-long manhunt
• Madison Cawthorn’s uncivil war: Invasion into new district triggers intra-party reckoning [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Hiking club presents awards at annual party [Macon County News and Shopping GuideE]
• Blue Ridge Parkway Volunteer of the Year honorees announced [MountainX]
• Jeff Jackson drops out of NC’s race for Senate. What it means for Democrats. [Raleigh news and Observer]
Back to Top
National and World News Roundup
Russia demands US, NATO curtail activity in East Europe to defuse Ukraine crisis • FRANCE 24
Bushcraft Bear: La Palma Volcano Report for December 17th, 2021
The signs of life of the La Palma volcano are getting weaker. Magma “solidifies” inside the volcano.
• Ghislaine Maxwell declines to testify as defense rests case [AP News]
• US Capitol rioter gets 5 years in jail after throwing fire extinguisher at police [CNN]
• Ex-hostages doing well, have left Haiti, mission agency says [AP News]
• Senate powers through nomination votes in marathon session [Courthouse News Service]
• Russia-Ukraine: Can a solution be found for war in Ukraine's east? [BBC News]
Legal Expert Believes Jim Jordan Text To Mark Meadows Probable Cause For Criminal Charge
LIVE: Jan. 6 Committee Considers Recommending Mark Meadows for Contempt of Congress | NBC News
NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - December 17th, 2021
PBS NewsHour Full Episode December 17th, 2021
Back to Top
COVID-19 News and Updates
Since it looks like we may be in for a new wave of infections, here is a section on COVID-19. It will include local, regional, state, national, and global items.
COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 18, 2021]
• WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard [World Health Organization]
Globally, as of 5:51pm CET, 16 December 2021, there have been 271,376,643 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,324,969 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 16 December 2021, a total of 8,337,664,456 vaccine doses have been administered.
In United States of America, from 3 January 2020 to 5:51pm CET, 16 December 2021, there have been 49,833,416 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 792,371 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 10 December 2021, a total of 465,812,616 vaccine doses have been administered.
TWiV 843: COVID-19 clinical update #93 with Dr. Daniel Griffin
• MORE EFFECTIVE/MORE EFFICIENT/MORE EQUITABLE: YEAR-END STAFF REPORT on Overseeing an Improving & Ongoing Pandemic Response [Select Subcommitee on the Coronavirus Crisis (PDF)]
• House oversight committee releases report detailing efforts of Trump administration officials to 'undermine' Covid-19 efforts in US [CNN]
• In COVID-19 clinical update #93, Dr. Griffin summarizes Omicron fitness, S-gene target failure, monoclonal efficacy against Omicron, vaccination, monoclonals, and disease in children, persistence of memory B cells in the elderly, infection and vaccine induced immunity, protection against severe illness and death by a third mRNA vaccine dose, high flow oxygen versus intubation, and therapeutic anticoagulation.
Show notes at [Microbe TV]
COVID-19 variants fuel new infections nationwide
• SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike mediated immune escape, infectivity and cell-cell fusion [Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (PDF)]
• Appeals court reinstates Biden vaccine rules for businesses, handing White House a victory in Covid fight [NBC News]
• We Know Enough About Omicron to Know That We’re in Trouble [The Atlantic]
• U.S. mental health professionals say they can’t keep up with demand for therapy. [New York Times]
Back to Top
Science and Technology News Roundup
• The story of the fight to archive the internet [TechRadarE]
Fired Up About CES - DTNS 4174
• Rivian selects Georgia as site for its second EV factory [Engagdet]
• Educators ask government to intervene over social media's lack of action on school threats [Newsweek]
• Microsoft moves more settings away from the Control Panel on Windows 11 [Windows Central]
• Anti-5G necklaces found to be radioactive [BBC News]
• Verizon tries to defend collecting browsing data on its network [The Verge]
• How to Bypass Blocked Sites and Internet Restrictions [Make Use Of]
Back to Top
On This Day
December 18th is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 13 days remain until the end of the year.
Historical Events
(Please note that the Wikipedia articles often contain a bibliography and links to where you can learn more about a historical event)
1271 – Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (å…ƒ yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.
• [Wikipedia: Yuan dynasty]
• [THE RISE OF THE YUAN DYNASTY - MONGOL CONQUEST OF CHINA]
• [Kublai Khan: China’s Mongol Emperor]
1499 – A rebellion breaks out in Alpujarras in response to the forced conversions of Muslims in Spain.
1622 – Portuguese forces score a military victory over the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbumbi in present-day Angola.
1655 – The Whitehall Conference ends with the determination that there was no law preventing Jews from re-entering England after the Edict of Expulsion of 1290.
1777 – The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October.
• [The First National Thanksgiving]
• [Thanksgiving Proclamation 1777 By the Continental Congress (PDF)]
• [George Washington's Mount Vernon: Thanksgiving]
1787 – New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1793 – Surrender of the frigate La Lutine by French Royalists to Lord Samuel Hood; renamed HMS Lutine, she later becomes a famous treasure wreck.
1833 – The national anthem of the Russian Empire, "God Save the Tsar!", is first performed.
1854 – The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada abolishes the seigneurial system.
1865 – US Secretary of State William Seward proclaims the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery throughout the USA.
1878 – The Al-Thani family become the rulers of the state of Qatar.
1892 – Premiere performance of The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1898 – Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat sets the first officially recognized land speed record of 63.159 km/h (39.245 mph) in a Jeantaud electric car.
1900 – The Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook, Victoria Narrow-gauge 762-millimetre (2 ft 6 in) Railway in Victoria, Australia is opened for traffic. Later renamed Puffing Billy Railway.
1916 – World War I: The Battle of Verdun ends when the second French offensive pushes the Germans back two or three kilometres, causing them to cease their attacks.
• [Wikipedia: Battle of Verdun]
• [The Battle of Verdun - They Shall Not Pass I THE GREAT WAR - Week 83]
• [Battle of Verdun | WW1 in Color]
• [SABATON - Fields of Verdun (Official Music Video)]
1917 – The resolution containing the language of the Eighteenth Amendment to enact Prohibition is passed by the United States Congress.
1932 – The Chicago Bears defeat the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game to win the NFL Championship.
1935 – The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is founded in Ceylon.
1939 – World War II: The Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first major air battle of the war, takes place.
• [Wikipedia: Battle of the Heligoland Bight (1939)]
1944 – World War II: XX Bomber Command responds to the Japanese Operation Ichi-Go offensive by dropping five hundred tons of incendiary bombs on a supply base in Hankow, China.
1958 – Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched.
• [Wikipedia: SCORE (satellite)]
• [SCORE - The Worlds First Communications Satellite... (if you squint while looking at it)]
• [SCORE: Gunter's Space Page]
1966 – Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker.
1972 – Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th.
• [Wikipedia: Operation Linebacker II]
• [Wings over Vietnam: Linebacker II]
• [Air Force Magazine: Linebacker II]
1973 – Soviet Soyuz Programme: Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, is launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union.
1977 – United Airlines Flight 2860 crashes near Kaysville, Utah, killing all three crew members on board.
1981 – First flight of the Russian heavy strategic bomber Tu-160, the world's largest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest variable-sweep wing aircraft built.
1999 – NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT.
2002 – California gubernatorial recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier.
2005 РThe Chadian Civil War begins when rebel groups, allegedly backed by neighbouring Sudan, launch an attack in Adr̩.
2006 – The first of a series of floods strikes Malaysia. The death toll of all flooding is at least 118, with over 400,000 people displaced.
2006 – United Arab Emirates holds its first-ever elections.
2015 – Kellingley Colliery, the last deep coal mine in Great Britain, closes.
2017 – Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, Washington, a city in United States near Olympia, Washington killing six people, and injuring 70 others.
2018 – List of bolides: A meteor exploded over the Bering Sea with a force over 10 times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.
2019 – The United States House of Representatives impeaches Donald Trump for the first time.
• [Wikipedia: First impeachment of Donald Trump]
• [CSPAN Video]
• [WATCH: House votes to impeach Trump | Trump's first impeachment]
Back to Top
Support Macon Media
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. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.
Or, if you prefer Pay Pal, try PayPal.me/MaconMedia
Published at 4:20am on Saturday, December 18, 2021
Author: Bobby Coggins
Resources used to compile the information in this article include, but are not limited to the following websites or books: MaconMedia.com, youtube.com, weather.gov, airnow.gov, wikipedia.com, onthisday.com, ncdcr.gov, ncsu.edu, utah.edu, https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/, wolfram.com, biorxiv.org, aps.org, nejm.org, plos.org, cell.com, researchsquare.com, cureus.com, spc.noaa.gov, nhc.noaa.gov, ncdenr.org, medrxiv.org, archive.org, ncpedia.org, nasa.gov, https://ww2days.com, nih.gov, carolinapublicpress.org, microbe.tv, smokymountainnews.com, psypost.org, blogspot.com, pollen.com, franklinnc.com, maconnc.org, spaceweather.com, solarham.com, loc.gov, ncleg.net, senate.gov, house.gov, whitehouse.gov, drudgereport.com, politico.com, realclearpolitics.com, ushmm.org, This Day in North Carolina History, World War II Day By Day, The Holocaust Encyclopedia, The Timetables of History, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The World History and Book of Facts (multiple years), On This Day In History: Over 4,000 facts, The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space, This Day in North Carolina History, The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future, Spaceflight, 2nd Edition: The Complete Story from Sputnik to Curiousity, The Story of Civilization (11 volumes), The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, American History, Volume 1: 1492-1877, American History, Volume 2: 1877 - Present, A Complete Chronolgy of the Second World War. Weather and Almanac 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, National Hurricane Center, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and the Weather Prediction Center. Back to Top
Posts
0 comments :
Post a Comment