Sights of Fall around the QCA....

A few viewers sent in some beautiful pictures this weekend of the fall leaves.  Check them out!  If you have any fall pics send them our way!  You can e-mail us @ weather@cbs4qc.com or find us on Facebook by searching for WHBF TV.

This photo was taken by Randy Hale @ Lake Geode, west of Burlington, IA

This photo was sent to us by Paul Brooks of fall foilage @ Discovery Park in Muscatine

Another photo thanks to Paul Brooks @ Discovery Park in Muscatine

Cold Weather coming to the Quad Cities this week?

We've been enjoying sunny skies and seasonable temps in the 70s for awhile now, but a cold front could change that by the end of the upcoming week.  Right now, it looks like the sunny skies will continue into Wednesday with temperatures climbing into the 70s for highs.  But, late Wednesday night into Thursday a cold front could move through the area giving us a small chance for some rain.

The bigger weather story will be the drop in temps behind the front!  On Thursday temps will be in the upper 60s (seasonable for early October), but high temperatures may only climb into the upper 50s by Friday and Saturday.  That would be well below average.

Typically, we don't reach the 50s for highs until the end of October!  So enjoy the sunshine and 70s while they last over the next few days!

Great Weather for College Football and more...

Whether you're heading to Champaign for the Fighting Illini game against Penn State or to Iowa City for the Hawkeyes Big Ten openers, it's going to be a great day do anything outdoors all across the region! 

Here are your game day forecasts for both college football games. 

Even if you're not going to any football games this weekend, be sure to get outside enjoy this nice fall weather while it lasts!

Have a great weekend!

Why such a nice stretch of weather in the QC?

Mother Nature has put the weather in the Quad Cities on auto-pilot this week!  Nothing but sunny skies and seasonable temperatures.  So why hasn't there been much change in the weather lately? 

Well, the upper-level winds, also known as jet streams, that steer weather systems are rather weak.  Plus, one jet stream is located to our north and the other is to our south (shown above).  So all of the low pressure systems that usher in the clouds and the rain are riding along the jet streams to our north and south.  Keeping all the rain to our north or to our south for the most part.

 That means the area of high pressure that has been giving us the nice weather has nothing to push it out of our region.  So until the upper-level winds shift further south or north it looks like we'll be stuck in this pattern for the next several days. 

We'll keep you posted on any changes, in the meantime enjoy the great fall weather this weekend!

A Weather Satellite Error

This Monday (Sept. 24th) a weather observing satellite called GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) 13 failed after behaving erratic for a few days.  GOES 13 or GOES East is located over the eastern coast of the united states and it relays important weather information to meteorologists. There is good news though, GOES 14 was sent into space in 2009 as a back up to GOES 13. 

NOAA officials say GOES 14 is now the primary satellite over the Atlantic basin and the continental United States, until GOES 13 can be diagnosed and fixed.  GOES 14 also has a few extra features, including a extra sensor for relaying distress signals from emergency beacons and also it can monitor solar activity during solar storms.

The first GOES satellite was launched back in 1974 and GOES 13 was launched in 2006.  As a note, these geostationary satellites orbit the earth at the same speed of the Earths rotation.  That way it can continuously monitor weather patterns over a certain area of the Earth.

Walking or Running in the Rain??

An Italian university recently did a study on the best way to stay dry while it's raining.  Their findings are published in the European Journal of Physics and state that it really depends on the situation.

When the rain is falling straight down (or on top of you) or at angle towards you, your best bet is to run as fast as you can.  If the rain is falling from behind you at an angle you should run at the same pace as the wind, which should be slower than your fastest pace, but you'll still be running.

If its a complete downpour, you best bet is to actually walk!  With the increased rainfall rate you can't really outrun any droplets, but also since the ground can't absorb the rain that quickly, as you run the water will slash back up on you.  This will, of course, get you wetter that you were before. 

The best option over all is to carry an umbrella!!

Replacement Weatherman in Green Bay!

Green Bay NBC Affiliate Uses ‘Replacement Weather Guy’ to Poke Fun at NFL Refs - TVSpy

Hurricane Miriam Update

In the Pacific Ocean Hurricane Miriam is 405 miles Southwest of Baja, Ca. and moving NW at 6 mph.   Miriam is foretasted to gradually turn more North-Northwest today and then to the North on Wednesday.

(This is an enhanced IR image.)

The central minimum pressure is 968 mb or 28.59 inches of Mercury.  Sustained winds are at 105 mph, but Miriam is expected to begin weakening in the next 24-48 hrs. 

Surf on the south and central areas of the Baja Peninsula can be dangerous as the hurricane approaches.  Life threatening surf and dangerous rip currents are expected. 

Record Low Tied

Continuing Travis' blog from earlier today -

If you slept in, or stayed inside all morning, you might find it hard to believe we tied a record low this morning in the Quad Cities!  We started off at 30°, which equals the low mark last set back in 1989 for this date!  Cedar Rapids and several other places dipped into the upper 20s!  Believe it or not we've now seen a more than 40° range in the temps today, as highs have soared in the lower to mid 70s!  The reasons for the big swing - a gusty wind out of the SW, dry air in place and a lot of early fall sunshine!

The Coldest Morning in Months

Today we reached some chilly temperatures and we even tied our record low temperature here in the the QCA.   With clear skies and very calm winds, the temperatures dropped quickly this morning.  Just before sunrise the temperatures in the Northeast corner of the viewing area dropped an extra 3-4 degrees, to bring the lows into the upper 20s and lower 30s. 

After today our morning lows will be much more seasonable in the upper 40s and lower 50s. 

A Chilly Sunday Morning in the Quad Cities!

We experienced some of the coldest temperatures we've had in the QCA so far this season on Sunday morning!  Our low temperature in the Quad Cities of 34° flirted with our record low temp of 31° that was set back in 1995.

While we didn't break a record low temperature Cedar Rapids did!  They had a low temp of 29° on Sunday breaking their record of 30° that was recorded in 1989.  Dubuque on the other hand came close and tied their record low temperature of 31° that was set back in 1974.

We weren't the only area in the upper Midwest to drop to near freezing!  Omaha almost bottomed out at freezing, but Sioux Falls dipped into the 20s!  

A Very Chilly Night Ahead in the Quad Cities!

  

UPDATE:  The Freeze Watch for the Quad Cities has been downgraded to a Frost Advisory until 8 A.M. Sunday.  But, a Freeze Warning has been issued for the counties shaded in blue until 8 A. M. Sunday.  That's where neighborhoods could dip into the upper 20s for lows!

Late Saturday night, temperatures will be dipping into the upper 20s and lower 30s.  So the National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Watch for all the counties shaded in light blue until 8 A. M. Sunday.  so if you have some sensitive plants don't forget to cover them before going to bed!  Average low temperatures for this time of year are around 51°.  So some very cold air is moving into the QCA late tonight!

Cold Blast this Weekend!

Friday looks mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers...but the big weather story in the QC will be the big drop in temps this weekend!  Highs will be in the lower 60s Saturday and Sunday, the normal high right now is still up in the middle 70s!  The real shock will come Sunday morning as parts of the area dip down close to the freezing mark!  Frost is very likely and some people North of the QC could see the first freeze of the season!  Is this a little early?  Yes, it is!  The average first freeze in the Quad Cities is October 15th!  Here are some stats for the first 32° temp of the fall season in the Quad Cities...

The Hottest Place on Earth Has Changed!!

The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth has been challenged in the past week.  On Thursday Sept. 13th the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reassessed the global record high temperature.  Libya held the record for 90 years at 136.4°F.   The temperature was recorded at an Italian Army base in El Azizia on Sept 13 1922, but that's where some discrepancies begin.  The team investigating the record came up with 5 major areas of doubt, beginning with an untrained observer, who consistently entered readings in the wrong column of the log and most likely overstated the temperature. Also the original reading was taken with a "Six-Bellni thermometer", which was obsolete at the time and it was known to be easily misread to a error as much as 12.6°F. 

So now the highest recorded temperature is 134°F from Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, CA.

Fall Not Far Away...

While it feels like fall in the Quad Cities tonight the actual Autumnal equinox is only a few days away!  We officially enter the new season this Saturday, September 22nd at 9:49 am!  Saturday will be one of 2 days when we have exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness!  the same can be said for all places across the world!

Fall Like Temps Tonight

We're looking at the coldest weather of the season so far in the Quad Cities tonight!  While we've had several nights dip into the 40s tonight we're heading for the 30s for the first time since April 27th!  The normal low for tonight is 53° so we'll be about 15° below normal, and only 4 degrees from the record low of 34°!

Cold Weather Moving into the Upper Midwest...

A strong cold front pushed across the Upper Midwest on Monday and it dropped a .25" of rain in the Quad Cities.  The bigger weather story with the frontal system is the dropping temperatures it left behind. 

While temps around the QCA will start out in the upper 30s and lower 40s on Tuesday, temperatures in parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are dropping into the mid to lower 30s.  So Frost and even Freeze Advisories have been posted for these areas for Monday night and Tuesday morning. 

We'll be dipping into the mid to upper 30s on Wednesday morning so we'll keep you posted on the potential for Frost here in the QCA!

A Foggy Start to Monday

As we anticipate an approaching cold front, temperatures dropped this morning allowing for some fog to form.  With the temperature and the dew point being fairly close, plus a calm wind, patchy fog formed early this morning.  A Dense fog advisory for Knox and Stark Counties in IL was issued at 8:15 am and lasts until 10 am.  Use some caution on the roads and allow for extra travel time this morning. 

Rain later in the day is expected to clear out the skies by early tomorrow morning.  Though after the passage of the cold front temperatures really drop for Tuesday.  Highs are expected to only to reach the lower 60s!  The QCA also has a cool weekend ahead as Saturday is the first day of Fall.

Chilly Low Temperatures Ahead in the QC

Overnight low temperatures are going to be dipping into the 30s for a few nights this week!  A cold front is going to move through the Quad Cities on your Monday and it'll produce some scattered showers.  But, the bigger story is going to be the drop in temperatures behind the front! 

Overnight lows will dip into the 30s for both Tuesday and Wednesday.  Our average low temperatures for this time of the year are in the low to mid 50s!  Not only will low temps be on the chilly side, high temperatures on Tuesday will only reach the low to mid 60s before the 70s return on Wednesday! 

Typically, we don't reach lows in the 30s until the very end of October.

Comparing Rain Totals between August & September!

It's been a very dry year so far in the Quad Cities.  But, Mother Nature has been giving us some much need drinks of water in recent weeks.  In August we picked up a total of 2.91" of rain for the entire month.  However, September is starting out on a wetter note.

When you compare the amount of rain we got in the first 15 days of August compared to the first 15 days of September, we've picked up just under an inch more so far to start this month.  BUT, we are still in the RED for the year!  So far we are more than 8 inches below normal since  January 1st.

While we've been picking up more rain, the latest climate outlook for precipitation still has the QCA in the below normal category over the next 15 days.

More Cool Weather Coming

After such a long and hot summer things have definitely turned the corner here in the Quad Cities!  Our September temperatures have been close to normal so far, and it's looking more and more likely we'll see a couple more cool weather outbreaks before the end of the month.  Early next week temps will be below average...and then the middle of the following week looks even cooler!  In fact, some places in Wisconsin and Minnesota could see snow by the end of September!  Here's a temp outlook for 6-10 days from now, notice the high likelihood of below average temperatures in the Quad Cities!

Weather Trivia

Have you heard about the CBS4 Weather Trivia contest lately?  Each day (Mon- Fri) we ask a question on CBS4 News at 5pm...once you see the question you can head to our website, cbs4qc.com and click on either the CONTESTS or WEATHER tab.  Submit your answer and if you get it right you are entered into the daily drawing for a nice $20 gift certificate to a local business.  This week we are giving away certificates to the Boat House in Davenport, next week it's the Niabi Zoo!  Each day on CBS4 News at 6pm we announce the winner (randomly chosen from all correct entries!)  That means you have to get your answer in on our website between 5 and 6pm...check it out on Wednesday and you might win!

Contest page

Weather Page

Fire Risk During Harvest Season

NWS offices across the state of Iowa are urging farmers to use caution this harvest season.  Due to the long, dry and hot summer much of the state is still very dry.  During harvest season this will increase the risk of fires throughout the Midwest.  Here's a link to a page from our local National Weather Service with tips on how to stay safe this fall...

Click Here

Changing Temps

After some cool weather this weekend (with lows dipping into the 40s) we're looking at a quick warmup Tuesday and Wednesday.  Highs will reach the upper 80s for most of us, and that's about 10 degrees above normal for mid September!  It won't last long though...by this weekend we're back down below average and from the looks of it more often than not over the next 1-2 weeks temps will be below normal!  Here's the 8-14 day forecast for temperatures across the US, notice the chances of our weather ending up below average for the time period...