Monday, April 22, 2024

A broad-winged hawk takes flight

Morning Observation:

This morning in Huntington at 7:15AM it’s currently 30 degrees under mostly clear skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 71%, dewpoint 22, barometric pressure 30.03”. We picked up a dusting of snow overnight. Yesterday’s high was 47, and yesterday’s low was 29. The overnight low got down to 30.

This morning in North Hero it’s currently 38 degrees under mostly clear skies. Winds are calm. Relative humidity is 62%, dewpoint 26, barometric pressure 30.08”. Yesterday’s high was 50, and yesterday’s low was 38. The overnight low got down to 31.

Forecast Discussion:

High pressure cresting over the region today will bring very dry albeit chilly conditions to the North Country with highs today only in the mid 40s to near 50 with gusty northwest winds. The high is expected to move to our east on Tuesday, setting up a southerly airflow which will allow temperatures to rebound into the low 60s. Clouds will be on the increase Tuesday afternoon out ahead of our next weather-maker. A strong upper level trough is expected to drop down from Canada later Tuesday night into Wednesday bringing widespread rain to the region overnight Tuesday and through Wednesday. Highs on Wednesday will top out in the upper 40s early in the day, then drop in the afternoon as a potent trailing cold front swings through behind the trough changing rain to snow in the afternoon and evening. Some light snow accumulations should be expected before precipitation winds down Wednesday night. Dry and chilly Canadian high pressure will build in for latter part of the week with highs on Thursday only in the mid 40s, warming to more seasonable levels Friday, with highs on Saturday expected to be in the low 60s.

3-Day Forecast:

We’ll see sunny skies today with a high near 47 and northwest winds 10-15 mph. Tonight should be clear with a low around 31 and south winds 3-8 mph increasing to 12-17 mph in the Champlain Valley.

Tuesday should bring increasing clouds with a high near 61 and south winds 13-16 mph in Huntington and 22-26 mph in the Champlain Valley. Tuesday night should be cloudy with rain, mainly after 11:00PM. Lows will be around 44 with south winds 10-15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80% with rainfall amounts between 0.10″-0.25″ possible.

Wednesday should be cloudy with rain before 2:00PM, then rain and snow showers likely. Highs will be near 47 with south winds 8-16 mph becoming northwesterly in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100% with new snow accumulations of less than 0.50″ possible. Wednesday night should be partly cloudy with a 30% chance of rain and snow showers before 7:00PM. Lows will be around 24 with northwest winds 10-15 mph.

Almanac:

Last year on this date in Huntington we had a high of 62 and a low of 45.
Last year in North Hero we had a high of 57 and a low of 46. We picked up 0.01″ of rain.

Burlington averages for this date are a low of 39 and a high of 56.
The record low was 21 in 1947.
The record high was 80 in 1973.

The Lake Champlain lake level in Burlington is 98.60′.
The water temperature is 43˚.
Last year’s lake level was at 98.06′.

The Mt. Mansfield snow stake depth is 60″.
The average depth for this date is 59″.

Mt. Washington Summit Conditions
Current Temperature: 5˚
Winds are out of the NW at 66-70 mph
24 hr Precipitation: 0.4″ snow, 0.03″ melted precipitation
Visibility: around 100 miles under partly cloudy skies.

Sky Notes:

Sunrise: 5:54AM
Sunset: 7:46PM
Length of day: 13:52:42
Today will be 2:48 longer than yesterday.

The Moon is waxing gibbous, 13. days old with 97% illumination.
Moonrise: 6:41PM
Moonset: 5:19AM

About Today’s Photo:

I saw this broad-winged hawk perched an a dead birch along East Street the other day as I was driving by. I managed to get my camera out just in time before it flew off in a blur of motion.

Panasonic Lumix DS-SZ200, ISO 125, f/8, 1/130″ exposure