Just a quick post this morning about the tornado devastation in Oklahoma. It reminds me of the discussion of SuperStorm Sandy. Check out this past post about SuperStorm risks, and this one about hardening infrastructure against violent storms. The cities in Oklahoma that were struck by the tornado could have used buried power lines. Stronger houses or more underground storm shelters would be beneficial. Maybe it is time to start considering underground shelters or large “storm rooms” for big public buildings like schools, factories, and churches. These are all great ideas, of course, but they all cost money. It is much cheaper to live in a trailer home even though the risk of dying in a severe weather event – in tornado alley no less – is much much greater. I am happy to see WPS is at least testing buried power cables in the Northwoods. I hope the test proves some benefit for buried cables, as then “downed” power lines would be one less thing to worry about in a severe weather situation.

UPDATE: Over the weekend I warned people about an upcoming threat of frost. At that point, it looked as if the highest threat of frost would be Saturday and Sunday morning. Now the main threat has shifted to Friday morning with only a minor threat of frost well to the northeast of Marathon county on Saturday morning. On Friday morning it is looking more likely that there will be a light frost across rural and low-lying areas of central Wisconsin. I am now forecasting a low of 35 even in the city. The Northwoods will have the highest chance of frost with some spots possibly seeing low temps in the upper 20s. I have NOT yet planted my peppers, melons, or tomatoes in the ground in my country garden and I will hold off on potting some tomatoes as well, until after Friday. I already have six frost sensitive plants in pots that I will have to (maybe) cover or move indoors Thursday night. I don’t need anymore to worry about. Hopefully this will be the last significant frost threat of the season. I plan on putting more plants in the ground this weekend.

Have a good Tuesday! Meteorologist Justin Loew

Posted under Freeze, Gardening, Seasonal Items, Storms, Tornadoes

This post is for all the gardeners and farmers out there who are at the cusp of planting frost-sensitive plants such as corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, etc… A good rule of thumb is to wait until after Memorial Day weekend. If there is frost after that point, there is nothing you can do except cover your plants. You can’t plant later into June, waiting for that last threat of frost to pass (which happens some years) because the growing season is not long enough around these parts.

So what does it look like this year? It looks like there will be a threat of frost this upcoming weekend – Memorial Day weekend. Particularly on Saturday and Sunday morning. How much of a threat? It looks like frost is highly likely in some of the traditional cold spots, such as low lying areas in the northwoods (Eagle River, Land O’ Lakes, Jennings, Parts of Lincoln county, etc.) If you live in these areas and follow the weather, you know if this means your garden.

For central Wisconsin, at this time, it looks like a moderate threat of frost in low lying areas – places like Ringle in Marathon county, or the Stevens Point airport area. In the city or more urban areas, I am not too worried about the threat of frost. Low temps will probably stay in the upper 30s in these areas. I have planted some basil in pots and I plan to plant some tomatoes in pots this week (in the city), because I feel the threat of frost is quite low (in the city). I have planted some pepper and chard SEEDS in my country garden, but I HAVE NOT put pepper, melon, or tomato PLANTS in my country garden yet. I am holding off to see whether the threat of frost (for Memorial Day weekend) will materialize or become more significant. I hope this helps in your garden and planting planning for the next week or so!

(Supplemental info: cranberry farmers – it goes without saying, get ready for frost)

Posted under forecast, Freeze, Seasonal Items, Spring

The pattern of extreme changes continues this spring.  Perhaps you heard about the huge ice shoves this past weekend that pushed mega piles of ice off Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota.  Homes and property on the southeast shore were damaged heavily as 35 mph northwesterly winds piled the floating up onto shore like a moving glacier.   You can watch the ice in action from the following link.  http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/weathermatrix/ice-needle-shoves-surges-terrorize-great-lakes/12337031

Also a lake west of Winnipeg in Manitoba piled up ice 27 feet deep into some homes.  That is one of the weirdest natural disasters I can think of.  The wind that produced the ice pile ups was part of a deep trough of low pressure north of Lake Superior which drove the very chilly weather down into Wisconsin this past weekend.  Of course we had several record low temperatures Sunday night across Wisconsin.    The cold air is moving east.  In fact frost and freeze advisories were posted Monday night from portions of North Carolina northward to Maine.

Meanwhile red flag warnings have been posted into Tuesday in an area from Montana Iowa and Minnesota.  An intense burst of heat that originated in the Desert Southwest of the U.S. is shooting northeast across the country.  Highs could be close to 100 around Omaha, NE with 90s into southern Minnesota.  This coupled with low humidity, gusty winds, sunshine, and dry fuels will make for dangerous fire conditions.  Burning is prohibited and residents are asked to avoid any activities that could lead to sparks.

Red Flag Warnings are Pink. Frost and Freeze Warnings in Eastern U.S. in blue.

Just maybe the weather patterns will settle into something closer to normal over the next few weeks.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out.  The cold air intrusions have to run out sooner or later.  By the way we are getting to the point where gardeners wonder if we have seen the last frost for the season.  The average last frost date across Wisconsin varies from late April near Lake Michigan to early June in some northern areas.  So we are certainly getting a little safer from the cold with each passing day.

Posted under Fire, Freeze, Gardening, Heat, Natural Disasters, Records, Seasonal Items, Spring

After a string of warmer than normal days, the tree pollen is going up fast.  In fact we got word Monday from the Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center that tree pollen was measured at a level of over 300, which puts it in the high category.  So if you have red, itchy eyes, sneezing, headache, runny nose, and fatigue…this could be your culprit.  We will  be passing on the pollen information throughout the growing season here on WAOW-TV.  We know many of you are impacted by seasonal allergies so we want to help you as much as we can.  The Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center released a very informative press release on how they measure aeroallergens.  Please take a few minutes to read through it.  You may find it useful.  One key point I saw was that the measurement they report each morning is actually an average for the past 24 hours.

Aeroallergen Counting

Aeroallergen counting involves the measurement of specific allergens or allergen classes in the atmosphere. This is typically performed using volumetric measuring devices. Each device has a range of particle sizes which it counts most efficiently. Counts are reported in particles per cubic meter of air. This value represents the average over the counting period. It does not represent an instantaneous value. Thus 20 hours of high pollen exposure followed by 1 inch of rain in the last 4 hours will still produce a high pollen count for the day. The next 24 hour period will likely be affected though.

Factors which affect the pollen counts include most notably the life cycle of the plant being studied and the weather. Plants progress through the normal pollen producing seasons as follows:

Trees: Late March to early June. The beginning of the tree season is significantly affected by the weather and quite variable.

Grass: June-July, peaks the third-fourth week of June.

Weeds: August-September, peaks near the end of August, gone with frost.

Warm, dry, windy conditions tend to favor higher pollen counts. This tends to be especially true early in the season when it also aids in plant maturation. Favorable weather by itself cannot cause high counts though. An example would be as the normal pollen producing period is winding down, few pollen are being released. In contrast, even significant rain can be overcome by high pollen producing periods.

Pollen counting has been performed by the Marshfield Clinic and the Wausau Medical Center for many years. Following the merger of the two clinics in 1997, it was decided that pollen counting for the system would take place exclusively in Wausau. This service has been supported and managed by the Allergist of the Marshfield Clinic System and performed directly by trained lab technicians. A Rotorod sampler is currently utilized and positioned on the roof of the Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center. It is very effective for counting pollen. This device is not as efficient for mold spores less than 10 microns and thus mold counts are not performed. Mold spore counting requires a significant increase in technical equipment and labor resources and thus is not routinely performed by most pollen counting stations.

We would be happy to discuss the workings of the Rotorod sampler in more detail if desired. A site visit could also be arranged with our lead lab technician (Ray).

I hope you have found this information useful. I think this service does help educate the public and certainly helps our patients as well as ourselves, the treating physicians.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if there are any questions.

Mark Huftel, M.D.

Allergist

Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center, 847-3430

Pollen Count Ranges

Low Moderate High Very High

Trees < 15    15-90    91-1500    > 1500

Grasses < 5    5-20    21-200     > 200

Weeds < 10    10-50    51-500    > 500

(Ragweed)

Posted under Allergies, Seasonal Items, Spring

I have to post in order to remind everyone to enter the Rib Mountain snowmelt contest (if you haven’t already). The deadline is Tuesday night at midnight. You can’t win and brag to all your friends about what a brilliant forecaster you are unless you enter. It is easy to do, just enter here: http://www.waow.com/story/21963495/2013/04/12/take-your-guess-in-the-annual-snowmelt-contest Don’t pass up such an easy chance at winning a $250 gift card for the R-store!

There is still a lot of snow out there on the slopes but it started to melt a little over the weekend and the warm weather has finally given me the chance to get out in my garden. Although, I still found some chunks of frozen ground yesterday when I was digging. This is the latest I can ever remember the ground being frozen. We finally also saw some crocus bloom over the weekend. This is the latest I can ever remember the crocus blooming as well. One would think we would have set some sort-of record for cold or snow, but we haven’t (unless there is some obscure record for fewest 40 degree days in March, or fewest 50 degree days in April). We had been close to setting the record for the coldest April ever until the warm-up hit over the weekend. The coldest April ever in Wausau occurred in 1950 when the average high temperature was just 34.0. Through yesterday, our average high temperature for April of 2013 has now risen up to 36.3. With warm weather continuing today and tomorrow, that average might yet climb up close to 38. At an average of 38.0 we would still be in the top ten for coldest Aprils. The last time we had such cold weather in April was in 1995 (10th coldest) and in 1996 (18th coldest). 1996 was the last time I can remember so much ice being on the lakes so late in the Spring. I talked to some folks from Boulder Junction over the weekend and they said there was close to 30 inches of ice on some of the lakes yet.

Getting out into the country and working on my garden gave me a chance to curse the ethanol mandate (and artificially high price of corn) again. I saw yet another farm (I drive by often) where the trees are being cut down in order to grow corn for someone’s fuel tank, and I am not talking about their stomach. Maybe I am just and “old-timer” now and resisting progress, but I don’t think so. The landscape used to be so much more scenic when I was growing up because there were many more rows of trees lining driveways and dividing fields. Now it is much more open, and this trend has accelerated in the last few years. Through the 1990s and 2000s it seemed that the natural landscape was holding up. Some areas were growing back into forests. With the advent of the ethanol mandate and the artificially high price of corn, that trend has rapidly reversed recently. I lament the habitat that is being lost for birds and other small animals. Trees take a long time to grow back. Does anyone else lament the clearing of so many trees recently? Like I have mentioned before, it is hard to fault farmers or ethanol producers for taking advantage of the market (artificial or not) and making a buck. I can’t say for sure what I would do if I needed extra money and the corn price was artificially high. I might chop down a few trees (but it would be one of the last things on my list). The real fault lies with policy makers in Washington. I doubt anything will change soon unless there is another drought this year and people start to go without food. In that case, I think the ethanol mandate would be dropped pretty quick, like it should have been years ago.

Have a fine Monday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Alternative Energy, Records, Seasonal Items, Snowmelt 2013

The Skywarn Spotter training program is in high gear right now as we prepare for the severe thunderstorm season.   The National Weather Service is holding numerous sessions around the area for those interested in learning about severe weather and how to report on it.    They include:

• April 2nd:  Wood County Courthouse in Wisconsin Rapids, 6:00 p.m.
• April 10th:  Waushara County Courthouse in Wautoma, 6:00 p.m.
• April 11th:  Antigo High School, 6:00 p.m.
• April 15th:  Law Enforcement Center in Adams, 6:30 p.m.
• May 22nd:  Oneida County Law Enforcement Center in Rhinelander, 6:00 p.m.

Several live webinars will be held as well.  You need to have high speed internet and phone to take part in these. 

• March 28th:  7:00 p.m.  Conducted by the Green Bay National Weather Service (you need to live in their county warning area-covers much of the TV-9 area)
• April 9th:  2:00 p.m.  Conducted by the La Crosse National Weather Service ( includes Taylor, Clark, Jackson, Monroe, Juneau, and Adams Counties)

A third option to become Skywarn certified is to take an online self study course.

• Please go to the following link to learn more about the online self study.   https://www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23

There is a wealth of information online regarding severe weather information, spotting, and safety.  Please visit the Green Bay National Weather Service Skywarn page, http://www.crh.noaa.gov/grb/spotters.php

Another great link is the National Skywarn Homepage.  http://skywarn.org/

Spotters, thanks for all your hard work and dedication.  You really help keep the public as safe and informed as possible during severe weather.  Keep up the good work!

Posted under Seasonal Items, Severe Weather, Storms, Tornadoes, Weather NEws, Weather Safety

It looks like early spring-like weather conditions will gradually take over the patterns in Wisconsin the next couple of weeks.  First we have a juicy storm system coming in from the southwest late Friday night and Saturday.  While there could be a period of freezing rain and sleet on the leading edge of it early Saturday morning, much of Saturday into Saturday night will likely feature rain and fog.  We could see a good half inch of moisture with localized higher amounts.  This coupled with some snow melt will make for lots of standing water by Saturday night.  Below you will see the prediction for five day total precipitation through Monday.  Some areas could see over two inches around Nebraska and across much of Illinois, southeast Missouri, and Arkansas.

After slight cooling for several days early to mid next week, the longer term models are suggesting an even bigger and more sustained period of warm and wet weather moving into our region around the weekend of March 16th.  The models are showing a trough in the jet stream in the western U.S. with a strong southwest flow into the middle of the country.  If it comes to pass, it will essentially signal the end of winter with most of our snow likely going away with highs in the 50s and periods of showers and thunderstorms for a week or so.   Below is a computer model projection for Sunday March 17th showing low pressure west of Wisconsin with warm southerly winds and rain potential in the region.

We will keep you posted as we draw closer to these major seasonal pattern changes.  However at this point, if you want to get in some playtime in the snow or on the ice, you better do it right now.  Spring is most likely ready to barge in.

Posted under Seasonal Items, Spring

We ran a story on TV-9 Monday evening about how the residents of Austin, TX were out enjoying balmy and sunny spring weather while having a kite festival.  I have to admit, that sure looked pleasant.  I’m thinking to myself, hey we could be doing that in a month or so….maybe.   With a fresh blanket of snow covering parts of Wisconsin going into Tuesday and fairly chilly temperatures lingering for several days maybe you will enjoy recalling some of the balmy weather we had last March around Wisconsin.  Perhaps just the memory of it will warm your insides and melt some of the snowbanks along your driveway.   Now this is not to say snow and cold are bad.  The extra moisture hopefully will allow us to avoid a drought going into the first part of the growing season.  I also know a lot of people who are definitely enjoying using their snowmobiles and skis yet this late in the season.

In any case, March 2012 was exceptional.   We had twenty days with highs of 50 degrees or higher.  The most consistent warmth came from the 10th through the 27th.  Below you will find the daily low and high temperatures at the Wausau Airport for that unusual spell.

March 2012

Day

10th  25, 61

11th  39, 63

12th  44, 53

13th  35, 58

14th  34, 75

15th  44, 68

16th  38, 72

17th  55, 78

18th  54, 78

19th  55, 76

20th  57, 78

21st  60, 76

22nd  57, 71

23rd  53, 62

24th  53, 63

25th  32, 62

26th  27, 45

27th  36, 71

Well, in the end March 2013 is not going to be anything like March 2012.  I hope you are able to appreciate both ends of the spectrum.  For you know eventually it will warm up a lot and everything will green up and grow and bloom.  Oh that’s nice.  Well on second thought, then allergy season will be here with all the sniffles and sneezing.  It really is never perfect is it?

Posted under Seasonal Items, Spring

It’s hard to believe we are only a few days away from March, which is the start of meteorological spring.  Meteorological spring runs from March 1st through May 31st.  Depending on the year, March can be quite winter-like with numerous snowstorms and a few subzero lows, or really take on a spring feel.  It’s almost a given that it will be much cooler than last year when we had the warmest March on record in Wisconsin.  Do you remember all those days with highs in the 60s and 70s?

Well the Climate Prediction center is calling for warmer than normal conditions in March in a large part of the country.  Basically areas from New Mexico to Wisconsin and points east are favored for milder than normal conditions.  The greatest probability of having above normal temperatures runs from Alabama to West Virginia.  Colder than normal conditions are more likely from California to Montana with the greatest probability around Oregon and Washington.

There is an increased chance of above normal precipitation from Arkansas north to Minnesota stretching east through the eastern Great Lakes and south to Kentucky.  The most likely area to be wet is right around the Great Lakes.  The CPC expects drier than normal conditions from California to Colorado and New Mexico and also for area hugging the Gulf Coast right up to the East Coast to the Mid-Atlantic areas.

So in a nutshell if this forecast verifies for Wisconsin it will be mild in March with a fair amount of precipitation.  Presumably some of that will fall as rain if temperatures indeed average above normal.  By the second part of March by the way, normal temperatures in the Wausau area show highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s.  We average 1.76″ of precipitation with about 10.0″ of snow.

Posted under CPC Outlook, Seasonal Items, Spring

As you may remember the early part of winter was quite warm and with the record warm Great Lakes’ water temperatures this fall, little ice formed on the Great Lakes.  Well now that we have had numerous bitter cold snaps in the past month, the ice cover is expanding.   Of course it grows earliest near the shore where the water is shallower.    There have been several years where nearly all of the surface of the Great Lakes freezes over, but it has been pretty rare.  I don’t expect that to happen this winter now that the sun is getting stronger already and average temperatures will continue to climb.  However it does look fairly chilly through the end of February, so the ice should at least expand 30 or 40% from where it is now.  Below you will find part of a  discussion from the National Weather Service in Marquette regarding current ice development and its relation to normal.  You can see there full article at this link. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mqt&storyid=92344&source=0  

Lake Superior Ice Cover

Posted under Seasonal Items, Winter Weather