24-hour rainfall amounts around the area as of Wednesday morning.

Posted under rainfall amounts

Monday’s tornado in Hammon, Oklahoma was the first tornado in the US for awhile - since late January. Not only that, but there’s some good footage of it.

Posted under severe weather

For those with river/flood interests, the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service has a great regional, interactive map on their website. You can obtain graphical data for area points on rivers on this site.

For those with interests with the Red River, you can find that map on the same website, too.

Posted under flooding

A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect for much of our area until 9am Tuesday morning.

There is more concern this week with possible flooding. There is about 2-4″ of moisture stored up in the current snowpack, and rain on the way from Tuesday afternoon through Friday. Depending on how much rain we receive, and combined with a speedier thaw this week, there is valid concern for flooding throughout the region. Because of the potential for flooding later this week, the NWS office in Des Moines has issued preemptive Flood Warnings, valid indefinitely, for the Iowa and Cedar River basins in north Iowa.

Posted under Uncategorized

Even with highs reaching above freezing since the beginning of March, our slow melt has been a gradual one with overnight temperatures putting a halt to melting. This week, the warmth is going to be stepped up a couple notches. Daytime highs, not having reached 40° since the 1st of December, are now expected to hit the mid-40s every day this week. On top of daytime highs above average, overnight lows will be above freezing starting Tuesday night. Even before then, lows will just barely dip down to or below freezing.

In a nutshell, you’ll notice the snow and ice that’s left as of today is going to disappear in a hurry this week. Local streams and rivers are certain to swell over the course of the week, but at this time flooding concerns are very uncertain.

Posted under Uncategorized

The International Space Station will be visible again this evening. From Rochester, look to the western sky at 7:52pm on the button and you’ll see a swiftly moving “star”…that’s the International Space Station. For viewing times specific to your zip code, check out this link which gives very useful, specific details.

Conditions for viewing will be perfect tonight with clear skies and comfortably cool temperatures. You’ll be able to see the ISS again both Saturday and Sunday, then again on Monday, pending we get a few breaks in the clouds. Skies won’t be nearly this clear this weekend or early next week, but there’s always a chance.

Posted under Astronomy

From the MPCA…

March 4, 2010

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has upgraded the air pollution health advisory issued yesterday for Rochester and the Twin Cities to an air pollution health alert for Thursday, March 4, through Friday, March 5. An air pollution health advisory will remain in effect for these areas on Saturday, March 6.

An air pollution health advisory is issued when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to exceed 90. The MPCA issues an air pollution health alert when the AQI exceeds or is expected to exceed 101, the level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

A high pressure system located over central Iowa, and the associated air stagnation, are encouraging fine particle levels to build across much of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Locally, overnight fog and mist have led to enhanced particle production, and calm early morning winds have further limited pollutant dispersion. In addition, light southeasterly winds this afternoon will gradually transport moisture and additional pollutants into the Twin Cities, enhancing particle production. As a result of these conditions, AQI levels will be unhealthy for sensitive groups in the Twin Cities and Rochester. AQI levels are expected to remain in the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups category into Friday, and they should fall to the high-moderate AQI range on Saturday. Air quality conditions are expected to continue to improve on Sunday, and should return to good conditions by Monday, March 8, as wind speeds increase and become more northwesterly.

Those with respiratory or cardiovascular problems, young children, the elderly and individuals who participate in activities that require heavy exertion are the most sensitive to elevated levels of air pollution. Since fine particles can be drawn deeply into the lungs, it is a good idea to reduce or postpone activities that lead to deep or accelerated breathing. Exposure to high levels of fine particles may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing and fatigue, even after air quality has improved. If you experience these symptoms, contact your physician. Even individuals that are otherwise healthy may experience health effects when air pollution increases.

Everyone can help reduce local air pollution. Reducing motor vehicle emissions by carpooling, combining trips, avoiding idling, and using alternate transportation all help. Avoiding burning wood and reducing energy consumption will also help.

For hourly air quality updates, visit the MPCA AQI Web site at http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/. Sign up at http://mn.enviroflash.info to receive daily air quality forecasts and air pollution health alerts by email or text message.

Posted under Uncategorized

While we don’t typically talk much about severe weather here in February, it’s the hot talk right now. And it’s because of the lack of a type of severe weather - tornadoes.

The folks in Norman, Oklahoma released this information yesterday - there were no tornadoes in the United States during the month of February. This is the first time since 1950 in the National Weather Service’s database where the month has gone unscathed from a tornado.

As far as what that means down the road - don’t count it as a hardcore sign of a lethargic severe weather season. NOAA says years that start out with fewer tornadoes can end up average or below average (number of tornadoes). There have also been years, however, where’s that’s been the case before a major tornado outbreak (May 2003, for example).

Severe weather season here at home gets going typically as we push into April. It’s still a little oddball-ish to see it here in March. It’ll get going soon further south.

Here’s more about the article on the NOAA website.

Posted under KTTC, severe weather

What other oddball weather stuff can we throw at you? Here’s one:

No tornadoes in the US during February of 2010.

Posted under KTTC, severe weather

Some stats from this past meteorological winter (December 1st-February 28th) in Rochester, MN…(source)

• 5th greatest snowfall total ever: 44.4″–ranks behind the winters of 2000-01: 50.0″, 1969-70: 48.1″, 2008-09: 46.4″, and 1996-97: 45.8″
• 1st place: Tied for greatest average snow depth with 14″–this ties the average snow depth for the winter of 1978-79
• 11th place: We’re still running consecutive days without hitting 40°. If we don’t hit 40° today (Wednesday, March 3rd), it’ll be the 92nd consecutive day without reaching 40°…it’s been since December 1st when the high was 48°

Posted under climate, winter