Hardware failure at the weather station

The Davis weather station here at N3HCP has, after many years of continual service, finally failed. To be precise, the computer interface has failed. I still have access to the data, but can't post it on the web.

Friday's storm

It looks like another winter mess for the area from late Thursday or early Friday into Saturday morning. The question right now is how bad this thing will get. Best bet now is for a couple inches of snow over the area followed by sleet and freezing rain, maybe turning back to snow before ending. That said, the potential exists for several inches of snow, so keep those shovels handy! Ice accumulations could be a quarter inch or more. High pressure will build in for the weekend, but look out for yet more snow for the first of the week.

Snow for Wednesday?

Yep...looks that way. A clipper system looks poised to slide just south of us on Wednesday bringing an inch or two of snow to the area. The good news is that there is enough cold air in place to keep this on all snow. The storm for the weekend is a bit less certain. Forecast models can't agree, but some precipitation is almost a sure thing. The amount and type are "up in the air" (pun intended) for now.

Here we go again.

Well, it looks like we are in for yet another wintry mess for Tuesday. A low pressure area will be in southern Ohio by Tuesday morning and track east bringing the usual snow-sleet-freezing rain-rain scenario to the area. Accumulations are still up in the air, but a couple inches of snow followed by 1/2 inch of ice seems likely. Oh, joy!!

"Storm" update!

What I thought was sleet last night during the thunder storm turned out, under closer examination in the bright light of day, to bee hail! The hail stones were about 2-3mm in size. Yes, I know, by definition hail must be at least 5mm in diameter, but, at least here in Schaefferstown, little round, layered balls of ice that fell from the sky during a thunder storm are hail. So say we all!

Strange day...

This was a strange day, especially for February. We started out with a snow squall this morning, followed by temperatures in the 40's and then a thunder shower in the evening, with sleet, no less!
As for the next few days, cold is the word. Temperatures will be back to, or even below, normal. Sunday will be windy with the chance of a few snow squalls.

News Flash!!!

Union Canal Unie (sp?) failed to see his shadow this morning in Myerstown. As a result, we are told, Spring is just around the corner...stay tuned!

Will the Groundhog see his shadow?

Who knows! It seems the groundhog's eye sight has little or nothing to do with the actual weather on Feb. 2. So, where, you ask, did this Groundhog Day stuff come from anyway? Good question. It depends on who you ask. It is interesting, however, that Groundhog day is also Candlemas Day. It also marks the mid point of meteorological winter. thus the old Scottish poem:

As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and snow
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop

Said another way, you may have heard that "half your wood and half your hay should remain on Candlemas Day".

So, if he sees his shadow or not...Happy Candlemas Day!

That was a rainy day!

Schaefferstown received 2.47 inches of rain up until 6:00 PM. The official weather station at Harrisburg had a little less, but still set a record for the day. Aren't we glad the temperature warmed up and most of it was liquid and we didn't have over 2 inches of ice!