News 19 Forecast Team Blog

Science and Critical Thinking...

Science and technology is taking over. From cell phones to iPods to laptops and big screen home theater systems there is a revolution going on in gadgetry and electronics, but is society becoming more scientific in its thinking?

One might think so, but I'm not so sure. Critical scientific thinking seems to be in short supply. Some people still believe in UFOs and aliens. People are still willing to believe in alternative medicines or techniques without a shred of actual medical proof that they work. Quick weight loss diets and other snake-oil medicines abound, with potential dangers if abused.

Here's one of my favorites that should be immediately dismissed by critical thinkers: Every few months viewers call in and ask if Mars will really be as bright and big as the full moon. Apparently email hoaxers love that one and keep sending it out periodically. Critical thinkers should and will dismiss that notion right away.

Another myth that should be thrown out is that of the wooly bear caterpillar. How would a lowly insect be able to sense what kind of weather will happen over the following winter season. Same reasoning for Punxutawney Phil and Sun Prairie Jimmy.

A little common sense and knowledge will go a long way.

See you next time!

Dan Breeden

News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Spooky stats...

It is Halloween and I thought I'd share some spooky stats with you.  Do you remember 1995?  La Crosse received 2.4 inches of snow to make it the wettest Halloween on record.  The odds of having any precipitation at all on Halloween is about 44.8% for La Crosse.  Since 1909, it has only snowed on 12 Halloweens since then.

Check out this picture:

This has been going on the past couple of days.  It's called an exploding comet.  This picture of comet 17P/Holmes was taken by someone in Buffalo, New York.  It looks like science fiction, but I guess he took the picture at the right moment as the comet was pulsating.  You'll need to look north after sunset if you want to see this space event.  Without a telescope, the comet will be as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper.

Another tid bit of knowledge that I didn't know, Halloween is actually called a cross-quarter date.  It's midway between an equinox and a solstice.  There are four cross-quarter dates during the year: Groundhog Day (Feb. 2), May Day (May 1), Lammas Day (Aug. 1), and Halloween (Oct. 31).  Long ago, the Celts of the British Isles used cross-quarter days to mark the beginning of seasons.  Winter begin on Halloween, or as the called it, Samhain.


You think that's strange?  A massive solar wind stream hit Earth on September 30, 2002 causing about a week of amazing displays of the Northern Lights.  Check out this picture of the Northern Lights taken in Quebec City, Canada:

                     I hope everyone enjoyed these little bits of spooky statistics.  Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

First Freeze...

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but the official first freezing temperature of the season occured just a few days ago at the La Crosse Municipal Airport. Of course, the official reporting site for the city of La Crosse came close back on September 15th with a low of 34 degrees, and a few folks got frost, but the official first freeze occured on October 25th as the reading dropped to 31 degrees.

That day marks the "official" end of the growing season for 2007. Actually that is a little later than average. Weird, huh?

The progress of the transition toward winter this year illustrates that it is never a smooth one. Cold air masses begin to come southward at this time of the year and with each passing week they get colder and colder. In fact they alternate with the warm air still present over the northern hemisphere and that leads to big swings in our temperatures.

It is inevitable that winter will win out, so it might not be a bad idea to start your preparations now. Schedule a furnace check before the snow flies, and think about putting together a winter travel kit for your automobile. We will have more on those types of things as we get closer to winter over the coming weeks.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Dancing feet...

Can you believe this weather we're having?  It's been awesome the past several days.  I don't feel like we should be at the end of October.  Halloween should be cool and dry to get you in the mood...oh wait, it will be that way tomorrow!  Cooler air will greet you as you head out the door to do a little trick-or-treating tomorrow night.

On another topic, remember to MARK YOUR CALENDAR for Saturday, November 17.  That's the night for the Dancing with the La Crosse Stars fund-raiser to benefit the Scenic Bluffs Chapter of the American Red Cross.   The event will be at Onalaska High School.  I'll let you know the time at a later date, but keep the date OPEN!  Area stars have been paired with a professional dancer from Misty's Dance Studio in Onalaska.  We will perform a dance lasting about a minute and a half to two minutes.  YOUR job is to vote for your favorite.  Each dollar you donate to a dance couple counts as one vote.  That number will be combined with the judges score that night to determine the winner.

Here's how you vote:

1)  Call the Red Cross office at (608) 788-1000 and use your credit card.
2)  Send your check to the Red Cross at 2927 Losey Blvd, La Crosse, WI  54601
3)  Donate during intermission the night of the event.

However you vote, make sure you put on the check or let the Red Crosse know you want to vote for Zach & Chelsey!!

Please help out by giving to the Red Cross!

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Packer game is on...

I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit distracted this evening. The Packers and Broncos are squaring off, so my attention has wandered. It is a good thing that the weather is quiet and I don't need to babysit the forecast so much. The Packers have been my team since before the first Super Bowl--oops, seems I have given away my age a little. I remember visiting friends of my parents that year when the game was played. Notably, it was the first color TV program I ever saw. Of course, the Packers followed it up with a win in Super Bowl II. Regrettably, I saw that at home on our regular old black and white Zenith. Wow, I can't believe how things have changed in those 40 years!

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Brrrrr....

One of the coldest nights of the season is ahead of us. Overnight lows will drop near the freezing mark and many locations will likely see lows in the 20s. Unfortunately a cold night happens to fall when many will be out celebrating Halloween. Over the past five years or so I have dressed up for the occasion and this year it will be no different. This years costume is Dick Tracy. In past years I have went as a smurf, a ghost buster, Popeye, and I couldn't leave out the Hamburgler. Aside from being a smurf, I have always had a warm costume which has worked out well. Having a warm costume will be a good idea for trick or treaters this year. Wednesday night calls for mostly cloudy skies and lows could drop into the lower 30s. Now that doesn't mean that temperatures will be in the lower 30s during trick or treating hours but it will certainly be cold. As for tonight... bundle up and try to stay warm.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Looking for ideas...

    I try to stay as motivated as possible in the forecast office and I often try to think of ways I could make our graphics look better.  Of course, there are limitations because our computer can only do so much. When I am not thinking of how I could improve a graphic, I try to think of different graphics that I could add. For instance, I am an avid sports fan and I love making forecast graphics for events like Packer or Badger games or even high school football games. I also received an email from a gentleman who was interested in an early morning forecast geared towards people involved in hunting. I am now working on a graphic specifically for this that I will use in the Saturday 6 PM show.  If there is anything that you would love to see email me at athut@wxow.com or make a comment on this blog.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Weekend festivities...

It's been an up and down week in the weather department.  We've seen everything from the mid 60s and sunny to the lower 50s and cloudy and rainy.  Hopefully the computer models will come together for us in the next seven days and bring us better fall weather.

It just so happens that right now that's just what the next seven days holds for us.  I know a lot of people are heading out this weekend for a multitude of Halloween activities.  You'll definitely want to bundle up for those haunted trails and houses.  I'm thinking about heading to the House of Shadows in Sparta this weekend.  I've heard some great things about it.  I do get scared and, when i get scared, I tend to laugh more than scream.  It's a nervous twitch sort of a thing.  I'll let you know how that turns out!  I'm definitely going to have to wear a jacket while I wait outside in line.

Have a great weekend everyone and I'll see you bright and early Monday morning at 5:30 a.m.!

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Fueling the Fires

The hot topic across the nation this week has been the wildfires in southern California which could be considered the largest national disaster in the United States since Hurricane Katrina. But you may be wondering why did they form, the Santa Ana winds? Well that is absolutely right, but I am here to fill you in on exactly what the Santa Ana winds are and why they occur. The Santa Ana winds are fueled by high pressure over the Great Basin of the United States. Since winds flow clockwise around high pressure, they are directed towards southern California.
That's when things really start to get interesting.  The high elevation of the Sierra Nevada's blocks the winds to the north and more specifically to the south.  The air then progresses through the desert which heats and dries the air. The heating isn't finished quite yet though. As the air moves from higher to lower elevations and squeeze through narrow canyons the air is heated further and the wind speed picks up. There isn't much left to stop these warm dry winds and they continue to travel to the highly populated areas of southern California... and when conditions are dry, wildfires can start. That was the case this week when flames consumed about 750 square miles of land and claimed the lives of several people. Below, are satellite pictures from the smoke from the wildfires.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

 

Space viewing...

Dan mentioned earlier this week about his love of astronomy, and I wanted to wet the taste buds of you astronomy fans out there with a little space weather.  There is a great website that I check out on occasion to get few tidbits of information to share on the air.  Spaceweather.com has lots of information about solar wind streams, aurora sightings (Northern Lights), and other fun space information.  I found this great picture of the International Space Station on their site taken by a gentleman in Texas.  At different times of the year, certain spots across the globe are able to see the space station from their backyard.  Most of the time you'll need a telescope, but there are times when the light is just right and you can see what looks like a bright star in the sky.  That bright star may just be the ISS.
 

Although the guy in Texas had a pretty powerful telescope, any ordinary backyard telescope can catch a glimpse of the station.  The reason for that is because more and more pieces of the space station are being installed by the space shuttles.  The station is growing so big in size with each shuttle delivery.  Space shuttle Discovery has now docked with the station to deliver a new module and crew member.  NASA also has a great website to keep up on the latest with the shuttle and space station (www.nasa.gov).

If you want to scan the sky and see if you can find the space station or the space shuttle, here is some information for you:

***** La Crosse *****

---

THE FOLLOWING ISS SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM MON OCT 22 TO SAT NOV 03

SATELLITE	LOCAL	DURATION	MAX ELEV	APPROACH	DEPARTURE
	DATE/TIME	(MIN)	(DEG)	(DEG-DIR)	(DEG-DIR)

ISS	Mon Oct 22/07:34 PM	2	26	25 above WSW	14 above S
ISS	Wed Oct 24/06:45 PM	3	27	27 above SW	10 above SSE

ONLY DAYS WITH SIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED THE FOLLOWING SHUTTLE SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM TUE OCT 23 TO THU NOV 08

SATELLITE	LOCAL	DURATION	MAX ELEV	APPROACH	DEPARTURE
	DATE/TIME	(MIN)	(DEG)	(DEG-DIR)	(DEG-DIR)

SHUTTLE	Tue Oct 23/06:34 PM	3	62	34 above WNW	12 above SE
SHUTTLE	Wed Oct 24/06:48 PM	2	24	24 above SW	11 above SSE
SHUTTLE	Sun Nov 04/06:01 AM	2	19	11 above S	19 above SE
SHUTTLE	Tue Nov 06/05:12 AM	2	19	11 above S	18 above SE
SHUTTLE	Wed Nov 07/05:34 AM	4	58	13 above SW	22 above ENE
SHUTTLE	Thu Nov 08/05:57 AM	5	49	13 above WSW	11 above NE

ONLY DAYS WITH SIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED

I hope everyone finds this information useful!

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Podcasts...

They say that the older you are the more difficult it is to deal with new technology. I guess that I am just lucky; I've taken to it like a duck takes to water. That's because I've never been afraid to experiment with new things. I think lots of people, especially older folks (and Dave Solie) are afraid that they will break new electronic gadgets if they do the slightest thing wrong, so they never really dig in and learn to appreciate them. Young people and I don't have that fear.

Since I've discovered the new technology, I've found some of the coolest new products and services. My latest discovery are podcasts. Briefly, a podcast is a recorded program that you download from the internet that is intended to be played back either on your computer or your portable MP3 player. The name "podcast" is derived from the "iPod"--the most popular MP3 player--and "broadcast". Many different kinds of people record these and then upload them to the internet. You can find them either by visiting specific websites or, more commonly, by using iTunes. ITunes makes it easy to find and subscribe to various podcasts, and it turns out that they are free, unlike their downloadable music.

I love science and technology and there are many podcasts dedicated to those subjects. Astronomy is a very popular subject and it fits right in with my interests. I love the NPR science shows and every one of those are available as podcasts. In fact nearly every public radio program is available. I especially like Car Talk with Click and Clack the Tappert Brothers. Since I can't always catch it on the radio, I can now download it and listen at my leisure.

I heartily recommend podcasts for all who like to keep up with the latest in whatever subject you fancy.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Rollercoaster continues...

I thought I'd talk a little about a typical day at work for me.  It's usually a hot topic for discussion when I meet folks around the community.  The first of my two alarms blasts off at 2:45 a.m. and the second one follows about half an hour later just to make sure I'm awake.  After saying good-bye to my dog, I head out and am usually in the Forecast Center by 4:00 a.m.

I print out my forecast data information from a couple of different sources.  If the forecast calls for rain, I'll check on how much rain is expected and if any of the rain storms will be severe.  After looking over a couple of the computer models, I'll fill out my forecast sheet.  From there, I input my forecast numbers into a computer program that generates my forecast graphics for me.  While my computer is building those graphics, I will make my futurecast graphic.  When I say make my graphic, I mean I physically draw the cold and warm fronts and the high and low pressures on the map myself where they are at that moment and where they'll be in in 48 hours.  I then tell the computer to animate the moving parts into the graphic you see me use on the air.

Not only is forecasting apart of my job, but I also record radio weather forecasts that can be heard throughout the day on COW 97 Country, Real Country KNEI 103.5, and KHPP 1160 AM.  I also record a forecast for our 24 hour weather line (507-895-1900) and I put together our Hollywood Minute segment for the morning show with the latest news and gossip from Hollywood.

After all that, I put a microphone on and put my earpiece in to get ready for showtime.  The earpiece (called an IFB ... interruptible fold back) helps those of us on air hear the newscast as you do at home plus it allows our director and/or producer to talk to us in our ear during the show.  They provide me time cues so I now how much time I have left in my weather show.  I have only 3 minutes to tell you the weather and I have to stick by that time limit.

After Daybreak is over, I do weather cut-ins for Good Morning America alongside Sam Champion.  I also record a forecast that is uploaded to our website.  After our news and weather cut-ins for GMA are over, I chat live with the Morning Moo Crew on COW 97 Country every morning between 9 and 9:30 a.m.  The rest of my day is spent replying to emails and updating the forecasts for our radio partners and 24 hour weather line.  My day usually ends around 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning.

So that's a typical day for me unless severe weather threatens and then I'm in the Forecast Center longer.

                                                                                           

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Windy evening...

A cold front moved through the area early Tuesday evening. It was not a strong front in terms of  temperatures, but the winds surely kicked up. What set this front apart from others that don't generate extremely gusty winds? The answer is in the wind shear of this atmospheric setup.

Wind shear is a term we use to describe the change in wind speed and direction with height. Most of the time there is wind shear in the atmosphere. Just watch the skies when there are different layers of clouds. In general the higher clouds move more from the west to east and the lower clouds move more with the lower level winds. Their direction is dependent on the position of lows and highs. For instance, if a low pressure area is approaching, the lower level clouds will move from the south or southwest to the north or northeast, while the upper level winds will often be from the west or southwest.

The surface wind speeds are usually at their strongest when the upper level winds are blowing from the same direction as the surface winds. When that happens the upper level winds "drag" the surface winds along as if they have established a connection. That's what happened this evening. Fortunately the winds died down quite a bit within an hour or two after the front passed.

Here are some of the highest gusts recorded for Tuesday evening:

Grand Meadow School (MN)        58 mph
Rochester - Kellogg (MN)                51 mph
Mt. Sterling (WI)                                   44 mph
La Crosse Municipal Airport       43 mph
Sparta (WI)                                                43 mph
Preston (MN)                                            41 mph
Decorah (IA)                                              37 mph

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Another sign of the season...

With the start of the the colder fall and winter season will come the consequences of that weather. Today I'll talk about the lower humidity that develops in the cold season.

First a little lesson in humidity:

You may have noticed that some weather instruments you can buy indicate an indoor and an outdoor relative humidity. That's because temperature plays a big part in the humidity.

Here's an example:
1. Assume the outdoor  air temperature equals 45 degrees and the outdoor humidity equals 60 percent.
2. Then suppose that you bring the air indoors and keep only the same amount of water vapor in that air.
3. In that case, if the air is heated to 70 degrees, then the indoor humidity would equal only 24 percent.

That would be pretty dry and could cause drying out of wooden furniture in your house over an extended period. Dry skin is also a common problem in winter for many people as the humidity drops. Some respiratory conditions can worsen as humidity levels drop.

The common solution is to add water to your indoor air with a humidifier. Keep the humidity at about 40 percent indoors. I remember my mother firing up the humidifier in my room when I got a cold.

As for dry skin, a good moisturizing lotion applied liberally and often will help. Even your hair can be affected by low humidity, so consider using a conditioner to replenish and retain the moisture in your hair.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

What a difference...

We're seeing more normal weather this week compared to how we started last week.  We had rain chances each day and the clouds just wouldn't let up until this past weekend.  Sunny skies are in the forecast for us this week, with little chance for rain showers.  There are a few mornings that we'll have to keep our eye on as the week progresses just in case we need to increase our chances for rain.

On a different subject, my legs are a little sore today.  I had dance practice last night for the first time.  Why you ask?  Well, the Scenic Bluffs Chapter of the American Red Crosse is holding their 2nd Annual "Dancing with the La Crosse Stars" fundraiser this November and they asked me to dance as one of their stars.  I met my dance partner a couple of weeks ago, and we got together last night to go over some of the steps.  We decided to do a swing style dance.  We got through just less than half of the dance moves last night.  The biggest thing I noticed about me and dancing ... I have to find my rhythm!

Go ahead and mark Saturday, November 17 on your calendar.  That's the night of the dancing event.  You'll see several dance numbers along with dance groups from Misty's Dance Studio.  The winner of the competition will be determined not only by the judge's score, but the amount of money raised for the Red Cross.  Each dollar you donate counts as one vote for the dance couple.  You can send your pledges to the Red Cross by calling them at (608) 788-1000 or (800) 837-6313.  When you call, don't forget to tell them you want to vote for Zach & Chelsey!!!  You can also email me for more information at zbrown@wxow.com.

Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

"In like a lion, out like a lamb."

In an earlier blog entry I mentioned that I would cover more weather folklore and that is just what today's topic is. The title of this entry may be familiar to you: "In like a lion, out like a lamb." This weather proverb applies to the month of March. Winter is the longest season of the year here in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and just when you think that spring is on the way, it always seems like that last big snow storm saves itself for the beginning of March. However, as opposed to my first folklore entry, this phrase doesn't carry scientific truth because weather varies so much. It's just one of the many sayings that come from our past that have been passed down from generation to generation. In fact this saying first appeared in English literature in 1624. The phrase implies that if the weather is crummy during the first half of March, it will be quiet the second half of March. Weather proverbs wouldn't persist if they weren't based on what generations of observers have repeated as true, so sometimes this line does apply to the March weather, but don't count on it every year.

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist

Changes on the way

Today was an absolutely beautiful day for late October. Our high temperature climbed to 73 degrees which is fourteen degrees above the average high for this time of year which is 59. I took advantage of the weather today by playing some tennis. I haven't played in a long time and it definitely showed today. I played for one year in high school but I would have to say that my favorite sport is soccer. I played for four years in high school at Green Bay Preble, and I wish I could still play now but unfortunately I haven't found a league to play in. Aside from soccer, football is near the top of the list. A noteworthy NFL match up tomorrow will be the Denver Broncos versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. I am mentioning this game because there is a good chance Denver may receive some snow... and nothing makes watching football better than a good game with extreme weather. Denver's high temperature today reached 80 degrees but that will all change tomorrow. The forecast is calling for highs in the upper 30s with a chance for 1 to 3 inches of snow. The quickly changing weather pattern will be as a result of a cold front which is sweeping across the nation. That same system will produce rain showers beginning with Sunday afternoon and it will cool temperatures off into the 50s for the start of the work week.

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist

Weekend is here...

It has been a long week weatherwise. Lots of clouds and rainy weather dampened spirits, so it was nice to see our computers projecting a sunny start to the weekend and only a chance of rain later Sunday.

I am particularly looking forward to Saturday because I recently found out that the UW-L Planetarium is open for business that afternoon. I can't get to their regular Monday night programs, so I am ready to jump into the car and head over to Cowley Hall for the program at 1 PM. The planetarium director is Gordon Stewart, and I only recently had a chance to meet  and chat with him. I am excited to see his presentation about the sun, moon, stars and all kinds of neat astrononmical objects.

As you can probably tell by now, astronomy is an interest of mine; I even have an inexpensive, but nice telescope. Not only am I excited to see the program Saturday, but I am also going to enquire about the La Crosse Astronomy Club. I'd like to join and go out on some of their viewing nights.

Have a happy and safe weekend.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Independence Weather Academy a Success

    Another Weather Academy is under the belts of the News Nineteen Forecast team. Yesterday Zach Brown, Dan Breeden and myself visited Independence. Zach and I gave an afternoon presentation to the first through fifth graders at the school. The presentation included an overview of weather and the big message we tried to spread to the kids was to be safe, not scared, during storms. I think we did a good job getting the point across to the students as we had them all saying, "Turn around don't drown," a phrase to be remembered during flooding situation.
    Another plus, is that all of our experiments were successful! They call them experiments for a reason, and sometimes they don't work but on Thursday everything went according to plan. We had a lot of positive response to the egg in a bottle experiment.  The purpose of the experiment is to teach students that warm air expands and cool air contract. What we do is light paper on fire and put it into a milk bottle. Before the flame in the bottle goes out, we place the egg on top of the bottle and it gets sucked in as the flame goes out. So what's really happening here? Well it is all based on what I mentioned earlier. When the match was lit the air inside the bottle warms up and the air expands. However, when the match goes out the air starts to cool and the air contracts. That essentially creates more space for the egg and it gets sucked into the bottle.
    The presentation was followed by a lot of fun at the open house. We had different weather activities going on and perhaps the best part was the chance for the kids to be on television during our live broadcasts during our five and six o'clock.
    It was great to get back in the swing of things with this years first Weather Academy, and I am looking forward to our next academy in Viroqua on November 1st.

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist

Weather Academy, That's a Wrap...

Our first News 19 Weather Academy of the school year is in the books. Thanks to the hard work of the News 19 Forecast Team, especially Zach Brown, and our regular staff volunteers, plus the hospitality and assistance of the Independence Elementary School staffers it went off without a hitch. We did trip a couple of circuit breakers in the name of science and education, but overall it was a great success.

But I  need to point out the most important part of the event, the students. They were the highlight of our trip to Indee Boulevard. The kids learned alot from Meteorologists Zach Brown and Andrew Thut, and of course the kids got to be on TV;  always a high point.

Before I wrap this up, I'd like to invite schools that wish to host a Weather Academy to email us with your request at news19.weather@wxow.com . There is no charge and we'd love to visit your school. We are booked up for this school year.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Come say 'Hello'!

The best thing about the weather academy for me is seeing the excitement on their little faces when the school kids get excited about learning.  That's what I get to experience with the News 19 Weather Academy.  I've spoken to many school classes before, but there's something about speaking to 300+ elementary age little ones.  Not only are they thrilled to meet someone on television, but they are just excited to learn about the weather.

I took over organizing our academies back in January when I started work at News 19.  There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into the academies.  There are flyers to print up, posters to make, supplies to buy, and people to call.  It takes a lot of work to take our weather show on the road.  We do several science experiments through the afternoon assembly, and ensuring that I have everything we need for the experiments.  We do one experiment with soda cans that implode when we stick them into ice water.    This shows the kids how warm air expands and cold air contracts.  The hot air in the can contracts rapidly when placed in the cold water thus crushing the can from the inside.  The night before the academy, I spend an hour or so boiling and peeling two dozen eggs for the famous "Egg In A Bottle" experiment.  This is the experiment that everyone knows.  Most people I encounter say it's their favorite.  This experiment shows how air flows from a High Pressure to a Low Pressure.

I think one experiment that took me a little bit of time to master would be the experiment showing how hail forms.  We take a blow dryer and turn it on high.  Then we place a ping pong ball in the center of the air flow and try to balance it in the wind.  This shows that there has to be really strong winds in a storm cloud to keep transferring the hail stone up and down through the cloud.  As the stone gets closer to the bottom of the cloud, some of the ice begins to melt.  The high winds push the stone back up to the top of the cloud where it's colder and that melted ice freezes and forms another layer of ice.  That's how hail forms and can get so large.  Here's a little water cooler knowledge for you: the largest hailstone ever recovered in the United States fell in Aurora, Nebraska on June 22, 2003.  It had a 7-inch diameter and a circumference of 18.75-inches.  That blew out the old record of  5.7-inch diameter and 17.5-inch circumference.

Everyone is invited to come out and say hello to us during the open house that runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  You'll get a chance to see the experiments again, get some take home weather facts, and even get an autographed picture from the Forecast Team.  The biggest draw is probably the fact that you'll get to be on television!

Time to gather up the equipment.  I hope to see you there!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

News 19 Weather Academy...

News 19 Weather Academy rides again. It's the new school year and our popular program for helping kids learn about the weather is here.

Let me explain. News 19 Weather Academy is a program created by the News 19 Forecast Team in an effort to educate elementary school students on the basics of weather, and to instruct them to "Be Safe, Not Scared" in severe weather situations.

News 19 Weather Academy consists of an hour-long assembly during the school day which is held exclusively for students and faculty. In addition, a two-hour open house is held for the public after school. The open house consists of various stations which include weather experiments, autographs, interactive quizzes, free door prizes, and live weather broadcasts with Chief Meteorologist Dan Breeden.

On Thursday, October 18th we are at Independence Elementary School, in Independence, Wisconsin. We invite everyone to attend the open house from 4:30-6:30 pm.

If you would like more information, or perhaps you'd like for us to visit your school email us at: news19.weather@wxow.com

See you in Independence!

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist
 

Not a cross word for crosswords...

We promised that this blog would be "Off the beaten path..." and I think this post will qualify. Tonight's post will have little to do with weather.

These last few gloomy days with occasional rain, and cool, almost chilly temperatures have kept me indoors of late. Alas, what to do? For me it is a no-brainer because I am a crossword puzzle addict, a real word junkie. I have been doing them since elementary school, but the real bug hit me a few years ago when I discovered the online versions that abound on the information superhighway. Don't get me wrong, I still love the daily puzzle in the the local newspaper, but it is so easy to change answers electronically; you don't have to sweep away those annoying little eraser shavings. Plus, if you erase as often as I do, it's hard to read the little numbers in the grid after awhile. (My eyes aren't what they used to be.)

I'd like to think that those thought-provoking clues in crossword puzzles help to keep me sharp, but I couldn't find any  scientific studies that prove it. Nevertheless, I will keep doing them daily because they are just plain fun and you get better at them with time. Puzzle compilers, or "cruciverbalists"--yes, that is what they are called in the trade--love to throw you real head-scratching, sometimes whimsical clues that sometimes require two or even three word answers.

The first print "cruciverbalist" was Arthur Wynne.  He compiled the first puzzle (shown here) on December 21, 1913 in the New York World, a now-defunct newspaper. It was called a "word-cross", but as time wore on and puzzle popularity increased it evolved into the name we use today. Word puzzles go back much farther to ancient Roman times, but officially the 20th century ushered in the first print crosswords.

People have been hooked ever since. Here at WXOW I've discovered a few dedicated crossworders, and we enjoy working on them alone or as a team, especially on those big  Sunday puzzle monstrosities.

It turns out we are not alone. President Bill Clinton and Oscar awards ceremony and "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart are both crossword enthusiasts. They even made cameo appearances in a documentary called "Wordplay" about crossword fanatics and a big crossword tournament in Stamford, Connecticut in 2005.

Since the rain seems destined to spoil much of this week's weather, maybe it's time you tried your hand at the crossword puzzle.

News 19 Chief Meteorologist Dan Breeden

Wet weather of late...

Late summer and early fall have certainly shown plenty of variability. Since the floods of August streaky weather has been the norm, not the exception. After the flooding on the 18th and 19th, near normal rainfall finished the month.

September showed a nice stretch of reasonably dry conditions until the very end when an inch of rain fell at the  La Crosse Municipal Airport. Still the rainfall came up just shy of the average for the month of September.

Now October is showing a wet streak. In the first two weeks of the month just over 2 inches has fallen, double the normal amount in the same period. Since the rest of this week looks wet, with Tuesday, Thursday and Friday showing good chances of significant rainfall, the rollercoaster ride of weather just keeps rolling along. Let's hope we can still get some nice sunshine before winter gets here.
Here's a look at the last three months of rainfall statistics:

August:
    -Actual: 13.75"
    -Normal: 4.28"
    -Departure: +9.47"

September:
    -Actual: 3.25"
    -Normal: 3.40"
    -Departure: -0.15"

October(so far)
    -Actual: 2.08"
    -Normal: 1.06"
    -Departure: +1.02"

Rain, rain, go away...

Ever notice that when it's cloudy, foggy, and wet outside you can't seem to get up and get motivated?  I'm sure many of you are feeling that same way this morning.  The clouds and fog are here to stay for a few days.  We'll be stuck in this stubborn weather pattern through Wednesday when we start to see a little peek of sunshine in the afternoon.

The days of sunshine and warm weather have come and gone.  Although you won't be able to do a lot of the outdoor activities like head to the pool or head over to the waterparks in The Dells, you will be able to have a night indoors.  By that I mean a nice dinner or take in a theatre show.  I've gone to several of the waterparks and theaters since I've been here and there are some great things to do in The Dells.  I've been told several times to go to check out the waterparks and theatres they have to offer since I was new to the area.  It's a great place for a little day trip if you have time.  The way the weather is shaping up, this coming weekend may be perfect for a little fun!                                                                                                                                                             

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

How does lightning form?

The severe weather season is starting to wind down and as the temperature drops during the fall season so will the chances for lightning. Wet weather will be a theme in the forecast over the next week and temperatures will generally be in the 50s and 60s. Rain will be common but we also may see an occasional rumble of thunder and strike of lightning. Lightning is a large electrical discharge that results from rising and sinking motions in the atmosphere. As with any electrical discharge, lightning requires a separation of charges. For lightning to occur the negatively charged particles will end up in the lower part of the cloud with the lighter positive charges in the top of the cloud. This charge distribution will cause a positive charge on the ground and when the charge difference between particles is large enough lightning occurs.

A typical thunderstorm produces three or more lightning flashes per minute and about 10 to 25 percent of all lightning strokes are cloud to ground. Each year in the United States lightning kills, on average, 85 people and injures approximately 300 people... And with that in mind, do you ever wonder why most umbrella's are a metal rod... doesn't make a lot of sense during a thunderstorm.

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist

Foggy On Top

As I was driving up the bluff this Sunday morning I noticed that it was foggy towards the top of the bluff while it wasn't foggy at the surface. My best explanation for this comes down to the relationship between temperature and dew point. As the temperature drops it draws closer to the dew point and the relative humidity increases. In today's case the temperature was nearly at the dew point which allowed for the creation of the fog. If you are still wondering why there wasn't fog at the surface it is because the surface temperature was likely warmer and so it is further from the dew point and the relative humidity wasn't as high. It wouldn't be completely accurate to say the temperature always cools with height because there are things called temperature inversions where the temperature increases with height. Temperature inversions generally occur in the Earth's stratoshphere. The stratosphere is the level just above the troposphere which is the lowest level of the atmosphere. The image below shows  the different levels of the atmosphere and the corresponding altitude.

GO PACKERS!

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist

Weather Folklore

     Weather has been forecasted for centuries and along the way a few phrases have developed... which are usually based off someone's observations rather than scientific method.  Climates and weather patterns throughout the world differ, and not all of these "weather proverbs"  are valid everywhere. However, many of them do hold some truth and can be backed by scientific evidence. The proverb of the day is as follows:

                        "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning."

    This phrase has been around a long time. In fact,  similar lines have been used in both Shakespeare's work and in the Bible. There is truth to the age old saying though.
When the western sky is clear, there is often a red sunset. That's because as the sun sets, its light shines through much of the lower atmosphere which contains dust, smoke and pollution. These particles scatter away lights shorter wavelengths,  blue and violet.  This leaves the longer wavelengths which are orange and red.  When there is even redder sunsets their is usually an area of high pressure present. High pressure produces sinking air which keeps the pollution and contaminants near Earth.
    Now for the second half of the saying concerning sunrise (shown left).  Keep in mind throughout this explanation that weather generally travels from west to east. If the sky is red in the east morning sky high pressure has most likely already passed. Usually as a high pressure system passes a low pressure system follows in its wake.  Low pressure produces more clouds and rain and thus sailors should take warning.

 

 

Sunrise (Left), Sunset (Right)

Over the next couple of weeks I will continue to point out a few weather folklore phrases that I find an interesting and that you to may be interested in.

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Meteorologist.

What is a Meteorologist?

I had a phone call this morning that got me thinking.  The gentleman on the other end of the phone said he'd taken some weather classes in college, and he has always wondered why we're called meteorologists when a meteor is a streak of light in the sky after a meteoroid hits our atmosphere.  I thought I'd break it down a little for everyone in case you were curious too.  If not, it might make for some water cooler chat.

The word Meteorology comes from the Greek word meteoron which means "high in the sky" and the word logo which means "knowledge".  When you put -ology at the end of a word, you're describing the study of that subject.  Examples would be Sociology (the study of society and human interaction) or Biology (the study of life).  When you add -ologist to the end of a word, you're describing a person that studys that particular subject.  In our case, we're scientists who study phenomena high in the sky.  This applies to us because the earth's weather happens within 10 miles of the surface.  We study the weather high in the sky!

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Lots of stuff...

Oh so much to get to this morning as we head into great weather for today and tomorrow.

I mention the great weather tomorrow not just because this is a weather blog :-) but because there is a lot of events going on tomorrow.  First, head down to the south side Oktoberfest grounds in La Crosse for the 16th annual State Bank Financial's Chili Cook-Off!  Tickets are only $5 PLUS that counts as a raffle ticket for prizes!  You can also get five tickets for $20. The cook-off begins at 11:30 a.m. and goes until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.  100% of the proceeds to directly to D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training) and Habitat for Humanity of the La Crosse Area.  I also mention this because yours truly along with the other members of the Forecast Team have an entry in the competition and we need your votes!!  Remember to stop by our table and say hi and vote for our "Chili Today ... Hot Tomorrow" entry!  Hope to see you there!

Another event going on is the 5th annual Buddy Walk, presented by Children of the Heart.  Head down to Riverside Park for registration at 10 a.m.  The walk starts at 11 a.m.  This event is to raise awareness about Down Syndrome as well as raise money for those affected in the La Crosse area.

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Viewer Pictures...

Here are a couple of pictures of some fall colors that were emailed to me.  They come from Theresa and Serena from Loyal, Wisconsin.  They took the pictures as they were heading through Neillsville, Wisconsin.

Don't forget to send in your fall color pictures.  Email them to me at zbrown@wxow.com                                                                                                                                          

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Frosty Nights

On September 15th of this year the area witnessed one of the coldest nights since April. As a matter of fact the low temperature in La Crosse was 34 degrees and many locations throughout the Tri-State witnessed the first frost of the year. That means the end of the growing season for many was ahead of schedule. Usually the first frost of the year in La Crosse occurs between the 25th of September and October 1 and the final frost of the year usually occurs in the beginning of May as shown below.
With this said tonight will be another cool night but it looks like conditions are going to be just off for the formation of frost. If your a weather buff you may find this rule of thumb interesting. If the dew point temperature is likely to fall near the freezing mark and the temperature at sunset is around nine degrees above the dew point... there's more... and it is expected to be a cool and clear night, frost can be expected. The temperature doesn't have to be at or below the freezing mark for frost but it should be close  and a few other conditions have to be satisfied... light winds and clear skies.  The reason behind this all comes down to energy gains and energy losses. At night, a blade of grass loses energy by emission of longwave radiation and gains energy from surrounding objects... On a clear night, objects near the ground emit more radiation than they receive from the sky, which would be different if there were clouds. This explains why frost forms in an open field but not under a tree. Trees emit more radiation toward the ground than does the clear sky. I hope this wasn't to confusing and you found it somewhat interesting.

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News Nineteen Meteorologist

Submit Your Pictures...

We've seen a lot of colors across the News 19 viewing area this fall and I'd like to see pictures that you've taken.  Send me your fall foliage pictures with a little description of where you took the picture and when you took the picture.  You can email your pictures to zbrown@wxow.com.

We are very near the peak of the color changing season so hurry and send those pictures in!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

The Fall Season Statistics

    I have to say that autumn is one of my favorite seasons. There is nothing like warm Wisconsin summers, but the cool and crisp conditions that Fall brings are one of a kind.  It is too bad that the season is so short lived. Fall weather typically begins during the second week of September and continues into the third week of November. The average high temperature drops from the 70s in the middle of September to average highs near 40 just in time for the gun deer hunting season. While 40 degrees may seem a little bit warm for the third week in November the overnight lows typically drop into the mid 20s. That means that cool and snow supporting conditions aren't far off in the Tri-State. In fact, the first snowflakes of the season typically occur in the month of October.  As far as measurable snow goes, that typically holds off until November, a month where around four inches are generally expected. Here's a statistic for weather lovers, the earliest heavy snowfall in La Crosse was just over 9 inches which was set on November 1st in 1991.
    Getting away from talk of snowfall, October is usually one of the sunnier months in La Crosse. We usually see 9 to 11 clear days in the month. Things will take a considerable change by the time November rolls around though... November is the cloudiest month of the year with right around 6 clear days.  I hope you found  some of the statistics interesting.

Until next time, enjoy the fall weather!

Andrew Thut
News Nineteen Meteorologist

Hold on to Your Hats!

It definitely feels like fall when you head outside.  If you slept with your windows open last night, like I did, I'm sure you had to throw an extra blanket on the bed.  The winds didn't help either.  Here are a few numbers for you to look at:

Dexter, MN                  -  29mph / 40mph gusts
Austin, MN                   -  17mph / 38mph gusts
                               Prairie du Chien, WI   -  21mph / 35mph gusts
                               Sparta, WI                   -  20mph / 32mph gusts
                               Winona, MN                 - 22mph / 30mph gusts
                                La Crosse, WI             - 24mph / 30mph gusts

The winds picked up as a high pressure moved in to our northwest bringing northerly winds into our region.  The storm system we saw Sunday has only moved slightly to our east so that combined with the high pressure system to increase our winds.  It's what we call a pressure gradient.  Around a Low Pressure air spins counter clockwise.  While around a High Pressure air spins clockwise.  The closer two opposing spins of air get near each other, the tighter the Isobars (lines of equal pressure) get packed together and the faster the wind blows.  You also experience this sort of occurrence when you walk between two buildings.  You may be blown around a little if you're not careful!  Check out the picture below for what I just described.

 

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Weak to moderate La Nina this winter

Welcome to the News Nineteen Forecast Team blog. Hopefully along the way Dan, Zach and I can share with you some insight on our own lives as well as certain weather topics of interest. 
    The fall-like weather has returned and from here on out, statistically speaking, it will only get cooler. With that in mind, I'd like to write about what lies ahead this winter weather-wise. According the National Weather Service a weak to moderate La Nina will affect the United States this winter. Many people have heard of El Nino, but La Nina causes mostly the opposite effects. The weather phenomena causes cooler ocean temperatures across the equatorial east-central Pacific.  You're probably thinking, that's great but how is it going to affect weather in the United States. The Tri-State region shouldn't be overly affected but the Pacific Northwest will likely have a cool and wet winter. It will be just the opposite in the Southeast where many areas are looking for drought relief. They'll see dry and warm conditions. One other location that is generally affected during a La Nina year is the Ohio Valley where a wetter than average winter is expected. 
    As far as precipitation goes in La Crosse, we aren't in any hurry to hope for more rain. We are currently over nine inches above the average precipitation for this time of year. In my opinion, I wouldn't mind seeing a relatively dry winter (my Chevrolet Prizm doesn't do well in the winter). However, I do love to ski so hopefully we get enough snow for a good year at Mount La Crosse!

Until next time,

Andrew Thut
News Nineteen Meteorologist

Changing Leaves...

The wet weather this summer has left us with a less than perfect color show as the leaves begin to change and fall.  The News 19 viewing area is around 50% complete.  This weekend and the next week should bring us some decent colors.  The cool, fall weather this weekend will make travelling more enjoyable for those heading out to see the colors.

I thought this was a great picture to look at.  It's a picture taken from outer space with one of our satellites.  It shows the color change for leaves in the upper part of Wisconsin and Michigan.  You can also make out some color change in Minnesota.

Here's the explanation from the National Weather Service:

The image below was taken by the MODIS AQUA satellite around 2 pm on Wednesday, October 3rd. The MODIS satellites are polar orbiting satellites at an altitude of roughly 435 miles. In this true color image the changing fall colors (the orange hues) can be seen across much of northern Wisconsin into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The bulk of this color change is Sugar Maple, along with some of the oaks. Some color change can be seen into central Wisconsin where there is Red Maple mixed with oak and other hardwoods. Further west and south the maturing corn and soybean fields are the tans and browns seen across much of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

Thanks for checking in!

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist