Winter has come with a mean look in its face. Over the past few days here in Pittsburgh we have seen below normal temperatures (the normal high for this time of year is in the mid 30’s) the high on Monday 9 the low on Monday morning was -4 and the windchills were well below zero all day. So we know that the temperatures are finally getting to feel somewhat like normal, (factor in that most of the winter we have been above normal and the last few days we have been below). Now precipitation is a little below normal, and we might get a bit of snow next week. I have been trying to watch this storm since Tuesday night between Mr. Psu rehearsals. But this will not be like the snowstorm over Upstate New York. They have seen over 100 inches of snow and still except more. This is where these two storms the one that can develop over the weekend and bring the mid-Atlantic a significant snowstorm or a very light snowfall and the one in upstate New York. This all is depended on the location of a high pressure system (H).

Accuweather map 1

If the high is that far north on the accu-weather map then the snow will move into the Pittsburgh area.

Accuweather map 2

You can see how the low (L) moves through the southern half of VA on early Tuesday morning were I except it to max out and thus produce a snow event over the Pittsburgh area. I will be updating a few more time over the weekend as all weather people including my weather self gets a better handle on this!!

LET IT SNOW!!


Maps:
http://headlines.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&article=0

http://headlines.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp?partner=accuweather

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/index.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0

Weather Forecast 2/5 - 2/9 Brr cold!!!

So we are in the midst of a very cold arctic blast. Now usually the low for today is 20 this morning at 7:47 we reached the low of -4. That is 24 below where we should be and 28 degrees cold than last year's low of 24. But this is not as bad as it could have been back in 1918 they had a cold spell today that produced a morning low of -11. This morning and even for tomorrow morning many school's have cancelled classes.

In Pittsburgh we are now that bad off because in some towns in Upstate New York they received colder temperatures and snow up to 18" worth. Now image clearing that in this cold weather!! But let's take a look at the forecast.

Tonight - Clear skies. Windy. Low -3 Windchill values - 10 to -20

Tomorrow - Increasing cloudiness, chance of an afternoon snow shower. Winds decreasing. High 15. Windchill values -15 to -20

Tomorrow Night - Mostly Cloudy, increasing chances of snow, heavy at times. Low 10.

Wednesday - Mostly Cloudy, Snow showers. High 19

Wednesday Night - Partly Cloudy. Low 8

Thursday - Partly Cloudy. High 22.

Thursday Night - Mostly Clear. Low 7.

Friday - Mostly Sunny. High 23.

Friday Night - Partly Cloudy. Low 11.

Happy National Weatherperson's DAY!!

Groundhog Day forecast/ Weatherman Lane's forecast

So Phil did not see his shadow this morning (early spring). Nor didn't any of the other groundhog in North American as of 10 am this according to groundhog central.
Well they must not have been checking the prevailing weather forecast for the next few days. We are going to see a deep cold snap over the next few days with temperatures as highs only in the single digits. It's going to be downright cold over much of the nation over the next few days. I except Monday and tuesday mornings many school districts will be two hour delaying or even cancelling because of the cold polar airmass with the below zero windchills. This is the coldest air we have felt since mid January 1994!! Ok, so here is what the Pittsburgh area we will see:

Today: Snow Showers could be heavy at times. 1 - 3 inches of accumulation. Winds West 5 -10 mph. High 32.

Tonight: Scattered snow showers, otherwise cloudy. Low 12.

Tomorrow: Cloudy with Snow showers developing, accumulation 1 -2". Winds West 10 -15 mph, windchill values 5 above to 5 below. High 20.

Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy with flurries. Winds West increasing to 15 - 20 mph, windchill values zero to 10 below (0 to - 10). Low 7.

Sunday: Snow showers, winds west 15 - 20. Windchill 2 above to 8 below (2 to -8). High 12.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, a chance of a flurry, LOW 0!! Windchill values (0 to -20).

Monday: Mostly cloudy, a chance of a flurry. Windy. High 8. Windchill values (5 to - 15)

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy snow showers. Windy. Low 2. Windchill values (0 to - 20)

Tuesday: Snow showers, not as windy High 11. Windchill values 5 above to 10 below (5 to -10)

Tuesday Night: Snow showers turning to flurries, Low 3. Windchill values 0 to 15 below (0 to -15)

Groundhog Day '07 preview

Groundhog Day '07 preview

In just a few hours a little animal will pop out of his hole to the northeast of Pittsburgh, the animal will have tons of media coverage on what he has to say. Because this is not any old animal nope this is the greatest weatherman that ever was, Punxsutawney Phil!!

Groundhog day is the day when the weather forecasting has gone to the wild, well almost. Groundhog day has many traditions and even can trace it’s origins back into the church. February 2nd is the day on the church year called candlemas, this is a day when the priest would bless the candles to be used during the church year. He would give a candle to every family to light their homes for the rest of the winter because today the second of February is the half way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. A European tradition stated that, “If the sun came out February 2, halfway between winter and spring, it meant six more weeks of wintry weather.”

The tradition began in 1886 in the town of Punxsutawney. The name given to the groundhog was “Punxsutawney Phil” who is the Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.’’ The people who continue the tradition today is a group called the inner circle of the Punxsutawney groundhog club. Only one can speak the language of the groundhog (Groundhogese), this is the current president of the inner circle who tells the world Phil’s forecast.

At this year’s event a new meteorologist hall of fame will be dedicated. This hall of fame is meant to spotlight meteorologist who “the important role these individuals have on our daily lives.” A new meteorologist will be added every year to add to the tradition of groundhog day.

Last year he appeared with a terrible towel because the great Prognosticator called for two things last year six more weeks of winter and Steelers Superbowl victory three nights latter, both of which came true!!

Phil’s Records
shadow (six more weeks of winter) - 96
No shadow – 14
No records - 9

Happy Groundhog Day!!!

Picture Source: http://headlines.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&article=6

36 hour Weather Forecast

Tonight - Scattered snw showers around the region. Low 14.

Tomorrow - A chance of flurries. High 24.

Tomorrow Night - Partly Cloudy, a passing flurry. Low 17.

Weather Forecast 1/29 - 1/30

This week looks to be quite the same as the last week. The threat of snow is in the forecast everyday this week. We woke up this morning to windchill down below zero. (see windchill in this blog) .

Today- Mostly Cloudy with a chance of scattered snow showers. High 23.

Tonight - Mostly Cloudy with a chance of snow showers, more likely after midnight. Low 16.

Tomorrow - Mostly Cloudy with Snow showers likely. High 27.

What is Windchill?

What is windchill?

Windchill is commonly defined as what the air feels like on your skin. This equation takes the temperature with the effects of the wind calculated in, which gives you a nice number of what it feels like to your body.

The windchill in some cases will cause serious injury and could even kill you. The on set of frostbite can be very quick on any unprotected skin. Ie: If the temperature is 5 degrees above and the winds are 30 mph frostbite can begin in 30 minutes again on any unprotected skin.

The national weather service the government agency charged with the task of weather forecasting along with taking records of the weather. They developed a "new version" of the windchill index