Typically when you think of a January playoff game in Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, you think frozen tundra and subzero wind chill indices and maybe a chance for some snow.   Well, for those lucky enough to be headed to the Packers-Vikings game Saturday night in Wisconsin the forecast looks a little more favorable than it typically does as temperatures will be very bearable and snow chances will be held to a minimum.  The only precipitation concern will be a slight chance for a spot of two of freezing drizzle late in the evening toward the end of the game, but the chance for just plain old snow flurries appears to be the better bet while temperatures won’t be tremendously far from the freezing level with mid 20s the likely range for the game.

Temperatures for Saturday evening look to be rather bearable for the NFL playoff game and wind chills will be in the teens to around 20. Not bad for the “frozen tundra!”

Posted under weather

Once again we’re facing a weekend celestial event whose local viewing potential will possibly be affected by clouds and rain.  Keep your fingers crossed tomorrow night as our May full moon will occur at 10:35pm and will be also be the biggest and brightest lunar event in more than a year.  A storm system from the west will be approaching the area, producing some scattered showers and thunderstorms in the region, so our viewing of the full moon will be limited and possibly impossible unfortunately, but it’ll certainly be worth a look anyway just in case.  Here’s an article from space.com.  The video attached to that story is especially interesting.

Skywatcher Tim McCord of Entiat, Washington caught this amazing view of the March 19, 2011 full moon – called a supermoon because the moon was at perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit – using a camera-equipped telescope. CREDIT: Tim McCord

UPDATE: For the latest on Saturday’s “supermoon” and meteor shower, read our latest story here: ‘Supermoon’ Science: Why Saturday’s Full Moon is Biggest of 2012

Skywatchers take note: The biggest full moon of the year is due to arrive this weekend.

The moon will officially become full Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT. And because this month’s full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee — its closest approach to Earth — it will also be the year’s biggest.

The moon will swing in 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) from our planet, offering skywatchers a spectacular view of an extra-big, extra-bright moon, nicknamed a supermoon.

 

And not only does the moon’s perigee coincide with full moon this month, but this perigee will be the nearest to Earth of any this year, as the distance of the moon’s close approach varies by about 3 percent, according to meteorologist Joe Rao, SPACE.com’s skywatching columnist. This happens because the moon’s orbit is not perfectly circular.

 

 

This month’s full moon is due to be about 16 percent brighter than average. In contrast, later this year on Nov. 28, the full moon will coincide with apogee, the moon’s farthest approach, offering a particularly small and dim full moon.

Though the unusual appearance of this month’s full moon may be surprising to some, there’s no reason for alarm, scientists warn. The slight distance difference isn’t enough to cause any earthquakes or extreme tidal effects, experts say.

However, the normal tides around the world will be particularly high and low. At perigee, the moon will exert about 42 percent more tidal force than it will during its next apogee two weeks later, Rao said.

The last supermoon occurred in March 2011.

To view this weekend’s supermoon to best effect, look for it just after it rises or before it sets, when it is close to the horizon. There, you can catch a view of the moon behind buildings or trees, an effect which produces an optical illusion, making the moon seem even larger than it really is.

Editor’s note: If you’d like to share your supermoon photos for a possible story or gallery, send images and comments to SPACE.com managing editor Tariq Malik: tmalik@space.com.

Video Link: http://www.space.com/15037-super-moon-return-2012-video.html

Posted under Astronomy

We will have the opportunity to see a partial lunar eclipse early tomorrow morning.  Our western friends, mainly in Hawaii and Alaska will have the pleasure of viewing a total lunar eclipse.  If you want to get in on seeing this partial eclipse for us, it begins at around 4am tomorrow (Saturday morning).  This isn’t the best scenario for us as the partial eclipse will be ended prematurely from the moon setting beneath the horizon.  It still might be worth getting up for though.  here is some more information about the eclipse.  If you are headed out to see this tomorrow morning, bundle up!  Wind Chills will be approaching -20 in some places.

http://shadowandsubstance.com/

Check this out too!  This eclipse will offer a rare sight to see both the sun and the moon together during the eclipse?  How is that possible?

This article explains!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45589117/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.TuIWzbKVrMZ

Posted under Astronomy, just cool

We’ve been enjoying quite a bit of spring-like warmth over the past few days, and from the looks of things, this pattern is going to continue right through the weekend.  As it stands now, we’re expecting a chance of rain just about each day through Sunday thanks to an active jet stream pattern that is working to push a series of storm systems through the Upper Midwest while there will be plenty of warmth drawn into the region as well.  In fact, there will be enough warmth, moisture, and instability for a few thunderstorms Thursday night and then again over the weekend which is not at all unusal for this time of the year.  There may be a few heavy downpours with the first storm system Thursday night with up to an inch falling in some of the heavier showers, but severe weather is not a concern with that storm system at this time.  A larger, more dynamic storm system will move in for the weekend, however, possibly setting the stage for some stronger thunderstorm development locally.  We’re expecting occasional sunshine, gusty winds, and a good chance for thunderstorms Saturday ahead of a potent cold front with the best chance for activity coming in the evening and overnight hours.  If there’s enough sunshine Saturday between clouds and showers, there’s a good chance that many of us will reach 70° as that warm air blows into the region ahead of the storm system’s center.  That warm, unstable air may also allow for the development of strong thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds, so stay tuned for more on this situation as we get closer to the weekend.   The thunderstorms are still a few days away, but it’s not a bad idea to plan ahead for severe weather or at the very least, something that might affect your Saturday evening plans.  Otherwise, the cold front will push through the area early Sunday morning, keeping the threat for showers and isolated thunderstorms in the forecast through the end of the weekend while the severe weather risk moves to our east for the second half of the weekend.  There is a chance for some heavy rainfall in some of the storms Saturday night, but right now the impact on area flooding looks relatively small. 

The latest Storm Prediction Center Outlook for days 4 through 7 places our entire viewing area in the Slight Risk of severe weather for Saturday and Saturday night.

 In the spirit of getting everyone ready for severe weather season, the state of Iowa conducted a statewide tornado drill this morning as part of its Severe Weather Awareness Week activities while Minnesota and Wisconsin will have their drill next Thursday between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.  Olmsted County will blow its sirens again at 6:55 pm next Thursday evening giving the public a second chance to practice tornado safety procedures at home.

Posted under severe weather

Steph notes: Updated at 12:45 pm for updated SPC outlook – now in a Moderate risk for Saturday.

Quick chat on severe weather potential. 

Friday, July 16th slight risk

Friday: Slight risk for severe storms. Activity will develop mid-afternoon and into the evening, but will be isolated in nature. I’m not expecting anything full-blown today. There’s just not much to support it. There’s a weak surface front that’ll swing through, and with decent instability today, some storms should pop. 

July 17th moderate risk

Saturday: Moderate risk for severe weather, with a better chance of more widespread activity, later in the evening and into the first part of the overnight. We’ll have to watch this one a little more closely. Right now it looks to be a high wind threat for us, but there could be an enhanced tornado threat, depending on where in the area those first cells fire. 

And Saturday will be gross, sticky, and miserable – think a step below what we saw Wednesday (but dew points won’t be as icky – still in the 70s, however). 

I think most of the day will be sunny, which is why we’ll end up in the low 90s, but if the warm front brings some clouds and rumbles with it earlier in the day, we’ll cut back our temperatures. 

Bottom line though- the most active part of the day will be when the cold front pushes through (late evening/first part of the overnight), and with such a warm and humid airmass in place, there should be plenty of instability for strong to severe storms to develop.

Posted under severe weather