Stormtrack

Wringing out Water in Space

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:42:00 +0000

This is a great video to share with the kids. It's from International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield who shows a group of students how to wring out water on the ISS. Check it out!

Windy! and MUCH Cooler.

noreply@blogger.com (Meteorologist Kimberly Newman) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:41:00 +0000

80°.

That was the high temperature recorded at the Toledo Express Airport Thursday, April 18th. Nearly 20° above normal for this time of year, and only a few degrees shy of the record high.

Let's do some quick math:

Map of NW Ohio/SE Michigan shows 24-hour Temperature Change

As of 2pm, Friday afternoon, temperatures are 36 degrees COLDER than they were at this time yesterday.

That would make the current temperature roughly 44°.

Temperature Map of Ohio at 2pm, Friday, April 19th

The reason for the few degree difference is the timing. Thursday, the high of 80 degrees was reached later in the afternoon hours.

So, why the significant difference? Two words. Cold front. Clearly depicted on the temperature map, the cold front is now pushing most of Thursday's warmth and moisture out of the Toledo area and into parts of NY, PA, and MD. Goodbye, 80s.

Also the culprit of Thursday's chance for severe weather, this very strong cold front developed early in the week, and stemmed down from a strong low pressure system, through the midwest, and into parts of Texas. Storm reports ranging from funnel cloud and tornado sightings to wind damage and flash flooding came out ahead of this cold frontal boundary Thursday afternoon.

The cold front approaching NW Ohio was the driving force of Thursday's chance of severe weather

This type of event, known as a QLCS, or a Quasi-Linear Convective System, is known for producing strong winds, and spinning up multiple weak tornadoes. It's nature is defined by the developing squall line as it pluses forward in a wavy pattern from north to south. At the surface, the powerful low pressure system is the driving force, and severe weather is often detected in the 'warm sector' ahead of the cold front. 80°? Yeah. That's our warm sector.

Luckily for us, there was minimal severe weather to speak of in NW Ohio. The conditions were prime for the development of large hail, damaging winds, and even a possible tornado. But sometimes, even ideal conditions can come up short.

As meteorologists, we are never unhappy when severe weather doesn't happen. If it must happen, we'd rather it happen in an open field, miles away from civilization, where we can study it. But in a highly populated area? No thanks.

So, today, instead of picking up debris, and calling the Red Cross, we're simply dealing with colder, windier conditions. Since the low pressure system that passed north of Ohio was SO strong, we are now seeing winds between 20-30mph sustained and gusts up to 45mph.

Sustained wind speeds as of 2pm, Friday, April 19th

Air will rush from high pressure to low, in an attempt to balance the atmosphere, and achieve a state of equilibrium. As the low tracks further and further away from Ohio, winds will continue to flow towards it. Hence, our Wind Advisory for SE Michigan.

Wind Advisory in effect for Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe Counties until 10pm, Friday, April 19th

So, when will these winds die down? Soon.

The low pressure system will move far enough away that it will lose its grasp on NW Ohio and surrounding areas, and the gusty winds will travel East along with it. Tomorrow will be much calmer, but still cold. We can't bounce back from these plummeting temperatures THAT quickly. In fact, there's a chance of flurries overnight into Saturday.

Both Saturday and Sunday will be cool, but dry. And much less windy.

7-Day Forecast, valid April 19th-April 25th, 2013

Maumee at Waterville, Blanchard: Near Floodstage-- More Rain on its Way

noreply@blogger.com (Meteorologist Kimberly Newman) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:26:00 +0000

As of 5:00am Sunday morning, the Maumee river at Waterville was just a foot above flood stage. This is good news, as today's combination of dry conditions, warmer air, and partly sunny skies will continue to improve upon the flooding situation from last week.

Unfortunately, for all of you fishermen (and women!) out there, this still doesn't make fishing for Walleye a possiblity without a boat. High temperatures today will reach the upper 50s, however. So a walk down by the water, and perhaps throwing the line in from shore is still a possibility. This weather was made for enjoying!

South of Toledo, the Blanchard River, in Findlay, has now fallen nearly 2' below flood stage. It peaked early Friday, after nearly 3'' of rainfall, at 14.1'. Historically, the river has been known to crest over 18.5ft! The most recent extreeme flooding event of the Blanchard occured in March of 2009 when the river reached 15.41' at its highest level.

Both rivers crested above flood stage late last week due to heavy-- nearly non-stop rain showers.

According to the forecast QPF, or Quantitative Precipitation Forecast, Nearly an inch (likely more) is going to fall next week. So far, we've seen rain in excess of 2'' this month, and after this extended weather event next week, we could potentially double that number.

Expect additional flooding to occur, especially Wed-Thurs.

Here's your 7-day:

Happy SUNday! :)

Signs of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Vickers) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:03:00 +0000

Another beautiful morning is yet again finally showing a sign that spring is going to show up after all. Here is how this morning looked a little before 9 AM. Blue skies and sunshine!

Now for some forecasting fun. Did you notice the puffy looking cumulus clouds develop Wednesday afternoon? That's likely to happen again and here is why. The sun angle this time of the year is much greater and stronger. This provides more energy to the lower atmosphere that will eventually fuel spring storms and summer heat. Here is a diagram of the atmosphere later this afternoon in the form of something called a Skew-T model. I'll point out two things, first a very steep lower level lapse rate that will allow air to freely rise this afternoon and secondly available lower level moisture.

I also look closely at what is known as the Convective Temperature (ConvT). This is the surface temperature that has to be reached for pure convection, or rising air to occur. At this point, the sunny start to the morning will quickly be dotted with "fluffy" looking cumulus clouds developing. This explains how a morning (stable atmosphere) can start off clear and sunny only to be followed by clouds that seem to develop out of the blue. It is important to note there must be sufficient lower level moisture for the clouds to actually develop. Later this season, this very process is the same one that often leads to afternoon showers or scattered thunderstorms.

Snow Still Going South

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:24:00 +0000

Toledo and much of Northwest Ohio will continue to be on the dry side of a system that will bring heavy rain/snow to the Ohio River Valley. Places like Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana could see over 8" of snow. Locally a dry northeast wind and a weakening system will mean any snow will likely remain well south of the Toledo Metro.

Here is our latest snow forecast:

March 18th Cedar Point Timelapse

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:22:00 +0000

Early morning freezing rain made for a unique view from high on top of the 'Top Thrill Dragster' with fog developing late in the afternoon as winds went calm.

Spring is How Close?

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:46:00 +0000

The recent stretch of colder than average air has many in Ohio and Michigan asking: 'Where is spring!?'

Our calendars say spring starts on Wednesday but long range weather charts show winter isn't ready to make the switch just yet. Highs much of this week will remain in the 30s, around 10-20 degrees below average.

Just to add some insult to injury, look how much colder the next few days will be compared to last year.

Spring Fever On Hold This Year

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Vickers) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:44:00 +0000

It was this time last year the flowers began an early spring bloom, golf courses were packed and spring fever was in full spring. The accelerator was floored on the warm-up as temperatures soared into the 70s and 80s for nearly a week and a half en route to the warmest March on record! The average temperatures for March was 51.4° a whopping +13.0° above normal! Here are some additional records and milestones from last March:

This is March after all and is often considered one of the most volatile months where huge swings and changes in weather can happen as the seasonal transition occurs. It's misleading to state "what a difference a year can make" because there is little if any connection from a season one year to the next. However, this March is so far is a HUGE difference compared to the last. So far this month the average is 33.1° which is -0.9° below average and that likely to trend lower over the next week. Here is a cool perspective on this March and the forecast compared to the record warmth for March of 2012:

Hold off spring fever for a little bit longer, spring is going to take its time getting here this season!

~Meteorologist Chris Vickers

Is it Typical to be Near Normal?

noreply@blogger.com (Meteorologist Kimberly Newman) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:45:00 +0000

Having just wrapped up the first week of March, temperatures have yet to reach, or exceed, 'normal' for this time of year.

On average, the first week of March should yield temps in the low/mid 40s, but so far this month, Toledo's daily highs have been overwhelmingly cool, settling in the 20s and 30s.

Max Toledo Daily Temps: March


Normals and Records for Toledo Express Airport Reporting Site

So, what does this indicate for the rest of the month? Nothing.

Being at, or near normal, isn't always 'typical' at any time of year. The normal temp represents the average temperature for any given date based on years of record-keeping and mean-value calculations. So, for example, if over the course of 5 years, the high temperature on March 7th was 37°, 49°, 17°, 44°, and 68°, the average, or 'normal' high is 43°, but it was never actually 43° on the dot any of those years.

I can also confidently say that this weekend's upcoming warm-up doesn't mark the end of winter. More on that to come.

FORECAST:

Sunshine peeking through the clouds Thursday. Highs in the upper 30s/lower 40s. Skies clear overnight, allowing everyone to see a fair share of sunshine on Friday to wrap up the work week.

Highs will skyrocket into the 50s this weekend.

And, don't forget to turn your clocks ahead on Saturday evening.

Daylight Saving Time Begins Saturday-Sunday

One final thought:

A hydrological report by the NWS warns residents in far NW Ohio and SE Michigan that received snow on Tuesday about the possibility of some minor flooding next week. Snow will melt this weekend, saturating an already wet ground & leading to increased runoff and rising river levels. In addition, there's a band of moderate to heavy rain showers possible Sunday into Monday, adding to those already high water levels. Keep this in mind if you're in a flooding prone area.

Tuesday Snow Update (Noon Update)

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:56:00 +0000

Tuesday Snow Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:44:00 +0000

While sunny skies are expected for most of the day Monday, we are tracking more snow on the way Tuesday. The forecast for Monday has highs into the 30s with clouds holding off until late in the day. Enjoy the sunshine!

The low pressure system will grab some Gulf of Mexico moisture early Tuesday and create heavy snow from Chicago to Dayton. A dry wind off Lake Erie will likely keep accumulations lower the further north in Ohio you live. The heaviest snow will be falling Tuesday evening, likely near or just after the evening commute.

We will need to keep an eye on this system with a few miles (as always) making a big difference in snow fall accumulations. Here is our latest forecast with snow accumulations through Wednesday morning with the heaviest snow SOUTH of Toledo.

Stay Tuned for more updates.

Tuesday Snow Chances

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Following what was the snowiest month of the winter season in February, March has been relatively quiet. So far Toledo has only recorded a 'Trace' of snowfall, around an inch below the early March average. That could change on Tuesday with a Clipper snow maker that is expected to move into the southern Great Lakes.

There are still lots of details to resolve as this system is just coming onshore in the Pacific northwest but here is what our hour-by-hour forecast is showing on Monday. The system is still west of Toledo with mostly sunny skies expected much of the day.

By Tuesday the clipper will combine with an upper level disturbance from the south. Exactly how the storms combine and move east will determine where the heaviest snow falls. Right now snow is expected to spread into the Great Lakes Tuesday morning, but again the exact track still a bit up in the air. The 'cone of uncertainty' for the low path is from Central Ohio to Tennessee at this point.

Our hour-by-hour forecast does show snow impacting Toledo and surrounding counties Tuesday morning though and we will use this as a good starting point for where and when the snow begins.

This is a storm that will need to be watched closely the next few days with the possibility for several inches of snow accumulation. Stay Tuned.

Snow and Warmth

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 01:35:00 +0000

February in Review... Up Next: March

noreply@blogger.com (Meteorologist Kimberly Newman) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:35:00 +0000

February is over, so this is the time to look back and see how 2013 stacks up.

With the exception of no 'major' winter storms, February followed a very typical winter pattern, resulting in an average monthly temperature just below normal, and monthly snowfall totals just above normal.

Average Monthly Temp: 28.3°
Actual Monthly Temp: 26.8°

Departure from Normal: -1.5°

Average Monthly Snowfall: 9.4"
Actual Monthly Snowfall: 12.4"
Departure from Normal: +3.0"

Meteorologically speaking, March 1st is the beginning of Spring. I know the actual first day of spring isn't until March 20th, but for compiling data and consistent record keeping, let's say February 28th is the last day of winter. Therefore:

2012 Dec-Mar snowfall: 15.7"
2013 Dec-Mar snowfall: 22.5"
Avg. Dec-Mar snowfall: 28.4"

2013 Departure from Normal: -5.9"

So even though we've blown last year's December-March snowfall totals out of the water, we've still landed below the 'norm'. Perhaps it is because of the lack of any one 'big' winter storm?
*Notice* February's total snowfall was accountable for over 50% of the season's total snowfall. Not bad for the shortest month of the year ;)

The shortest month yielded the most snow!

Time for a history review:

What do you remember about March 2012??

For me, the memory that stands out the most, is waiting for the St. Patrick's Day parade to begin while sweating bullets and drinking bottle after bottle of.... water.

March 2012 was VERY warm. The warmest on record, in fact, yielding 11 Days above 70°, shattering the old record of 5 days set in 1995.

80s in March? Not this year.

So where are we, one year later? Not even close.

At this time of year, average high temps should be in the lower 40s and average lows should be in the middle 20s. We will approach that towards the middle and end of next week.

40s and 20s: The norm for March 1st.

FORECAST

So it's a cold start to March.

Highs in the upper 20s and lower 30s Friday, and through the weekend. Cloudy and breezy.

The sun makes an appearance several times over the next few days, but it will struggle to help warm us up much. Keep the parka handy! We're not done with the cold, or the snow, yet this season.

In Like a Lion (Cub)

noreply@blogger.com (Meteorologist Kimberly Newman) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:28:00 +0000

Today is the last day of February (wow!), which means the old English proverb-- in like a lion, out like a lamb-- will be cited several times today. But will March live up to the hype?

This has to be photoshopped... right?

Instead, let's say, 'in like a lion-cub', to describe the upcoming transition into March. Weather will remain wintry and cold. Plus, with the chance of snowfall within the next 7 days, it would be wrong to classify this as a 'lamb-like' start to the month. However, there is warmth and sunshine on the horizon, so there is a silver lining.

Cute! But fierce.

FORECAST

Thursday: Temperatures are starting off steady from overnight in the lower 30s-- near freezing. Snow will be falling just south and east of the Toledo metro area, accumulating up to 0.5''. Early snowfall and breezy winds could reduce visibilities on/off.

Flurries are also possible Thursday afternoon, but any accumulation will occur mainly before noon. Highs will reach the middle 30s today. Breezy.

The Last Day of February

Friday: Slightly cooler with temperatures barely reaching the lower 30s and cloudy skies.

This Weekend: Sunshine finally returns. Saturday and Sunday will be partly cloudy, but staying cool. Highs in the upper 20s/lower 30s.

Tuesday Night Snow Totals

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:26:00 +0000

Many snow lovers across Ohio were disappointed in this storm, while locations in Michigan hit the 'snow jackpot' from this late February storm.

Here are the official snow reports from the National Weather Service:

0700 AM SNOW ENE LITCHFIELD 42.04N 84.76W
02/27/2013 M5.1 INCH HILLSDALE MI COCORAHS

0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 ENE JONESVILLE 42.02N 84.55W
02/27/2013 M7.0 INCH HILLSDALE MI COCORAHS

0800 AM SNOW MONROE 41.92N 83.39W
02/27/2013 M0.8 INCH MONROE MI CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM SNOW TIPTON 42.02N 84.06W
02/27/2013 M6.0 INCH LENAWEE MI CO-OP OBSERVER

...LUCAS COUNTY...
SYLVANIA 2SE 1.5 806 PM 2/26 SNOW SPOTTER

FORECAST

We continue to track light rain and snow this morning that will continue into the evening hours. A few heavy bands may drop visibilities and put a new slush on roadways, but widespread travel issues are not expected. Temperatures continue to hover a few degrees above freezing aiding in snow melt on contact and mainly wet road conditions.

Our rain and snow making system finally exits the Great Lakes on Thursday with chilly air moving in as we go into the weekend.

Expected Snow Through Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 21:14:00 +0000

We are continuing to watch heavy rainfall late this afternoon into the evening hours. Strong winds and slightly colder air just off the ground have allowed ice to form on exposed surface like trees and road signs. Roads should remain above freezing and ice free until any snow begins.

The switch from rain to snow will be slow; first in southeast Michigan and then eventually into Ohio later tonight. Roads will become snow covered and slushy in southern Michigan and mainly wet with some slush in northern Ohio. Overall accumulations still look the heaviest north of Toledo with the least amount near Sandusky.

Stay Tuned for more updates.

Winter Weather But Not A Snowstorm

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Track this winter weather yourself with StormTrack Interactive

UPDATE:

We are continuing to watch our next storm that will impact northern Ohio and southern Michigan during the day Tuesday into Wednesday. Rain will be the dominate type of precipitation, with relatively minor snow accumulations possible. Here is the latest timeline for the storm to unfold:

This snow will not be the light and fluffy type of snow we have seen the past few snow makers, this will be the heavy wet type. That means it will be hard to shovel but will also be tough to accumulate. A particular location may see 2-3" (especially in southern Michigan) of snow FALL but it will compact to maybe only 1-2" on the ground. Snow lovers will be disappointed with this one.

Here are expected snow totals through WEDNESDAY EVENING. When you wake up Wednesday morning, many locations in Ohio will have less than a slushy inch of snow. Snow bands will continue on and off Wednesday during the day that could lead to more accumulations during the day.

Stay Tuned for more updates!

-Ryan

Tuesday/Wednesday Winter Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:48:00 +0000

TYPE OF EVENT: WINTER WEATHER

TIMING: Tuesday Afternoon-Wednesday Morning

Tuesday's forecast remains a rather tricky forecast with rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain all likely making an appearance. Our forecast from Sunday night remains largely on track, you can read that update here: SUNDAY UPDATE

A mix of rain and ice will move in around lunch Tuesday making for a few slick hours on untreated roads. By and large most of Ohio will switch over to all rain for a few hours during the afternoon. Colder air will hold on just enough over most of southeast Michigan to likely keep most precipitation in the form of snow Tuesday afternoon into the evening hours. This is where we expect the heaviest snow accumulations.

Another switch, back to snow is expected in Toledo and extreme northern Ohio around sunset with accumulations likely overnight into Wednesday.

Stay Tuned for more updates and follow the StormTrack Weather Team on Facebook and Twitter:

Robert Shiels: FACEBOOK
Chris Vickers: FACEBOOK

Ryan Wichman: FACEBOOK

Kimberly Newman: FACEBOOK

Another Winter Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 01:22:00 +0000

WEATHER TYPE: WINTER
PRECIPITATION TYPE: RAIN, SNOW, ICE PELLETS
TIMING: TUESDAY NOON - WEDNESDAY MORNING

A tricky weather scenario is shaping up for Tuesday with rain, snow and ice pellets all possible. Before then Monday will be rather quiet and pleasant with partly sunny skies.

But a lot of OUR attention is on Tuesday afternoon as heavy rain, yes rain, is expected to move into northern Ohio. This rain will switch over to snow at times, mixing with sleet as well.

Hour by Hour Forecast for Tuesday late morning. Mainy rain in Ohio, some ice pellets.

This is why the forecast is so tricky. The track of the storm will not change. We have a very good idea of exactly where it will travel right up the Ohio River. No wiggles or wobbles will change snowfall amounts. Instead -- how HARD it rains -- will likely determine how much snow you see. Confused? Keep reading...

Think of it terms of you on a hot summer day. You sweat. Right? That is how your body cools you off. The same will be happening Tuesday in the atmosphere. The amount of evaporation, due to all the rain, could cool down the air 1-2 degrees. That is JUST enough to switch from rain to heavy snow. Our Hour-by-Hour forecast shows that happening.

Hour by Hour forecast mid-afternoon

Having heavy rain switch to heavy snow in this manner doesn't happen often. That is why we are hesitant to put a lot of heavy snow in our forecast. Just yet. As the event draws closer (This post is Sunday evening, almost 48 hours before the storm) we will have a better idea of if this will actually happen.

ICE POTENTIAL: It appears a low chance right now we will see a lot of ice accumulation simply becuase of the ground/air temperature. Sure ice pellets may be falling and even accumulate. But for ice to cause major issues like we had last Friday, we need temperatures to be below 30. While snow/rain/ice pellets are falling Tuesday we are expecting temperatures to be 32-36 degrees.

Either way for most locations it switches to all snow by Tuesday evening with several inches of accumulation possible.

Light snow will continue Wednesday and Thursday. Stay patient for this VERY complicated forecast. We want to be accurate first and foremost with any accumulation forecast we make for you.

February 23rd, 2013 Video Forecast

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 02:12:00 +0000

We are tracking snow, rain, sleet and even freezing rain this week. Watch the online forecast for the latest details:

A "Wintry Blast" Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Vickers) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:45:00 +0000

A major winter storm continues to bury the southern and central plains today with heavy snow and ice. Snow totals over 1 foot will be common across Kansas and a wicked ice storm in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas threatens to knock out power and down trees. This is likely to be the strongest winter storm since the "Groundhog Day Blizzard" in 2011.

This storm will impact our area early Friday morning in a weakened state. Here is the timeline of what I expect to happen:

Snow is expected to arrive by 3 AM south of Toledo and spread north through 6 AM. The duration of snow may be only a few hours, but a couple inches of snow may quickly pile up. Here is the hour by hour forecast for snow accumulations through Friday morning:

After 7 AM I expect a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain to develop across our southern counties and move north. The sleet and ice will likely keep snow totals below 2" for most areas, but still will continue the threat of a very slippery morning commute.

Here is a bit of a more technical analysis for how we forecast this change from snow to ice. The following graphic is a model Skew-T of the lower level temperature and moisture profile of the atmosphere at 8 AM tomorrow morning.

This appears to be the threshold time that snow may end and ice may begin. Here is why. Warm air advection ABOVE the surface takes the temperature to or above freezing. At this point, snow at about 2,500 feet would melt. However, at the surface cold air remains locked in with BELOW freezing temperatures. Melted snow would then refreeze on or near the surface resulting in sleet or freezing rain.

Ice accumulations would be minimal, but any ice can make for big travel issues. By noon, I expect the temperature at the surface to rise above freezing completely ending any chance of our wintry weather continuing beyond lunch time. I'll have live updates all morning long, see you on WTOL 11 Your Morning starting at 4:30 AM ~Meteorologist Chris Vickers.

February Morning Snow Squall

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:46:00 +0000

A quick moving band of snow created near-white out conditions Wednesday morning. Snow totals ranged from no snow outside of the bands over Defiance/Williams/Henry/Hancock counties to over 2 inches near Perrysburg. The snow was caused by a small piece of energy moving through the atmosphere and enhanced by the Great Lakes.

Police reported multiple accidents on Toledo interstates as the snow rates increased for a short time (very similar to what happened the past Saturday http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/21223929/traffic-alert-us-23-northbound-shutdown-multiple-car-accidents ). Remember if you encounter one of these heavy bands of snow, to give extra room in front of you to the next car.

Here is the timelapse of StormTrack Doppler and several local cameras as the snow squall came through Wednesday morning. Enjoy!

February 16/17 Cedar Point Snow and Melt

noreply@blogger.com (Ryan Wichman) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:40:00 +0000

Snow bands this weekend were captured at Cedar Point with a timelapsing camera. Check out the snow that fell on Saturday and then melting on Sunday from high on top of the 'Top Thrill Dragster'!

Asteroid & Meteor...Is The Sky Falling?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Vickers) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:56:00 +0000

Hey Chicken Little, what's up with this? Early on Friday morning, reports out of Russia came to light of a meteor streaking across the sky. This had people exclaiming the following:

This meteor was not any small hunk of change. Estimates show the size of this meteor to be about 10 tons! It exploded into smaller fragments upon entry into the earth's atmosphere, sending a sonic boom and shock wave over many square kilometres which shattered windows, collapsing roofs and shaking the ground. Video of the meteors entry you must see can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7c-0iwBEswE

It's quite the "Cosmic Coincidence" that this happened so close to the next big astronomical occurrence. This afternoon, the 15th of February 2013 one of the closest passes of an asteroid will happen at 2:24 PM. Just how close will this be? Take a look:

This is expected to be the "closest" pass of any asteroid of this size in modern history! Here are the details to put it into perspective. The moon is 239,000 miles away from earth, this asteroid is expected to pass only 17,200 miles from earth! The nearest point to earth will happen at 2:24 PM this afternoon. The asteroid itself is about 150 ft wide, or roughly the size of half a football field. This asteroid will pass closer to the earth than many of our GPS and weather satellites (~22,000 miles) and will be within the gravitational pull of the earth. Experts say, there is "no chance" this will make an impact on earth. In case you wondering, it will NOT be visible across North America.