On Wednesday, February 20th keep an eye to the night sky and you may just be able to see a total lunar eclipse taking place.  It will be the first of two lunar eclipses in 2008 and the only total lunar eclipse this year.  The next one will not occur until December 21, 2010.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth.  It can last up to an hour and a half and the Moon may turn a reddish color.  It’s not dangerous to look at like a solar eclipse is because the Moon does not make its own light like the Sun does.

So, if the Moon orbits Earth approximately every 30 days and a lunar eclipse only occurs at Full Moon, why don’t we have an eclipse once a month during Full Moon?  Well, the Moons orbit around Earth is actually tipped about 5 degrees to Earth’s orbit around the Sun.  This means the Moon spends most of the time either above or below the plane of Earth’s orbit…and the plane of Earths orbit around the Sun is important because Earth’s shadows lie exactly in the same plane.  The Earth, the Sun and the Moon all have to be lined up just right in order for the eclipse to occur. In the Central Time Zone the eclipse should begin around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday and end around 9:50 p.m.

So take some time to look up into the chilly skies on Wednesday night and enjoy a rare sight. The good news is that our temperatures will slowly moderate back to more "normal" conditions by the weekend.

Have a great week!

Meteorologist LeAnn Lombardo

Posted under Hometown Weather

It’s true that this winter has been long – or at least it seems that way compared to the past several.  In fact, there has been snow on the ground now since December 1, and it will likely remain that way until at least early March.  The last time there was snow cover for the entire three month meteorological winter (December 1 to March 1) was the winter of 2000-’01 (that season there was snow on the ground from November 15 to March 30, in case you were wondering!). 

I was thinking earlier today that, despite the fact that we are closing in on the end of winter, we still have a month and probably a couple of good winter storms left before we really reap the benefits of warm air!  Some folks out there are probably planning some sort of a vacation or spring break over the coming weeks, and if that is the case then you are luckier than I!  On the other hand, since it’s sweeps and I can’t take vacation I was thinking, "what can I do to warm up besides sit directly in front of my fireplace?"  Then it hit me:  look up some warm locations and thing really hard about what it will feel like around here in just a few short months.  Problem solved!  So here is my list of a few nice February destinations, along with weekend forecast, for those that could use a few of those warm thoughts right now:

• Daytona Beach, FL:   mid-70s with scattered showers (that sounds like Florida alright)
• Honolulu, HI:   near 80 with beautiful sunshine (aloha indeed)
• Myrtle Beach, SC:   lower 60 with some rain (seems a bit cool for lyin’ on the sand)
• Phoenix, AZ:   lower 70s and partly cloudy (near the Brewers spring training location)
• Cancun, Mexico:   lower 80s/30% chance of rain (you may never want to come back)
• Las Vegas, NV:   lower 60s with desert-like dryness (remember to take lots of $$)
• Aspen, CO:   lower 30s with fresh powder (hey, you might see Kurt Russell or Michael Douglas)

Anyway, if you are like me and can’t take a nice little spring break in the next month, don’t fear – we’ll be back on Daylight Saving Time in less than three weeks!

Chief Meteorologist Doug Michaels

Posted under Hometown Weather

This last weekend’s cold blast was a doozy.  I heard plenty of moans and groans and not just from my car engine.  The good news is, according to Climatologist Mark Seeley, the second week of February is often the last episode of arctic air from the frozen tundra to our north.  Occasionally in late February (and even into March) we’ll see daytime highs at zero F or below, but it is a rare occasion.  Day length and the sun’s elevation angle begin to change much more quickly in February and daytime highs climb into the 25 to 40 degree F range.

What about La Nina? Yes, we are dealing with a lingering  La Nina…a cooling of Pacific Ocean water.  In the past, La Nina years have been linked to a late spring and a more active spring.  There is a strong correlation between the cooler ocean waters and an incidence of more tornadoes for the United States.  Could the deadly tornadoes to our south last week be a precursor of what’s to come? I hope not.

With that being said I found this link that will give you a quick look at what to do in case of emergencies.  A "real simple" look at what to do not only for tornadoes, but also house fires, frozen pipes, etc.  Take a peek:

Handling Emergencies

Thankfully the cold air won’t last too long.  Computer models are pushing highs back into the upper 20s by late in the weekend, however, before the warmer air moves in we may have to deal with some significant snow for Valentines Day.   

Have a great week!

Meteorologist LeAnn Lombardo

Posted under Hometown Weather

I was reading LeAnn’s last blog about turning snow into ice cream – I think she should send that idea on down to folks in Madison and Milwaukee!  One thing that really fascinates me about the weather is looking at patterns and determining what is really happening.  I remember several months ago when the winter prediction came out from the CPC (Climate Prediction Center), the dominant topic of chatter was about how this would be another mild winter.  Everyone seemed to be jumping on the ol’ mild and snowless bandwagon.  I, however, cautioned that since this was a La Nina winter, the overall pattern would be different than what we’ve seen the past several years.  Lo and behold, that statement seems to be holding true, at least so far!

I’ve had an appreciation for the past ever since childhood (it began with countless Sundays of recording and memorizing the top 40 countdown!).  Whether it’s music, sports, or climate, you can make a lot of determinations about the future by checking the past.  I’d go out on a limb and say that for some parts of Wisconsin, the winter of ’07-’08 is turning into one of the most memorable winters in recent history.  If you don’t believe me, check out these seasonal snow totals through today (the 6th):

• Madison:   73.6"  (wowsers, that’s 41" above average through this date!!)
• Milwaukee:   64.3"  (this would be impressive if it weren’t for the capital city taking all the glory)
• Green Bay:   57.3"  (many remember the game against Seattle, so this makes sense)
• La Crosse:   46.9"  (okay, this is a bit more normal for early February)
• Eau Claire:   35.4"  (as is often the case, we are bringing up the rear on this list.  Still, we are in good shape)

I talked this evening with fellow meteorologist Nick Grunseth, who just so happened to return from Madison last night, and he told me that they are running out of places to pile the snow.  I mean, common, Duluth has only received about 45" this season!  So what’s the deal?  Simple . . . winter storm after winter storm has taken aim on the Midwest and Great Lakes over the past few months, bringing gargantuan amounts of snow into southern and eastern Wisconsin.  Meanwhile, here in the Chippewa Valley we have watched the big boys pass to the south, while slowly and methodically accumulating a decent total of our own (well, decent compared to the past several years).  What will happen over the final six weeks of winter?  Your guess is as good as mine, but just by peeking at the climate over the past few years, I’d venture to say that we certainly aren’t out of the woods yet.  That thought has me excited, but would probably sicken people a few hours to the south right now!

Chief Meteorologist Doug Michaels

Posted under Hometown Weather

Or, if you’re from Wisconsin where lemons don’t thrive in our not-so-tropical weather, why not turn snow into ice cream!  Kids are getting restless and tired of the snow by the time February drags around so throw a positive spin on the new snow we’re going to get and make some yummy ice cream.

Ingredients

1 gallon of snow

1 cup of white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups of milk

Directions: When it starts to snow place a large bowl outside to collect the flakes (or scoop up some fresh snow from the ground).  When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency.  Serve at once. You can also add a few drops of food coloring to jazz things up!

Here in the Chippewa Valley we’re expecting about 2-4 inches of snow today but it could transition to sleet and even a little freezing rain as temperatures climb into the low 30′s. You’ll have a couple chances to make snow ice cream this week, but the good news is…we won’t see the arctic air return like we did last week.  Highs will remain in the 20′s and low 30′s right through the end of the week.

Have a fantastic week!

Meteorologist LeAnn Lombardo

(Thanks to fellow Meteorologist Anthony Peoples in the Quad Cities for the recipe!)

Posted under Hometown Weather