Cool Images From Above! Blizzard of 2015 Juno

Although we may be getting closer and closer to white out conditions on the ground during this blizzard of 2015, there's another beautiful side to this storm and it comes from above. These massive storms form into beautiful pieces of art as seen from space. Below are a few pictures I came across on the internet of our blizzard Juno forming. They show the pure beauty of the storms as well as their incredible size! 

The first two pictures are screenshots from this amazing site from the Null School, which shows an active map of the world and wind. So when you have an intense storm, you can actually see it moving. Although these are screenshots and therefore stills, the site actually has movement and is AMAZING! I highly recommend checking it out here! 

But before you go, check out this beautiful storm as it begins to wrap into a circle off the mid-Atlantic coast. 

The next two photos are infrared images of Juno as it formed off the east coast in the early evening of January 26, 2015. Infrared is used during night time hours, when satellite images are not available due to lack of sunlight reflecting off the cloud tops. Here the colder cloud tops (higher clouds) are shown in red and dark red. These are where the clouds are thicker and taller, therefore where the storms are. 

Notice the classic comma shape beginning to form in the clouds off the east coast? It's a typical sign for strong storms as they form pulling dry cold air down on one side and pulling up warm, moist air on the other side. 

Finally we have a satellite picture from just before sunset on Monday 1/26/2015. This shows the blizzard of 2015 starting to get it's act together off the coast and shows the deep moisture connection off the Atlantic. You can almost see the storm pulling cold air down on the west and sucking up moisture (in the form of clouds) on the east side. Juno is definitely shaping up to be a powerful storm, but will she deliver on the historic snow accumulations? 

Only time will tell and we'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out! 

Current Radar Before Blizzard 1/26/15 4:45PM Est

This is the current radar (using RadarScope) as of 4:45 pm on Monday January 26th 2015. It's slowly filling in. What's interesting is the snow band over northern Long Island. The band is basically stationary. I wonder if it has to do with cold air from north of Long Island meeting moist air off the ocean, similar to how a seabreeze front forms in the summer... 

Funny Blizzard Memes for Juno!

One of internet's greatest accomplishments is the creative outlet of memes. Memes and cartoons online can easily go viral as well as expose the craziness of any situation. Perfect example is the impending bBlizzard Check out these funny cartoons and memes i've seen online! 

The first cartoon is from The New Yorker and was posted on Twitter. The forecast is totally correct, we do expect large amounts of snow pictures to accumulate on Instagram! 

The next one is only funny if you understand the differences between the weather forecast models and are also a Simpsons fan! To briefly explain, the character on the right is Ralph, a student that goes to school with Lisa and Bart Simpson. He's not quite all there and definitely not the most intelligent character. 

Now notice the names on the front of the desk...ECMWF (Euro model), GFS, and NAM (North American Model). Ever since the Euro predicted Superstorm Sandy a week out, it has been the most reliable computer model of them all, hence the more diligent student. The GFS is known for it's inconsistencies, especially in the first few weeks of 2015 when the model was upgraded. So it's correct sometimes but usually ends up following what the Euro says. Finally, the NAM, which seems to always be showing something interesting but not always correct. The model is best used within 48 hours of a storm and even then it's not always right! 

The next one is just hilarious and was sent to me via text message! The forecast seems pretty correct!

Final one for now is actually the one I made for this storm! Based on what The Weather Channel is calling the storm, here's my meme! Feel free to add more you find to the comments! 

Blizzard of 2015 Snow Maps! #Juno

There's been some crazy images coming out on the internet the last few days! From computer models of historic proportion to statewide blizzard warnings. New England is sure in for a ride as the Blizzard of 2015, also called Juno by The Weather Channel inches closer to the region. Here are some of the images I found on Twitter that really stood out to me. The first one is a satellite image of the storm engulfing the east coast on Monday morning (1/26/2015).  As you can see it's a massive storm, which will only get bigger as the parts come together off the mid-atlantic coast! 

The next photo wasn't one I found online but one I took of my TV (Not the best photograph). Although Connecticut is a small state (3rd smallest by geography) It's still impressive to have the entire state in a Blizzard Warning! 

If you're not familiar with Connecticut weather, it's actually pretty interesting and variable. Due to the maritime influence and changes in elevation, you can have very different weather from corner to corner in this state. Normally, areas to the northwest (upper left in this map) gets the most snow due to higher elevation and colder weather. The least amount of snow usually falls in the south east corner of the state (the bottom right).  This area, which includes New London, usually gets a maritime influence, sending temps up just enough to change snow to a mixture or even rain in many cases. With that said, most snowfall maps for Connecticut are striped in different shades of accumulation but this storm is a sold 15-30 inches across the state! 

Finally, below is a computer model map that came out on Sunday (1/25/15) that shows the worst case scenario for snowfall. How often do you see  >30 inches across the entire state of Connecticut, even if it's just a computer model! 

The Weather Channel Calls Blizzard Juno...

Just thought this would be funny! Historic Snowstorm Juno will be big! 

Historic Blizzard to hit Northeast for 1/26/15 to 1/27/15

On Friday the 23rd we were preparing for a small but decent size snowstorm, something that has been lacking all winter so far. There was some mention of a storm right in its heels for early the following week, however on Friday it looked like it was going to be weak and move to the south like a lot of storms this year. 

Well Saturday was met by surprise, not only by the 6 inches of snow (2-5 inches were predicted) but also the fact that temps had risen so fast, changing everything to rain. Another surprise was that now all major computer models (Euro, GFS, NAM) had a major snowstorm for the northeast on Monday into Tuesday. 

Now it's Sunday morning the 25th and we wake up to Blizzard Warnings in southern Connecticut! NWS Boston calling it a possible HISTORIC storm! 

The potential exists for 1-2 feet of snow, winds from 49-60mph and temps in the low 20's, meeting the criteria for blizzards. Since it will be so cold, the snow will be light and fluffy, which will result in quick accumulation but also very high drifts! 

One models view of what the storm will look like. 972 mb low on the benchmark with high pressure to the north supplying cold air is the perfect recipe for snow! 

Notice the dark blues over southern Connecticut. This indicates heavy snowfall rates. 

And here's the European model's snowfall projecting. That turquoise blue along the Ct/Ny boarder is 30+ inches of snow! The whitish/grey color represents 12-24 inches of snow! 

This looks like it's going to be a whopper! Wonder if it will be as historic as the 2013 blizzard (aka Nemo) that dumped 38 inches of snow in my yard in one night, leaving us snowed in for 3 days! check out that storm here. 

Also, if you're in the northeast, here's some movies you might enjoy while being snowed in during the blizzard! (You have to some thing to ward off cabin fever!) 

More updates will follow as the storm gets closer! 

Man Films as his Home is hit by a Tornado (Video)

Tornadoes are often seen as this amazing and crazy phenomenon but we can't forget that these whirlwinds also bring death and destruction! 

This video below shows how quickly a tornado can change your life. Luckily these two (father and daughter) walked away with their lives. However, just seconds of darkness and howling winds pull apart their home. 
Take a moment to watch this video and comprehend how quickly things change. This man continues to film as he luckily takes refuge in his basement. In just seconds of absolute darkness, his home is partially destroyed. 
These storms may be awesome to look at and fascinating to study but they still cause horrible damage to people's lives and unfortunately take many lives as well. 

A Guide to Measuring Snow by NOAA!

Below is a cool infographic on how to properly measure snow from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Since snow doesn't always fall straight to the ground from the clouds, you need to be careful to not measure in drifts that farm near buildings or other objects. Also take multiple measurements to insure the best reading! 

This is definitely something fun to do with the kids or any weather enthusiast and if done correctly you can report your results to your local National Weather service office or even your local tv meteorologist who will be certainly looking for snow measurements on social media (Twitter, Facebook). Take a pic of your ruler in the snow and send it with the average measurement to your local meteorologist and it may end up on tv! 

Here's a measurement I took in early 2014. We got just about 6 inches of snow! 

It's Getting Hot in Here...2014 Warmest Year on Record

Big news on Twitter on Friday January 16th, which usually seems to get overlooked. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the news as well as a graphic showing that 2014 was officially the warmest on record. According to the graphic, we've been above average every year since the late 1970s!! That's about 38 years! I'm only 27, so that means I've NEVER seen a below average year globally in my entire lifetime! 

It's interesting to note that this chart has taken into account not only land temperature anomalies but also ocean temperature anomalies. There are some theories out there that suggest a slowdown in warming over the last decade is the direct result of the oceans sucking up all the heat. If this is true, not only will the oceans be changing drastically (👎😁) but what happens when they can't absorb anymore of the excess heat? Do average temps suddenly skyrocket? Seems to be a lot of questions about the future of our ever changing climate! 

Check out the graphic below. 

7 Awesome Winter Phenomenons You Have Never Heard Of!

"It arrives as the days grow shorter and the night's longer. As the golden hues of fall fade to brown, the world begins to transform into a landscape of white, a winter wonderland! Although cold, winter can be a breath taking season of beauty and fun.

The season is marked with cold temperatures, which brings with it a plethora of frozen precipitation from freezing rain and sleet to the most recognizable snow! We are all familiar with certain winter phenomenons, like the various degrees of snow storms, from flurries to blizzards, or how our lakes will freeze if it gets cold enough. These phenomenons occur for many every year but have you ever heard of snow rollers, frost quakes or ice tsunamis??

Check out the 7 Awesome Winter Phenomenons You Have Never Heard Of below!"

Read the rest at Here