GOES West Successful Launch...

Being a “child of the space age”, I’m still impressed watching a rocket launch a payload into space. (Google space launch weather satellite GOES S)     Growing up it was Project Mercury followed by Gemini, Apollo & the Space Shuttle.   The thought of all the engineering requirements boggle my mind.   From simple black & white grainy satellite pictures (TIROS Program) to the current high resolution full color loops of the GOES program.  We’ve come a long way baby!  Add in the ability to map lightning and see through the atmosphere to determine low level winds is truly amazing.   Through the internet, you can now click on satellite pictures, determine the area you want to view, choose the channel (IR, VIS, Water Vapor etc) you want to watch & select the number of frames you want to loop.   It’s a weather geek’s paradise!   No need to watch your local weather program since they seldom show satellite loops and rarely explain what there are showing.  A lost art from the past as I mentioned last blog.

 

2 storms are battering both coast tonight.  The West needs the rain & snow while the East doesn’t.   The network news programs did their usual overhype and I’m sure many veteran New Englanders are wondering why all the fuss?  It’s called a Nor’easter and they happen every year during late February & March.   Will there be some negative impacts?   For sure, but it’s not like this has never happened before.  Watch for The Weather Channel to have Jim Cantore flapping in the gale out over the end of Cape Cod tomorrow morning.   For us, a weak cold front passed through that should put an end to our spell of record warmth (record high 84 today).   This isn’t much of a front as it’ll just get us back to where we should be for early March.  Another front will arrive late Monday into Tuesday with a stronger cold push, but there are no signs of any Arctic plunge coming.  A sign that the seasons are changing was the arrival of my lawn service guy today.  The grass is growing again and this was the first cutting since the deep freeze back in Dec-Jan.   Flowers are blooming, grasses are growing, trees are budding and allergy sufferers are struggling.   Spring!

 

Did you notice the article in The Advocate indicating the Army Corps of Engineers may have to open the Spillway as the revised crest at the Carrollton gage is now 17’?   More rain is falling over the Ohio River and more rain is forecast for next week.   We will be dealing with high river water for many weeks.  Stay tuned!