Low Pressures Within Sandy

Barometer from Delaware (11:00 p.m.EST on 10/29/12)

The center of Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the New Jersey shore late Monday evening.  The center of the storm then moved closer to the state of Delaware by late Monday night.  The picture above shows the lowest reading from Felton, DE at around 11:00pm EST Monday night.  The pressure reads 952 mb or 28.1 inches of mercury. This is quite a low reading for a storm impacting the Eastern seaboard.  This Chelsea barometer would be mainly used on a sailing ship, but with it almost bottoming out with this large storm, the makers don't expect sailors to head into such a deep low pressure system while at sea.

October Lunar Halo

Anybody see the nice lunar halo around the moon on Monday night?  It was a sight to see!  It happens when you have cirrus (high) clouds in the place and is a result of the moonlight reflecting/refracting off the ice crystals from the cloud...sometimes tough to get a good picture of, here's a shot from the Quad Cities late Monday night.

Time Lapse of Hurricane Sandy hitting New York City

                 


I first saw this video on the WREX Weather Blog out of Rockford...and kudos to whoever made the video!

Latest on Sandy

Here's the latest Sandy SAT/RAD picture as of Monday evening...the storm packs winds of 90 mph and is now moving WNW at 28 mph.  For the latest advisories from the National Hurricane Center Click Here

Thoughts and prayers to all those affected along the East Coast, it could be a very long 48-72 hours...and even longer with no electricity.

Impacts from Sandy

Residents in Rehoboth Beach, DE watching the high surf. (Courtesy of Carolyn Patton)

As Sandy gets closer to making land-fall, high surf, heavy rain and high winds are impacting a very large area along the Mid-Atlantic coast  Rehoboth Beach in Delaware is already seeing impacts with large surf and dangerous rip currents.  Storm surge along the Delmarva coast can be 4-6 feet, mainly during high tides.  Further north, along the NY, MA, RI, and CT coast, storm surges can reach up to 11 feet, prompting evacuations in NYC's flood prone areas.  Impacts from Sandy will even be felt here in the QCA with a breezy winds expected on Tuesday afternoon.

Sandy's Impact....

 

 

Here is a map of most weather advisories, watches, and warnings that have been issued due to Sandy! Everything from Hurricane Warnings, to High Wind Warnings, Flood Advisories, and even Blizzard Warnings! IMPRESSIVE to say the least! Even Chicago is under a High Wind Watch because of Sandy!

Sandy & the Heavy Rainfall Threat....

As of Sunday afternoon, Sandy was still a category one hurricane with winds of 75 mph.  Even though Sandy is only a category one, she is still a very powerful storm due to simply her SIZE! Below are rainfall forecasts for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.  Some areas could pick up close if not more than 10 inches of rain when all is said and done!

Sandy is now forecasted to be a hurricane through late Monday.  Latest model forecasts have Sandy making landfall late Monday night into early Tuesday. That's when she will make landfall over Delaware and New Jersey.

Watching Sandy's Forecasted Path...

Sandy will keep an area of high pressure from moving out of our region over the next several days here in the Quad Cities.  But, for the East Coast, Sandy means heavy rain, damaging winds, flooding, and heavy snow.

Stormcast (as of Saturday afternoon) shows the area of high pressure just hanging out over the Midwest while Sandy churns her way northward along the Eastern Seaboard. 

Right now, forecasters are expecting Sandy to go from a Hurricane into an extratropical system by the end of the weekend. 

Stormcast is forecasting Sandy to make landfall as an extratropical system sometime on Monday over the Mid-Atlantic states.  We'll keep you posted.

With Sandy in Mind, National Weather Service Launching Extra Weather Balloons

 With the threat of a catastrophically huge storm looming (Sandy) the National Weather Service is doing all it can to come up with the most accurate forecast possible, including launching extra weather balloons through the lower 48 states.  The Quad Cities local office is now launching 4 weather balloons per day instead of the normal 2.  These instruments collect data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed etc all the way up to about 90,000 feet in the atmosphere!  The data collected is sent by a radio signal back to the office, and eventually ends up being digested and used in many ways to help with the forecast. 

 In the QC, meteorologists will be sending up the extra balloons through Monday morning while folks in the East and South will continue the extra balloons through Tuesday, when Sandy is expected to make landfall somewhere along the East Coast!  Here are some pics from today's launch around lunchtime! 

See the doppler radar in this shot!

1 Hour Temperature Drop

It was pretty easy to tell when the cold front slammed through the area earlier today...whether it was from 12 to 1pm or 1 to 2pm temperatures crashed all across the area today!  In the QC we saw 19° drop from 1 to 2pm as the temp fell from 72° to 53°!  Since then the temps have fallen even further, back into the lower 40s so far!  Here's a list of 1 hour temp drops from the NWS in Davenport...Click Here

Close to a Record High!

As of 2pm we are ony 4° shy of the record high for today!  We're sitting at 79° in the QC...head outside if you get a chance, we won't have another day like this for the rest of the year! 

Record Highs on Wednesday?

Now that we're into late October our normal high has dropped to 61°.  And while the last couple days have been above average we're looking at way above average, and near-record highs on Wednesday!  In the QC the record high is 83° and we're calling for a high of 81°!

Oh Sandy

We're getting later and later in the tropical season but we do have a new storm to talk about...Sandy!  Right now Sandy is a tropical storm with winds of 50 mph, but it should become a hurricane over the next couple days.  As of right now Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas all look to be impacted by the storm.  By Sunday the storm will be turning East into the Atlantic...however, later next week the storm could head back toward the US and eventually wreak some havoc in the Northeast!

Early Showers..

Tuesday begins with another warm morning with a few light showers.  The rain looks to wrap up by around mid-day with the skies staying cloudy for the afternoon.  The humid air sticks around through Wednesday as we climb into the lower 80s for our high temperatures.  A cold front will make its way through the area later on Thursday, giving us rain showers and much cooler temperatures.  From Thursday afternoon to Friday morning we are expected to drop about 40 degrees!  Highs for the weekend are only in the upper 40s and lower 50s with sunny skies.

Monday Rains

Did you hear the t-storms Monday morning?  Between 8 and 9 am a few storms rumbled through the QC, leaving about a tenth of an inch of rain behind!  Some places north of the QC ended up with heavier totals...now we're all looking at warmer weather through the middle of the week!

Temperatures Rise then Plunge......

You could potentially break out the shorts for the beginning of the week, but then you'll need the heavy coat by the end of it.   A lot of warm air is going to be pumped into the QCA over the next few days before a system knocks our temperatures well below average by next weekend! 

National Weather Service Winter Outlook....

 The National Weather Service has released it's winter outlook for this year!   So far for the Quad Cities they are forecast near normal temperatures (shown above), but a good chance for a drier than normal winter (shown below).   We'll see if this pans out because there's still a long ways to go! 

2012: Warmest September on Record!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its report for global temperatures in the month of September in 2012.  After all the numbers came in September ended up tying the warmest September on record (2005). With records being kept since the year of 1880, this warm month continues the trend of 331 months in a row with above average temperatures.  NASA uses a different methods to monitor the global temperature and even they said September was abnormally warm. 

The united states overall did not have a record setting warm Sept, as we only had the 23rd warmest Sept. on record.  Sea surface temperatures played a major role as a weak El Nino conditions are developing.  Though it doesn't look likely, if El Nino were to occur, we would continue with a warmer fall and winter season. 

More Rain On The Way....

We got a good drink of water from Mother Nature over the weekend and more rain is on the way for the middle of the week.  But, rain totals won't be as high as they were over the weekend. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, we're thinking the Quad Cities will pick up about a quarter of an inch of rain by Thursday.  Some areas could pick up close to a half inch if a thunderstorm happens to move through.  Either way we'll take more rain because we are still more than 9 inches below normal for the year.

So when exactly will the rain arrive?  Well there's a small chance for rain during the morning hours.  But, it's between the lunch time hour through the drive home from work when we'll see the most rainfall around the QCA.  So grab the umbrella before you leave home Wednesday morning for work!

Above Average Temps for Tuesday...

We'll see a few more clouds on your Tuesday compared to Monday, but that's not going to stop our temps from climbing into the 70s.  Go ahead and push play on the video above to check out Stormcast's forecasted temperatures for your neighborhood! Even overnight lows will be above average only dropping into the 50s for Wednesday morning ahead of our next rain maker.

A strong southerly wind from 10-20 mph with higher gusts will boost our high temperatures into the 70s.  Eventually, on Wednesday, a cold front will cause our temps to tumble into the 50s for highs by week's end.

Saturday & Sunday Rainfall Totals...

Some much needed rain finally fell around the QCA over the weekend.  Here are the 48 hour rainfall totals for the Quad Cities and the surrounding neighborhoods
Fairfield  fell shy of 3 inches while Iowa City came in just short of 2 inches.  All neighborhoods picked up more than an inch of rain.  More rain is on the way by the middle of the week.  We'll keep you posted!

Strong cold front pushes through the QCA....

A strong cold front made for a soggy, windy weekend all around the Quad Cities.  The cold front finally passed through the region Sunday afternoon and as it did so it produced some cool looking clouds.  These are snapshots of some of those clouds near Maquoketa on Sunday afternoon thanks to CBS4 viewer Brent Naylor.  If you have any photos feel free to send them to us on our Facebook page, WHBF TV, e-mail them to weather@cbs4qc.com or tweet them to us @CBS4QC

Saturday Rainfall Totals as of 9pm....

Some much needed rain fell in the Quad Cities on Saturday. So far the Quad Cities has picked up 0.81" of rain.  That brings our total for October to 1.06"  More rain is on the way late Saturday night and for your Sunday.  Some of the rain could be on the heavy side and some neighborhoods could pick up 2-3" of rain when all is said and done by Sunday evening.

Heavy Rain On The Way?

The Quad Cities is still under a slight risk for severe storms for Saturday.  Not only could the storms produce damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes, but also some much needed rain.  Right now, some forecast models have the possibility of 1-2 inches of rain falling in neighborhoods around the QCA!  We'll keep you posted.   Have a good weekend.

Severe Weather Update

One day closer and we're still on track for showers, t-storms and perhaps some severe t-storms on Saturday.  A big fall storm will be developing and moving through the middle part of the country.  Late Friday night we could see a few thunderstorms but the best chance for SEVERE T-STORMS will be Saturday evening.  Here's an updated graphic from the Storm Prediction Center showing the risk for svr weather on Saturday.  If we see strong to severe t-storms the biggest threats most likely would be:

1.  Damaging winds
2.  Heavy rain
3.  Isolated tornadoes

National Weather Service Survey

From time to time the National Weather Service, part of the Dept of Commerce, looks for input on how they can better serve the needs of the US public...and you can help them out by filling out their survey!  Here's a link to the survey on their website... Click Here

Wow, Wind Chills!

Its another cool morning in the Quad Cities but with a brisk Northwest wind its feels much cooler. Check out these wind chills!  Just before 8AM, the wind chill in the QCA is 26° and a frigid 19° up in Galena.  The winds will also be playing a big role in our high temperatures for the next few days, so even though the winds are making it feel cooler today, they will bring in some warmth for Thursday.  Highs on Thursday will climb into the mid 60s as a dominant southerly wind and clear skies keep us nice and warm.  The sunshine continues through Friday and then some rain and temperatures in the 70s arrive for the weekend. 

Severe Weather this Weekend?

 It's only Tuesday, but we're already checking things out for this weekend in the Midwest.  Severe t-storms will be possible Saturday for portions of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota among other states!  An upper level low will be moving slowly into the area, combined with a strong surface low forming some of the ingredients look to be in place.  This is still several days away but it'd be a good idea to check back a little later in the week...and of course we'll keep you updated on CBS4 News all week long!  Here's an outlook from the NWS SPC highlighting the risk for certain areas on Saturday! 

 To read more from the Storm Prediction Center Click Here!

Can You See the Northern Lights?

After a recent (last Thursday) explosion on the sun some people are seeing the Northern Lights tonight!  Chances are the great display will stay just North of the Quad Cities but with clear skies maybe we'll catch a glimpse!  Here's an updated Aurora forecast from Monday evening...

And to read much more about it Click Here!

Another Cool Morning in the QCA

Temperatures once again dropped into the lower 30s to begin Columbus Day in the Quad Cities.  Every recording station stayed at or just above the 30° mark. These chilly lows will warm over the next few days and we will stay above freezing throughout the next 7 days. Keep the jacket handy as some afternoon highs in the upcoming days will only be in the mid 50s.

More sights of Fall around the QCA....

Toni of Dixon, IL sent us these pictures of some beautiful fall leaves around his neighborhood this weekend.
If you have any fall pictures from your town feel free to send them to us through e-mail at weather@cbs4qc.com or search for us on Facebook: WHBF TV

Temperatures on a Rollercoaster for the upcoming week....

It's time again to take a look at this week's high temperature trend over the next 7 days in the Quad Cities!  After a chilly weekend more seasonable, warmer air does return to the QCA on Monday and Tuesday.  But, the warmer weather stick around for very long.  That's because a cold front will knock our temperatures back below average into the upper 50s by Wednesday.  They'll rebound for a day before another disturbance sends them back in the other direction!  We'll keep you posted.

Colder and Colder and Colder...

It just keeps getting colder in the Quad Cities!  The big drop started yesterday and it continues as we kick off our weekend today.  Temps have been in the 40s for most of the afternoon, when the normal high is 69°!  Tonight, with some clearing, we'll see lows in the upper 20s and lower 30s and that's prompted the NWS to issue a FREEZE WARNING for all of the areas shaded in blue.  The only reason a few counties to the North are not included is because those areas have already seen their growing season end, when the temp dropped into the upper 20s back in September!

What a difference a day makes.....

A cold front moved through the QCA on Thursday and that system has caused a big drop in our temperatures!

This morning most neighborhoods started out 15 to even 25 degrees cooler. 

Temperatures will stay well below average over the weekend as high temps only climb into the low to mid 50s!  Stay warm and have a great weekend.

Cold Front Moves Through...

The much advertised cold front has now pushed through the Quad Cities!  Our temps earlier today were near 70° and now we're back into the 50s, with lows dipping into the upper 30s later tonight.  The next few days will be much cooler than normal, with highs only in the 50s.  As for the rain, we've seen scattered showers so far and from here on out most of the wet weather will be south of the Quad Cities!

Big Weather Changes Coming...

Soak up the sunshine and near 80° weather on Wednesday, we have big changes set to arrive later this week!  A cold front passes through the region on Thursday, bringing a chance for a few showers/t-showers.  While the chance for rain stands at about 50% the chance for much cooler weather stands at 100%.  Count on a big October chill this weekend...as for tonight's temps?  They're fine and you'll see them on Ten at 10 on CBS4!

Blizzards to be named by TWC?

USA Today announced today that The Weather Channel will now be naming blizzards and intense winter storms.  Hurricanes and tropical storms have been named since the late 1800's, and now blizzards will get the same recognition.

The Weather Channel says some major storms in the past have already received a few nicknames, such as snowmaggeddon, and it would be a bit easier to distinguish those storms if they had names.  They already have a list of 26 names for potential winter storms, starting with Athena, Brutus, and Caesar.  The names follow a Greek/Roman theme and there are no repeats of hurricane/tropical storm names. 

The names will be issued to winter storms that will have a big impact on large areas of population and the storms will only be named 3 days prior to the expected impact.  However The Weather Channel has not listed or described any criteria on how they will determine if it will be a major storm. The goal is to raise public awareness of the intensity of these big winter storms.

September Climate Numbers

September has come and gone, and it turned out to be another dry month!  We started off with some rainy days at the beginning of the month but overall we only ended up with 2.19" of rain which is almost an inch below normal. 
     As far as the temperatures went - we actually ended up below normal for the first time in several months!  The average temperature was 62.7° which is almost 3 degrees below normal! 
     For more climate info check out this page from our local office of the NWS!  Quad Cities NWS Climate stats