Steve Weagle's Weather and Astronomy Blog

Will Invest 92 be our next Depression?

sweagle — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:01:00 GMT

The last 24 hours have seen a dramatic increase in thunderstorms to the northeast of Puerto Rico. I have a couple of concerns with this system. First the proximity to the Southeast, and we that we could see further strengthening quickly once the upper low to the west pulls away and weakens. That is expected by Wednesday. The two are intertwined right now, which is an unfavorable situation for development, but this will change in 36 hours. Right now it is travelling west at...(read more)

Good weather for Shuttle Launch overnight?

sweagle — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:21:00 GMT

There's rain right now, but latest radar and satellite trends show a clearing sky over the Space Coast, just in time for the launch of STS-128 overnight. The launch is set for 1:36AM. Here's the track and the areas that can see the launch. http://www.space.com/spacewatch/090824-see-shuttle-discovery.html http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/index.html ...(read more)

International Space Station visible over Florida Tonight Sunday May 10

sweagle — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:47:00 GMT

Get outside at 8:19PM tonight and look toward the south. You'll see the Space Station track across the sky. It'll look like a bright star moving slowly overhead. The beach is a great place to view it. For best viewing watch toward the south at 8:19PM. The Station will move toward the East Northeast, and take about 4 minutes to make the trip. ...(read more)

Launch Time and Tracking Map for tonight's Shuttle Launch-can you see it where you live?

sweagle — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:40:00 GMT

Tonight's Shuttle Launch is set for 7:43PM Eastern Time. Here's a map of regions that can see the launch. Additional info below the graphic. Viewing Map: Weather permitting, a night launch of the space shuttle is typically visible from much of the East Coast. The most dramatic view is from inside the yellow circle. But within the red circle, skywatchers may see very bright, pulsating, fast-moving object that resembles the brightest stars in the sky from 3 to 8 minutes after launch. For viewers...(read more)

Full 'Worm' Moon and Saturn Rise Tonight

sweagle — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:12:00 GMT

The March Full Moon is known as the Worm or Maple Sugar Moon. It is a sure sign of Spring up north as the ground thaws and the earthworms begin to show up for another season. Moonrise for South Florida is at 7:16PM. This is a great time to head to the beach and look East over the ocean. The Moon will take on hints of orange and reds as it rises above the horizon. This is caused by dust, pollution and the light travelling through more atmosphere. It will also look larger because of the...(read more)

Spectacular Sight In The Morning Sky This Week

sweagle — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:39:00 GMT

If you're up early enough, take a look at three planets and the crescent Moon in the sky just before sunrise. Look East Southeast just before sunrise. If you have trouble tracking each planet use the graphic below. ...(read more)

International Space Station (ISS) visible in the sky this Thursday

sweagle — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:31:00 GMT

There was a huge interest in viewing this a couple of months ago that I'm posting times to view the Space Station again. Thursday is the best night, where the station is visible for 6 minutes high in the sky. It starts at 6:51PM. The Space Station will look like a bright star travelling across the sky, rising in the Northwest, tracking almost directly overhead, and setting in the Southeast. Exact coordinates are on the chart below. This information is for South Florida. To find your...(read more)

National Weatherman's Day Is Today!

sweagle — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:09:00 GMT

If it's Thursday Feb. 5, it's National Weatherman's Day I know you're more than a little intrigued. Is it possible that there is a special day for your favorite local weatherman? Yes, and it's coming up this week. For such an important holiday you would think more people would know about it. Not one person in this newsroom knew about it. I actually didn't know until someone told me last year. But thanks to the internet and my blog, it's about to catch on, and hopefully...(read more)

What's the bright star in the sky after sunset?

sweagle — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:05:00 GMT

It's not a star, it's Venus. And it is very bright in the Southwestern evening sky this week. At magnitude -4.6, it won't get much brighter, and is easily viewed even with the Sun above the horizen in the West. Look for Venus and the crescent Moon moving slightly each night this week. ...(read more)

Throwing Boiling Water In The Air At -30F

sweagle — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:51:00 GMT

This cold weather science experiment has been around for decades, and home videos are all over Youtube. You'll never see it done in Florida, since the temperature should be below -10F and ideally -25F. The permise is this. Take a glass or pot of boiling water and throw it into the bitter cold air. The water changes state from liquid to solid(ice crystals) before it hits the ground! This experiment works best if the water is near the boiling point, and...(read more)

Could It Snow Again In South Florida?

sweagle — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:03:00 GMT

The other day I blogged about the Florida snowstorm of 1977. Could it happen again? Absolutely, but a combination of factors would have to come together just like they did three decades ago. 1977 turned out to be the coldest Winter on record East of the Mississippi. 24 cities posted their coldest January in history. But why? The chart above is the surface analysis for the coldest week of 1977. Arctic air flooded into the Deep South the entire Winter, due in part to the Aleutian Low, a semi...(read more)

The Day It Snowed In South Florida!!

sweagle — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:16:00 GMT

This week 32 years ago, January 19th to be exact, was the only time in history measurable snow has been observed in South Florida. You may have been lucky enough to see a snow flake or two in winters past, but on January 19, 1977 snow covered the ground from the Panhandle to Miami. It was an amazing day. Teachers let children out of school to play in the snow, and old video from that day(film at that time) shows kids making snowmen and having snowball fights. The photo below is from the Tampa...(read more)

Full Moon This Weekend Is Brightest Of The Year!

sweagle — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:50:00 GMT

Remember all the hype last month of the biggest Full Moon in 30 years? Well if you missed it, the Full 'Wolf' Moon this Saturday night will be almost the same size and brightness. This close approach is known as perigee, and only happens once or twice a year. The best time to view the Full Moon is as it's rising. The atmosphere along the horizon adds extra color and size to the already impressive Moon. Moonrise over South Florida will be 5:25PM. Head to your favorite beach for the best viewing....(read more)

Full 'Wolf' Moon this weekend!

sweagle — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:29:00 GMT

The first Full Moon of the year occurs this Saturday night. Known as the Wolf Moon, it shines brightly as the wind howls in the cold winter night. Well maybe not in Florida....Also known as the Moon After Yule and the Old Moon. Head to the beach for a great view of Moonrise. Official Moonrise will be 5:25PM. ...(read more)

The Evening Sky this Week January 5-10

sweagle — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:00:00 GMT

This is a great week to view three planets very close together in the evening sky. Look for Venus, Mercury and Jupiter in the southwest just after sunset. Venus is the highest and the brightest, with a magnitude of -4.5. The 'Evening Star' will continue to put on quite a show for the next few weeks. Mercury and Jupiter and lower and therefore washed out from the glare of the setting Sun, but still visible early in the evening. ...(read more)