Cold Stretch To Continue Overnight, Record Low Temp Possible In Philly

Philadelphians could wake up to a new record-low temperature on Tuesday.

The cold-for-May snap hitting the region today — temperatures are about 15 degrees below normal — should continue overnight, with a low temperature of around 41 degrees expected, the National Weather Service says.

If the mercury drops any lower than that, Philadelphia would have a new record: The coldest temperature ever recorded on May 14 is 40 degrees, according to the weather service.

The weather service is calling that mark a “possible vulnerable record low.”

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Cold_stretch_to_continue_overnight_record_low_temp_possible_in_Philly.html#3eUFqHvhv5DTxxW8.99

Weather Does Please, But It’s Just A Tease

Ah, at long last, golfing weather.

Abundant sunshine, temperatures near 60 and the Easter spirit got Willy Quick in the mood Saturday to practice chipping and putting.

“This is a good golfing day,” declared Quick, 68, toting an 8-iron at Reading’s Third & Spruce Recreation Center.

Not to put a damper on things, but the scent of spring is likely to be short-lived.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=464630

Snow Tonight? Uh, Really???

Must have been a lot of grousing this morning by local schoolkids unhappy to wake up and see … nothing.

No snow.

Forecasts of two to six inches of snow for Philadelphia and its suburbs proved closer to scoops of pixie dust than blankets of sleddable crystals.

The word snow failed to even get a mention in the hourly reports overnight for airports in Lancaster, Pottstown, Philadelphia and Mount Holly.

Good thing forecasters restrained themselves from citing a computer model that predicted 15 inches of snow, said Anthony Gigi, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20130307_Snow_tonight__Uh__really___.html

Storm Expected To Dump 2 To 4 ‘Slushy’ Inches On Berks

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spring may be just around the corner, but winter weather is still here.

A heavy, wet snow that will start early this morning and end about midnight is expected to drop 2 to 4 inches on Berks County, according to forecasters with AccuWeather near State College.

“The snow will be heavy and mixed with rain,” said Mike Pigott, an AccuWeather senior meteorologist.  ”It’s going to be that backbreaking kind of slushy snow that’s hard to clean up.”

The temperature is expected to drop to 32 degrees tonight, so icy patches on roads are likely into Thursday morning, Pigott said.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=456999

More Talk Of Snow Than Snow On The Ground

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In less than two weeks, March will roar in.

And, if the forecast and history are indicators of what lies ahead, this winter is likely to go down as one of the meekest of the past decade, in terms of snow.

For the winter of 2012-13, Millersville University‘s Weather Information Center had recorded just 7 inches of snow falling on Lancaster County through noon Thursday.  Another 1.5 inches had fallen by Sunday evening, the result of several small storms.

Now consider this:

A warming trend is on the way, according to Accuweather.com, with high temperatures approaching 50 degrees expected by the time February turns to March.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/816311_More-talk-of-snow-than-snow-on-the-ground.html#ixzz2LDYMYHWX

Berks County Spared Snowstorm’s Worst

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Berks County managed to mostly duck a storm that pummeled much of the northeast, dumping mountains of snow on New York and New England.

“Generally speaking, we got out pretty easy compared to farther northeast,” said Alan Reppert, a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather near State College.

Reppert said Friday night that the snow falling in Berks was expected to taper off between midnight and 2 a.m., leaving behind about 3 inches in most parts of the county. Winds were expected to pick up overnight, he said, gusting up to 40 mph. And temperatures were set dip into the 20s, with an expected high today of 30 degrees.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=451740

2012 Was Hottest Year Ever In U.S.

WASHINGTON – America set an off-the-charts heat record in 2012.

A brutal combination of a widespread drought and a mostly absent winter pushed the average annual U.S. temperature last year up to 55.32 degrees Fahrenheit, the government announced Tuesday.  That’s a full degree warmer than the old record set in 1998.

Breaking temperature records by an entire degree is unprecedented, scientists say.  Normally, records are broken by a tenth of a degree or so.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/2012-was-hottest-year-ever-in-us-669515/#ixzz2HR9fxKLW

A Record Worth Wilting For: Death Valley Is Hotter Than …

USA-CALIFORNIA/DEATH VALLEY STS073-E-5119 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CALIFORNIA/DEATH VALLEY (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

FURNACE CREEK, CALIFORNIA — For Death Valley, a place that embraces its extremes, this has long been an affront: As furnace-hot as it gets here, it could not lay claim to being the hottest place on earth.  That honor, as it were, has gone since 1922 to a city on the northwestern tip of Libya.

Until now. After a yearlong investigation by a team of climate scientists, the World Meteorological Organization, the climate agency of the United Nations, announced this fall that it was throwing out a reading of 136.4 degrees claimed by the city of Al Aziziyah on Sept. 13, 1922.  It made official what anyone who has soldiered through a Death Valley summer afternoon here could attest to.  There is no place hotter in the world.  A 134-degree reading registered on July 10, 1913, at Greenland Ranch here is now the official world record.

And while people were not quite jumping up and down at the honor, the 134-degree reading has inspired the kind of civic pride that for most communities might come with having a winning Little League baseball team.

“For those of us who survive here in the summer, it was no surprise that it’s the hottest place on the world,” said Charlie Callaghan, a Death Valley National Park ranger who personally recorded a 129-degree day here a few years back.

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/29/science/earth/death-valley-temperature-record-is-restored.html?hp&_r=0

‘Nuisance’ Snow Deposits About Half-Inch Across Lancaster County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Officially, winter doesn’t begin until Dec. 21.

But Lancaster County got a small taste of it Tuesday.

On average, about a half inch of snow coated Lancaster County during a morning snowstorm, according to the National Weather Service.

Higher elevations in the county’s northern half saw a little bit more.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/786132_-Nuisance–snow-deposits-about-half-inch-across-county.html#ixzz2DStVhJNt

First Snowfall Of Season In Forecast

Berks County could get a taste of snow this week.

Forecasters are expecting a slushy accumulation Tuesday. The snow, expected to amount to 1 to 2 inches, should start between midnight and 4 a.m. and end during the afternoon, said Mike Pigott of AccuWeather near State College.

But it’s not likely to stick around.

“A lot of it will actually melt on the roadways, but there could be a slushy coating,” Pigott said.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=431275

Nor’easter Expected To Hit This Week

With Superstorm Sandy barely in the rear-view mirror, the east coast is the path of a nor’easter expected to arrive mid-week.

Fortunately for those still reeling from the effects of Sandy, the storm shouldn’t be anywhere near as dangerous, Accu-weather senior meterologist Alan Reppert said.

Storm conditions will begin Wednesday and continue overnight into Thurday.  The Lehigh Valley could see wind gusts of 40 mph and about an inch of rain, Reppert said.  The Poconos may see snow, depending on the storm’s track.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-allentown-weather-noreaster-20121104,0,6026030.story?obref=obinsite

Worst Of Hurricane Sandy Expected In Western Pennsylvania Tonight

Locator map of the Greater Pittsburgh metro area in the western part of the of . Red denotes the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, and yellow denotes the New Castle Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Pittsburgh-New Castle CSA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pennsylvania utility companies are reporting that more than 30,000 people are already without power around the state, in the first wave of what are expected to be an increasing number of outages because of Hurricane Sandy.

At 3:15 p.m. Monday PECO was reporting over 15,000 customers without power, mostly in the Philadelphia area.  First Energy reports more than 8,000 and PPL about 8,000, including some in the Harrisburg area.

The utilities have lined up extra repair crews, but they still say some people could be without power for days.

Larger numbers of people are already without power in New Jersey.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/hurricane-sandy-impacts-beginning-to-be-felt-into-western-pennsylvania-659697/#ixzz2AjIf57gf

King Of Prussia Mall Closed

King of Prussia Mall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Due to weather emergencies concerning Hurricane Sandy, King of Prussia will be closed on Monday, October 29th.  Please check back as the storm progresses for updates regarding opening hours on Tuesday, October 30th.

Montgomery County Public Safety Department Provides Public Inquiry Lines

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN, PA (COURTHOUSE) — As Hurricane Sandy bears down on Montgomery County, residents can turn to county public safety officials for information about the hurricane.

The Montgomery County Public Safety Department announced Monday morning that staffers are manning phone lines to answer residents’ questions about the storm. Residents with questions about what is happening in their area can call 610-631-9700.

John A. Corcoran, deputy director of external affairs for the Montgomery County Public Safety Department, stressed the phone lines are for general questions, not emergencies.

“They should call 911 if they have an emergency and call their utility if they have a power outage,” Corcoran explained.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/article/20121029/NEWS01/121029520/montgomery-county-public-safety-department-provides-public-inquiry-lines&pager=full_story

Rain Falling Harder In Lancaster County; First Power Outage Reported

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roads are empty.

Schools are dark.

The mall is closed.

Emergency workers are at their posts.

Skies darkened and rain began falling hard as the county hunkered down, waiting for Hurricane Sandy to howl through here with its full power later today.

“Get out now,” said Mayor Rick Gray,  urging residents to evacuate in flood-prone areas of the city.  ”If it doesn’t flood, thank God.  If it does flood, you’re safe.  We don’t want to be in a position to put our police officers and our firefighters in harm’s way because you didn’t evacuate.”

The first significant power outage hit late this morning, when about 600 people lost their electricity in the Elizabeth Township area, after power lines were reported down along Route 322 there.

But for most of the county, the morning was the calm before the Frankenstorm as local residents, who had days to buy flashlight batteries, stock up on water and clean out their gutters, waited for the storm.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/766797_UPDATED–Rain-falling-harder-in-county–first-power-outage-reported–.html#ixzz2AhhYq6Ia

A State-By-State Look At The East Coast Superstorm

Hurricane Sandy is churning off the East Coast and is expected to join up with two other weather systems to create a huge and problematic storm affecting 50 million people. Here’s a snapshot of what is happening or expected, state by state.

CAROLINAS

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 14 members of a crew forced to abandon a tall ship about 90 miles off the North Carolina coast and continued to search for two other crew members. The storm lashed barrier islands and rendered several homes and businesses nearly inaccessible.

CONNECTICUT

The number of power outages increased quickly in a state where utilities’ response to past weather-related failures has become a political issue. Connecticut Light & Power says hundreds of customers are without power. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy asked a task force to ensure fuel suppliers are fully stocked. Many residents along Long Island Sound heeded warnings and evacuated.

DELAWARE

Hundreds of people fled to shelters as rough surf pounded the coast. Water covered some roads.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/PASCR/129f925473c4485f86d69d2cafc09abe/Article_2012-10-29-Superstorm%20Sandy-States/id-cf511326a5604fc1a25f6a556ba5e456

Monster Storm Closing In On Lehigh Valley Region

Icon for a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale Category 1 hurricane. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After almost a week of ominous forecasts, the weather system born of a giant hurricane, a winter storm and an arctic air mass is upon us.  And it’s not going anywhere fast.

Across the Lehigh Valley, residents and government officials worked through the weekend to protect lives and property as Hurricane Sandy morphed into a gargantuan storm that will affect every part of the Northeast.

Although Sandy, which remained a Category 1 hurricane, was not expected to make landfall on the New Jersey coast until late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, the storm’s effects have been felt since Sunday evening.  Ahead of Sandy’s landfall, every school district in the Lehigh Valley canceled Monday’s classes.  Some colleges closed through Tuesday.

The worst of the weather will persist throughout the day Monday, with sustained winds from 35 to 45 mph and gusts up to 55 mph.  That will bring down tree limbs and small trees causing power outages and property damage.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-hurricane-sandy-impact-20121028,0,6460543.story

Governor Corbett Makes Disaster Declaration In Preparation For Frankenstorm

Map of Pennsylvania, showing major cities and roads (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Predictions for the hybrid storm bearing down on the Northeast keep worsening and the tone of the coverage is growing ever more strident, so it’s no wonder the phone at Ice Cream World has been ringing off the hook.

No one’s looking to stock up on ice cream. The South Whitehall Township ice cream parlor across from Dorney Park has long been a supplier of dry ice for power outage emergencies.

A block of the frozen compressed gas can preserve the food in a powerless refrigerator for days.  And with the storm dubbed “Frankenstorm” predicted to rampage from Sunday to Wednesday with powerful winds and flooding rain, power outages are a virtual certainty.

“For years people have known we’re one of the centers for dry ice,” owner Kim MacIver said Friday. “We’ve had people show up, but we’re asking them to wait.”

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-frankenstorm-latest-20121026,0,5655788,full.story

Berks County Braces For Hurricane Early Next Week

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Almost a year after a freak Halloween snowstorm buried Berks County, utility companies are preparing for the possibility of more rare weather: a hurricane that forecasters say could cause trouble here early next week.

Hurricane Sandy was still a long way off northeast of Cuba on Thursday, but it seemed to be heading this way with strong winds and heavy rain that could bring flooding, property damage and power outages, AccuWeather said.

There could be wind gusts of at least 50 mph and several inches of rain, meteorologist Tom Kines said.

The worst case is that it continues on its current northward track, while the best case is that it heads east out to sea, resulting in only a normal rainstorm, he said. If severe weather comes, it will most likely arrive Monday night or early Tuesday.

Reading Eagle: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=423464

‘Frankenstorm’ Threatens East Coast

WASHINGTON — An unusual nasty mix of a hurricane and a winter storm that forecasters are now calling “Frankenstorm” is likely to blast most of the East Coast next week, focusing the worst of its weather mayhem around New York City and New Jersey.

Government forecasters today upped the odds of a major weather mess, now saying there’s a 90 percent chance that the East will get steady gale-force winds, heavy rain, flooding and maybe snow starting Sunday and stretching past Halloween on Wednesday.

Meteorologists say it is likely to cause $1 billion in damages.

The storm is a combination of Hurricane Sandy, now in the Caribbean, an early winter storm in the West, and a blast of arctic air from the North. They’re predicted to collide and park over the country’s most populous coastal corridor and reach as far inland as Ohio.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=423263