Wednesday, May 22, 2013

A wild strawberry blossom opened wide along Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:25AM it’s currently a juicy 59 degrees under overcast skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 98%, dewpoint 59, barometric pressure 29.80″. We picked up 0.77″ of rain during last night’s thunderstorm that cruised through at around 8:30PM. Yesterday’s high was 70 and the overnight low was 56.

I really enjoyed watching the storm come through yesterday evening. There were clouds streaming northward over the mountains as the cold front came slamming in from the west bringing the rain, thunder and lightning. I’d never really seen such a dramatic presentation of two air masses interacting before. Quite impressive!

Forecast:

More rain and thunderstorms in the picture for us over the next few days. We’ll see mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon as a warm front lifts northeastward this afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce small hail, gusty winds and locally heavy downpours. Highs will be in the mid 70s with south winds around 10 mph this morning, becoming light and variable. Chance of rain is 30%. Tonight will be cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely mainly until midnight. Lows will be in the lower 60s with south winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 60%.

A slow moving cold front will move into the region from the Great Lakes on Thursday bringing showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Highs will be in the mid 70s with south winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. Showers and thunderstorms will continue into Thursday night with some thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall. Lows will be in the lower 50s with west winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. We could see additional rainfall totals of over 2″ before things lighten up a bit on Friday.

Friday showers are likely. It will be cooler with highs in the lower 60s and north winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain is 60%. Friday night should be mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers. Lows will be in the lower 40s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 72 and a low of 60. We picked up 0.02″ of rain.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 69°F and lows of 47°F.
Record high was 93°F in 1977.
Record low was 31°F in 1936.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:17 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:20 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 11m
Length of Day: 15h 02m
Tomorrow will be 1m 51s longer.

The Moon is waxing gibbous, 12d 10h old with 90% illumination.
Moonrise: 5:34 PM EDT
Moonset: 3:26 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

Following up on yesterday’s post of an opening wild strawberry blossom, I figured it was only fair to show one in its full glory! The shot was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/11, 1/250 shutter.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

A wild strawberry blossom opening up along Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:30AM it’s currently a juicy 60 degrees under overcast skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 98%, dewpoint 60, barometric pressure 29.83″ and falling. We picked up 0.46″ of rain overnight and had some lovely thunder-boomers kicking up at around 4:15AM this morning. Yesterday’s high was 70 and the overnight low was 52.

Forecast:

We’ll see an active next couple of days as waves of low pressure move eastward along a stationary front that’s pretty much right on top of us. Today we’ll see mostly cloudy skies with a chance of thunderstorms and occasional showers mainly this morning as an area of low pressure tracks eastward across southeastern Ontario. Highs will be in the upper 60s with southeast winds around 10 mph this morning, becoming light and variable. Chance of rain is 90%. Tonight will bring occasional showers and a chance of thunderstorms mainly until midnight as the frontal boundary shifts northward as a warm front. Lows will be in the mid 50s with southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.

Wednesday should start out cloudy in the morning then become partly sunny. There’s a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon as diurnal heating acts on the moist airflow over the region. Highs will be in the upper 70s to low 80s with south winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 70%. Wednesday night should be partly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows will be in the lower 60s with south winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 50%.

Thursday will bring occasional showers with a chance of thunderstorms as a cold front tilts into the region. Highs will be in the mid 70s with south winds 10 to 15 mph gusting up to 30 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. Thursday night should bring more showers and a chance of thunderstorms. Lows will be in the lower 60s. Chance of rain is 70%. We should see over an inch of rain from all of this by Thursday evening with locally higher totals due to heavier downpours.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 80 and a low of 52.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 69°F and lows of 47°F.
Record high was 92°F in 1911.
Record low was 29°F in 1964.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:18 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:19 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 09m
Length of Day: 15h 00m
Tomorrow will be 1m 54s longer.

The Moon is waxing gibbous, 11d 10h old with 82% illumination.
Moonrise: 4:21 PM EDT
Moonset: 2:54 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

We have a proliferation of wild strawberry along Fargo Brook. This little blossom was just beginning to open. I really like the fine hairs on the stem. The shot was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/10, 1/250 shutter.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Solomon’s Seal blooming down by Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:30AM it’s currently a balmy 58 degrees under overcast skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 92%, dewpoint 55, barometric pressure 29.99″ and falling. We picked up something of a surprise 0.35″ of rain yesterday evening. Yesterday’s high was 67 and the overnight low was 55.

Forecast:

Thanks to a stalled frontal boundary lingering over the region, we’ll see active weather across the region this week with several rounds of rain anticipated and a few thunderstorms possible as well. Today we’ll have cloudy skies with a slight chance of showers this morning, then partly sunny skies this afternoon. Highs will be on the warm side in the mid to upper 70s with light and variable winds becoming northwesterly around 10 mph this afternoon. Chance of rain is 20%. Tonight should be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers after midnight. Lows will be in the mid 50s with light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 30%.

Tuesday should be cloudy with a chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon as several waves of low pressure slide along the stalled frontal boundary. Highs will be in the lower 70s with south winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 70%. Tuesday night showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Lows will be in the mid 50s with south winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain is 70%.

Showers and the chance of thunderstorms continue into Wednesday with highs in the upper 70s and south winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain is 70%. Wednesday night showers are likely. Lows will be around 60. Chance of rain is 70%.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 89(!) and a low of 48.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 69°F and lows of 47°F.
Record high was 91°F in 1975.
Record low was 30°F 2002 (we had a low of 31).

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:19 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:18 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 06m
Length of Day: 14h 58m
Tomorrow will be 1m 58s longer.

The Moon is waxing gibbous, 10d 10 old with 73% illumination.
Moonrise: 3:12 PM EDT
Moonset: 2:24 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

This Solomon’s Seal is a cultivar that I planted in our little wildflower garden down by the brook several years back. Now it grows lush and tall every spring. I really like the rich green textures of the leaves and the pendulous flowers. The photo was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/14, 1/250 sec shutter.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Large-flowered trillium blooming in Monkton.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 9:00AM it’s currently 60 degrees under thin, hazy overcast skies. Winds are out of the west at 0-3 mph. Relative humidity is 71%, dewpoint 51, barometric pressure 30.25″. Yesterday’s high was 72 and the overnight low was 43.

Forecast:

We’ll see partly sunny this morning, then mostly cloudy skies with a very slight chance of showers this afternoon. Highs will be around 70 with south winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain is 20%. Tonight should be mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers. Lows will be in the lower 50s with south winds 10 to 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph.

Monday should be mostly cloudy in the morning, then become partly sunny. There’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon as a weak trough descents from the northwest. Highs will be in the upper 70s with southwest winds around 10 mph in the morning, becoming light and variable. Chance of rain is 20%. Monday night should be partly cloudy with lows in the lower 50s and light and variable winds.

Tuesday’s looking partly sunny with highs in the lower 70s and light and variable winds. Tuesday night should be partly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers. Lows will be in the upper 40s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 82 and a low of 40.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 68°F and lows of 46°F.
Record high was 91°F in 1989.
Record low was 31°F in 1987.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:20 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:16 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 04m
Length of Day: 14h 56m
Tomorrow will be 2m 0s longer.

The Moon is waxing gibbous, 9d 12h old with 64% illumination.
Moonrise: 2:05 PM EDT
Moonset: 1:56 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

This large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) was one of many growing in small groups along the road between Monkton Ridge and the Monkton Elementary School. A very stately flower indeed! The shot was taken using my 105mm macro, ISO 400, f/13, 1/200 sec shutter.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

A wood anemone blooming along Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 7:00AM it’s currently a cool 39 degrees under clear skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 98%, dewpoint 38, barometric pressure 30.28″ and rising. Yesterday’s high was 64, and the overnight low was 36.

Forecast:

High pressure continues to build into the region from the northwest and will deliver a sunny day with highs around 70 and light and variable winds, becoming northwesterly around 10 mph this afternoon. Tonight should be partly cloudy with lows in the mid 40s and light and variable winds.

Sunday should be partly sunny with highs in the lower 70s and light and variable winds, becoming southerly around 10 mph in the afternoon. Moist southerly airflow and some surface instability may kick off a few showers over the higher elevations in the afternoon, though they shouldn’t amount to much. Sunday night should be mostly cloudy and mild with lows only in the mid 50s and south winds around 10 mph.

Monday’s looking mostly cloudy with highs in the mid 70s and southwest winds around 10 mph. Monday night should be partly cloudy and mild again with lows in the upper 50s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 72 and a low of 34.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 68°F and lows of 46°F.
Record high was 89°F in 1962.
Record low was 29°F in 1983.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:21 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:15 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 02m
Length of Day: 14h 54m
Tomorrow will be 2m 3s longer.

The Moon is in its first quarter, 8d 10h old with 53% illumination.
Moonrise: 1:01 PM EDT
Moonset: 1:28 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo

Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) is another lovely, though understated spring wildflower. They can grow in pretty large clumps along woodland fringes with their low growing foliage making a fine, soft carpet on the forest floor. This particular flower was one of a couple dozen growing in a group right next to Fargo Brook. The shot was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec shutter (it was a bit breezy and I was trying to freeze the action.)

Friday, May 17, 2013

A yellow bellied sapsucker finds a loud place to peck!

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 7:15AM it’s currently 45 degrees under overcast skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 95%, dewpoint 44, barometric pressure 30.02″ and rising rapidly. We picked up 0.02″ of rain overnight. Yesterday’s high was 74 and the overnight low was 44.

Forecast:

This morning’s cloudy skies should give way to partly sunny skies later in the day as high pressure builds into the region for the weekend. Highs today will be in the mid 60s with northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight should be mostly clear and chilly with lows in the upper 30s and north winds around 10 mph until midnight becoming light and variable.

Saturday should be mostly sunny with highs around 70 and light and variable winds becoming northerly around 10 mph in the afternoon. Saturday night should be partly cloudy with lows in the lower 40s and east winds around 10 mph.

Sunday’s looking partly sunny with highs in the lower 70s and south winds 10 to 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph. Sunday night should be mostly cloudy with lows around 50.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 63 and a low of 39. We picked up 0.66″ of rain.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 68°F and lows of 46°F
Record high was 90°F in 1977.
Record low was 29°F in 1957.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:22 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:14 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 16h 00m
Length of Day: 14h 52m
Tomorrow will be 2m 6s longer.

The Moon is a waxing crescent, 7d 10h old with 43% illumination.
Moonrise: 11:58 AM EDT
Moonset: 1:00 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

This Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker has found a nice loud place to tap away at in the gable end of our garden shed, alternating between the wooden siding and the metal roofing. The males do this to attract a mate apparently and they do make a racket! Another distinctive behavior of this species is the drilling of rows of holes in various trees (apple, birch, pines, etc.) They do this not to get at something under the bark, but to attract insects that then get trapped by the sap. The birds then return for a treat! This shot was taken with my 55-300mm zoom at 300mm, ISO 1250, f/6.3, 1/500 sec shutter.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

A thin-legged wolf spider patrols the rocks and leaf litter along Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:40AM it’s currently 42 degrees under clear skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 98%, dewpoint 41, barometric pressure 29.64″ and rising. We picked up 0.04″ of rain yesterday. Yesterday’s high was 65 and the overnight low was 41.

Forecast:

A weak mid-level low will rotate through eastward across southern Québec and into northern Maine today. We’ll start the day with partly sunny skies giving was to a slight chance of showers this afternoon, mostly over northern regions. Highs will be in the upper 60s with southwest winds 15 to 20 mph becoming westerly this afternoon and gusting up to 35 mph. Chance of rain is 20%. Tonight should be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers until midnight. Lows will be in the lower 40s with northwest winds 10 to 15 mph until midnight then becoming light and variable. Chance of rain is 20%.

High pressure will build in Friday bringing partly sunny skies with highs in the mid 60s and northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Friday night should be mostly clear with lows in the lower 40s and southwest winds around 10 mph.

Saturday’s looking partly sunny with highs around 70 and north winds around 10 mph. Saturday night should partly cloudy with lows in the upper 40s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 79 and a low of 53. We picked up 0.54″ of rain.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 67°F and lows of 45°F.
Record high was 88°F in 1932.
Record low was 29°F in 1936.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:23 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:13 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 15h 57m
Length of Day: 14h 50m
Tomorrow will be 2m 7s longer.

The Moon is a waxing crescent, 6d 10h old with 33% illumination.
Moonrise: 10:58 AM EDT
Moonset: 12:29 AM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

I love “hunting” insects and spiders with my camera. I was out yesterday shooting more spring wildflowers along Fargo Brook when this little guy caught my eye as he scurried amongst the rocks and leaves along the brook. I’m pretty sure it’s a thin-legged wolf spider, a fairly ubiquitous species throughout North America inhabiting a range of habitats. I like the gleam in his eyes… I shot the photo with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/11, 1/250 sec shutter.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

A fern unfurls by Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:45AM it’s currently 30 degrees under clear skies. We have a pretty decent frost on the ground. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 97%, dewpoint 29, barometric pressure 30.00″ and falling. Overnight low was 28 and yesterday’s high was 56.

Forecast:

The high pressure and chilly Canadian air that have been over the region the past couple of days will move off the coast this morning. We’ll see mostly sunny skies this morning followed by mostly cloudy skies with rain showers likely this afternoon as a warm front approaches from the southwest. Highs will be in the mid 60s today with south winds 15 to 20 mph and gusting to 35 mph this afternoon. Chance of rain is 60%. Tonight will be cloudy with showers likely until midnight then partly cloudy with a chance of showers after midnight. Lows will be in the upper 40s with southwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain is 60%. We should see light precipitation with this front on the order of a quarter inch or so.

Thursday should start off partly sunny in the morning then becoming mostly cloudy with scattered showers as a closed upper low moves along the Québec border. Highs will be in the upper 60s with west winds 15 to 20 mph gusting up to 35 mph. Chance of rain is 40%. Thursday night should be mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers. Lows will be in the lower 40s with northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

High pressure will build in Friday bringing partly sunny skies with highs in the mid 60s and northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Friday night should be partly cloudy with lows in the upper 40s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 63 and a low of 57. We picked up 0.19″ of rain.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 67°F and lows of 45°F.
Record high was 88°F in 1961.
Record low was 28°F in 1913.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:24 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:12 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 15h 55m
Length of Day: 14h 47m
Tomorrow will be 2m 11s longer.

The Moon is a waxing crescent, 5d 10h old with 25% illumination.
Moonrise: 9:59 AM EDT
No Moon Set

About Today’s Photo:

I love ferns. Something about their “ancientness”–the way they unfurl in the spring and the texture they give the understory during the summer–that appeals to me. I’m not sure what this species of fern is. Perhaps someone can identify it? The shot was taken with my 105mm macro lens, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/30 sec shutter.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Foamflower blooming across Fargo Brook.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 7:30AM it’s currently 37 degrees under partly sunny skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 98%, dewpoint 36, barometric pressure 30.10″ and rising. We picked up 0.01″ of rain in the past 24hrs and a bit of a snow/graupel shower yesterday morning at around 9:15AM. Yesterday’s high was 48 and the overnight low got down to 30. We seem to have avoided any frosting here.

Forecast:

High pressure building into the region this morning will bring us a partly sunny day. Highs will be in the upper 50s with northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight should be mostly clear with patchy frost after midnight. Lows will be in the lower 30s with north winds around 10 mph until midnight, becoming light and variable.

Wednesday should be mostly sunny in the morning then become mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showers in the afternoon as a warm front approaches from the southwest. Highs will be in the mid 60s with south winds 10 to 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph. Chance of rain is 50%. Wednesday night showers are likely. Lows will be in the upper 40s with southwest winds 15 to 20 mph gusting up to 30 mph. Chance of rain is 60%. Rainfall totals should be on the order of a quarter inch or so. A cold front will swing through late Wednesday night bringing partial clearing.

A closed upper level low will swing through southern Québec Thursday bringing partly sunny and a 30% chance of showers. Highs will be around 70 with west winds 15 to 20 mph gusting up to 35 mph. Thursday night should be partly cloudy with lows in the mid 40s.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 72 and a low of 48.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 67°F and lows of 45°F.
Record high was 86°F in 1961.
Record low was 30°F in 1965.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:25 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:11 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 15h 52m
Length of Day: 14h 45m
Tomorrow will be 2m 13s longer.

The Moon is a waxing crescent, 4d 11h old with 17% illumination.
Moonrise: 9:03 AM EDT
Moonset: 11:55 PM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia, also know as False Miterwort,  (for some reason I’ve always called it “sea foam” which is apparently wrong…) is quite prolific in rich woodland soils this time of year. I’ve always loved its delicate spray-like flowers. This shot was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 1250, f/10, 1/30 sec shutter.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Amelanchier blooming along Taft Road.

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 6:45AM it’s currently a blustery 38 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Winds are out of the west at 5-8 mph and gusting to 15 mph. Relative humidity is 66%, dewpoint 28, barometric pressure 29.80″ and rising slowly. We picked up 0.02″ of rain in the past 24hrs. Yesterday’s high was 58 and the overnight low was 38.

There is a Frost Warning in effect for the Champlain Valley for tonight until 8:00AM Tuesday morning.

Forecast:

An upper level low will continue to move eastward across southeastern Quebec today bringing in colder air to the region. We’ll see partly sunny skies this morning with isolated rain showers this afternoon. Highs will only be in the lower 50s with southwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain is 20%. It should be partly cloudy until midnight tonight, then clearing as high pressure builds in with areas. Lows will be in the lower 30s with west winds 10 to 15 mph until midnight, becoming light and variable. Expect widespread frost by morning so if you’ve got tender stuff in the ground, you should cover it up!

Tuesday should start out with patchy frost in the morning. It’ll be sunny with highs in the upper 50s and northwest winds around 10 mph. Tuesday night should be clear with the chance of patchy frost overnight. Lows will be in the mid 30s with southwest winds around 10 mph.

Wednesday should start out mostly sunny in the morning giving way to clouds and chance of rain showers as a warm front moves in from the southwest in the afternoon. Highs will be in the mid 60s with south winds 10 to 15 mph. Wednesday night showers are likely. Lows will be in the upper 40s. Chance of rain is 60%.

Almanac:

Last year on this date we had a high of 70 and a low of 49.

Burlington norms for this date are highs of 67°F and lows of 44 °F
Record high was 84°F in 1985.
Record low was 30°F in 1940.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:27 AM EDT
Sunset: 8:10 PM EDT
Length Of Visible Light: 15h 50m
Length of Day: 14h 43m
Tomorrow will be 2m 16s longer.

The Moon is a waxing crescent, 3d 10h old with 11% illumination.
Moonrise: 8:09 AM EDT
Moonset: 11:17 PM EDT

About Today’s Photo:

Amelanchier (also known as shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, serviceberry or sarvisberry, wild pear, juneberry, saskatoon, sugarplum or wild-plum, and chuckley pear) grows widely across temperate regions of North America (hence the profusion of names!) It’s an early flowing tree in the rose family that grows in successional forests. I often see its flowers in late April lighting up the forest understory before the rest of the trees have leafed out. This shot was taken with my 105mm macro, ISO 400, f/11, 1/800 sec shutter (it was a bit breezy and I needed to freeze the action some…)