In 2017, Russia Cranked Up The Volume

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Election Strife, Protest And Noise: In 2017, Russia Cranked Up The Volume

"International influence campaigns have been around for centuries, but 2017 made clear how much they remain a part of daily life.

"Through court documents, congressional testimony, press reports and other sources, Americans learned not only about the extent of the "active measures" — as they're known to intelligence officers — that Russia waged against the U.S. through the presidential election."

"They also learned to expect high-tech agitation as part of their normal diet of information online: about the Alabama special election. About the NFL players' protests. About the the violent protests in Charlottesville, Va."

"With each of those stories and more, Russian social media accounts were in the mix, turning up the volume by repeating posts, spreading hashtags and seeking as much strife as possible."

December 22, 2017 Morning

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Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday before the Christmas Holiday Weekend! Cloudy with a dusting of snow on the ground and 21 degrees in Delmar. There is a east breeze at 5 mph. Six weeks to Ground Hog Day. Don’t worry, he usually sees his shadow and when he doesn’t, it’s usually just a mistake.

While it’s just cloudy for the morning commute, later on it will snow before 4pm, then snow and sleet likely. Cloudy, with a high of 29 degrees at 4pm. Five degrees below normal. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible. A year ago, we had light snow in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 39 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 1990. 12.3 inches of snow fell back in 1969.

The sun will set at 4:26 pm with dusk around 4:58 pm, which is 33 seconds later than yesterday. At sunset, look for light snow and light ice pellets and conditions and 29 degrees. There will be a southeast breeze at 8 mph. Today will have 9 hours and 3 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 6 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be freezing drizzle and sleet likely before 10pm, then a chance of sleet between 10pm and midnight, then freezing rain likely after midnight. Cloudy, with a low of 28 degrees at 6pm. 10 degrees above normal. Light east wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New ice accumulation of less than a 0. 1 of an inch possible. New sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2016, we had partly cloudy skies. It got down to 29 degrees. The record low of -12 occurred back in 1955.

It seems like CDTA is not running the articulated pusher buses, which is a good thing for later on. The 719 is just a regular 40 footer. I’ll have to keep an eye out downtown. They really should have an adequate fleet to not run the pushers in bad weather.

It should be an interesting commute home, although I may be I can get home early. It should be a fairly quiet day at work with the Christmas holiday being tomorrow.

There are 1 month until National Hot Sauce Day when the sun will be setting at 4:56 pm with dusk at 5:27 pm. The average high temperature is 34 degrees, with a record high of 60 in 1990.