You don’t get many December days as nice as today with mostly clear skies and forty four degrees in temperature.  Sun angle is so weak and sunset so early it’s 3:45 and its already getting close to dark. There is a south-southwest breeze at 6 mph.

The sun will set at 4:26 pm with dusk around 4:58 pm, which is 36 seconds later than yesterday. At sunset, look for mostly clear  conditions and 40 degrees. There will be a south-southwest breeze at 6 mph.

We closed the office down a little early and I’m taking the express bus to the park and ride. I will have to walk home from there as the 3:40 bus doesn’t go past there. But I don’t mind as it’s a nice day for a walk and I skipped my lunchtime walk. 

Tonight will have increasing clouds, with a low of 31 degrees at 11pm. 13 degrees above normal. South wind 5 to 7 mph. In 2015, it got down to 43 degrees with periods of fog and rain. The record low of -15 occurred back in 1989.

Waning Crescent Moon tonight with 31% illuminated. The moon will rise around 1:36 am. In the meantime enjoy the December stars because tonight should be a clear evening. 

Tomorrow will rain, snow, and sleet before 1pm, then a chance of rain between 1pm and 4pm. High of 40 degrees at 1pm. Seven degrees above normal. South wind 8 to 11 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A year ago, we had fog, rain and a high of 72 degrees. The record high of 72 was set in 2015. 13 inches of snow fell back in 1966.

Now that it’s warmed up I finally got my winter coat today in the mail. I ordered it a week and a half ago, and when I waited a week I sent a follow-up email and it was one day shipped the next day. I don’t know what the delay was but Gander Mountain some how screwed up and I’m a bit annoyed with the delay. I guess it’s not the end of the world. I got the coat. It looks nice and hopefully it will fit well. They have free returns if it doesn’t fit. 

In four weeks on January 20 the sun will be setting at 4:54 pm, which is 27 minutes later then today. In 2016 on that day, we had mostly cloudy skies and temperatures between 30 and 16 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 30 and 14 degrees. The record high of 53 degrees was set back in 2006.

Basically zero traffic on 787 with the holiday but also it’s still fairly early. So the express bus really was express. It will be a nice walk home and I should be home by dusk. A quick dinner then off to the library then the evening to walk. I might start packing for camping although it should be fairly light as I’m only camping one night.  

Good evening! Mostly clear and 27 degrees in Albany. There is a west-southwest breeze at 8 mph. The frigid air is coming but it’s not here yet. Don’t worry, it’s still coming. 

Tonight will have some scattered snow showers, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with temperatures dropping throughout the night with a low of 14 degrees expected around 6am. Seven degrees below normal. Southwest wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2015, it got down to 42 degrees with periods of rain. The record low of -8 occurred back in 1874.

Waning Gibbous Moon tonight with 91% illuminated. The moon will . The Last Quarter Moon will be tonight with partly cloudy skies expected. The Full “Wolf” Moon is on Wednesday night.

Tomorrow will have some widely scattered snow showers, mainly after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high of 21 degrees at 11am. 15 degrees below normal. So the mercury will move up very slightly. Wind chill values as low as -1. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Albany cops should sit in heated police cruisers and mail God speeding tickets for his wind downtown. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. A year ago, we had rain and a high of 61 degrees. The record high of 61 was set in 2015. 8.2 inches of snow fell back in 1968. We got the cold, now God just needs to push some moisture northward. Maybe Saturday? I don’t like weekend snow storms because they impact my weekend plans.

Why can’t it only snow on week days? God, I may be one of the few people with such an attitude. 

Not a particularly nice weekend on tap but not as snowy as first expected. Saturday, snow before 1pm, then rain. High near 37. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Sunday, rain likely before 1pm, then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 60%.Typical average high for the weekend is 35 degrees.

In four weeks on January 11 the sun will be setting at 4:43 pm, which is 20 minutes later then tonight. A least the sunsets are later. In 2016 on that day, we had snow and temperatures between 37 and 17 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 30 and 14 degrees. Coldest time of the year. The record high of 57 degrees was set back in 1975.

Been trying to develop some new and interesting content for the blog lately. I downloaded some new Shapefiles for making small scale maps showing the entire country for the blog today, and also got county level data relating to the US Presidental Election. Lots of maps and analytics coming on that. Albany County still hasn’t posted final Election Results from 2016, so I can’t make pretty county level maps. 

Tonight I’m going down to the library to work on a few more projects and continue to research winter jackets. Maybe make up a few more maps although I still have quite a few ready to go. Probably skipping the evening walk tonight as it’s going to be much too cold. 

I probably should go out shopping tonight to get the ingredients I need for cooking for the holiday brunch at work but alas that will likely get held off until tomorrow because I’m a procrastinating. Hopefully Big Red will start in the cold. 

Put the digital TV box in a separate extension cord, so hopefully it will be plugged in and tape the PBS News hour every night. The converter box only uses a few watts when it’s shut off.