March 17, 2016 Night

Certainly a nice evening, although I think a rain shower is about to chase me indoors as the temperature drops to 48 degrees. The spring peepers are out for the first time this year. Earlier this evening the stars and the moon were quite nicer. Cooler temperatures but with more sun coming for the weekend.

Indeed, tonight was the first time I’ve been down to the park after work since early fall. Granted it was fairly cool down there with the breeze and darkness came at 7:30, it still was nice. Also walked down to the library to get some more census data for mapping. Then came home and had a few beers out back. Went inside when the rain came, and watched the PBS News hour.

Tonight will have continued scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Still mild for one more evening, 11 degrees above normal. The record low of -8 degrees was set back in 1900.

Tonight will have 11 hours and 54 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 55 seconds over last night. I’m glad the nights are getting shorter and days are longer. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:59 am with the first light at 6:31 am, which is 1 minutes and 45 seconds earlier then today.

Tonight we have a Waxing Gibbous Moon with 60% illuminated. It will set at 2:13 am. March’s Full Worm Moon is is on Tuesday. It was pretty until the shower started to come in.

Tomorrow will have a chance of showers, mainly before 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. West wind 9 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. The temperature is about normal for today. The record high of 69 degrees was set back in 2012.

The average high in four weeks on Friday April 15th is 58 degrees, and the record for that date is 83 degrees was set back in 1968. Nicer days can’t be that far away. I saw the grass is greening up in West Capitol Park and the trees already have some buds on them. Freezing temperatures over the next few days may slow that down a bit but I’m not seeing any long-term cold weather in the coming weeks. With an average high creeping up, spring is a certainty.

I hope you had a good day. Sleep well!

First time at Elm Ave Park

Down at the Elm Ave Park for the first time after work this year. We are just beyond sunset but there is still a fair amount of light. Currently partly clear and 56 degrees but with a bit of wind. Grass is starting to green up.

March 17, 2016 Evening

Good evening! Currently partly cloudy with occasional thunderstorms rolling through and mercury wise it’s 56 degrees with a 9 mph west-northwest wind. We are down a few degrees from the high of 59 degrees, which is still quite mild for mid March.

Tonight the sun will set at 7:05 pm with darkness around 7:33 pm, which is 1 minutes and 10 seconds later than yesterday. In four weeks on April 14 the sun will be setting at 7:37 pm, which is 32 minutes later then today. Not coming home to darkness in the evenings sure is nice.

Tonight we have a Waxing Gibbous Moon with 60% illuminated. It will set at 2:13 am. March’s Full Worm Moon is going to be on Tuesday. It should warm up a bit and be clear for it if the full moon.

Continued scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the region tonight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tonight will be about 11 degrees above normal. The record low of -8 degrees was set back in 1900.

After the cool down tonight, we will have temperatures that are more seasonable if not even a bit below average. Every day will get at least to the upper 30s and lower 40s but averages now are heading into the upper 40s for highs.

Looking ahead to the weekend cool but sunny conditions will prevail. Saturday will be sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 21. Sunday will have a chance of snow after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 40%. We will have to watch the forecast for Sunday night but my call is that it will be no more than a few inches of wet sloppy snow, if even that. I expect the roads to be fine by mid Monday morning and any snow to melt away by mid-day. I’m unconcerned with the potential snowstorm forecasts, I’m not seeing the cold or the energy to make it happen.

Feeling better this evening. A little achy but I think that has more about sitting at the desk all day. I will make sure to get out and do some walking this evening.

I hope your Thursday is going well. Have a great evening!