Weather- WUML Lowell 91.5fm

2007-12-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Quick Hitting Heavy Snows Paralyze Thursday Rush Hour

More Storminess On the Way This Weekend

Downtown Boston traffic yesterday afternoon was much like it was in Lowell - gridlocked. Image courtesy WBZ 4

Snowfall totals were about 1-3 inches higher than I predicted Wednesday afternoon. Not too bad, considering most other predictions at the time called for 2"-4" in Lowell.....
Nothing like a little snow to get us in the holiday spirit!Image courtesy WBZ 4
Sunday's storm looks to be a coastal hugger - much like the December 1st storm that brought us about 4 " of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The tracks will be extremely similar, cutting very close to Long Island and The Cape. This means we will likely change to a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain for this storm, keeping accumulations down.

WINTER WALLOP WACKS MASSACHUSETTS!

Ahh, nothing like a little alliteration to start the blog off. Yesterday afternoon, conditions went from mostly cloudy and cold to heavy snow in about 1 hour. Snowfall rates of 1"-2" an hour were common across the Bay State for several hours yesterday, bringing hefty accumulations to much of Southern New England, and creating a traffic nightmare across the state.

The jackpot was in southern Massachusetts and east-central Connecticut, were many locations received right around a foot of dry, fluffy snow. A sleet mixture held down accumulations along the immediate south coast.

Lowell received right around 8 inches of the white stuff, making for one heck of a commute home yesterday afternoon. Downtown was a mess, and it took me 15 minutes just to get 1/4 mile from campus, thanks to some gridlocked stoplights. Intersections across the state were backed up for miles in some cases, with normally 15 minute commutes taking up to 5 HOURS in some cases! Highways were at a standstill, and plows were rather ineffective sitting in the traffic jams.

People have been criticizing statewide response to the storm, claiming that roads were inadequately treated, and that schools and businesses should have closed earlier. Many students were stuck on buses for hours yesterday trying to get home. Read up on it here: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/14852919/detail.html

My future advice - don't wait until the snow starts to head on out. By then, it's often too late......

That being said, we will be watching a potent, juicy storm heading up the Atlantic seaboard this weekend. It will tapping into some tropical moisture and will be winding up as it tracks north toward New England.

However, this system looks right now to be a coastal hugger, meaning warmer air aloft will likely work into the region. The bottom line - this storm probably won't be all snow. Instead, we will likely see snow to start, changing to a mess of heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain, and possibly rain.

The impending Nor'Easter looks to take a very similar path to the 12.1.07 storm, which skirted just south of Massachusetts and the Cape - although this storm will be stronger when it passes us by. My best guess now is a good 3"-6" of snow in Lowell before things change over to an icy mess. As always, this storm is still a ways away, and details will be in much better focus as we get closer to the event. With these borderline situations with regards to precipitation type, a slight shift in storm track can make a huge difference in snowfall totals. Basically, things could change. I recommend that you continue to monitor the situation. If the storm decides to take a more easterly track, we will remain socked in with colder air for a longer period of the storm. This will increase our chances of heavy accumulations. Further to our north, Ski Country stands to get a a slug of a foot or more of snow. Stay tuned for updates.

And now here's your forecast:

Today: Mostly cloudy and milder. High near 38.

Tonight: Decreasing cloudiness. Temperatures drop to near 15 by early morning.

Saturday: Clear to start, clouds thicken up later in the day. Light snow showers possible by afternoon. Colder, with highs near 25.

Saturday Night: Cloudy with light snow likely late. Low 20.

Sunday: A mess! Snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain. Precipitation could be heavy at times, especially the first part of the day. High 35. Winds becoming gusty from the east at up to 35 mph.

Extended outlook

Monday: Sunny and cold. High 28.

Tuesday: Continued sunny and cold. Highs in the upper 20s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Have a great weekend everyone!

2007-12-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

SNOWSTORM!

Currently in Lowell and surrounding area's, we are under a haze of snow. Evening classes were cancelled tonight on campus, and for good reason. I left at around 2:50 and it took around 2 hours to get home - Normally this is a 45min-1hour drive! As you can all probably see from your windows, we have had a LOT of snow fall since the first few snowflakes began falling. Roadways were a mess earlier today, and seem to still be a mess now. There is a heavy snow warning out for our area currently as well.

Traffic Report (from SmartTravler.Com) for the Boston Area:

I-495 North (Mass Pike/I-90 to Rte. 3)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

I-495 North (Rte. 3 to I-93)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

I-495 North (I-93 to I-95)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

I-495 South (I-95 to I-93)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

I-495 South (I-93 to Rte. 3)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

I-495 South (Rte. 3 to Mass Pike/I-90)
Traffic is extremely heavy and slow, severe delays.

Everone be careful!

Onto the forecast:

Tonight: SNOW! Should be clearing up as the night wears on. Low of 20 degrees.

Friday: Reading day for UML students! Mostly sunny, a nice change from Thursdays snow, and should give everyone plenty of time to shovel. High 35.

Friday Night: Clear, cold. Low 13.

Saturday: Chance of snow at night (late, past midnight), and cloudy all day. High 25.

Sunday: Sleet/Freezing rain possible during the day, and snow possibly at night. High 27.

Have a good weekend everyone, good luck on finals!

2007-12-12T16:07:00.000-08:00

2 Potentially Major Winter Storms May Impact Southern New England

Possible Quick-Hitting but Heavy Event Thursday Afternoon

All Eyes Tracking Nor'Easter for Sunday

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Possible snow totals through tomorrow night for a short-duration but possibly heavy snow event. Click to enlarge.

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MASSACHUSETTS NORTH OF THE MASS PIKE

HEAVY SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN MASSACHUSETTS SOUTH OF THE MASS PIKE

1 day left of the semester, and I still have a homework set and an exam, both tomorrow. This isn't counting the projects and finals I have starting next week. Throw into the mix two possible big winter storms, and things sure are busy around here!

Although I should currently be finishing up my advanced dynamics homework (gotta love homework due on the last day) I felt compelled to throw in a blog entry, being that we have some important weather possibly on the horizon.

Storm 1 happens tomorrow from ~2pm and ending ~9 pm. This storm is actually rather weak, and a fast mover. However, local dynamics with the system favor a quick burst of moderate to heavy snow over the region. In fact, models have been trending to steadily increase precipitation amounts here. That being said, yesterday at this time most of the computer models gave us NO SNOW for tomorrow. Today they are churning out close to a foot for parts of southern Massachusetts. Quite the little 24 hour turnaround there.

Will they flip-flop again, like Mitt Romney on a hot day? We will know much better by tomorrow morning. However, one of the computer models has been rather steady in predicting this heavy slug of snow, and other models have been trending toward it. My current thinking is that the above snowfall map will verify.

Check out the maps below to see what some of the models are churning out for precipitation. It will be cold here for the event, so keep in mind that the water to snowfall ratio for us tomorrow will be about 1:15, meaning that .5 inches of liquid equivalent would equal about 7-8 inches of snow......

Computer model graphic showing liquid water possible from tomorrow's storm.
A 3 hour precipitation total, using high resolution computer model. If this pans out tomorrow afternoon, southern Massachusetts could see snowfall rates of 1-3 inches an HOUR!

After a break Friday and Saturday, all attention will shift to a possible major coastal storm which looks to form near the Carolinas on Saturday and move up the coast towards New England. The potential exists for a significant amount of snow from this event. Where it stays all snow, we could see over a foot. Gusty NE winds and beach erosion are possible as well.

However, this event is still days away, and computer models have been known to change their minds pretty late in the game. They have been rather consistent with this storm though, with minor differences in storm track. Earlier model runs in the week showed a MUCH stronger storm (we're talking possible blizzard conditions) but they have been steadily trending towards a weaker scenario. The storm still looks to be potent though.

Check out my nifty home-made graphic below to get a sense of the main players for Sunday's storm.

A track closer to the coast would mean a snow to mix to possibly rain scenario for Lowell. If the storm stays further out to sea, we would remain all snow. In addition, there is ample moisture in the tropics, partially thanks to dissipating sub-tropical storm Olga. If the storm is able to tap into that moisture sooner than currently predicted, we could be in for a wild Sunday!

The above is a map of available moisture at lower-mid levels of the atmosphere as of Saturday afternoon. Note the plume of warm, moist tropical air extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic.

Current precipitation output for the Sunday storm. Liquid equivalent amounts are in excess of 1" for our area, meaning that the potential exists for some heavy snows. Again, note the plume of heavy moisture off the coast which remains separate from the main storm system. If they join forces, look out!

So in a nutshell, quick 6 hour or so burst of moderate to heavy snows tomorrow afternoon, with the highest amounts south of the Mass Pike. The snow could come down heavily, so you may want to plan your commute accordingly. If this pans out, tomorrow's commute will be a mess.

We will have future updates on tomorrow's storm and the possible weekend Nor'Easter as we draw closer to the events. Make sure to check back for updates! And now for the forecast.....

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Clear and cold. Low 20.

Thursday: WINTER STORM WATCH. Clear to start, with rapidly increasing clouds. Snow, possibly heavy, likely after 3 pm. High near 27.

Thursday Night: Snow winds down around 9-10pm. Total storm accumulation of 4"-8". Low 20.

Friday: Clearing and warmer. High near 38.

Saturday: Becoming cloudy. Light snow possible by afternoon. High 32.

Extended Outlook

Sunday: Cloudy with snow, possibly changing to a wintry mix. The snow could be heavy at times. High 33.

Monday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-12-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

Winter Storm hits Mid West Pretty Hard but leaves us with less than expected total accumulations.

Many forecasters were predicting around 1-3 inches of snow and sleet accumulations for the Lowell area Sunday night into today; but in the end we received mostly small traces of freezing rain and ice throughout the area. Many New Englanders were busy scraping the ice off of their cars this morning; but luckily ice accumulations were less than colossal.

In contrast the state of Oklahoma has declared a state of emergency. Many areas in the mid western United States, Oklahoma included, are left without power due to an inch of ice which has coated power lines across the highly affected area. The storm is also to blame for 13 deaths in the mid west- mostly due to interstate collisions caused by the thick layer of ice covering roads. The storm took the life of a homeless person in Oklahoma City... the cause of death was hypothermia- medical officials evaluated. Some schools remained closed for the day; and many others had morning delays.

Looking ahead into our week... we could be seeing some more freezing rain late Tuesday or Tuesday night. We've also got our eye on another winter storm system that could approach us by Wednesday night lasting into Thursday night. This storm, as of now, looks as though it will mostly consist of rain on Wednesday looking at the image above- perhaps a significant amount, but we will keep you posted on how things change. A large amount of snow is also expected for Thursday.

THE FORECAST!

Tonight's forecast: we'll see a low around 18 degrees tonight under mostly cloudy skies becoming partly cloudy around midnight.

Tuesday: High around 37; partly sunny then becoming cloudy with a chance of freezing rain/ light rain. Low around 20

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain shower in the morning. High of 41. Becoming sunny in the afternoon with winds between 10-20 mph with 30 mph gusts. Mostly clear Wednesday night with a low of 33. It is uncertain whether the bulk of the winter storm will start Wednesday night equaling more freezing rain/rain accumulations than snow or Thursday which could bring us more snow.

Thursday: Partly sunny. Chance for snow is expected. Much colder with a high around 29. Snow continuing through the night... low around 16.

Friday: High around 37 under mostly cloudy skies. another chance for snow showers. Low around 26.

Saturday: High of 27. Partly sunny becoming mostly cloudy Saturday night. We could see some more light snow. Low around 20.

For WUML this is UMASS Lowell student meteorologist Lucie Rawlins

2007-12-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

Wintry Week Ahead for Lowell

Two years ago on December 9th, we had a surprise snowstorm that dropped more than 1 foot of snow in about 4 hours, making the Friday afternoon commute a messy one. Snowfall totals from the storm above - click to enlarge.

Current satellite imagery showing a small storm system advancing east towards New England, which will give us a mixed bag of precipitation through tomorrow.

A series of small storms will be impacting our area through the upcoming week. Although none of the storms look to be very strong, they will make driving a headache for some of us, with three seperate wintry events possible during the workweek. Tonight's storm looks to leave us with 1-3 inches of snow and sleet, with some icing on top (no, not the cake icing!) Our below average temperatures will continue as December has proved to be rather wintry so far.

Apologies for the infrequent postings, however, a heavy course schedule coupled with impending finals, projects, and a flurry of last minute exams thrown at me by professors has left me with very little available time to devote to the blog. Unfortunately, this trend will continue until the end of the semester. However, if there are any major weather events on the horizon, I will make sure to stop by to let you know.

And now for the detailed forecast:

Tonight: Snow mixing with sleet at times. Changing to a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and possibly rain towards dawn. Low near 26. 1-3 inches of accumulation possible.

Monday: Cloudy with light freezing rain possible early. Remaining cloudy with leftover patchy drizzle for the afternoon, with a scattered snow shower possible. High 34.

Monday night: Partly cloudy. Low 22.

Tuesday: Becoming mostly cloudy, with light rain or snow possible by afternoon. Mixed bag of precipitation possible during the overnight. High 35.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High near 38.

Thursday: Cloudy, with another bout of snow and sleet possible. High 33.

Friday: More clouds than sun. High 37.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Have a great week!

2007-12-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

Look at how nice and clear it is right over Mass today! Today was very clear, however incredibly cold, but tomorrow looks like there will be a chance of snow. The temperatures in Lowell this week are actually below average, normally this time of year temperatures would be in the low 40's, however we've seen highs this week that are only reaching into the 30's. Saturday will certainly be your pick of the week, with the day being clear, and temperatures actually moving into the 40's.
For those of you who love the snow and the cold, friday may bring in some snow showers, and we might see some sleet/snow on Sunday.

And onto the forecast!
Today: Clear skies all morning and afternoon. Highs today were in the mid 30's. Tonight will still be clear and cool, with temperatures moving into the high teens.

Friday: The morning brings partly cloudy skies, and we may see some afternoon snow showers. The high will be around 35 degrees.
Friday night has a continuation of the snow showers, and a low of 25.

Saturday: Clear all day, and warming up a bit to a high of 44.

Sunday: Snow and sleet, with a high of 37 degrees.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!
This is student meteorologist Johnna Infanti, for WUML 91.5 FM.

2007-12-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

For Much of New England... School's out!

SNOW DAY!!!!

Many schools across New England are closed due to the winter weather. Many parts of Massachusetts received around 2-4 inches on average where parts of New Hampshire received an average of 3-6 inches. Though the amount of snow is nowhere near colossal; the freezing rain and sleet that accompanied it was enough to close some schools and businesses for the rest of the day. You know what that means parents with small children...?

Hehe...

But the good news is that the snow is wet and sticky.. which makes for ideal sledding, snowman, and winter activity conditions.

Statement as of 11:25 am EST on December 3, 2007

The following are unofficial observations taken during the past 10 hours for the storm that has been affecting our region. Appreciation is extended to Highway departments... cooperative observers... Skywarn spotters and media for these reports. This summary is also available on our home Page at weather.Gov/Boston
********************storm total snowfall********************
Location storm total time/date comments snowfall of (inches) measurement
Massachusetts ...
Essex County...
Lawrence 4.0 651 am 12/3 spotter
Methuen 4.0 820 am 12/3 spotter
Lawrence 3.9 720 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop
Salisbury 3.5 608 am 12/3 spotter
Topsfield 3.3 645 am 12/3 spotter spotter
West Peabody 2.8 732 am 12/3 spotter spotter
Ipswich 2.6 541 am 12/3 spotter ...

Franklin County...
East Charlemont 3.5 1020 am 12/3 spotter
Greenfield 2.8 711 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop
Sunderland 2.3 1025 am 12/3 spotter ...
Middlesex County...
Tyngsborough 4.8 806 am 12/3 spotter spotter
Winchester 3.8 1003 am 12/3 spotter
Lowell 3.6 720 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop
North Wilmington 3.3 415 am 12/3 spotter
East Pepperell 3.1 627 am 12/3 spotter
Pepperell 3.1 627 am 12/3 spotter spotter reading 3.0 904 am 12/3 spotter ham radio
Townsend 3.0 604 am 12/3 spotter Ayer 2.5 653 am 12/3 spotter spotter
Waltham 2.5 725 am 12/3 spotter spotter ...

Suffolk County...
East Boston 1.3 1100 am 12/3 spotter Logan Airport ...

Worcester County...

Ashburnham 2.5 355 am 12/3 spotter

New Hampshire ...
Cheshire County...
Walpole 6.0 700 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop
East Alstead 4.0 700 am 12/3 spotter
Keene 3.0 559 am 12/3 spotter
Marlow 3.0 721 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop ...

Hillsborough County...
Francestown 5.0 749 am 12/3 spotter NWS coop
Brookline 4.0 947 am 12/3 spotter
Peterborough 4.0 728 am 12/3 spotter spotter
South Weare 4.0 830 am 12/3 spotter
Wilton 3.3 820 am 12/3 spotter
Nashua 2.8 554 am 12/3 spotter

We should be expecting a COMPLEX STORM SYSTEM coming from the great lakes.

This storm will intesify bringing us some rain, sleet, and more snow by the afternoon  and into Tuesday morning as it redevelops in the area.
Those accumulations are not expected to exceed an inch. But as the storm pushes more towards the Northeast

It is expected to strengthen.

Later on this week we should see a week low
Pressure system Wednesday night followed by
high pressure Thursday.

And your forecast for the rest of the week...

Monday:
High of 34
Low: 23
Rain, sleet, snow and rain... total accumulation equaling around an inch. NE wind at 10 to 15 mph Becoming mostly cloudy tonight. Chance of more snow.

Tuesday:
High 32
low 26
Mostly cloudy and bluster. Chance of snow early in the morning. Around a quarter inch. Windy with 20-25 mph winds from the W and gusts up to 40 mph

Wedesday:
High 34
Low 22
Mostly sunny in the am. Then becoming mostly cloudy. W winds 5-10 mph

Thursday:
High 31
low 18
Sunny! then mostly clear at night

Friday:
High 37
Low 19
cloudy with a chance of snow. Then becoming cloudy Friday night with another possibility for more snow.

For WUML this is UMASS Lowell student meteorologist Lucie Rawlins.

2007-12-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

First Major Winter Storm of the Season Hits All But Extreme Southern New England

Wind Advisory In Effect from 4 PM - 7 PM for Most of Massachusetts

Winter Storm Warning Remains in Effect for Much of NH and Maine.

Snowfall predictions as of Saturday afternoon superimposed with storm totals as of this morning. Click to enlarge.

Regional map of storm totals. It's not all done quite yet.

Surface wind field off the Massachusetts coast. The storm is currently gaining strength to the east of Cape Cod - where the winds are lighter (light blue). If you look closely, you can see the counterclockwise rotation around the currently elongated low.
Wind field over New York and Pennsylvania. I put this in because the winds here are from the WEST over northern New York state, while they are from the North over much of Southern New England. Where these wind fields converge, we could see some enhanced snowfall this afternoon.

Current visible satellite. The black dot to the east of the Cape is the center of the surface low. Not exactly an "eye", but worth noting.

Current local radar shows precipitation blossoming on the backside of the storm.
Earlier regional radar. The echoes have filled in the last couple hours as the storm deeepens off the coast. Because of the low-level convergence over our area, we could see a decent band of snow this afternoon with an additional 1-3" on snow-covered surfaces.
Enhanced infared imagery showing the center of the storm (the light blue circular area) located to the east of Cape Cod.

Well, our winter is off to a fun start! Dec. 1st marks the first day of meteorological winter, and we aren't that far off the mark with our first snowstorm! Last night, precipitation in Massachusetts ran the gamet from snow to sleet to freezing rain. Lowell was JUST on the northern fringe of the snow line for much of the event, giving us accumulations right around the 4" mark as of this morning.

As the storm intensifies off Cape Cod this afternoon and heads into the Gulf of Maine, we will see additional accumulating snows on the backside of the storm, on the order of 1-3 inches. We normally don't see much snow on the "backlash" of the storm, however, the parent storm currently located over the Great Lakes is still relatively strong, and low level winds are from the west over upper New York State. As this air flow collides with the northerly winds from the developing storm off the coast, we will likely see a decent band of moderate snows this afternoon in Essex and Middlesex counties, which will likely add another 1-3" to our current storm totals.

Winds will start to crank this afternoon as the low strengthens, and we could see gusts up to 40 mph. So hang on to your hats!

The storm is expected to move SLOWLY through the Gulf of Maine through tomorrow, keeping clouds and windy conditions through the area, although the accumulating snows should be over by this evening.

The rest of the week looks to remain on the wintry side, with colder than normal temperatures, mostly cloudy conditions, and a slight chance for snow Wednesday and Friday.

And now on to the forecast.

Rest of today: Wind advisory in effct this afternoon. Cloudy with snow accumulating an addition 1-3". Becoming windy. Temperatures slowly falling through the upper 20s. NW winds 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph possible this evening.

Tonight: Cloudy and windy early, with a chance of light snow showers. Little additional accumulation. Lows near 24.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy and continued cold. Chance of a morning flurry. High 34.

Tuesday night: Mostly cloudy. Low 20.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with the chance of a snow shower. High near 33.

Extended Outlook

Thursday: Here comes the sun! Mostly sunny, high 34.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of light snow. High near 36.

For WUML 91.5 Fm this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-12-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Dust Off Your Snow Shovels !

Wintry Mess Monday Morning to be Bookended by Periods of Accumulating Snow

Current thinking of total snow and ice accumulations by Monday NIGHT.

Satellite view of the storm, currently located over the upper Midwest.

Computer model projection for 7 am Monday, showing the secondary storm just starting to form near Cape Cod. Note the dashed red line, showing warmer air at mid-levels spreading into southern Massachusetts. This warmer mid-level air should change the snow over to a mix of snow and sleet early Monday, cutting down on potential accumulations.
As the storm deepens and pulls away Monday, cold air will rush back into Massachusetts, and any mixed precipitation will change back over to snow. We could see 1-3 inches from this backlash, making Lowell totals in the 4-7 inch range.
Weather map for Monday morning.
This storm will have a decent amount of moisture to work with. Liquid precipitation totals are pictured above. If this storm were all snow, we could be looking at 10-15 inches.....but that is highly unlikely.

Ahh, the exciting Saturday nights of a meteorolgy senior... no, I'm not meeting up with friends at the local bar for a good time - I'm at home, making a REALLY strong cup(s) of coffee, and settling in for a night of homework and studying after working from 9am-4pm. Since we have an important storm coming up, I figured I might as well throw my two cents in with an important update!

Computer models haven't changed all that much from yesterday... they did a little colder-warmer-colder see-saw, of which I didn't feel like jumping on the bandwagon, despite some of the larger media outlets doing so. That being said, I am raising total expected storm accumulations by a smidge - right now it looks like the Lowell area will see 4-7 " by the time all is said and done.

I do want to point out that the total accumulations above are as of Monday night. We will have 2 bursts of accumulating snows - 1 Sunday night to start the storm, after which it will likely change to a mix of snow, sleet, and possibly rain by early Monday morning, after which it will change back to snow as the storm pulls away.

We could see 2-4" of accumulation for the first part of the storm, and another 1-3 in the storm's backlash Monday afternoon. Needless to say, Monday looks pretty messy for these parts.

By Monday night, we are left with lingering clouds and possibly some light snow/flurries, but the heavy stuff will be long gone. However, winds will start to crank Monday afternoon, and that will last through much of Monday night.

If you check out the snowfall graphic at the top, there is a rather tight gradient between 2-4" and 6-12". If you shift everything 50 miles north or south, that will lead to some pretty different snowfall tallies. Being that it is Saturday night, and the storm isn't forecast to wind down until Monday night, these amounts will likely need to be tweaked as we get closer to the start of the storm. Barring no surprises though, I think the above is a pretty good estimate given the current data.

For whatever reason, the National Weather Service has chosen NOT to issue a winter storm watch for our area - most likely because storm totals over 6" are not a guarantee for Lowell (6" or more being the threshold for a winter storm warning). However, as new model data comes in, that could change. If I were in charge, I would have issued a watch for our area. But I'm not. In any event, we'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, arctic air will make for a frigid night tonight. Temperatures fell through the 20s for most of the day today, and coupled with the wind-chill, it felt like it was in the single digits and teens out there. Tonight will be no exception.

Tonight: Bitterly cold! Increasing high cloudiness. Low 7. Wind chills near zero!

Sunday: Clouds lowering and thickening throughout the day. Furries possible late afternoon. steady light snow breaks out between 8 pm and midnight. High 31.

Sunday Night: Light snow becoming steadier and heavier. Snow will likely mix with sleet and possibly freezing rain after 3 AM. Low 32.

Monday: AM Mess! Snow/sleet/rain mix early, changing back to all snow by mid-morning or early afternoon. Additional light accumulations possible. High 36. East winds becoming North at 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph possible late.

Monday Night: Cloudy, with light snow or flurries possibly early. Little if any additional accumulation expected. Cold and windy, with lows near 22.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of a flurry. High 33.

Wednesday : Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 30s.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. Highs in the lower 30s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Make sure to check back tomorrow for an important update!

2007-11-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

Wintry Mess Likely for Sunday Night and Monday

Exact Storm Track to Determine Precipitation Type

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Current enhanced infared satellite view. The storm which will begin to affect us Sunday night is currently taking shape out west, as evidenced by the higher cloud tops in yellow and orange. Click to enlarge.

Before the storm pays us a visit, it will be impacting much of the country. This is the season's first major winter storm event for the United States. Detailed model analysis, showing various computer model projections for the path and location of Monday's storm. The different colors represent different forecast times, and the many symbols indicate where different computer models put the center of the low pressure system for each timeframe. Click to enlarge.
If the last graphic was confusing, this one should be better. Simplified projection on the location and path of the storm system traversing the country which will affect us Sunday night and Monday. Note the dot to the southeast of Long Island, indicating where the secondary coastal low is now forecast to develop. Click to enlarge.
Total precipitation for the upcoming storm could exceed 1.25 "of liquid water equivalent.... If it were ALL snow, that would be about a foot!

Temperatures will take the plunge the next couple days, as arctic air begins to move south out of Canada. A cold front passing the region this evening will make sure of that.

Although the weather Saturday will be quiet - the proverbial "calm before the storm," it will get downright FRIGID tomorrow night. Overnight lows will be just above 10 degrees, so make sure to bundle up if you plan on hitting the town tomorrow night.

All this cold air sets the stage for Sunday and Monday. A low pressure system will approach us from the west on Sunday, and will be located over the Great Lakes by Sunday evening. Snow will likely begin to overspread the area in advance of the approaching system sometime early Sunday night.

By early Monday morning, a secondary coastal storm will begin to spin up in the Atlantic. Yesterday, model consensus was that this storm would form near Cape Cod, and track northeastward into the Gulf of Maine, intensifying as it moved away. Today, computer models have begun to shift the low pressure formation further south and west, just off the coast of Long Island. Refer to the graphics above for a good indication of where the storm looks to get going.

What does this mean for us? It could indicate that the colder air may be tougher to scour out than originally thought, and it could provide us with more moisture as the storm's dry slot will not form over the region.

However, east winds off the warmer waters of the Atlantic will be a big player in this system. Right now, it does appear that warmer air will work into the middle layers of the atmosphere for a decent portion of the storm, which would mean we would see a mixed bag of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain - especially late Sunday night and early Monday.

By Monday afternoon, the precipitation could change to all snow as colder air wraps into the system from the north. However, the precipitation will be starting to wind down at this point, so I expect light accumulations from the backlash.

The big question everyone wants to know is HOW MUCH WILL WE GET?
Keep in mind that this event won't be over until Monday night, and its only Friday, so we are still a ways out. My best guess at this point would be 2-4 inches of heavy, sloppy, wet snow/sleet accumulating through Monday night. You know, the cement-like stuff that's oh-so-fun to shovel....

However, one of the computer models has been keeping the system further south, and our area colder for the storm. If this scenario verifies, our totals could be more in the 4-8" range. I think it's too early to make that prediction just now, but if the models start to converge on a colder solution tomorrow, accumulations may need to be increased for the Lowell area.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for an all important update. And now here's the forecast......

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Mostly clear and cold. Low 24.

Saturday: Mostly sunny and cold. High near 31. Gusty NW winds at 10-20 mph will make it feel like it's upper teens to low 20's.

Saturday Night: Clear and Frigid. Lows near 12.

Sunday: Clear to start, becoming mostly cloudy by afternoon. High 33.

Sunday Night: Cloudy, with light snow possible by evening. Precipitation will become steadier and heavier during the overnight. Snow may mix with and change to sleet and rain, especially towards morning. Low 26.

Monday: Morning communte could be a mess. Mixed bag of wet snow, sleet, and rain during the morning, ending as a period of light snow during the afternoon. High 35.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 34.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 Fm, this is WUML weather director and student meteorologist John Webster urging you to check back for an important update tomorrow.

Have a great weekend everyone!

2007-11-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

VERY TRICKY FORECAST FOR POTENTIAL WEEKEND STORM

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Living in New England is one of the most challenging, and interesting, places to live if you are in the business of forecasting the weather. Let's face it - we have it all.....springtime rains/floods, summer heat waves and thunderstorms, an occasional tropical system, and finally winter storms.

Winter storms are one of the most difficult weather features to forecast. Not only do we need to worry about storm intensity, but we obsess over the potential track of the storm. Why all this scrutiny? It all boils down to precipitation type - a shift in the storm track of 50 miles can make the difference between a rainstorm and a whopper of a snowstorm. To complicate matters, a storm track shift of 50 miles is a drop in the bucket when attempting to forecast from several days in advance.

Well, now that we have THAT out of the way, let's talk about how things look to play out at this stage in the game. We saw a cold front move through New England today accompanied by some scattered showers. Temperatures will be cooler by tomorrow, and downright cold by Saturday as arctic air begins to spill south out of Canada. In the meantime, a storm will start to organize out west over the 4-corners region by tomorrow night, and start heading into the Plains. Keep in mind, this system hasn't even formed yet.

As the storm moves northeast, it will be located over the eastern Great Lakes by late Sunday. Now comes the tricky part.

Computer models have been flopping like presidential candidates in the hot seat the last couple days... the main questions being if a secondary storm will develop over the Atlantic, where does it develop, and how intense does it get? I can say with confidence that we will see a secondary storm develop, however the details of exactly where and how quickly it intensifies are still up in the air.Check out one of the models below to see the latest thinking on where the secondary storm will start to spin up.

Computer model prediction for 7 AM Monday morning, with a secondary storm beginning to form very close to Cape Cod. Click to enlarge.
Computer model prediction for 1 PM Monday, showing most of the precipitation to our north by this time. Click to enlarge.

Ahead of the main low pressure over the Great Lakes, moisture will spread east in advance of the system, and we will likely see light snow overspread the area by late Sunday afternoon or evening.

As the secondary coastal low starts to form Sunday night, the energy from the primary storm will transfer to the coast. The new low pressure system will begin to intensify rapidly as it moves north.

However, current thinking is that the secondary low will form very near Cape Cod, and not get stronger until it is north of us in the Gulf of Maine. What does this mean for us? Right now, it looks like the heavy snows will fall in northern New England, and not in our neck of the woods. Warmer air will likely infiltrate the region from the Atlantic with winds being due east with the storm position near Cape Cod.

So, to sum it up, we probably start as light snow Sunday evening, mix with sleet and rain late Sunday night/early Monday, and then switch over to just plain old rain during the day on Monday. We could see the precipitation end as some light snow or flurries as the storm blows up east of Maine, and drags down colder air via strong northerly winds.

Below is a graphic based on the latest computer models depicting the most likely result of the Sunday/Monday event.

Tentative prediction for track of the upcoming storm, with a weak Low forming near Cape Cod and intensifying in the Gulf of Maine. To the north of the white line, all snow is likely from the event, with heavy amounts possible in ski country and Down east Maine. Between the green and white line, mixing appears likely with light snow accumulations possible. To the south, a quick period of snow to start followed by mostly rain is the best guess at this time.

Pretty far in advance, but this could be your wakin'-up-weather for next Monday. Again, conditions could be very different at that time depending on the actual track of the storm.

Now, I must issue this caveat - this storm is still over 3 days away, and much can change during that time-frame. As of now, it looks like Lowell may get a slushy 1-3 inches of snow before the change over to rain late Sunday night/early Monday. HOWEVER - if the storm forms further southeast and intensifies more rapidly, we could be looking at a colder, snowier scenario. If it is weaker and further north, we would be looking at more of a rain event.

Check back for important updates. The WUML weather team will be tracking the progress of the system closely. Details will become clearer as we draw closer to Sunday.

And now for the forecast......

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Partly cloudy and brisk. Low 26. West winds 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny and breezy. Cooler, with highs near 42. NW winds 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph possible through early afternoon.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Low 23.

Saturday: Bundle up! Mostly sunny, windy, and seasonably cold. High 33. NW winds around 15 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph possible.

Sunday: Increasing cloudiness, with light snow possible after dark. High 33.

Sunday Night: Light snow mixing with sleet and rain, changing to all rain by early morning. Low near 29.

Monday: Morning rain tapering off by mid-afternoon. The precipitation could end as light snow or flurries. High 40.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 30s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Make sure to check back tomorrow for an important update!

2007-11-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Relatively Quiet Weather Through The Workweek...

Watching A Potentially Important Storm For Sunday and Monday

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

National high temperatures for today. Click to enlarge.

National high temperatures for Saturday. Note how much colder the northern tier of the United States will be compared to today. Click to enlarge.

Current visible satellite imagery for the East Coast. Click to enlarge.

Current enhanced infared satellite imagery for the East Coast, showing low clouds in light blue and higher clouds in yellow. Click to enlarge.

Average high temperatures this time of year are right around 45 degrees. So far today in Lowell, we have managed to make it just up to the 40 degree mark, with some high cloudiness helping to keep things cooler by filtering out some of the sunlight. These high clouds are associated with a weak area of low pressure near the Great Lakes which will be visiting us for tomorrow.

By tomorrow, the weak system passing well to our north will give us the chance of some scattered morning flurries, and as the day warms up, temperatures would become too warm to support any snow, so we run the risk of a quick shower or two through Thursday afternoon. This little storm does have an accompanying cold front with it, which means things will start to cool down quite a bit for the weekend. Most of the weekend looks to remain on the dry side, but by Sunday, a potent storm system looks to get going over the middle of the country and track to our NW over the Great Lakes.

Cold air + strong storm.... sounds like things could get interesting, huh? And they could. However, with a storm passing to our west, this means warm air will flow up from the South into our region as the storm passes by. This happens because storms spin counterclockwise. If the storm were forecast to pass to our east, then we would be in for a big snowstorm as the cold air would drain down from the north, keeping temperatures at or below freezing for most of the event.

As it looks now, we could be dealing with a mixed bag of precipitation, starting out as snow Sunday evening and changing to sleet, freezing rain, and then to plain old rain by midday Monday.

I am often asked how does sleet and freezing rain form. Check out the diagram below - it nicely illustrates the concept. Snow occurs when a thin layer of warm, moist air rides over a deep cold layer of air. However, the thicker the layer of warm air, the greater the chances that the snow will melt on its way down. Why then, don't we just get plain old rain?

If there is a layer of cold air at the surface, the rain will re-freeze on the way down. This looks like it could be the case for the weekend storm, as we will have cold dense air at the surface, with warmer air aloft sliding over it. As more warm air moves in, the precipitation will transition from snow, to sleet, and then to freezing rain, and finally to plain rain. Tired of reading my explanation? Check it out graphically below....

Graphical representation of vertical temperatures and expected precipitation type, which could be a factor by late Sunday and Monday. Click to enlarge.

Computer model showing the forecast location of the upcoming storm as of 7 PM Sunday night. The storm is forecast to be strong, but to pass well to our west and north.

To the north of the blue line, temperatures will be below freezing at the surface, which is important in forecasting precipitation type. Note that this blue line will be very close to Lowell, making for a tricky forecast. Click to enlarge.

So by Sunday evening, things could be getting pretty tricky around here. A few things should be noted:

1. This storm is several days away, and computer models aren't always accurate from several days out.

2. Any change in the storm track will change the forecast.

3. If the storm re-develops near the coast, we will have a colder, snowier scenario.

4. How much cold air will be entrenched in the region by Sunday?

5. Timing. Does most of the precipitation fall during the colder night-time hours, or during the day on Monday?

There are more subtle variables at play such as "bagginess" in the low, and if the storm moves closer to us but remains west, stronger SW flow may scour out the colder air more quickly. I won't go into everything because my job is to attempt to forecast and educate - not to bore!

We will be tracking the upcoming weekend storm and will have an update tomorrow. Again, this does not appear to be a big snow maker, but with frozen precipitation possible, conditions could become tricky late Sunday and Sunday night. We should have a much better picture of the event by Friday and especially Saturday.

Whew! Well, if you made it this far, you deserve the detailed forecast. And here it is.....

Lowell Regional Forecast

Rest of Today: Sunshine filtered through high clouds. High near 40.

Tonight: Clouds lowering and thickening. Chance of a flurry late. Low 27.

Thursday: Cloudy with a morning snow shower possible, followed by a chance for rain showers in the afternoon. Warmer, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night: Decreasing cloudiness. Low 27.

Friday: Partly cloudy and cooler. High 41.

Saturday: Mostly sunny and seasonably cool. High 35.

Sunday: Becoming mostly cloudy. Chance of light snow and sleet by afternoon. High 33.

Monday: Cloudy with a wintry mix or rain possible early, becoming all rain by afternoon. High 41.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

Return to Chilly Weather

Tomorrow's weather map. Click to enlarge.

Today was a wacky weather day. Lowell's high of 59 degrees was recorded not this afternoon..... but early this morning!In addition, nearby Bedford was 62 degrees at 2 am! But once the cold front slid by, temperatures started taking a tumble, despite the warmth of the sunshine throughout the latter half of the day. Most of us ended up in the mid 40s by early afternoon.... Wave goodbye to those fleeting 60s!

Now our pattern is on the chillier side, and temperatures will reflect that over the next few days. However, the next couple days won't be all that bad. The weekend is once again looking cold, with temperatures struggling to reach the low 30s.

By late Sunday and early Monday, a strong storm system may approach the region. Earlier models were hinting at a whopper of a snowstorm.... now they are giving us a dousing of rain as the storm passes to the west and keeps us in a warm SW flow. What will really happen? Check back for updates. We'll be tracking the development of this system throughout the week.

Newest computer models indicate that next Monday may be a rainy one. Click to enlarge.

And now for the detailed forecast......

Tonight: Clear and much colder. Low near 29. West winds 5-10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High 45. North winds 5-10 mph could be gusty in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Becoming mostly cloudy. Flurries possible toward dawn. Low 26.

Thursday: Cloudy with a chance of rain showers. Highs in the upper 40s.

Friday: Partly Cloudy and cooler. High 42.

Extended Outlook

Saturday: Mostly sunny and cold. High 32.

Sunday: Increasing cloudiness throughout the day. Chance of light snow or rain toward evening. Heavier precipitation possible during the overnight. High 33.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

Another Rainy Day in the Northeast!

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving break; and I hope you all survived the Black Friday shopping frenzy. After seeing the movie "Jingle All the Way" with Arnold Schwarzenegger ; I've pretty much sworn to myself I would never leave the house before a certain hour to do any kind of shopping. on that day

So far today we've had approximately 0.23 inches of rainfall. We're expecting a little over half of an inch of rain by tomorrow. Things are expected to dry up by Wednesday as a high pressure system drifts into the area.

Tomorrow's Rainfall:

We are currently in the midst of a low pressure system that should continue into tomorrow morning. We are expecting a cold front to also accompany this system. By Wednesday a high pressure system will fall into place. Looking ahead into Thursday through Saturday; we'll experience some cold fronts. there is also a possibility for another low pressure system to develop and affect us by Sunday.

Today: showers, patchty fog. Visibility under a quarter mile. Highs in the 40s. Light and variable winds.
Tonight: showers and dense fog. Heavy rainfall is possibile. Lows in mid 40s. 5-10 mph winds increasing 15-25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

Tuesday: cloudy with a chance of am showers. Becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s. 15-20 mph winds. gusts up to 30 mph.
Tuesday night: mostly clear with a low around 30.

Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 40s. Winds from the west at 10-15 mph.
Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy with lows in the mid 30s.

Thursday: Rain showers. Highs in the upper 40s.
Thursday night: mostly clear lows in the lower 30s.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s.
Friday night: Mostly cloudy with lows in the mid 20s.

Saturday: mostly sunny and cooler. Highs near 40.
Saturday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 20s.

Sunday: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s.

Well that's a look at your weather for the rest of the week, this is student meteorologist Lucie Rawlins signing off!

2007-11-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Rainy Monday and Monday Night

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Weather map for Monday at 7pm. Click to enlarge

An area of low pressure will be affecting the region through Tuesday, with the bulk of it falling as rain during the day tomorrow and tomorrow night. However, as the warm, moist air associated with the storm system flows over the colder air at the surface, we could see the precipitation start off as some freezing rain. Right now, it does not appear that Lowell will experience any freezing precipitation, as we should be just above the 32 F degree mark. Check out the map below for current thinking on where the frozen stuff will fall.

Lowell will be on the border between freezing rain and just plain rain tonight. Be cautious if out traveling, especially North and West of the city. A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY has been issued for areas just to our west, so be alert out there on the roads. Read the entire advisory here: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=box&wwa=freezing%20rain%20advisory

By tomorrow morning (9-10am) most of Massachusetts should be just plain rain as surface temperatures warm above freezing. However, it doesn't stop there. Computer models have been spitting out large amounts of rain for the region through Tuesday - in some cases over 2 inches! Yikes! Needless to say, the rain will be heavy at times Monday and Monday night before tapering off Tuesday morning. Below is some of the computer models used in making storm total forecasts..... High resolution model forecasting storm totals for the upcoming event. Click to enlarge.
Another high resolution model. Click to enlarge.

The whole rainy mess it outta here by Tuesday night, but with the rain goes the warm temperatures, and things will chill off here by the middle of next week, with "chilly" meaning a close to average 45 degrees by Wednesday. Next up, we will be watching an Alberta Clipper, which could swing through here around Thursday with some light snow or rain. Check back for updates as we get closer to the event.

And now for the detailed forecast.....

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Becoming mostly cloudy with rain possible toward dawn. The rain may start off as a brief period of freezing rain. Low 32.

Monday: Cloudy with rain likely. High 47. Light southerly winds.

Monday Night: Cloudy with rain, heavy at times. Temperatures slowly climbing through the upper 40s. Southwest wind 15-20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph late.

Tuesday: Cloudy to start, followed by clearing. Mild, with a high of 54.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy and cooler. High 45.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of light rain or snow. High 46.

Friday: Cloudy to start, becoming mostly sunny by midday. High 44.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML Weather Director and UMass Lowell student meteorolgist John Webster.

2007-11-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

Chilly Friday and Saturday... Followed By A Warm-Up

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Today's weather map. Click to enlarge.

Bitterly Cold Temperatures Tonight!

After a damp and mild Thanksgiving, weather conditions are much different across the region today. Cold air from Canada is pouring into Southern New England riding on some gusty winds from the NW. Today's cool temperatures coupled with winds gusting up to 30 mph means that, yup, it's time to break out the Wind Chill Index. Check it out below - click to enlarge. What will the apparent temperature feel like today with highs near 40F and winds at 30 mph? See if you can figure it out.......

If you guessed wind chills of 28F, I better look out because you might be after my job. It will definitely feel chilly today. Tonight will be even colder, with lows bottoming out around 15 degrees and winds at 5-10 mph. What does that spell out for us? Wind chills of 3-7F tonight! Now THAT is scarf and glove weather......

Did you know that the National Weather Service changed the wind chill index back in 2001? Well, now you do! The change was made based on new computer information and advancements in apparent temperature modelling techniques. What's an apparent temperature? It's the temperature that your body feels when you factor in temperature and the wind, which helps to blow away the invisible layer of heat we have surrounding our bodies. Below is a comparison between the new wind chill and the old one. They have, in fact, lowered the severity of the wind chill effect. But it's still important, and will become even more so as we transition into the colder winter months.

So, do we have any SNOW to go along with the bitterly cold windchills forecasted for tonight? Nope. Conditions will remain dry for us through the weekend, with our next storm approaching Monday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday morning. By then temperatures will be much warmer. I expect upper 40s to lower 50s, meaning we get wet - not white. Computer models are cranking out a decent amount of precipitation with this one though, so we could see some heavier showers as the storm moves through Monday night.

Rain totals could exceed 1 inch for parts of the area for the storm next Monday/Tuesday.

And now, let's get to the detailed forecast. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Lowell Regional Forecast

Today: Mostly sunny and much cooler. High near 40. NW winds 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph. Wind chills in the 20s.

Tonight: Clear and COLD. Low 14. NW winds at 5-10 mph will make it feel like its in the single digits outside!

Saturday: Sunny and cold. High 38.

Saturday Night: Another cold one. Clear with lows near 15.

Sunday: Mostly sunny and warmer. High 47.

Monday: Sunny to start with increasing clouds during the afternoon. Chance of rain by evening. Rain could be heavy at times durnig the overnight. High 48.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with morning showers possible. High 54.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

Warm, Foggy Conditions Helping Turkeys On The Run!

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National temperature map with my own nifty graphics superimposed. The Low pressure system currently located over New York State/Pennsylvania will bring us a quick shot of warm air before things turn colder for Friday.
Warm weather and the cover provided by foggy conditions have aided these turkeys who made a daring escape from the purdue farm 3 days ago. They were last spotted in Boston trying to catch a train north. Word is they're headed to Canada for political asylum....

Other, less fortunate birds, have resorted to more creative techniques!

Simulated radar imagery for 7 PM this evening shows a line of showers approaching the region from the west, associated with a strong cold front.

Forecast highs for Massachusetts today will be in the upper 50s to low 60s!
Current New England Temperatures as of 10 AM.
Mid-Atlantic temperatures as of 10 AM. This warm air will be headed our way for the afternoon before a drastic cool down tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I couldn't resist having a little Thanksgiving fun with the blog this morning. That gang of turkeys does look pretty intimidating though....haha!

This morning finds much of New England socked in with dense fog and visibilities 1 mile or less. Some places have visibilities less than 1/4 of a mile. What's with all the fog? Warmer air is trying to overspread the area and scour out the cooler marine layer currently in place at the surface. This is creating an inversion, or temperatures increasing with height. With a stagnant atmospheric profile like this, the low clouds, fog, and drizzle aren't going anywhere through early afternoon. Please use extra caution when driving as visibilities are low enough to make the trip to grandma's dangerous in some areas.

However, that will change this afternoon as a low pressure system over Pennsylvania/New York State will slide just to our North. First, warmer air will begin to mix down from aloft, and temperatures could shoot up to the lower 60s this afternoon. Great weather for turkeys on the run.....

However, this small storm also has a strong cold front associated with it, which will be swinging through the region during the overnight. Ahead of the front, we will see a small line of showers forming, probably some time between 7 and 10 pm, as indicated by one of the models above. Don't get too concerned though - not much rain is expected.

By tomorrow, we have a different weather scenario - cold, windy, and dry conditions will be the norm across the area. Coupled with wind chills, it will feel like its in the 20s to near 30 for most of the day. That means if you'll be hitting the stores at 4 or 5 am, bundle up!

The remainder of the weekend looks to remain on the cool side, with temperatures beginning to warm a bit by Sunday. We'll be watching a storm approaching the region for the Monday/Monday night time frame, although this one looks to be all rain. If the storm tracks further south and east however, we could see some of the white stuff. Check back for updates.

I hope everyone enjoys a Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!!

Lowell Regional Forecast

Thanksgiving Day: Morning fog and drizzle slowly burning off by afternoon. Becoming breezy and much warmer. Highs near 60! Calm winds early, with SW winds at 10 mph with gusts to 25 mph this afternoon.

Tonight: Cloudy with a shower possible, especially between 7 and 10 pm. Clearing towards morning. Low 32. WNW busy at 10 mph, with gusts to 25 mph.

Friday: Mostly clear, but blustery and much colder. Highs in the upper 30s to near 40. NW winds 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph. Wind chills in the 20s!

Friday Night: Clear and COLD! Lows near 15.

Saturday: Continued Cold. Mostly sunny, with a high of 38.

Sunday: Mostly sunny and a touch warmer. High 44.

Monday: Sunny to start, increasing cloudiness by afternoon. Rain possible by evening. High 46.

Tuesday: Cloudy with a chance of rain. High 43.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass student meteorologist John Webster. Have a great holiday!

2007-11-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hang On To Your Turkey - Temperature Rollercoaster On The Way!

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

If Tom Turkey is lucky, he won't be on a platter surrounded by your relatives tomorrow.... he'll be strutting around enjoying temperatures near 60!

Today's Weather Map. Click to enlarge.

Satellite view for Wednesday 11.21. Click to enlarge.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was cool, damp, and dreary. We can do better, right? Although we don't have a sunny day on tap for the big Thanksgiving holiday, we can offer up some thanks for the warmth which will be joining us along with the extra helpings of turkey, stuffing, and... roasted beets! Haha. That one is an inside joke.

In all seriousness, tomorrow will feel like a completely different season. We will see temperatures at least in the upper 50s, and if we can scour out the marine layer that is currently giving us lots of fog, drizzle, and low cloudiness, we could be in for some 60s!

But, just like a turkey fresh out of the oven, it's not going to last for very long. If you look at the national map up above, a storm system currently located over the Plains and Great Lakes will be tracking to our north on Turkey-Day, and its associated cold front will swing through by evening. Computer models are not churning out much precipitation with this front, so it doesn't look to be a wet one. It will, however, bring a sharp temperature drop. If you are just crazy enough to go shopping on Black Friday, dress accordingly.... and if you find any really good deals, feel free to pick me up something - because not only do I hate shopping with crowds, but I am on a budget!

The weekend, as previously advertised, will remain on the cold side, helping to usher in the unofficial start of the Christmas season accordingly. Is there really an official start to Christmas anyways? If so, let me know....

Looking ahead, a storm system will begin its approach to Southern New England Monday evening, with the main impacts to be felt during the overnight and on Tuesday. Right now this one looks to be all rain.... but it is a few days away and things can change. It could start out as a quick rain/snow mix if it starts during the overnight on Monday. The WUML Weather Team will be monitoring the situation throughout the week and will have future updates for you. Well, I have some stuffing to make for tomorrow! Let's get to the forecast.....

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Cloudy with patchy fog, some of which could be dense. Spotty drizzle. Low 39.

Thanksgiving Day: Gobble Gobble! Mostly cloudy but WARM. Breezy too. SW winds 5-10 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph.

Thanksgiving Night: Cold front swings through during the evening. Early clouds followed by clearing and a gusty WNW wind. Lows near 35.

"Black Friday": Partly cloudy and colder. High 39. Wind chills in the upper 20s for most of the day.

Saturday: Mostly Sunny and continued cold. High 38.

Sunday: Clear to start, with increasing cloudiness throughout the day. A tad warmer, with highs near 44.

Monday: Mostly cloudy, with rain or rain mixed with snow possible during the overnight. High 45.

For WUML 91.5 FM, this is WUML Weather Director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster wishing everyone a happy and thankful Thanksgiving, with extra helpings for all!

2007-11-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

First Widespread Snowfall Blankets Massachusetts

Parts of the Bay State saw up to 2 inches of snow today, the first widespread snowfall of the season.

Forecast national high temperatures for tomorrow. Click to enlarge.

Forecast national weather for tomorrow. Click to enlarge.

SNOW!

Some parts of New England saw up to 2 inches from today's storm, although in Lowell accumulations were closer to half an inch. Roads were slick for a time this afternoon, but warming temperatures and some help from the DPW crews took care of that problem. For more storm totals, follow the link here: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/productDisplay.php?product=BOSPNSBOX&version=0

Nothing too exciting on the horizon weather-wise this week - which is good news, especially if you plan on travelling these next couple days. Check the images above for a national weather outlook.

Around these parts, tomorrow will remain on the cloudy side although it will be a little warmer. Good news though - no storms. By Thursday, today's snow will seem like a distant memory, with Turkey Day highs topping out in the mid 50s! Gobble Gobble!

Enjoy it while it lasts, because a cold front will be passing through Thursday Night with some showers, and by Friday highs will be right around 40 again. Our recent trend of a warm midweek followed by a cold weekend looks to continue, so don't put away those heavy coats.

And now for the forecast:

Tonight: Cloudy and cool. Patchy fog/drizzle possible. Low 28.

Wednesday: Continued Mostly cloudy. Spot shower possible in the afternoon. High 44.

Wednesday Night: Cloudy with showers possible. Low 40.

Thanksgiving Day: Mostly cloudy and much warmer. Showers possible toward evening. Highs near 56.

Friday: AM clouds followed by rapid clearing. Much cooler, with a high of 41.

Extended Outlook

Saturday: Even chillier. Sunny but cold. High 38.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 44.

2007-11-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Moderating Temperatures By Midweek

But First..... Snow?

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!
Today's weather map. Click to enlarge.

Can you believe it's already that time of year again? Yup, Thanksgiving week is here. As it looks right now, there won't be any flies in the ointment travel-wise this week... at least in the Northeast. Chilly weekend temperatures will begin to moderate by Wednesday as a warm front approaches from the west. Turkey Day looks to be cloudy and mild with showers possible as colder air drains in behind a storm system passing to our north.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We could see some flakes around these parts early tomorrow morning. No, it's not from a storm system, but rather ocean effect snow. As a weak disturbance slides off the coast to our south (which is currently giving Pennsylvania its first widespread snow of the season), it will help to spawn an ocean storm in the Atlantic. Uh-oh! Well, not so fast. This storm won't be impacting our region.... but rather, the pressure gradient between the storm to our southeast and an area of high pressure to our north will give us northeast winds over the warmer Atlantic. This NE fetch may pick up some moisture and deposit it as snow along NE Massachusetts, especially close to the coast. We'll be keeping an eye on this possibility through the overnight.

After a possible brush with the white stuff tomorrow, Tuesday will remain cool and cloudy with a leftover sprinkle/flurry possible early, followed by the aforementioned warm-up on Wednesday. As it stands right now, no travel or airport delays anticipated, aside from those long security check points that us meteorologists can't take the blame for!

Hurricane/Cyclone Sidr Update:

So far, 2,000 have been confirmed dead from last week's category 4 storm that slammed into Bangladesh. That death toll could rise up to 10,000. Hundreds of Thousands of people have been displaced from the storm, with many now homeless. Read up on it here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/18/bangladesh.cyclone/index.html

And now for the forecast.

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: High thin clouds, lowering and thickening towards morning. Chance of flurries late. Low 27.

Monday: Cloudy with a chance of light snow/flurries early. Light rain showers possible midday. High 40. Little snow accumulation expected.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. A lingering flurry possible. Low 28.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. High near 41.

Tuesday Night: Cloudy and not as cool. Low 35.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy and warmer. High 52.

Extended Outlook

Thanksgiving Day: Mostly cloudy with showers possible. High 47.

(Black) Friday: Morning clouds followed by afternoon clearing. Highs in the upper 40s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

Chilly Weekend In Store

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Satellite imagery as of 5 PM. The storm currently located over Northern Maine is intensifying as it moves away. In its wake, we have had gusty WNW winds all day. Click to enlarge.

Water Vapor Image showing the amount of moisture in the middle section of the atmosphere. The orange area circled above shows very dry air behind the cold front, which extends all the way from Canada to the Carribbean! Click to enlarge.

While we have been dealing with cold and wind, Bangladesh and India were hit by strong category 4 hurricane Sidr late Thursday, packing winds of 150 mph with gusts up to 184! That's stronger than hurricane Katrina was at landfall. Thousands are homeless after the storm, and the death toll could be high. Read more about it here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/15/bangladesh.cyclone/index.html

Trivia:

What do they call a hurricane in Bangladesh? Read on for the answer.....

If you weren't happy walking around today with the cold temperatures and windy conditions, and you weren't too thrilled with yesterday's rain, don't blame me. Scroll back up top, find the big "L" on the maps, and start shaking your finger at it. There's your culprit.

A storm which developed along the cold front which passed through yesterday is responsible for the large temperature swing from the lower 60s to the lower 40s. It could be worse though - parts of Maine have been seeing.... yup, the white stuff! Heavy snow/winter storm warnings have been issued for NW Maine, northern New Hampshire, and parts of Vermont.

So with that in mind, we lucked out with this one. Behind the storm, temperatures will remain below normal through the weekend. A small disturbance will slide south of the area Saturday Night, and could bring with it a scattered flurry at most. However, parts of the Cape could see more in the way of snow as the Ocean Effect will be kicking in. What the heck is the Ocean Effect you say? When cold air passes over the warmer waters of the Atlantic, it picks up moisture and spits it out as snow. NE winds Saturday night and early Sunday could do just that over the Cape.

But for us, it looks relatively quiet. Weekend temperatures will stay cool, and by Monday we could be looking at upper 30s/low 40s for a high! however, we could start to see a warm-up around these parts by Wednesday. What about Turkey Day? It's pretty far out, but right now Thanksgiving Day looks to be warmer with showers possible as a cold front approaches from the west. We'll have updates as the big day gets closer.

Trivia Answer:

Hurricanes are called "Cyclones" in the Indian Ocean. While we call any general storm system a cyclone in the United States, in that part of the world the term Cyclone is reserved for the hefty tropical ones. If you were to jet over to the Pacific, a hurricane would be called a "Typhoon!"

And now for the forecast.......

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Clearing and cool. West winds at 20 mph gusting to 30 mph, diminsishing to 10 mph late. Low 27.

Saturday: Clear to start, becoming partly cloudy during the afternoon. High 44. West winds 10-15 mph.

Saturday Night: Cloudy with a flurry possible. Low 26.

Sunday: Becoming partly sunny. High 43.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear and cold. Low 19.

Monday: Mostly sunny. High 40.

Extended Outlook

Tuesday: Continued mostly sunny. High near 44.

Wednesday: Becoming mostly cloudy. Warmer, with highs in the lower 50s.

Thanksgiving Day: Cloudy with a shower possible. High in the upper 40s to near 50.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM, this is WUML weather director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Have a great weekend!

2007-11-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

Click here to go directly to todays forecast!

As my colleague John mentioned at 4:52am, there is a wind advisory in effect from noon today until 4pm. To reiterate – Lowell will be on the side of the strong winds, so little to no damage should occur, we will still, however, feel some winds in the afternoon.
As you can see from this map, the tan area represents the parts of Mass that currently have a hazardous weather advisory, and the darker tan is a winter weather advisory.

Wind Advisories!!!!!

This one shows the wind outlook for 1pm in New England, the brighter colors show the higher forecasted winds for this afternoon.

Temperatures are falling!!!!!

This map actually shows tomorrows temperatures for around 4PM, but I wanted to illustrate that while today and yesterday have been fairly warm for November, the temperatures will be dropping into the 40’s.

And onto the forecast!
Forecast
Today: Cloudy all day, with rain likely in the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the high 50’s, and possibly moving into the low 60’s as the day wears on. This evening will bring more clouds, with the rain lessening overnight. Temperatures will drop into the mid to low 40’s.

Friday: Partly cloudy, with a slight chance of rain showers in the morning, but anything we see for rain should be cleared up in by the afternoon. Temperatures will only be reaching the mid 40’s. Friday night is partly cloudy, and temperatures will be in the low 30’s, maybe even reaching a low of 29 overnight.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, temperatures in the low 40’s.

Sunday: Partly cloudy, temperatures in the high 30’s to end your weekend!

For WUML 91.5 FM this is UMass Lowell student meteorologist Johnna Infanti.

2007-11-15T04:52:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:

WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON UNTIL 4 PM

New England Temperatures as of 8AM. Note the much colder readings to our north and west which will be headed our way for the overnight, courtesy of an approaching cold front. Click to enlarge.

Forecast Wind Gusts for this afternoon. Click to enlarge.

Winds could get a bit gusty this afternoon as the cold front approaches from the west. Lowell will be on the northwestern fringe of the strong winds, and I don't anticipate any damage. However, the National Weather Service has issued the following statement:

357 AM EST THU NOV 15 2007
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF CONNECTICUT...A PORTION OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND. THE PRIME RISK REGION FOR LOCALIZED DAMAGE IS SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS FROM THE BOSTON METRO AREA TO BROCKTON AND THEN INTO NORTHERN RHODE
ISLAND.

A 1 TO 3 HOUR BURST OF SOUTHERLY WINDS NEAR 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 MPH IS EXPECTED. HEAVY SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVING SOMETIME EARLY OR MID AFTERNOON MAY ALSO PRODUCE LOCALIZED
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE ANTICIPATED.

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE 31TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 46 AND 57 MPH.

WINDS THIS STRONG ARE CAPABLE OF DOWNING SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...POSSIBLY CAUSING ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES. DRIVING CAN ALSO BE DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

My colleague Johnna Infanti will have a comprehensive update later on.

Hang on to your hats!

John Webster

2007-11-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Changes on the Way!

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Tomorrow, one of the above will come in handy. If you don't have one, maybe you should take Rihanna up on her offer. Check it out here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MQr1DJOaHw In all seriousness, you will need that umbrella tomorrow. Various computer models have churned out around an inch of rain for us. Above is a high resolution model showing precipitation totals for 24 hours. Click to enlarge.

Tomorrow's weather map. Click to enlarge.

First Rain, then Colder

Today was one of the nicest November days you could expect to have. For most of the day, skies were clear, temperatures were mild, and there was a hint of a breeze to keep you invigorated.

I hope you took advantage of today, because we won't see the likes of that beautiful weather around these parts for awhile. A cold front is posied to cross New England tomorrow, and this front isn't flying solo - it's bringing up to an inch of rain to parts of Massachusetts. To make things a little more interesting, we could even hear some rumbles of thunder among the heavy downpours. Best chance for any thunder- sometime before 3 PM. The cold front itself will work through the area right around the evening rush hour, and expect temperatures to start dropping rapidly thereafter.

Earlier, it was looking like we had a decent shot at a period of light snow for late Thursday night/early Friday morning as the cold air drained in behind the front, changing the rain on over to the white stuff. Right now, it looks like we may see a couple wet flakes mixed in at best. Even if we did see a period of snow here in Lowell, temperatures would be above freezing - so there wouldn't be any accumulation. But as it looks now, we won't have to worry about that.

As the cold front passes through tomorrow, a low pressure system will get going along the frontal boundry, helping to enhance our rainfall totals to the one inch mark. Parts of northern New England could even see a decent snow event from this one.

By midday Friday our guest is gone, leaving behind some pretty chilly temperatures. This cooler regime looks to persist through the upcoming weekend and into next week - so if you're making night-time plans this weekend, you might want to grab the heavy coat and gloves. But don't fret - at least we're not expecting scarf and hat weather.... yet.

And now for the forecast.

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Cloudy with showers developing late. Warm, with lows near 50. South winds between 5 and 10 mph.

Thursday: Cloudy with showers, some of which could contain heavy downpours. Any heavier downpours could contain a rumble of thunder. High 57.

Thursday Night: Cloudy with showers likely early. Cooler, with morning lows near 37.

Friday: Continued mostly cloudy. Could see a lingering shower in the morning-possible mixed with a few flakes. Breezy and much cooler, with a high of 40.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 42.

Sunday: Becoming partly sunny. High 41.

Monday: Mostly sunny and continued cool. High 40.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML Weather Director and UMass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-13T09:05:00.000-08:00

Things are starting to get Icy!

With temperatures starting to dip below 32 degrees outside, our local bodies of water have begun to freeze. The mighty Merrimack river here on campus is still completely liquid, however, on a recent trip hiking in Westford, this author noticed ice more than 1/4 inch thick forming on quite a few ponds and streams.

The way ice forms on a lake or pond is very intriguing; it's a great demonstration of what makes water different from other liquids, and an important part of why there's life on earth today. Unlike other liquids, when water cools beyond a certain point, it actually starts to expand. When the water cools enough to form ice, the ice itself is less dense than liquid water. Water is the only liquid to behave this way.

Because of these differences in density, when a lake nears freezing, the water very close to freezing in the lake floats to the surface, and eventually, ice forms and floats to the top of the lake. Thus, beneath these layers of ice and frigid water, there is always a layer of slightly warmer liquid water trapped; it is in this pocket that life has survived through harsh winters for millions of years on this planet.

If Water were like other stubstances, ice would form from the bottom of the lake up, eventually forming huge blocks of ice. There would be no layer of water for lake life to shelter in during the winter. Life on earth owes a great deal to water's unique properties.

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Clear skies with lows in the high 30's

Wednesday: Clear, with cloud cover and potential rain moving in late in the day. Very warm, with highs approaching 60.

Wednesday night: Very cloudy with likely rain. Lows in the mid to high 40's.

Thursday: More clouds with rain all day, snow potentially mixing in at night. Highs in the high 40's.

Friday: Some clouds, with potential mixed rain and snow. highs in the low 40's.

Extended Outlook:

Saturday: partly cloudy in the AM, with clouds and potential rain in the afternoon. Possible snow at night. Low morning temperatures, highs in the low 40's.

Sunday: Overcast, with possible snow during the day, and rain in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 40's

For WUML 91.5 this is student meteorologist Sam Kilsdonk.

2007-11-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Bring On The....Heat?

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!

Tomorrow's weather map. Click to enlarge.

High temperatures for Tuesday across Massachusetts. Click to enlarge.

Put Away the Gloves - At Least for a Couple of Days!

This weekend was quite the winter prelude with high temperatures in the low 40's, low temperatures in the teens, and a chilly wind. It could be summed up in one word - BBBRRRRRR!

Ahhh, but this is New England. Too cold for you these last few days? Wait a minute - or a day. Tomorrow will feel balmy compared to the seasonably cold temperatures we've been experiencing lately. How do the upper 50's sound? Better than low 40's with windchills in the 30's.......

To make matters even worse, what will feel like comparatively warm temperatures tomorrow is actually very close to average for this time of year. We will be just a tad warmer than our normal high of 53 degrees. Could we manage to get even warmer by the weekend?

Unfortunately, it doesn't look that way. After dealing with 2 small rain-makers for Tuesday and Thursday, temperatures look to take a tumble after a cold front swings through by Thursday night. So enjoy the mild temperatures this week, because by the time the weekend starts, you may need to break out those winter gloves once again.

And now for the detailed forecast......

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Cloudy with showers likely. Warmer than the last few nights, with temperatures bottoming out near 40.

Tuesday: Cloudy with the possibility of a lingering shower in the morning, becoming partly sunny by afternoon. Much warmer, with highs near 56.

Tuesday Night: Clear, cool, and calm. Low 30.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny to start, with increasing cloudiness during the afternoon. Chance of a late day shower. High 57.

Thursday: Cloudy with showers likely as a cold front swings through. There could be some heavier downpours. Cooler, with highs near 50.

Extended Outlook

Friday: Mostly sunny and much cooler. High 43.

Saturday: Partly cloudy and continued cool. High 44.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is WUML Weather Director and student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

Ocean Storm Passes to Our East...

Moderating Temperatures Into Next Week

Click here to go directly to today's forecast!
As advertised, the developing ocean storm has tracked well to our east. The red line indicates the storm track, and the black dot is Lowell, MA. Click to enlarge.

Upper Level Winds for today. The zone of fast moving winds separating warmer air to the south from colder air to the north, also known as the Jet Stream, will steer the ocean storm away from New England. Click to enlarge.

Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, a potent storm lashed the area with strong winds and damaging waves. Click to enlarge. (photo courtesy of Weather Underground)
Satellite view of last week's strong ocean storm as it pounds Northwestern Europe. (photo courtesy of University of Switzerland)

First Flakes of the Season Fall in Massachusetts

Yesterday evening after trying in vain to post the day's blog (courtesy of some technical difficulties) I was on my way up to a friend's birthday dinner on 95 North when I saw what looked like dust and dirt being blown up by the wind.... after paying more attention to the sky than the road, it turns out the "dust" was indeed Snow! Although very light and short in duration, the first few flakes of the season have officially fallen - at least they have in Amesbury, MA. Just think - last week at this time we were tracking Hurricane Noel! Only in New England can the weather run the gamut from hurricanes to snowflurries within a week.....

Thanks to strong winds off the Atlantic from our developing ocean storm, coastal areas of Massachusetts did indeed see some intermittent flurries yesterday. If that storm had tracked 200 miles or so to the west, we would be in for an exciting Saturday for sure. Check the images above to see the jet stream winds and storm track, thanks to my foray into the realm of weather graphics! It's amazing what you can do with Internet access and Microsoft paint..... Hopefully, I will be able to land an internship to expand my "weather graphic abilities!"

With the storm safely out to sea, upper level jet stream winds will carry it north towards Nova Scotia and away from the United States. We will still feel some effects from the storm - albeit very slight. Winds will be from the North today, and this may help to stir up some light rain showers - especially over the Cape. Winds there will be rather strong, gusting up to 40 mph at times. For us, Northerly winds coupled with high temperatures struggling to reach the lower 40's means that it will feel like the mid 30's outside for most of the day. Yep, we are already breaking out the wind chill index!

Looking ahead, the recent cold spell will begin to moderate slightly over the upcoming weekend, although by early next week temperatures will still be below the average high of 56 degrees for this time of year.

Weak areas of low pressure will skirt north of the region later in the upcoming week, giving us a chance for some unsettled conditions Monday Night, and again on the Wednesday/Thursday time frame.

Looking far in advance, we could see a decent cold snap here by next weekend as long range computer models indicate that a surge of cold air may dive southeast out of Canada for next Saturday/Sunday. However, that is far out and conditions could change. When it comes to weather, Mother Nature is definitely a fickle one!

My colleague Sam Kilsdonk should have another update this afternoon. For now, let's get to the forecast:

Lowell Regional Forecast

Today: Dim sunshine through high clouds. Breezy and cool, with a high near 43. Northerly winds around 10 mph. Wind chills will make it feel like the mid 30s.

Tonight: Clearing and cold. Low 25.

Sunday: Sunny, breezy, and continued cool. High 45. Winds from the North at 10 mph may gust up to 20 mph in the early afternoon.

Sunday Night: Another chilly one. Partly cloudy and cold. Low 26.

Monday (Veteran's Day Observed): Mostly sunny and a touch warmer. High near 50.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a chance of morning showers. High 51.

Wednesday: Increasing cloudiness, with a chance of afternoon showers. High near 52.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster. Have a great (long) weekend everyone!

2007-11-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

Click here to go directly to todays forecast!

Snow?
Looks like some flakes my have fallen further north and the great lakes may be getting some, but so far we haven't seen any. The temperatures feel cold enough, though! It feels like we jumped from summer to winter, and skipped fall.
Todays weather map:

Forecast
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low of 28.

Friday: During the day we will see a bit of cloud cover, and temperatures in the high 40's.
Friday evening will have lows in the high 20's.

Weekend Outlook:
Saturday: Cloudy, and temperatures in the mid 40's.
Sunday: Sunny and mid 40's.

Hope you all have a great weekend, and if you have monday off, enjoy the day off!

This is student meteorologist Johnna Infanti for WUML 91.5 FM.

2007-11-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

December Weather Preview on the Way - Watching a Coastal Storm Friday and Saturday

Although computer models have been keeping the upcoming storm pretty far out to sea, this one will be worth watching. One of the latest models develops the storm explosively off the Eastern Seaboard, even given it some tropical characteristics with a warm core "eye," as can be seen on the simulated precipitation map for Saturday above. Click to enlarge.

Chilly Weather Over the Next Few Days
Click here to go directly to todays forecast!

It wasn't all that long ago that temperatures here in New England were see-sawing between 50s and 80s. Well, long gone are the 80s. We have entered bona-fide sweater weather here folks.

Temperatures will be below average over the next few days, and highs on Saturday will be about 10 degrees lower than they should be for this time of year. Ahh yes, it will be more like December than November over the upcoming weekend. I bet the retail stores will be quite happy with that, given their penchant for starting the holiday season earlier and earlier every year.....

If the cold weather weren't enough, we will be tracking a developing ocean storm which right now appears will remain well out to sea. However, a trough extending over New England could help to draw some clouds and light precipitation our way for late Friday and especially Saturday. Cold + moist air = snow? We could see the first couple flakes of the season.

The computer models don't quite have a handle on this system yet, and there is a decent enough spread in the storm track projections that will make this one bear watching. In addition, one of the newest models deepens the storm very rapidly east of New England. If the storm were to track further west, it could spell out a very interesting Saturday.

However, that doesn't appear to be the case right now, although us meteorologists do have a reputation to uphold for being wrong - at least some of the time. It helps to put a little spring in our step and a twinkle in our eye.

With that being said, lets get to the forecast.....

Forecast

Tonight: Clear and COLD. Temperatures dropping like a rock to the upper 20s. Light winds.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. A few clouds may pop up in the afternoon. High near 47.

Thursday Night: Clear to start, clouding up towards morning. Cold again, with morning lows near 27.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of sprinkles. High 45.

Friday Night: Watching a storm to our east. Cloudy and breezy, with a period of light snow possible. Low near 30.

Extended Outlook

Saturday: Cloudy, with light snow or rain possible in the morning. High 42.

Sunday: Sunny and cool for Veteran's day. Highs near 44.

Monday: Partly Cloudy and a tad warmer. High 47.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-11-06T21:26:00.000-08:00

Today's Weather map

Cool Down on the Way - First Flakes of the Season?

A series of cold fronts will cross New England the next couple days, ushering in cooler and drier conditions for the remainder of the work week. Wednesday and Thursday both look to be dry and on the chilly side.

A small ocean storm may form sometime Friday, but right now it looks to remain well out to sea. However, it could throw some clouds and light rain/snow showers our way beginning late Friday and into Saturday. As always, the WUML weather team will be checking on the latest computer models and will be the first to bring you any important updates.
And now on to the forecast.

Lowell Regional Forecast

Tonight: Clearing and cooler. Low 31.

Wednesday: Mostly Sunnny. Highs near 50.

Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy and chilly. Could see our first hard freeze of the season, with lows in the upper 20s.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Continued cool, with highs in the upper 40s.

Friday: Becoming Cloudy. Slight chance of light rain or snow showers as an ocean storm passes well to our east. High 44.

Weekend Outlook

Saturday: Mostly Cloudy and seasonably cool. Chance of snow flurries. High near 40.

Sunday: Partly Cloudy. Highs in the low 40s.

For WUML 91.5 Fm this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-11-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

Noel Spares Lowell - Damage Reported on Cape and Islands

Trees and branches were snapped by Noel's winds Saturday, which gusted over 90 mph over parts of the Cape and Islands. (photo courtesy WBZ)

The high winds brought down trees and power lines, leaving many without power in SE Massachusetts. (Photo courtesy WBZ)

Heavy rains, gusty winds, and flooded roadways, and trees on top of cars made traveling difficult in some parts of the state yesterday. (photo courtesy WBZ)

For even more storm pictures courtesy of WCVB, follow this link:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/slideshow/weather/14503270/detail.html

Goodbye Noel!

Yesterday afternoon in Lowell just seemed like another typical New England storm - rainy, a little windy, and a bit of an inconvenience. Sustained winds from the storm averaged 15-25 mph, with an occaisional gust up to 35 mph. The worst I saw from the storm here was some ponding on the roadways..... Nothing to write home about.

However, just south of Boston, things were a very different story. Peak wind gusts were in the 60 mph range over SE Massachusetts, with the highest wind gust of 91 mph being reported at 6:31 pm at the Cape Wind Tower located in Horseshoe Shoal. Bet you're glad we didn't see any of that here!

Nantucket was particularly hard hit, bearing the brunt of sustained winds in excess of 50 mph for several hours, with gusts frequently over 70. Over 4" of rain drenched parts of the Cape. Some homes suffered damage due to beach erosion, and unsecured boats were either washed ashore or sunk during Noel's visit yesterday.

Although I can safely say that Lowell lucked out, being just west of the area of damaging winds, it was a bit of a letdown for this severe weather enthusiast. On a positive note, little cleanup is needed in our area after the storm, and hopefully everyone weathered the event safely.

Turning our attention away from Noel, our weather over the next few days looks to be much more on the tame side, with no further tropical influences in sight.

Today should feature partly cloudy skies and seasonable conditions in the wake of Noel, but a small low pressure system is set to glide towards New England and will throw some cloudiness our way for Monday. Monday night and especially Tuesday could be a bit on the rainy side, although I am not expecting any sort of heavy rain event. The system's accompanying cold front will swing through the region by early Wednesday morning, and we could see the season's first flakes as the showers could end as light flurries.

Wednesday and Thursday we will be imbetween systems, and computer models for Friday indicate that a small storm may try to form off the coast. We'll be keeping an eye on this one. Right now it appears we will have a period of light rain, although some of the projections are hinting that we could see a little snow mixed in - but due to climatology I'm not expecting anything eventful. If this changes, we will be sure to let you know.

Looking WAY far out, we could be in for a stormier pattern over the next couple weeks, as long-range models keep an active jet stream near New England, allowing for the storm track to slide through our vicinity. This is very far out, but something to keep in mind. As always, the Umass Lowell/WUML weather team will be tracking any potential storms as they approach.

And now on to the detailed forecast.......

Lowell Regional Forecast

Today: Partly cloudy and milder. High near 56. Winds from the West at 5-10 mph.

Tonight: Becoming mostly cloudy. Low near 35.

Monday: Mostly cloudy. High 55.

Monday Night: Cloudy with showers likely, especially towards morning. Low 44.

Tuesday: Morning showers followed by afternoon cloudiness. Highs near 53.

Tuesday Night: Any leftover showers could end as a period of light flurries. Clearing towards morning. Low 32.

Extended Outlook:

Wednesday: Becoming mostly sunny. A touch cooler, with highs in the upper 40s.

Thursday: Continued sunny, with highs in the upper 40s.

Friday: Watching the possibility of a small storm affecting the area. Mostly cloudy, with a chance of light rain. Some flakes could mix in during the overnight. Highs in the mid 40s.

For WUML 91.5 FM this is Umass student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster. Don't forget to turn the clocks back!

2007-11-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

NOEL BEGINNING TO IMPACT SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND

HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON UNTIL 11 PM

STORM DEATH TOLL UP TO 124

Surfers enjoy waves off the Florida coast, courtesy of Noel.

Current satellite image of Noel as it tracks northward.

Current radar shows bands from the storm pinwheeling in off the ocean as the storm gets closer to New England. Rain should overspread the region by noon.

Want to see Noel in action? Follow this link: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/natl/loop-rgb.html

Nasty Nor'Easter Noel

Who would have thought that the deadliest hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season would strike in late October/early November? After pummelling the Carribean with wind, rain, and waves for a few days, Noel is currently on our doorstep and posied to make this Saturday a wet and wild one.

As we speak, Nantucket is getting pounded with heavy rain, sustained winds of 35 mph, and gusts over 50 mph. A coastal flood warning has been issued for Cape and Islands as stiff onshore northerly winds coupled with a slight storm surge may cause moderate coastal flooding at the time of high tide. The heavy rains coupled with winds gusting over hurricane force at times could down many trees, as the trees cannot hold root in the soggy ground. New model data indicates that wind gusts over the Cape and Islands could approach 90 mph this afternoon - just shy of category 2 hurricane status. If this materializes, we could see significant structural damage to buildings over the Cape in addition to downed trees and power outages.

As the storm tracks north later today, the wind and rain will spread inland. Expect rain to overspread the area by noon, and last until about 10 pm this evening. The northward progress of Noel has been slower than originally anticipated, and this could cause the nasty conditions to stick around Massachusetts for longer than previously thought. We will be tracking the progress of the storm all day.

Although the Cape and Islands could see hurricane force wind gusts, I do not anticipate these conditions to impact Lowell. For this storm, the further away you go from the Cape, the lesser the impacts will be.

For Boston metro and points south and east, winds could gust in excess of 60 mph this afternoon, with heavy downpours. There could even be a rumble of thunder.

Further north and west, the Merrimack Valley and greater Lowell region will likely see sustained winds of 35 mph with gusts up to 50. Coupled with a quick slug of heavy rainfall, these winds could still be strong enough to bring down some branches and trees, especially since many leaves still remain on the trees due to our very warm October (4th warmest in many regions). The leaves will act almost like a sail, helping to catch the force of the wind and bring the trees and branches down.

And if NOEL isn't enough to worry about, Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, so don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight..... if you still have power, that is.

And now for the detailed Lowell Regional Forecast:

Today: Noel makes it's closest pass. Rain will overspread the area by noon, with conditions deteriorating as the day goes on. Crunch time : 3-8 pm.

Heavy rains (1-3 inches), and sustained winds of 30 mph. Northeast Winds could gust up to 50 mph or higher at times. A HIGH WIND WARNING remains in effect from noon until 11 pm. Afternoon highs in the upper 40s.

Tonight: North winds shifting to the NW at 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph early, then diminishing as the storm moves away. Heavy downpours likely, especially before midnight. High wind warning remains in effect until 11 pm. Lows near 35. * Daylight Savings Time Ends*

Sunday: Storm's gone, but still breezy in it's wake. Becoming mostly sunny, with highs topping out in the upper 50s. NW winds shifting West at 10-15 mph, and could still gust up to 30 mph.

Sunday Night: Winds from Noel are finally gone. Mostly clear and chilly. Patchy frost possible. Lows near 32.

Monday: Becoming mostly cloudy. High 55.

Extended Outlook

Tuesday: Cloudy with showers likely as a cold front approaches from the west. High again 55.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy and cooler. Highs in the upper 40s.

WUML and the staff of Umass Lowell meteorologists will be tracking the storm all day. Stay tuned for important updates.

This is WUML weather director and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-11-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES.....

...HERE COMES NOEL!

Hurricane Conditions possible over Cape Cod Saturday Afternoon

High Wind Warning in Effect for Most of Eastern Massachusetts, Including Lowell

Hurricane Force Wind Warnings in Effect for Coastal Waters off Cape and Islands

Coastal Flood Watches/Advisories In Effect

Forecast wind gusts across New England for tomorrow afternoon. Highest winds will be over the Cape and Islands. Click to enlarge.

Enhanced color satellite imagery showing the colder cloud tops in yellow/red, with the center of Noel showing up as the greenish blue circle in the middle. Click to enlarge.
Current Noel track showing the track of the center and the radius of maximum winds. Lowell and most of eastern Massachusetts falls at least within tropical storm force winds. Click to enlarge.

Visible satellite image of Noel as it churns off the US coast. Click to enlarge.

Enhanced visible satellite image of Noel showing higher cloud tops in white, with lower cloud tops in yellow. Click to enlarge.

Noel, before deciding to pay us a visit tomorrow, vacationed in the Bahamas, where the storm dropped copious amounts of rain - making driving a bit tough.

Category 1 Hurricane Noel is currently racing up the East Coast while undergoing a transition from a tropical system (warm core, no fronts, small radius of strong winds) to a baroclinic extratropical low (cold core, warm and cold fronts, large radius of strong winds). I know, I know, technical stuff.... so I'll break it down for you.

As Noel loses tropical characteristics, it will grow in size, and it's area of strong winds will expand outwards from the center. This means that although the CENTER of the storm WILL NOT make landfall, the strong winds and heavy rains will extend sufficiently far from the center of the storm to bring us some nasty conditions tomorrow.

Because Noel will no longer be a hurricane by textbook definitions, hurricane warnings have not been issued for our area. This is only a technicality. The Cape and Islands will most likely see strong tropical storm to hurricane conditions tomorrow, with sustained winds of 50-60 mph and gusts possibly as high as 85 mph! Yikes!

Further inland, places like Lowell will see strong winds and heavy rain, although to a lesser extent than coastal areas. Right now, 30-40 mph sustained winds appear likely for our area, with gusts possibly as high as 50 mph.

Because of this, the National Weather Service has issued a HIGH WIND WARNING for most of eastern Massachusetts from 6 am to 9 pm Saturday, including the Lowell area. The message from the NWS is below:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

High Wind Warning URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA

428 PM EDT FRI NOV 2 2007

...DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY SATURDAY ACROSS EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AND RHODE ISLAND...
.THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE NOEL WILL EVOLVE INTO A POWERFUL OCEAN
STORM SATURDAY...AS IT TRACKS SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET.

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE...
GLOUCESTER...FOXBORO...NORWOOD...CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY...
TAUNTON...BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH...FALL RIVER...NEW BEDFORD...
MATTAPOISETT...FOSTER...SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE...
WEST GREENWICH...WARWICK...BRISTOL...NARRAGANSETT...WESTERLY...
NEWPORT...BLOCK ISLAND

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM EDT SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM EDT SATURDAY. THE
HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

DAMAGING NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ARE LIKELY SATURDAY...WITH THE
PERIOD OF STRONGEST WINDS FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
THE HIGH WINDS WILL SUBSIDE DURING EARLY SATURDAY EVENING AS WINDS
SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST.

THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR ACROSS SOUTHEAST COASTAL
MASSACHUSETTS FROM MATTAPOISETT TO PLYMOUTH. SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND
40 MPH ARE LIKELY WITH GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH IN THIS REGION DURING THE
PEAK OF THE STORM.

IN THE BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE CORRIDOR...SUSTAINED WINDS WILL INCREASE
TO 30 TO 40 MPH WITH POSSIBLE GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH SATURDAY
AFTERNOON. THE WINDS WILL BE SOMEWHAT LESS FURTHER INLAND...BUT
DAMAGING WINDS ARE STILL POSSIBLE AS FAR WEST AS WESTERN RHODE ISLAND
AND THE MERRIMACK VALLEY.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR...WITH GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AT
ANY TIME. DAMAGE TO TREES...POWER LINES...AND PROPERTY ARE POSSIBLE
WITH WIND OF THIS MAGNITUDE. POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY. TAKE ACTION
NOW TO SECURE ANY LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Exciting stuff huh? Well, it is to us meteorologists at least. To sum it up, the effects from Noel include:

Wind Gusts up to 60 mph (85 mph Cape)

Downed Branches/Trees/Power lines

1-4 Inches of Rain

Localized Street Flooding

Battering Waves Along the Coast of up to 30 Feet

Beach Erosion

Coastal Flooding

The good news - Noel will be racing to the NNE and as a result, we won't feel the effects for all that long. It all looks to be out of here by late Saturday night, with the height of the storm occuring from 11am-4pm.

Thereafter, Noel has his sights set on Canada. The storm will continue to intensify as it races to our north.

We will have additional updates as conditions warrant.
If you haven't yet secured objects outside, do so now!

For WUML 91.5 FM this is student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-11-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Here Comes Noel!

WUML/Umass Lowell Weather Team is on Alert Mode!

Newest track for Noel issued by the National Hurricane Center. Click to enlarge.

One of the many forecast models I use to track these tropical systems.... the newest model run has the storm VERY close to the Cape by Saturday, throwing windswept heavy rains over eastern Massachusetts.

Right now, Noel is still located to the east of Florida, and is still packing sustained winds of 60 mph.

A Satellite view of the storm shows the very cold cloud tops in red. The center of the storm is located to the SW of the area of deepest convection/thunderstorms.

Forecast winds model shows gusts up to 70mph possible on the Cape.

Yet another model showing strong winds which may affect the region on Saturday, with the center of the storm located just to the east of Cape Cod.

Yesterday, many of the forecast computer models were calling for Noel to pass out to sea and not affect New England. Since then, the National Weather Service has drastically changed their thinking for Saturday, bringing the storm closer to the coast. Although I take pride in the fact that my forecast for Saturday was to have Noel closer to us while the NWS called for sunny conditions, it now appears that even I may have under-done the forecast.

Some of the newer computer model runs are showing Noel making a dangerously close pass to Cape Cod by Saturday. I have included a couple snapshots of these computer models above so that you too can see the data that I am looking at.

If this scenario plays out, Saturday could feature Tropical Storm Conditions over much of eastern Massachusetts. Winds could be sustained over Cape Cod at 50 mph, with gusts up to 70! Heavy windswept rain bands would be moving in off the ocean, giving the region a dousing.

Because of these recent trends, the National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Watch for eastern Massachusetts for Saturday.

ANY deviation in the projected track of the storm could make a huge difference in the impacts felt here in Lowell. If the storm tracks close to the Cape, we could see wind gusts of up to 50 mph with heavy wind-driven rains, and possible wind damage. If the storm tracks further out to sea, our effects would be much less.

Stay tuned for the latest updates as they become available. I will most likely be on the Sunrise morning show tomorrow morning to have a live update on this possible significant weather event.

John Webster

2007-11-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, John was sick on Saturday or Sunday, and now I'm feeling the last of my cold as I sit here and try to update this. I blame the changing weather! Hot... Then cold.. Then hot. Hey that would make anyone sick. I'll try not to make this blog too interesting with the large amount of cold medicine I've been taking lately.

We've had some very sunny weather lately! The temperatures have been dropping to some that are much more reminiscent of average fall temperatures recently, however the sun that has come along with them has made up for it. This is what it has looked like around North Campus all week:

Nice, dont you think? Makes those physics and calculus classes much easier to deal with!

Tropical Storm Noel Update:
For those of you interested in tropical storms, it seems as though parts of Southwestern Florida HAVE infact issued a storm watch, and are experiancing some heavy surf and high winds.

In this picture, workers are trying to pour concrete into a seawall to fix it after the waves from Noel mostly destroyed it.

However, the Caribbean is what is seeing the worst of the storm, currently. The storm triggered mudslides, and also has killed upwards of 81 people (as of 1 hour ago, ABC News report), and the storm may cause even more damage than that, as well.
Recent satellite image:

Local Forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, clearing as the night goes on. Low will be in the high 30's.

Friday Afternoon: Sunny, and highs in the mid 50's.
Friday Night: Clear and cool, lows in the low 30's.

Weekend Outlook:
Saturday: Cloudy with a chance of showers in the afternoon, with a high in the low 50's.
Sunday: Sunny, high in the low 50's.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist Johnna Infanti.
Hope everyone had a great Halloween, and have a wonderful weekend!

2007-10-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Frightful "Noel" to Affect Southern New England?

Satellite image of tropical storm Noel, located to the SE of Florida. The bright green indicates very high and cold cloud tops associated with strong convection. Click to enlarge.

Some of the computer models have put tropical storm Noel, in an altered "extra-tropical" form off the SE coast of Massachusetts near Saturday. The above is a current worst case scenario. Click to enlarge.

Jack O Lanterns react to the news that tropical storm Noel could brush Southern New England later this week..... however the center of the storm should remain out to sea.

Happy Halloween!

Although 10/31 officially marks the end of the Atlantic tropical season, we have a horrific entity in the Carribean Sea which has already killed 60+ people and could intensify slightly over the next few days. It's name - Noel.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH has been issued for parts of SE Florida coastal waters as the storm meanders towards the N-NW, although it does not look to make landfall over the US. The storm is currently packing sustained winds of 60 mph.

After bypassing Florida, the storm will work NE and out to sea, making it's closest pass at us on Saturday as an extratropical storm (a storm that is no longer tropical). The biggest effect we will see from Noel would be increasing NE winds Friday night and Saturday, especially along the coast, as well as the Cape and Islands. We may see some low clouds,winds,and showers working inland from the storm, but a direct landfalling event is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY. High pressure should give us enough protection to keep this one out to sea. Deviations in the track of the storm could change impacts felt in New England, and we'll be keeping an eye on this one-So don't fret!

Aside from our brush with the fringes of Noel, our weather is rather uneventful for the forecast period. A cold front will work through the region tomorrow night ushering in some cooler air for Friday. As previously mentioned, the outer fringes of Noel could affect us for Saturday, although it won't be any sort of big event.

Check out the detailed forecast below, and

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Lowell Regional Forecast:

Halloween Night: Eerily Warm, with a chance of ghouls and goblins passing in the night - or just seeking candy. Otherwise, partly cloudy with a ghastly low near 48.

Thursday: Increasing cloudiness and warm. Could see a stray shower by afternoon. High 65.

Thursday Night: Clouds will scour out as a cold front passes to our east. Becoming chilly, with early morning lows near 34.

Friday: Sunny and cooler. High 54.

Saturday: Becoming cloudy. Winds pick up out of the NE, especially along the coast (15-30 mph) and we could see showers as Noel passes well to our east. High near 56.

Extended Outlook

Sunday: Becoming mostly sunny. High 53.

Monday: Partly Cloudy. Highs in the low 50s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

Have a "Horrific" Halloween Everyone!

2007-10-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

More Rain on the Way!

Today's blog will be short because I have been at home, fighting off one of those good late fall head colds brought on by lack of sleep and stress.... gotta love having 19 credits a semester! At least the first onslaught of midterms has finally come to an end.... whew!

The threat of rain, however, has not. More moisture is streaming into New England this evening, courtesy of the same upper level low pressure system that has been spinning it's wheels in the middle of the country the last few days. This upper level system will help to spawn a surface low near the Great Lakes, and give us a decent dousing of the wet stuff through tomorrow.

For us big weather fanatics attending the Southern New England Weather Conference tomorrow, things look to be a bit wet. I'm sure the great presentations will more than make up for it. I'm looking forward to seeing Umass Lowell's very own Dr. Frank Colby give a presentation to Southern New England's "weather elite," as well as Harvey Leonard and colleagues with a presentation on global warming.

Well, I think I should get to the forecast before my Nyquil kicks in...otherwise we might have a rather "interesting" forecast!

Lowell Regional Forecast:

Tonight: Cloudy with showers developing, turning into a steadier and heavier rain overnight. Low 51.

Saturday - Southern New England Weather Conference: Cloudy with showers, possibly even a rumble of thunder. Warmer, with highs near 64.

Saturday Night: Cloudy with the chance of a lingering shower early, followed by clearing. Low 45.

Sunday: Mostly Sunny. Highs near 60.

Monday: Sunny and cooler, with highs only near 50! Could see some patchy frost in the morning - we'll keep an eye on this over the weekend.

Tuesday: Continued sunny with highs in the lower 60s.

Wednesday: Still lookin' good! Sunny, highs in the mid 60s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 Fm this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML Weather Director John Webster. For those attending Halloween parties this weekend, I hope they are spooktacular! For the rest of us, have a great weekend!

2007-10-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Clear and Cool Tuesday Night in New England

The beginning of the week began with warmer temperatures, in some cases reaching past 70 degrees. Not something we would typically see during October in Lowell. The average temperatures for this week range from 59 degrees to 62 degrees, and today brings the temperature back down almost to the average.

The rain from last night stuck around until early this morning, and now we have clear skies and a wonderfully clear and cool night for Game 2 of the World Series at Fenway Park. We did see some rain and clouds last night, but the clear before the next few days of drizzle and cold came at a perfect time.

Lowell Regional Forecast

Today's Forecast
This afternoon: The clouds and rain this morning gave way to sunny skies, which will continue into the evening. Highs will be around 60 degrees.
Tonight: Clear and cool with lows in the high 30's.

Friday:
A partly sunny sky in the morning, with some clouds rolling in later in the day. A small chance of rain showers in the afternoon comes along with the clouds. High will be in the uper 50's.
Friday Night:
The evening brings clouds and a possibility of rain showers, with lows around 50 degrees.

And now the weekend outlook.

Saturday:
Clouds will be around all day, and the drizzle will keep up as well. High nearing 70 degrees.

Sunday:
Mostly cloudy and still some rain possibly left over in the morning. Highs in the mid 60's.

For WUML Lowell 91.5FM, this is Student Meteorologist Johnna Infanti.

2007-10-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Satellite view of the US. Note the circular shape to th clouds located over Mississippi and Alabama. This is a potent upper-level low pressure system, whose counter-clockwise circulation is drawing warm moist air up the eastern seaboard. The brighter yellows and oranges over the Mid-Atlantic show the higher cloud tops associated with thunderstorms as the warm moist air collides with the colder air over New England. Click to enlarge.

More Rain for Us, While Forest Fires Rage on the West Coast.....

A gloomy day across southern New England as a frontal boundry stalled in our vicinity has been a focusing point for clouds and showers to persist throughout the day. Helping to pump in the moisture is a potent upper level low pressure system located over the Southeast. This system is drawing warm, moist air up from the Gulf of Mexico. As it collides into the cooler pool of air above us, showers are the result. Down in the Mid-Atlantic, they are even seeing some strong thunderstorms as a result.

Meanwhile, across the country, wildfires rage on in California. For a link to some amazing video (can you say a "tornadic firestorm?" click here:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/weather/2007/10/24/lklv.firenado.cnn

But for us, we have a break in the rain for early afternoon/evening. Unfortunately, tonight's Sox game could end up on the wet side as those showers slide NE up the coast.

As a result, tomorrow is not looking as nice as previously thought, as clouds linger through the morning. Hopefully a small bulge of high pressure to our north will help to clear us out by afternoon.

However, our old friend the upper-level low will play into our forecast again for the weekend. As it meanders up through the Ohio Valley, it will throw more rain and showers our way for the weekend. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.......

On a bright note, taking a peek towards next Tuesday, Halloween Night looks to be on the dry side for the trick or treaters, with highs in the mid 50s and lows in the mid 30s. We'll have a better picture for the big day as we get closer to it. And now for the forecast....

Lowell Regional Forecast

This afternoon: Cloudy with scattered sprinkles. Heavier showers moving in after towards late evening. Temperatures holding steady in the mid 50s.

Tonight: Cloudy. Rain and showers early, tapering off by morning. Lows near 44.

Tomorrow: Cloudy to start, with decreasing clouds by afternoon. Patchy morning fog. Highs near 61.

Thursday Night: Clear and cool as we get a break imbetween systems. Low near 36.

Friday : Increasing clouds, with showers possible by evening. High 59.

Saturday: Cloudy with showers. We could see a batch of heavier showers approach the region during the overnight. High 61

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a continued chance for showers, especially early in the day. High 63

Monday: Sunny and cool. Highs in the lower 50s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-10-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

8 p.m. regional radar shows a batch of showers associated with an approaching cold front heading our way for the overnight

Windy and Rainy Tuesday Night

Today marked another unseasonably warm day in the greater Lowell region, with high temperatures in the mid 70s across the area. We managed to squeeze out another nice day, with the rain holding off until later than earlier anticipated.

Don't be fooled though - its definitely coming. Rain should break out right around midnight, and last through early Wednesday.

Behind the front, skies clear and winds will turn NW and that means - yup, you got it, colder temps will be the rule for Thursday with highs topping off right where they should be for this time of year - near 60.

Game 1 of the World Series is this Wednesday night. I'll be watching from home, taking breaks between studying advanced atmospheric dynamics and cloud physics. If you're a little luckier, you'll have tickets to the game at Fenway. The series opener starts at 8 pm, and right now conditions look to be mostly cloudy with temps right around 58F. Although the computer models have kept a chance for showers in the picture, I think the rain will be offshore by evening, so as it looks now, I don't expect any rain delays. We'll have another update for you tomorrow.

Enjoy the beautiful weather Thursday and Friday because right now the weekend is looking cloudy with scattered showers.

Now for the Lowell Regional Forecast:

Tonight: Cloudy, with showers developing. SW winds at 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 35 turning NW towards morning.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with rain likely in the morning. Cooler, with a high near 60.

Sox(8p.m. Wed): Mostly cloudy and 58F.

Wednesday Night: Clearing and cooler. Lows near 39.

Thursday: Sunny and beautiful. Seasonable temperatures, with highs near 61

Friday: Continued mostly sunny. High 62.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. High 63.

Sunday: Cloudy with lingering showers possible. High 60.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-10-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Last day of 80s?

The water vapor satellite image (click to enlarge) above depicts the amount of water content held in mid-atmospheric layers, with dark blue/pink areas being very moist, and yellow areas being very dry.

The moist air ahead of a boundry system currently over the Great Lakes will be in our area tomorrow - which means more humid conditions and a chance for showers.

Note the bright pinks and blues over the Gulf Coast, where very moist air is contributing to a severe weather threat. A tornado watch is in effect for that area.

Today's recorded high temperature at the Umass Lowell Weather Observatory was 79F - 19 degrees above average for this time of year. Many areas of the region hit or eclipsed the 80 degree mark today - the mercury topped of at 83 just to our north inNashua. With crystal blue skies and warm, summer-like temperatures, it was an October beach day if I've ever seen one.

But, this is New England, and as the popular saying goes, if you don't like the weather - wait a minute.

Tomorrow will begin the transition to more seasonable temperatures, as a cold front slides to our east during the afternoon, ushing in some cooler air for midweek. Computer models have been cranking out the winds tomorrow, so be advised that we could see gusts up to 30 mph from the SW come tomorrow afternoon ahead of the front.

Our next big weather maker will be towards the end of the week. A meandering upper level disturbance currently bringing severe weather to the Gulf Coast will track oh-so-slowly northward, and could help to generate some rainfall just in time for late saturday/sunday. The atmospheric dynamics are rather similar to last weekends quick-hitting rainmaker, so at this point it does not look to be a prolonged heavy rain event, but some downpours could be affecting the region come Saturday Night.

And now, here's the forecast.

Greater Lowell Forecast:

Tonight: Partly cloudy and mild. Areas of fog possible toward dawn. Night-time lows will be closer to expected highs this time of year (60F), with temps only dipping to 55 by morning.

Tomorrow: Increasing clouds, with showers likely by afternoon. High near 72. SW winds will be busy, especially in the afternoon, with gusts up to 30 mph.

Tomorrow Night: Mostly cloudy with evening showers likely. Low near 51.

Wednesday: Morning clouds followed by afternoon clearing. Slight chance of an early shower. Cooler, with highs near 64.

Thursday: Sunny and seasonable. High 59.

Extended Outlook

Friday: Mostly sunny. A tad warmer, with highs in the lower 60s.

Saturday: Becoming mostly cloudy, with showers possible later in the day. Highs in the lower 60s.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM, I'm Umass Lowell Student Meteoroloist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-10-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature, Confused?

Forecast high temperatures will be well above average in the eastern third of the nation tomorrow, with afternoon highs approaching 80 near Lowell.

In the meantime, fall foliage is peaking across the area.

Once again, anomalously high temperatures are in the cards for Southern New England over the next couple days as Mother Nature apparently forgot to take her medication this morning.

Served up alongside some peak foliage viewing will be temperatures more typical of late August, with upper 70s to near 80 quite common across the region this afternoon and especially tomorrow. So if you are heading out for a scenic tour, put away your sweater and grab your Shorts!

An area of high pressure will continue to dominate our weather over the next couple days, as SW winds keep us abnormally mild. The weather pattern over the last few weeks has been more indicative of mid-summer, with High Pressure frequently sliding off the East Coast of the US, pumping in warm and mild air - much like the "Bermuda High" that so often supplies us with steamy temperatures in mid - summer.

Our average temperature for this time of year is right around 61 degrees, and we will likely be close to 20 degrees above that come Monday afternoon. For those of you who already put away the summer clothes, don't panic yet - a return to more seasonable conditions appears likely for the end of the work week. Unfortunately, cloudy and damp conditions will accompany the cooler temperatures.

We will also be watching a possible storm developing over the Eastern Seaboard and sliding up to our neck of the woods for next Friday, although more recent computer model runs are backing away from this scenario. We'll keep you posted.

And now for the Lowell Regional Forecast:

Rest of this afternoon: Mostly sunny and very warm. High near 74.

Tonight: Clear, Cool, and Calm. As temperatures drop to the dew point, there could be some patchy fog towards morning. Low 43.

Monday: By far, the pick of the week. Sunny and HOT by October standards, with temperatures near 80 during the afternoon. SW winds 5-10 mph.

Monday Night: Clear and not as cool. Low 51.

Tuesday: Morning sun followed by increasing
cloudiness. Chance of an afternoon shower. Still warm, with highs near 73.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy and cooler. Slight chance of morning shower. High near 63.

Extended Outlook

Thursday: Continued Cloudy. Highs near 55.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a chance of showers. High near 60.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is Weather Director and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-10-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

A sprawling storm system tracking northwest over the great lakes will influence our weather later this week with warm temperatures and showers.

Warmer Temperatures on the Horizon

Today's beautiful fall weather is hard to beat. With crystal blue skies, warm sunshine, and temperatures in the lower 60s, conditions were just perfect for October across the greater Lowell region.

A large storm system moving slowly over the Great Lakes and into Canada will begin to affect our area by the tail end of the week and into the first part of the weekend. Winds out ahead of the system are from the southwest, and those winds will be ushering in some warmer air by the end of the week. However, along with the warmer temperatures, we will likely see some rain and even possibly a thunderstorm come late Thursday and into Saturday.

To our readers north of town, the National Weather Service has issued a FROST ADVISORY for southern coastal New Hamphire.

Temperatures just north of the Massachusetts border will dip down very close to the freezing mark tonight, with clear skies and light winds allowing for radiational cooling. Cover any tender vegetation, or bring it indoors if you can.

Patchy frost is a possibility in some of the lower lying areas in northern Massachusetts as well, although this does not look to be a widespread event.

And now for the forecast:

Tonight: The "Triple Cs!" Clear Cool and Calm. Low near 35.

Wednesday: Patchy morning fog. A couple areas may see some frost on the pumpkin as well. Mostly clear in the morning, with increasing cloudiness by afternoon. Highs near 65.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Not as cold, with lows near 45.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy and warmer. Slight chance of a shower. Highs near 70.

Friday: Continued mostly cloudy, with a chance of showers. During the overnight, some of the showers could contain heavy downpours and even a rumble of thunder. High 72.

Extended Outlook

Saturday: Cloudy with a chance of showers, especially in the morning. High 71.

Sunday: Pick of the weekend! Morning clearing giving way to afternoon sunshine. High near 68.

For WUML Lowell 91.5 Fm this is WUML weather director and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-10-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Video showing the evolution of colder Sea Surface Temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which could impact our weather this winter. Click to play.

Seasonable Temperatures for the Upcoming Week

Good afternoon to all. The forecast for the upcoming work week looks rather uneventful, with seasonable temperatures and nice weather to start the week. As a low pressure system forms over the Great Plains and slides to our northwest later in the week, it could bring in some slightly warmer air and unsettled weather with the chance of a couple showers just in time for next weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recently released its seasonal climate outlook, which predicts a warmer and drier winter than usual across much of the nation. This prediction is made in part by oceanic temperature trends in the Pacific Ocean; a cooler ocean current (La Nina) usually leads to drier than normal winters across the US, especially in southern parts of the country. This isn't good news to our drought stricken friends in the South. For more info, follow this link: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/20071009_outlook.html

What does La Nina mean for us? Hard to say, because La Nina's influence is not as strong up in the Northern parts of the country, however it could mean a drier than average winter for us. Don't be fooled though - we have had some whopper snowstorms in a La Nina pattern. Cold, dry storms have impacted our region under this La Nina regime, and have yielded some hefty snowfall totals of dry, fluffy, wind driven snow. As always, the WUML weather team will be on the lookout for any Nor'Easters as fall turns into winter.

But for now, things look beautiful. The nights are cool, the days are warm, and peak foliage will quickly begin to overspread our area over the next week or so as conditions are almost ideal for leaves to lose their chorophyll and turn bright shades of red, orange, and yellow owing to the sugars already present in the leaves. Perhaps next time we can explore the "changing of the leaves" in detail. For now, lets get to the local forecast.

Greater Lowell Forecast:

Tonight: Mostly clear and cool. Patchy frost in areas well north and west of town (Concord NH, points North and West). Low 39.

Monday: Partly to Mostly Sunny. High 60.

Monday Night: Clear and cool once again. Low near 39.

Tuesday: Pick of the week! Sunny and seasonable, High near 61.

Wednesday: Partly Cloudy. A tad warmer with highs near 63.

Thursday: Patchy morning fog, becoming partly cloudy by afternoon. Slight chance of an evening shower. High 64.

Extended Outlook:

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. High near 67.

Saturday: Continued Cloudy with showers possible. Highs again near 67.

For 91.5 FM this is WUML weather director and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster. Have a great week everyone!

2007-10-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

Current radar at 6p.m. shows a slug of heavy rain poised to overspread Massachusetts

Rain, Rain......
.....We Need It! (a little)

A relatively quick hitting, although heavy slug of rain will affect the area overnight and the first part of tomorrow

As advertised earlier in the week, a coastal low is currently forming over the Atlantic and is set to pivot North-Northwestward over the next day or so bringing more of the soggy stuff to our neck of the woods.

The good news:

1. We need the rain.

After a very dry summer, we have been making up for some lost rain in October. For the year, we are ALMOST at average, with 32.57" of rain having fallen to date - about .75 " below the norm. We should close that gap significantly after Friday's storm departs.

and for you Sox fans

2. The rain looks to be GONE by the time the first pitch is thrown out at Fenway (~7 p.m. Friday), as we get into the dry slot of the storm. However, the winds will pick up out of the WNW, gusting close to 25 mph at times later in the evening. Could make things interesting on the mound tomorrow night.

After our coastal friend departs by Friday afternoon, conditions will remain a little unsettled through the first part of the weekend as cold air aloft will allow the possibility of an afternoon shower for Saturday. By Sunday and thereafter, our weather turns picture perfect for this time of year - with crisp nights and warm days, topped off with mostly sunny skies. Doesn't get much better than that!

No frost on the pumpkin in the forecast quite yet - we'll keep you updated as to when the first frost arrives.

And now for the detailed Lowell Area forecast:

Tonight: Cloudy. Rain becoming steadier, with heavier downpours and even an embedded thunderstorm possible. Low near 53.

Friday: Cloudy with morning rain, tapering off by early afternoon. Becoming partly cloudy by evening, with WNW winds at 10-15 mph gusting up to 25 mph for the latter half of the evening. High near 57.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy and continued breezy. Cool, with lows near 37.

Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 63.

Sunday: The pick of the weekend. Mostly sunny, light winds, and highs near 60.

Extended Outlook

Monday: Mostly sunny. High 60.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 59.

This is student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster for WUML Lowell 91.5 FM.

2007-10-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

Fall Foliage Painting the Town Red

(scroll down for your local Lowell Weather Forecast)

Hello and apologies for the gap in blog posts. Technical issues coupled with a busy senior class schedule resulted in the blog being neglected the last couple days.

That being said, foliage season is getting into full-swing up in North Country, and bright splashes of color are popping up in the Lowell Metro area as well. Right now and over the next week or so, leaf peeping will be right around peak up through the White Mountains and the higher elevations of central New Hampshire. For a great drive, I highly recommend the Kankamagus Highway in New Hampshire - a scenic stretch through the National Forests of New Hampshire. Unblemished by buildings and flanked by the craggy peaks of the White Mountains, you can't go wrong.

While the fall colors drip southward, our weather pattern has shifted to match. Saturday's highs in the 80s are a thing of the past, and its quite possible we won't see temperatures that high until next year. The jet stream has shifted southward the last couple days, bringing New England into the storm track. That means - yup, you guessed it - cooler temperatures and unsettled weather will be plaguing the region over the course of the workweek.

A rather potent upper level low will slowly drift ESE from the Great Lakes over the next couple of days, helping to spawn a weak surface low pressure off the coast of New England. As it meanders eastward, clouds and a chance for showers will remain in the forecast through Wednesday. Another system may affect the area with even more rain on Friday.

And now for the forecast:

Lowell Area Forecast

Tonight: Becoming Cloudy. Showers will move in from the west - some of which could contain heavy downpours. Low 50.

Tomorrow: Morning rain. Cloudy with scattered showers in the afternoon. High near 63.

Tomorrow Night: Cloudy with areas of fog. Chance of a shower. Low 52.

Thursday: Continued cloudy and dreary. Patchy showers/drizzle possible. High of 60.

Thursday Night: Cloudy. Chance of rain developing towards morning. Low near 50.

Friday: A storm system may affect the area. Stay tuned for future updates, as this is the all important game 1 for the pennant. As it looks now, Fenway could be wet for game time. Cloudy and raw, with rain, possibly tapering off by evening. Winds turning NW and becoming gusty. High near 55.

Weekend Outlook

Saturday: Finally a break in the unsettled trend. Morning clouds, becoming partly sunny by afternoon. High near 57.

Sunday: Partly Cloudy. Highs approaching 60.

This is WUML Weather Director and student meteorologist John Webster for WUML Lowell 91.5 FM.

2007-09-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

today's weather map

Beautiful Fall Weather To Continue

After some steamy temperatures last week and a reminder of the dog-days of summer, weather conditions for the upcoming week will be cooler, drier, more comfortable, and seasonable. For those of us stuck in sweltering classrooms with no air-conditioning, the change will be a welcome relief.

High pressure will be in control for most of the forecast period, and that means fair weather and no precipitation on the horizon. With the sinking air that a high pressure system usually brings, clear conditions during the night time hours will allow for radiational cooling and a chance of morning fog through most of the forecast period.

A warming trend appears likely toward midweek as our high pressure slides offshore and ushers in a S/SW flow..... don't worry though, we won't see any more 90s like we did last week!

And now let's get to the forecast details:

Sunday: Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High near 66.

Tonight: Clear and cool, with fog developing toward morning. Low near 46

Monday: Patchy morning fog, burning off towards late morning. Mostly sunny for the afternoon, with highs near 69.

Monday Night: Partly Cloudy, with patchy fog developing toward morning once again. Low near 51

Tuesday: Partly to mostly sunny. A tad warmer, with highs near 72.

Wednesday: Morning fog once again. Partly cloudy by afternoon. High near 75.

Extended Outlook:

Thursday: Mostly sunny and warmer. High near 80

Friday: Continued beautiful weather with mostly sunny conditions and highs in the mid 70s.

I'm excited to announce that our WUML weather coverage will be expanding next week to feature Umass Lowell student meteorologists bringing you accurate forecasts tailored to the greater Lowell region.

Tune in to the SUNRISE morning show, starting at 7am on 91.5 FM for your first forecast. In addition, we will be providing daily forecast updates at noon.

And don't forget our student run news and informational show Campus Buzz, which airs every Monday from 4-6 pm, where I put down the weather charts and take the host seat.

This week, we have Justin Lawler from UML intramurals, as well as guests from Student Activities and the Counseling Center here at UML.

Last week's show featuring my interview with new UML Chancellor Marty Meehan is now podcast on the web at http://communications.uml.edu/connections/?p=571

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML weather director John Webster.

2007-09-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

The Heat Is ON!

High temperatures should top out around 95 degrees today in the Lowell area

Currently at 1:15 pm at the Umass Lowell Weather Observatory the temperature is already up to a steamy 86 degrees with a dewpoint of 67 degrees. That translates into a hot and sticky mess for later on this afternoon. Highs for the region will be in the lower 90s, with heat indices in the UPPER 90s - definitely not your average Fall weather.

However, releif is on our doorstep in the form of a frontal system which will approach the region tonight, bringing with it the chance of a scattered thunderstorm. A weak area of low pressure will likely develop along the front and track to our north, keeping unsettled weather in the area through Friday. There is a silver lining - we are running a precipitation deficit, so any rainfall will be beneficial to the region.

The weather should clear out just in time for an absolutely gorgeous weekend. Temperatures are looking even a tad milder than previously thought so it will be a great weekend for outdoor activities.

And now for the detailed forecast:

Today: Mostly sunny, hot and humid. Slight chance of a late afternoon thunderstorm. Any thunderstorms could contain some gusty winds. High 95

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the chance of a scattered showers or thunderstorms. Low 65

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a continued chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Cooler, with a High of 84 degrees.

Thursday Night: Continued mostly cloudy with the chance of a shower. Low 63

Friday: Cloudy to start, with clearing throughout the day. Cooler, with highs in the mid 70s.

Saturday: Beautiful! Sunny and mild. We will still be above average in the temperature department, with highs 70-75

Extended Outlook

Sunday: Sunny and mild once again, with highs in the mid 70s.

Monday : Mostly sunny, highs near 75 degrees.

This is WUML weather director, and Umass Lowell student meteorologist John Webster for WUML Lowell 91.5 FM.

2007-09-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the WUML 91.5 FM weather blog, where we aim to keep our Umass Community and local Lowell audience informed about the weather!

This year, we strive to provide accurate, timely forecasts, weather discussions, and a little bit of educational material thrown in for fun.

As the new Weather Director for WUML and Campus Buzz, our weekly student run news and informational radio show, I have been working with both the media department at the station, as well as meteorology students here at the university to expand our weather coverage so that students, faculty, and Lowell residents will be better informed about the weather. As always, I welcome any suggestions to improve our service. For comments or ideas, please email them to me at UMLJohnW@aol.com

And now on to the weather....

Although Autumn officially began at 5:51 am Sunday, our weather for the upcoming week will be anything but fall-like. In New England, Mother Nature rarely follows the calendar. I think she likes to keep us meteorologists on their toes.....

An area of high pressure currently located over the eastern Great Lakes will dominate our weather over the next several days. As it slides east toward Bermuda, winds will swing around to the southwest, pumping in some seasonably hot air that will feel anything but fall-like....In fact, the forecast over the next few days is more typical of mid-July! Temperatures by Tuesday will likely be just shy of the 90 degree mark, and by Wednesday we could even top that. Although both days will be on the humid side compared to our recent weather, a silver lining is that I don't expect any "steam heat" to make the hot weather feel even more uncomfortable.

For those who have already put away their shorts, our mini heat wave will be short lived.

By Thursday our summerlike pattern will begin to transition into more seasonable weather. Expect mostly cloudy conditions and temperatures in the mid-70s for your Thursday and Friday as a cold front swings down from the Northwest, ushering in some cooler and drier air just in time for the weekend.

By Saturday afternoon, highs will be a crisp 65-70 with mostly sunny conditions. Looking at the extended range computer models, I see no indications of any more significant warm ups down the road.

So, if you want to hit the beach one last time this year, you may want to develop a 24 hour bug just in time to pack your cooler Wednesday morning! And now for your detailed forecast....

Lowell Forecast

Monday: Mostly sunny and seasonably warm. Highs near 80

Monday Night: Clear. Lows 50-55. Calm wind.

Tuesday: Sunny and seasonably hot, with westerly winds 5-10 mph, gusting up to 20mph in the afternoon. Highs 85-90

Tuesday Night: Clear and cool, with lows 60-65 degrees. Winds becoming southwest 5-10 mph.

Wednesday: Quite possibly the last bona-fide beach day of the year. Partly Cloudy and HOT. Highs near 90.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy and cooler with the chance of a passing shower. Highs near 75.

Friday: Cloudy with the chance of a lingering shower. Highs 70-75.

Tune in to Campus Buzz, every Monday from 4-6 pm for your latest in news, weather, sports, and entertainment. Our featured guest this week - Former US Congressman and new Chancellor to Umass Lowell - Marty Meehan!

For WUML Lowell 91.5 FM, this is Umass Lowell student meteorologist and WUML Weather Director John Webster.

2007-09-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

After a short summer hiatus, Campus Buzz will be back this Monday, 9/24 starting at 4pm. Our WUML 91.5 FM weather blog will also be up and running again within the next day or so.

Have a great weekend everyone!

John Webster
Weather Director
Campus Buzz

2007-06-08T11:30:00.001-07:00

CHECK BACK IN THE FALL FOR THE LATEST UML NEWS, WEATHER, AND EVENTS!!
~Kate Watt
WUML News Director

2007-05-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the Best Weather Week of the Year!

April was certainly not a walk in the park in the Lowell area with cold snaps, snow, and flooding rains, but so far May has been making up for lost ground. Warm, dry, sunny days and cool nights could make for possibly the best stretch of weather for this YEAR!It's not often in New England that you can go five days without some sort of bad weather- be it Thunderstorms, Snow, Coldsnaps, or Heatwaves.

The next week looks to be the exception to the rule. Warm sunny days, with slowly moderating temperatures will be the trend from now until next Thursday at least.

High's for Saturday should top off in the upper 60s to near 70, while Sunday for the 39th annual Walk for Hunger in Boston will be a tad cooler with high around 60 degrees. The only fly in the ointment: We could see some scattered frost in low-lying inland suburbs late Sunday night and early Monday morning. It does NOT appear to be a killing frost at this point, however it may be wise to cover any recently planted tender vegetation Sunday night.

By next week, the 70's will be making a comeback, and we will be flirting with 80 degrees by the middle of the week. Each day will feature mostly sunny skies.... dewpoints will be low, so none of that oppressive humidity will accompany the warm temperatures. In a nutshell, a string of delightful weather that very rarely happens in New England.

The downside of the beautiful weather however may be the woes of the allergy sufferer. Pollen counts are already running very high thanks to maple and ash trees, and with the string of warm dry weather, look for pollen counts to increase as more plants join in the mix. By next Wednesday, many outdoor surfaces could have a yellow coating of pollen. So, if you're a seasonal allergy suffer, you may want to refill your prescriptions now.

Aside from that, enjoy the great weather while we wrap up the college year here at Umass Lowell. Our last Campus Buzz show of the semester will be next Friday from 9am-10am. We hope you join us in saying goodbye to another great year.

For Campus Buzz WUML Lowell 91.5 FM this is student meteorologist John Webster.

2007-04-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

How Do Those Things Form?
(scroll down for your Lowell weather update)

As promised, here is my Part 2 on tornadoes. This is national severe weather safety week, so I felt it might be appropriate to talk about what actually causes a tornado. Curious? Read on....

shot of a very wide tornado.... they can sometimes be up to a mile in diameter!

This is a "wall cloud" in a thunderstorm, associated with a strong, rotating updraft. These structures are usually a precursor to tornadoes - if you see one approaching, take cover!

Another large tornado. Note the dust and debris at the bottom of the funnel.

Tornadoes frequently "rope out" or become elongated and twisted before dissipating. The funnel size can decrease from hundreds of yards to only a few feet during this stage. Although it doesn't look as formidable as some of the other twisters above, they can still be deadly.

So how does it all start?

The sun warms the grounds surface, creating plumes of hot air or thermals which rise through the colder atmosphere. As the plume of air cools, the water vapor in it condenses, forming clouds. Often, meteorologists refer to air "parcels," which is akin to thinking of the air as if it were in a balloon, and following that balloon through the atmosphere. It's easier to calculate and conceptualize than if we assume all air simply dispersed as it rose from the ground.

If atmospheric conditions are unstable enough, a tornadic thunderstorm may develop. If the rising parcel of air as described above remains warmer than the surrounding air, it will continue to rise, because warm air is less dense (and therefore lighter) than cold air. With the continued rising, cloud tops may reach 70,000 feet high in the atmosphere.

Strong thunderstorms like the one above are usually caused by approaching cold fronts. The cold, dense air rushing into the warmer, moister air, causes the warm air ahead of the front to rise, resulting in convective clouds and thunderstorms.

So what specifically causes a tornado?

There is still research being done regarding tornado formation, but the best known theory is that WIND SHEAR is the major component in creating tornadoes. So what's wind shear? Wind shear is when winds do not blow uniformly in one direction at the same speed. Wind shear can occur in a couple of different ways - the first, is when winds are blowing in the same direction, but at different speeds (refer to diagram below). The second is when winds are blowing at the same speeds, but with different directions with height (for example, winds near the ground might be blowing from the Southwest, but may be blowing from the North higher up in the atmosphere). The third form of wind shear is a messy combo of the two - Winds can blow at different speeds, at different directions, at different heights. Following along so far? Then continue on below....

The varying wind speeds can cause a rotating cylinder of air in the atmosphere. For example, what would happen if you pushed on the top of a ball? It would roll. The shearing mechanism above works in the same way. The winds are stronger higher up than they are closer to the ground, causes the air to "roll" in a cylinder.

Now I'll put it all together for you

(or try anyway!)

Clouds have those "thermals" as I mentioned above. They are usually referred to as updrafts in thunderstorms, as they are much stronger. Air can rise up into the storm at speeds of 60 mph or more!

Once that updraft rushes up into the atmosphere and hits that rolling cylinder of air, it causes the tornado. How, you ask? What would happen if you were holding a long piece of ribbon horizontally just above the floor, and then someone else poked the center of that ribbon with their finger? It wouldn't stay flat, would it. The harder your friend pokes the ribbon, the taller the ribbon will become, until eventually the ribbon is no longer horizontal, but vertical!

That's what happens with the tornado. The rapidly rising air in the updraft distorts the horizontally rolling cylinder of air until it is no longer parallel to the ground high up in the air, but perpendicular to it, extending from the cloud to the ground's surface. And when that happens, you have the birth of a tornado. Look out!

So, there's my attempt to explain a pretty technical process. Still have questions? Shoot me an email..... I'll be more than happy to respond.

And now for Lowell Weather

High pressure over the region today will slide east as a storm system currently centered over Missouri tracks our way for Friday. That means enjoy today, because tomorrow looks to be a wet one with rain during the day, with a possible embedded thunderstorm and highs in the lower 50s. Yet another system looks to approach the area Saturday with some more showers, although it will be warmer with highs in the mid 60s.

There are currently flood watches in effect for most of New Hampshire and Maine because of these systems. Although the probably won't dump a ton of water over New England, major rivers are still high after the last Nor'easter. It won't take too much rain to see them rise again. So for people in Lowell, keep an eye on the Merrimack, as it may begin to rise yet again this weekend as the runoff from smaller streams drains into the river system.

At this time, it doesn't look to be anything close to another Mother's Day flooding event, just a rise of a couple feet or so. If this changes, the WUML weather team will be sure to let you know.

And finally, for all Umass Lowell Students, tomorrow is the spring carnival! If you plan on attending, you may want to wear a waterproof coat. Also, feel free to stop by the WUML 91.5 FM booth, as we will be broadcasting LIVE all day from the carnival. Ask a weather question, say hello, or meet the crew of the Campus Buzz News Team.

Until next time, this Umass Lowell Student Meteorologist John Webster.

2007-04-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Spring has Sprung.... into Summer? If you were lucky on Monday or even today, you were doing the above....

Remember this? It wasn't that long ago.... It's officially time to put away your shovels, and laugh at the person in this picture. Don't laugh too hard though... it could be you in 9 months.

Spring in New England.... In my opinion, our most volatile season. Sure, winter has blizzards, summer has the thunderstorms, and autumn has those cold snaps that leave frost on the pumpkin, but Spring takes the cake. Last week at this time we were recovering from a major Nor'easter, a historical flooding event in Lowell, and we were seeing rain mixed with snow at times with temperatures in the upper 30s and lower 40s.

Yesterday saw temperatures topping out around 87-88 in our area, blazing sun, gusty SW winds, and Fire Danger warnings. We were also about 45 degrees warmer than last week! Boston hit a new record high of 86, breaking the record of 85 set all the way back in 1905. No slow transitions here...we went from winter to summer without any imbetween. Monday was definitely a beach day....except for those of us sitting in hot, sweaty, non-air conditioned classrooms, where it was more of a "sauna day," sans towel and relaxation.....

A cool front slipped through early this morning, and our highs today maxed out around 72. Cool by yesterday's standards, but still above average. Don't get too spoiled.

The remainder of the week will see a slow decline back to reality. Temeratures should rise into the mid-60s for your Wednesday and Thursday with partly cloudy conditions, and by Friday the weather looks to be mostly cloudy with the chance of a shower, and highs only in the mid to upper 50s. I know, I know. Like I said, spring is pretty volatile here in New England.

Weather Headlines

This week, April 23-27, is severe weather safety awareness week in southern New England. Read up about tornado safety here:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/productDisplay.php?product=BOSPNSBOX&version=0

We've already talked a little about tornadoes, and next time we can examine the structure of these storms. I've already gotten some positive feedback from you readers.... Thank you, and keep it coming!

In WUML 91.5 FM "Campus Buzz" news, we will be airing LIVE from SPRING CARNIVAL this Friday at 11am on the Umass Lowell South Campus. Feel free to stop by, say hi, or just watch us broadcasting live. I will also be at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) booth, so feel free to visit one, or both.

Until next time, this is Umass Lowell Student Meteorologist John Webster.

2007-04-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

We're Not in Kansas Anymore Toto...... Tornado as seen from an aircraft - pretty cool huh? Click to enlarge.

Map of United States tornadoes - each red dot represents a tornado report. Click to enlarge.

Diagram of a thunderstorm and tornado - click to enlarge .

What does a tornado look like on radar? A "hook" echo like the one directly above Florence, AL as seen in the radar capture above. Click to enlarge.

Tornadoes, especially in the Great Plains, can be monsters like the one above - up to a mile wide with winds in excess of 300 mph!

If you guessed it after reading the last post, give yourself a big pat on the back. Yes, it is the still somewhat mysterious tornado that has been known to defeather chickens in its path and rain frogs (among other strange things).

Since things are pretty quiet (and beautiful) in the weather department, I figured now would be a good time to explore one of nature's most mysterious weather phenomena - the tornado.

Spring in the United States is prime tornado season - especially in the area of the country known as "Tornado Alley" extending from northern Texas, up through Oklahoma, and Nebraska. This region of the continent is frequently the battleground between warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, and cold, dry air migrating south from the upper-Midwest. This giant clash of airmasses is the breeding ground for severe thunderstorm outbreaks and possible tornadoes.

If you look at the map above with all the red dots, you can see that tornadoes are most prevalent in the eastern half of the nation. The Rocky Mountains in the west act as a sort of "Tornado Divide", and anything east of there is susceptible to the deadly tornado. On the west coast, tornadoes are relatively infrequent, as shown by the lack of red dots.

Why such a difference? The prevailing flow in the continental United States is from West to East. Most of the weather affecting the West coast of the U.S. has its origins over the Pacific Ocean, where the air is cool and stable. The Rocky Mountains also act as a blocking mechanism, preventing any warm moist Gulf air from penetrating west, while at the same time shunting any cold dry air from Canada to the east. For that reason, the West Coast is pretty safe, but the central United State is the MOST ACTIVELY TORNADIC REGION IN THE WORLD!!! Yup, that's right folks, if you want to see a tornado, your best bet over the entire globe is to book a flight to Oklahoma or one of the other states in "Tornado Alley."

So how does a tornado de-feather chickens? Some folk-lore claims the winds are so strong that they just blow the feathers right off the poor chickens. Another, more scientific theory, is that when a chicken feels threatened, its feathers become easily removable as a defense mechanism (for example, a hungry coyote attacking a chicken would be left with only a mouthful of feathers!) This biological response to danger allows the strong winds of the tornado to whip away the feathers of the bird when the storm approaches.

How about raining frogs? Tornadoes have been known to pass over bodies of water, and the suction power of the vortex does the rest. Fish, tadpoles, even frogs, have been picked up by tornadoes and then rained down over inland areas as the storm dissipated. Imagine waking up on a Sunday morning to find yourself sucked out of your home and thoudsands of feet up into the sky, only to be unceremoniously dropped a few minutes later. Talk about a way to go.....

Next time, if the weather is still quiet, we will explore how a tornado actually FORMS. What mechanisms are needed to spawn these destructive twisters? Check back for the details.....

Turning back to New England Weather, enjoy today and tomorrow because you know it couldn't last. Monday looks to be almost summerlike, with temperatures topping (drumroll please) 80 DEGREES in most places!

A cold front looks to spoil the fun thereafter for the rest of the week, dropping our temperatures to more seasonable 50s and 60s.

For the up-to-date weather forecast, tune in every Monday - Thursday with Will Sheridan on Sunrise starting at 7 am, and myself every Friday starting at 9am on Campus Buzz WUML Lowell 91.5 FM.

Until next time, this is Umass Lowell Student Meteorologist John Webster. Enjoy the great weather!

2007-04-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Merrimack, Hello Sunshine!!!

The Merrimack overflowing its banks in Chelmsford from last week's storm left some people without a ride....

Last Tuesday saw the Merrimack River at Lowell cresting at its 5th highest level ever at 58.09 feet less than a year after the historic Mother's Day flooding. Roads in Lowell were closed due the the river flooding, making in town trips a bit of a challenge in some areas.

Although the Merrimack is still in flood stage, it is forecast to fall below flood levels this weekend. Looks like we bumped #5 outta there after this pasts weeks flooding. It could have been worse though- check out the top historical crest below - almost 10 FEET higher than what we saw last week....

Historical Crests
(1) 68.40 ft on 03/20/1936
(2) 60.60 ft on 04/23/1852
(3) 60.57 ft on 09/23/1938
(4) 58.84 ft on 05/15/2006
(5) 57.16 ft on 04/07/1987

Some good news for a change....Absolutely Gorgeous weather will be on tap for the next few days. This weekend may be one of the "Top Ten" of the year - Sunny, Warm, light winds, with highs approaching 70 each day. Doesn't get much better than that.....

Unless of course you like 80, and we will be approaching that by Monday of next week. So dig back deep into your closet for those summer clothes, and dust off your shorts, because they may come in handy for early next week before a cold front slides through and cuts down on our temperatures.

Next posting, I'll be discussing something that's very important this time of year, especially to people in the heartland of the nation. Here's a hint: What weather phenomenon has been known to de-feather chickens, rain frogs, and has its own "alley" named after it?

Until then, this is Umass Lowell Student Meteorologist John Webster wishing you a great weekend!

2007-04-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

a quick update....

MERRIMACK RIVER UNDERGOING MODERATE TO SERIOUS FLOODING

UMASS LOWELL IS CLOSED TODAY 4.17 DUE TO FLOODING

2007-04-17T00:25:00.000-07:00

Serious Flooding?

A quick update - the Hydrologic Prediction Center (a branch of NOAA) has issued the following statement regarding the Merrimack in Lowell. The
chart above is the depth of the Merrimack at Lowell (click to enlarge). The dark blue line is the recorded depth- the green dashed line is the forecast depth.

The river has risen 8 FEET since the storm began!!!!

Note that the actual depth is already HIGHER than the forecast depth.

THIS IS A SERIOUS FLOOD EVENT. ALL PERSONS ALONG THE MERRIMACK RIVER SHOULD FOLLOW THE EVACUATION RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMANT OFFICIALS. IF ASKED TO EVACUATE...DO SO IMMEDIATELY. ALL FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES MUST BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS.

FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD PORTIONS OF ROUTE 113 ABOVE THE PAWTUCKET FALLS. ALSO...PORTIONS OF ROUTE 110 AND SEVERAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALONG ROUTE 110 HEADING NORTH AND EAST INTO TEWKSBURY MAY BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE FLOODING. FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICALS. IF ASKED TO EVACUATE...DO SO IMMEDIATELY.

2007-04-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

WHOA NELLIE!!!!!

Photo taken in Beverly Monday morning at high tide. Minor to moderate coastal flooding affected much of the Massachusetts coast from the very strong Nor'easter.

Satellite view of yesterday's storm. Impacts were felt from Canada all the way to Hispanola. Can you say "WHOA NELLIE?!?!?"

Been a busy couple days in the weather department...as well as the pumping out my basement department. Yep, we could hold some boat races down there. Luckily most of the belongings are up on wooden crates after last May's deluge that resulted in major flooding throughout all of New England.

This whopper of a storm has brought upwards of 5 inches of rain to the area (and counting), wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH, and flooding - lots of flooding. We have experienced coastal flooding (Beverly and Salisbury just to name a couple), river flooding, urban flooding, and my favorite one of all, Basement flooding!

This one definitely deserves a "Whoa Nellie!"

Unfortunately, our unwelcomed guest is going to stick around for another day or two before finally meandering away. In fact, ANOTHER area of low pressure is expected to develop to the SE of the initial monster of a storm, and pinwheel BACK towards New England tomorrow. Expect more rain (although not as heavy), some wet snow, and watch for the winds to pick up again tomorrow. Gusts should be 25-35 MPH, not nearly as bad as the 60MPH gusts we saw Sunday night and early Monday. However, with the ground super saturated right now, trees may be uprooted easily - so more power outages are a possibility.

The entire state of Massachusetts is currently under various flood warnings. The Merrimack is expected to flood, as well as other rivers in the Lowell area. More coastal flooding is possible at the next high tide.

We'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, the boat races are on at my place...any bets?

2007-04-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Today's Weather Map of impending Nor'easter. Click to enlarge.

A Nasty Nor'Easter...

Get Ready for Heavy Windswept Rain and possible Flooding

Good morning to all. The storm, as advertised for awhile now, is currently impacting the region with bouts of rain periodically mixed in with sleet and snow when the precipitation comes down hard enough. Look for this to continue throughout the day, with temperatures maxing out around 38 F. As the storm tracks closer during the evening it will likely draw in some warmer air, limiting any mixing that may occur.

Rainfall totals for the Lowell area may approach 5 INCHES by the time the storm winds down later on Monday. To give you an idea of how much rain that is, if this storm were all snow, that would be upwards of 4 FEET of snow! Yikes!

There are various weather watches and warnings currently in effect for different parts of New England - from Winter Storm Warnings for northern sections of ME, NH, and VT, to Coastal Flood Warnings on the Cape and Islands.

Heavy snow (up to two feet ) is possible in Northern New York State as well as the higher elevations of Northern New England. The large scope of the storm is also impacting Florida as we speak, with a line of strong to severe thunderstorms slicing across the state with this storm system's associated cold front. Click on the weather map at the top of the post to get a better picture of just how massive this storm is.

As of now, a Flood Watch has been issued for our area and is as follows below from the Nation Weather Service....

Flood Watch in Effect Through Monday

* THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON*

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND...WITH AS MUCH AS 5 INCHES IN A FEW LOCATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.

* PRIMARY THREAT REGIONS FOR ANY 5 INCH 24 HOUR AMOUNTS ARE RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING MUCH OF THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR FROM WESTERLY TO PROVIDENCE BOSTON AND ESSEX COUNTY OF NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS.

We'll keep you posted as new developments warrant.

2007-04-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Wet n Wild Weekend.....

...nope, I'm not talking about Water Country, I'm talking about our upcoming weather for the latter half of the holiday weekend. The storm system progged to develop and affect our area from Sunday into Monday is on schedule, with a period of heavy rain and strong winds possible, especially during the overnight on Sunday and into Monday morning. We could see upwards of three inches of rain from the storm, and coastal flooding remains a possibility as mentioned in previous postings.

A possible silver lining: if the storm center tracks right OVER us on Monday, we could see the rain lighten up and some breaks in cloudcover as we would be under the "dry slot" of the storm. Let's hope this scenario plays out so that the Boston Marathon isn't a complete washout.

Until then, the remainder of your Friday will feature mostly cloudy skies with a possible sprinkle or shower, with highs in the mid 40s. Saturday is the pick of the weekend, where temperatures will rebound to near seasonal levels with highs in the mid 50's and mostly sunny skies. The weather will turn downhill in a hurry for Sunday, and by Sunday evening it looks to be pretty nasty out there, continuing on through the overnight with some heavy windswept rains.

We'll have updates for you as the situation unfolds.

Wishing you all a great holiday weekend....