Monday, February 26, 2024

Window frost and reflections

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 7:20AM it’s currently 34 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 75%, dewpoint 27, barometric pressure 29.90”. We have 4.5” of snow at the stake. Yesterday’s high was 37, and yesterday’s low was 5. The overnight low got down to 32.

This morning in North Hero it’s currently 35 degrees under mostly cloudy skies. Winds are out of the south at 18-24 mph. Relative humidity is 77%, dewpoint 28, barometric pressure 29.88”. Yesterday’s high was 35, and yesterday’s low was 11. The overnight low got down to 32.

Forecast Discussion:

High pressure building into the region today will bring warming temperatures on a gusty southerly airflow with highs expected to bump into the mid 40s under partly sunny skies. After a seasonably mild night tonight, we’ll see highs on Tuesday in the mid 50 with increasing clouds out ahead of our next storm system. Low pressure tracking out of the Great Lakes later Tuesday night and to our north on Wednesday will lift a warm front through the region overnight and into Wednesday pushing temperatures into the mid to upper 50s and bringing widespread rain showers starting late Tuesday night and into Wednesday. After a midday lull in precipitation, a trailing cold front will swing through later Wednesday afternoon reinvigorating the rains which may become heavy at times. With warm temperatures, high dewpoints, and gusty winds, upper elevation snowmelt will become a concern as area rivers and streams begin to rise. A few snow showers may trail the cold front, but drier and sharply colder air is expected to move in behind the front dropping overnight lows Wednesday into the teens with highs on Thursday only in the mid 20s. High pressure will build in later Thursday and into the weekend with dry and unseasonably warm conditions expected for next weekend.

3-Day Forecast:

We’ll see partly sunny skies today with a high near 42 and south winds 8-16 mph becoming northwesterly in the afternoon. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a low around 28 and south winds 5-9 mph.

Tuesday should be mostly sunny with a high near 54 and south winds 10-15 mph in Huntington and 23-26 mph in the Champlain Valley. Tuesday night should be mostly cloudy with showers likely, mainly after 5:00AM. Lows will be quite mild—around 42—with south winds 14-17 mph in Huntington and 24-31 mph in the Champlain Valley. Chance of precipitation is 60% with rainfall amounts of less than 0.10″ possible.

Wednesday should be cloudy with showers. Highs will be near 56 with south winds 16-22 mph in Huntington and 24-29 mph gusting to 37 mph in the Champlain Valley. Chance of precipitation is 90% with rainfall amounts between 0.10″-0.25″ possible. Wednesday night should be cloudy with rain showers before 1:00AM, then a chance of snow showers. Lows will drop to around 18 with south winds 22-29 mph becoming westerly after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100% with rainfall amounts between 0.25″-0.50″ possible.

Almanac:

Last year on this date in Huntington we had a high of 30 and a low of -4. We picked up 0.6″ of new snow and had 8″ at the stake.
Last year in North Hero we had a high of 30 and a low of 2. We picked up 1″ of new snow and had 4.5″ at the stake.

Burlington averages for this date are a low of 17 and a high of 35.
The record low was -19 in 1970.
The record high was 60 in 2002 (we had a high of 60 in Huntington).

The Lake Champlain lake level in Burlington is 96.24′.
The water temperature is 34˚.
Last year’s lake level was at 96.32″.

The Mt. Mansfield snow stake depth is 59″.
The average depth for this date is 64″.

Mt. Washington Summit Conditions
Current Temperature: 16˚
Winds are out of the NW at 54-60 mph
24 hr Precipitation: 1″ snow, 0.09″ melted precipitation
Visibility: less than 1/16 mile in freezing fog and blowing snow

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 6:34AM
Sunset: 5:35PM
Length of day: 11:00:29
Today will be 2:59 longer than yesterday.

The Moon is waning gibbous, 16.4 days old with 97% illumination.
Moonrise: 7:51PM
Moonset: 7:34AM

About Today’s Photo:

I came across these nice window frost crystals on the way up my studio stairs yesterday morning. Bright reflections create multiple layers for the eye to linger upon.

iPhone 15 Pro