New London School explosion

New London School explosion

"The New London School explosion occurred on March 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the London School of New London, Texas,[1] a community in Rusk County previously known as "London". The disaster killed more than 295 students and teachers, making it the deadliest school disaster in American history. As of 2014, the event is the third deadliest disaster in the history of Texas, after the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and the 1947 Texas City disaster."

March 17, 2017 Evening

Happy Weekend! Ten weeks from now we will kicking off our Memorial Day Weekend. I’m ready for that. Hell yes. Mostly sunny and 40 degrees in City of Albany. There is a west-northwest breeze at 8 mph. Cold evening with the below average temperatures and snow but I’m dreaming of those spring and summer weekends not too far in the future. 

The sun will set at 7:04 pm with dusk around 7:32 pm, which is one minute and 10 seconds later than yesterday. At sunset, look for clear conditions and 34 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 5 mph.

Traffic is finally running smoothly heading out of the city, now that they finally have chopped away at the snow banks. Bus was a few minutes late but we are making good progress now. 

Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low of 16 degrees at 6am. 10 degrees below normal. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2016, it got down to 32 degrees with periods of rain. The record low of -8 occurred back in 1900.

Waning Gibbous Moon tonight with 65% illuminated. The moon will rise around 10:21 pm. The Last Quarter Moon is on Monday night with mostly cloudy skies expected. The Full β€œPink” Moon is on Tuesday, April 11th. The sun will rise at 7:01 am with the first light at 6:33 am, which is one minute and 44 seconds earlier than yesterday. Tonight will have 11 hours and 54 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 55 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have a slight chance of snow between 11am and 3pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Increasing clouds, with a high of 37 degrees at 4pm. Eight degrees below normal. Southeast wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A year ago, we had rain and a high of 51 degrees. The record high of 69 was set in 2012. 8 inches of snow fell back in 1977.

Sunday, partly sunny, with a high near 39. North wind 7 to 10 mph. 

A little below the average high of 45 degrees for the weekend. 

In four weeks on April 14 the sun will be setting at 7:36 pm, which is 32 minutes and 5 seconds later then today. By then dusk will be after 8 pm so I’ll have plenty of time to fight traffic and get up to the Adirondacks enjoy a nice evening. It will be Good Friday this year them.  In 2016 on that day, we had sunny skies and temperatures between 58 and 31 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 58 and 37 degrees. The record high of 83 degrees was set back in 1968.

Looking ahead, Good Friday is in 4 weeks, Patriots Day is in 1 month, Arbor Day is in 6 weeks, Cinco de Mayo is in 7 weeks, Pack Rat Day is in 2 months and Memorial Day Weekend is in 10 weeks.

Jason Aldean – Dirt Road Anthem

It won't be long before I'm fighting traffic at the Thruway Tolls on my way north to the a nice summer weekend up in the Adirondacks along Piseco-Powley Road or so many other delightful places in the Adirondacks.

Locked Up

"This buck was found by Luke Laha, who is a wildlife management teacher in Kansas. The buck found was carrying around the head of one of it’s rival bucks. Apparently the two bucks had become entangled and the coyotes decided to make a meal out of the loser, leaving it’s head attached to the living buck’s rack. It took a while before Luke Laha and his class were finally able to trap the buck and free him of his β€œtrophy”."

March 17, 2017 8 AM Update

Good morning! We are now up to 26 degrees under blue skiesΒ in Delmar, NY. Calm wind. 36 degrees with a breeze and ample blue skies. A bit chilly for this part of March, but I can’t control the weather, only my attitude towards it. Without the breeze though, it was reasonable walking down to the Park and Ride. Sidewalks are all cleared, and only have a few icy patches, as with yesterday’s sun, a lot melted.

The sun will set at 7:05 pm with dusk around 7:33 pm, which is one minute and 10 seconds later than yesterday. Today will have 12 hours and 3 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 55 seconds over yesterday. More daylight than darkness for the first time in 2017. With those blue skies it will be quite nice afternoon into an evening. I will feature a map of the length of day later today.

Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low of 15 degrees at 4am. 15 degrees below normal. Light northwest wind. In 2016, it got down to 32 degrees with periods of rain. The record low of -8 occurred back in 1900.

I went down to the library last night,Β and walking down there, I realize I didn’t have my wallet with me. I probably should have gone home right away and checked, but I waited until later. It was on the night stand where I thought I had left it. Oh, well. I have gotten very careful about such things, but this time I forgot.

I also got Big Red dug out, although all that really involved was lifting the windshield wipersΒ and cleaning a dusting of snow off the hood.Β Going out twice to dig it out during the blizzard paid off as did yesterday’s sun. Big Red looks all shiny and clean compared to the cars on the road, because I haven’t driven it anywhere to get it dirty in the past two weeks (much less in the blizzard). I am hoping for rain on Saturday, so to get the salt off the roads, although that might impact the skiing on the Sunday, which looks like the best day to get out and enjoy the tons of snow we have on the ground.

Looking ahead, there are 4 weeks until Good Friday when the sun will be setting at 7:37 pm with dusk at 8:06 pm. On that day in 2016, we had sunny skies and temperatures between 58 and 31 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 58 degrees. We hit a record high of 83 back in 1968.

March 17, 2017 Morning

Good morning! Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately, I’m having trouble finding the green to wear today. Oh well. Four weeks to Good Friday. Partly sunny and 23 degrees in Delmar, NY. Calm wind.

Today will be sunny, with a high of 36 degrees at 3pm. Nine degrees below normal. Light west wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had fog, rain, thunderstorm and a high of 61 degrees. The record high of 75 was set in 1990. 4.1 inches of snow fell back in 1982.

Twelve hours and three minutes of daylight today. First time in 2017 with more daylight than darkness!