(BOS) Storm Team 5 HD Weather Blog

April 14, 1912

2008-04-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

The sinking was the death of some 1517 souls and the birth of a new organization. The International Ice Patrol (IIP) was formed following the tragic loss of the Titanic. Icebergs are always a hazard in the Arctic, but the cold Labrador Current carries some of these mountain of ice south into the shipping lanes between Europe and North America this time of year. The Ice Patrol tracks icebergs. In fact, plug their name into any search engine and you'll find a fascinating site including pictures of the latest icebergs. The men and women of the Ice Patrol keep watch over an area of about a half-millon square miles center near the Grand Banks. Using a variety of techniques including flying C-130 aircraft through the zone, the latest information is broadcast to shipping interests in the area. Ice Bulletins, showing the limits of known ice are sent out every 12-hours to warn passing vessels.
The International Ice Patrol has amassed an incredible safety record. Since the sinking of the Titanic, not a single reported loss of life or property due to collision with an iceberg has occurred in their coverage area. This is one of those government agencies we hear very little about. However on this 96th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic it's important to remember the potential for a catastrophe still exists, and the Ice Patrol is keeping a watchful eye.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV

Record Wind Gust

2008-04-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks the 74th anniversary of the greatest wind gust ever recorded on Earth and it happened right here in New England. In 1934, the crew at the Mount Washington Observatory recorded a gust of 231mph. It's a record that stands to this day.

Imagine being on top the mountain as sustained winds of more than 185mph blew in and gusts were often topping 200mph. At 6288 feet, Mount Washington is hardly the tallest peak on the planet and yet it experiences dramatic and potentially deadly weather every year that rivals any place on Earth.

The wind gust record has been challenged but no other reading has ever been able to be verified and thus, the record holds to this day.

JC Monahan
Meteorologist, WCVB

2008 Hurricane Season

2008-04-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

We may be more than a month away from the official start of the hurricane season (June 1st), but there are those who have been thinking about it since the season ended last year. Professor William Gray of Colorado State University has been producing hurricane forecasts for over twenty years. He is continually updating his methods with the introduction of new research. His forecast is based on a multitude of world wide factors from the subtropical jet stream to El Nino and even rain patterns over the Saharan Desert. This year he is calling for an active season in the Atlantic with 15 named storms…compared to the 9.6 average. He also believes that 4 of those storms will be intense (winds 111mph or greater) and that there is a 70% chance that one of the 15 storms will hit the East Coast. No hurricanes in our future, but it will begin to feel like summer Thursday with some spots topping out near 70 degrees.

Joe Venuti
WCVB Meteorologist

Schizophrenic Early April Weather

2008-04-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

The old New England weather adage that goes something like this: "just wait a minute and it will change," will be close to reality late this week.
While temperatures will moderate today and may reach 70 degrees tomorrow afternoon, wet and chilly weather will return for at least the first half of the weekend(and possibly longer, but that is not certain just yet). Saturday looks to be quite wet and cool, with temperatures not far from 40 degrees.
On Thursday, sunshine and a mild west wind will boost temperatures very nicely, but by Saturday, a moist storm and a cool damp east wind (coming from the still very chilly ocean), will do us in.

Harvey Leonard
Co-Chief Meteorologist, WCVB-TV

Home Opener Weather

2008-04-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

The second full week of April has begun, and besides spring, that means the Red Sox are finally returning to town. It took eighteen days, three countries and many miles, but the home opener is here. The Sox have taken the field under many different weather conditions over the years. As any native of New England knows, April is a changeable month. There has been rain, sleet, snow, and even a rumble of thunder on opening day here in Boston. On average, April is a cloudy and damp month with over three and a half inches of rain. However, the good news for those of you holding tickets to today’s game, it will remain dry and the sun will try to warm up that chilly April air…but make sure you bring along the sweatshirts and jackets, temperatures will only climb into the upper 40’s by first pitch.

Joe Venuti
WCVB Meteorologist

Influence of Ocean

2008-04-05T20:03:00.001-07:00

Spring in New England can be called many things. Some of which can't be repeated in polite company. One of the reasons it can be so frustrating is because of the ocean influence. Despite the higher sun angle and more than 12-hours of sunlight every day, the waters of the Atlantic will stay cold through early June. It about 39-degrees right now. That means that any little breeze off the ocean will instantly cool coastal areas. If the wind is strong enough this cold air can penetrate deep in land. That's why there can be such a temperature spread across the region. As much as 10-15 degrees warmer away the ocean influence. In the middle of summer this can be a refreshing sea breeze, but in spring it's just another factor that makes Spring feel like Winter.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV

The Ups & Downs Of Spring

2008-04-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

This is a time of year when temperatures can vary greatly from day to day. The last few days have been a great example of how fickle early Spring can be. This past Saturday, the high temperature in Boston was a mere 36 degrees. That's "normal" for mid January. However, just three days later the temperature in Boston hit 64 degrees. That's the type of reading we expect in early May.

So what's average for this time of year? Clearly, nothing is really "normal" but the average temperature for early April is 52 degrees. The next few days look to be below normal so don't put those winter coats away just yet.

JC Monahan
Meteorologist, WCVB

THe Growing Season

2008-04-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Finally Spring has arrived and things are
beginning to grow..The trees are beginning to
bud. Three leaves will out in full force by
the second and third week in May.

The average last freeze in Boston
occurs on April 11th.However, well inland
in sheltered valleys,the freeze can happen as late
as May 15th.The growing season ends in late
September into October as the first freeze of
the fall season occurs.

Dick Albert

The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind

2008-04-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

Why So Much Wind?

March is known as the windy month, but, now it is April, so why is it still so windy? Well, vigorous weather systems are still common in early to mid spring, as the battle of the changing seasons still manifests itself on the weather map. The battle between the warmth developing over the south trying to move north, and the still cold air in Canada trying to move south, results in huge temperature contrasts, which leads to huge pressure differences, which results in the very rapid movement of air, better known as very strong winds. On Tuesday, 4/01/08 we had a strong and very mild S-SW wind, and on Wednesday, 4/2/08, we have a very strong and much cooler NW wind, as a cold front moved through Tuesday night and ushered in the much cooler air mass.

Harvey Leonard
Co-Chief Meteorologist, WCVB-TV

Spring In New England

2008-03-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ahh, springtime in New England…it can be so beautiful, but it can also be so fickle…Snow one day and summer warmth the next. It was on this date that Boston had one of its biggest blizzards, third to be exact. April 1st 1997 is coined the Aprils Fools blizzard, where Boston recorded 25.4 inches of snow. Worcester totaled 33 inches for its greatest snowfall ever. Snow fell at three inches per hour and Blue Hill had winds top out at 72 mph…almost hurricane strength! There was no blizzard yesterday, but it snowed as far south as the Rhode Island border. Many spots will hit 60 degrees and above, however I do not think we’ve seen the last of the snow.

Joe Venuti
WCVB Meteorologist

The Season of Extremes

2008-03-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Spring is know for it's variability. It can snow one day and be near record heat a few days later. It's the time of year when Mother Nature is transitioning from the cold of winter to the heat of summer. No where is that more visible then in differences between the record high and record low temperatures. The extremes of spring are interesting to compare. If you look at the difference between the record highs and record lows this time of year there can be as much as an 70-degree difference. For example, Monday's record high is 89-degrees set in 1998 and the record low is 15-degrees set in 1923. A difference of 74-degrees! In the cold of winter the difference in record highs and lows is only about 50-degrees, and in summer the difference is only about 40-degrees.
So in Spring the highs are higher, and the lows are lower.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV

THE SNEEZING SEASON

2008-03-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Hey Fever Season has begun. I'm Sure some of you
are already suffering with sniffling and sneezing.Tree pollen
is the early spring culprit. The tree pollen season lasts until
late May. Then the grass pollen takes over until July. Lastly,
we have the ragweed season from August into early September.

The pollen count is the lowest on cloudy,cool and damp days.
The pollen count is the highest on sunny,breezy and warm days.

Dick Albert

THE SNEEZING SEASON

2008-03-26T14:25:00.001-07:00

The Hey Fever Season has begun. I'm Sure some of you
are already suffering with sniffling and sneezing.Tree pollen
is the early spring culprit . The tree pollen season lasts until
late May. Then the grass pollen takes over until July. Lastly,
we have the ragweed season from August into early September.

The pollen count is the lowest on cloudy,cool and damp days.
The pollen count is the highest on sunny,breezy and warm days.

Dick Albert,Co-Chief Meteorologist,WCVB-TV

What We Wish For Is Not Always What We Get

2008-03-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Weather Expectations Vs. Weather Reality

Now that it is officially spring, our weather expectations often exceed weather reality. What do I mean by that? Well, psychologically, we are ready for a coming out party of sorts, meaning we are anticipating and looking forward to warmer times. But during the early spring, we often wind up disappointed. One of the reasons has to do with the fact that the ocean water temperature is still quite cold (in the upper 30s). So, whenever the wind is coming in off the ocean, it is going to be quite chilly (especially along the coast) and also quite raw, since moisture increases when winds come in from the moist ocean. This happens on many (but not all) days in early spring. On average, about 1 or 2 days per week will be quite mild and pleasant in early spring, but it does not lock in. Of course,later in the spring and during the summer it eventually will, so hang in there.

Harvey Leonard
Co-Chief Meteorologist, WCVB-TV

Why Blue?

2008-03-24T15:04:00.001-07:00

Did you ever wonder why the sky’s blue and not some other color? It relates to how sunlight is scattered in our atmosphere. Light from the sun enters our atmosphere and immediately interacts with molecules. Imagine a cue ball propelled across a pool table and how it interacts with the other balls. Light appears white to us, but consists of a spectrum of colors from the lower energy reds to the higher energy blues...just like the colors in a rainbow. The blue part of the spectrum also has higher energy and interacts more readily than the red. This interaction or scattering takes place in all directions, thus the blue part of the spectrum reaches our eyes from every part of the sky. So, take some time and enjoy the sky today, because more clouds are on the way tonight.

Joe Venuti
WCVB Meteorologist

March Winds

2008-03-22T18:48:00.001-07:00

March is known as the windy month. A popular time to go fly a kite. In Boston it is our windiest month with an average speed of 14-mph. The next closest are January and February at 13.8-mph. Our winds are strongest this time of year because we are in a transition period. Winter doesn't want to give up and summer is fast approaching. Bitter cold air masses with strong high pressure can still slip into the region. At the same time, warm air to our south is generating every strong low pressure systems. The contrast between high and low pressure tends to be greatest this time of year. As these systems move through New England we get some very windy days. In November we transition again from a summer to a winter pattern and our average wind speeds pick up again. So when is the least windy period? In July, creating little breeze and the higher humidity of summer.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV

Record Setting Snow

2008-03-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

It has been a snowy season for Boston this year with 52 inches of snow so far. That's more than a foot above average and more than three times what we received last year. But that's nothing compared with our neighbors to the north.

Concord, NH has received 112 inches of snow this season. That makes it the fourth snowiest winter on record. It's also more than four feet above normal and about four times the amount of snow the city received last year. Concord only needs ten inches of snow to tie the all-time record of 122 inches. That record has been on the books for more than 130 years.

JC Monahan
Meteorologist, WCVB

SPRING ARRIVES

2008-03-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first day of spring.It officially
arrives at 1:48 Thursday morning.It is called the Vernal Equinox.
The term really comes from equal day and equal night.
The direct rays of the sun are over the equator
and slowly moving north into our hemisphere.

Our daylight hours will continue to grow until
the longest day occurs the first day of summer.
We'll have a lttle over 12 hours of daylight today,
but that will increase to about 15 hours and
20 minutes by June 20th.

Dick Albert

Changing Seasons

2008-03-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Saying Good-Bye To Winter?

Spring begins at 1:48 a.m. Thursday. So what kind of winter has this been? In terms of snowfall this winter season, Boston's total stands at 52." That makes this a snowier than average winter season, as our average is 42." But, even though spring begins Thursday, don't be surprised if there is still more snow to come. Late March snow is not all that uncommon in Boston, especially since ocean water temperatures are at their coldest right now. In addition, beginning Thursday night the overall weather pattern looks like it will feature chilly weather for the most part during the next 10 days, meaning if we do get any storms, they could feature wintry precipitation.

Harvey Leonard
Co-Chief Meteorologist, WCVB-TV

Boston vs Dublin...a Tale of Two Cities

2008-03-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

With St. Patrick's day celebrations well underway it time to look to the old country and see how Ireland's weather compares to ours. There are a lot of similarities to Boston's climate. Most of Ireland is under the influence of a maritime regime. That means mild winters, cool summer and temperatures that don't range to extremes. It's a little more "even keeled" than Boston's weather. Using Dublin as an example, the sunniest months are May and June. The wettest months are December and August, and if you want dry weather, April is historically the least rainy. There is a misconception that Ireland's weather is always damp, gray and rainy. True, it can be all of this, but Boston actually receives more rain annually. Ireland just gets more drizzle and fog. While snow is pretty common it doesn't stay on the ground that long near the coasts. Ireland doesn't usually get tornadoes, hurricanes or much thunder and lightning compared to New England, however, occasionally our big nor'easters will cross the Atlantic and slam the Emerald Isle with ferocious winds.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV

Late Season Snow

2008-03-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

We're closely watching a storm expected to track to our south this weekend. Depending on it's exact path, it could bring accumulating snow to our area.

Spring may be less than a week away, but snow late in the season is certainly not unheard of. How can we forget the "April Fools" blizzard of 1997 when more than two feet of snow fell in Boston? The city has received measurable snow as late as May. On May 9th and 10th in 1977, Boston recorded a half inch of snow.

We'll have to wait and see if early Spring actually brings spring-like weather. In the meantime, it looks like Winter is holding tight to New England.

JC Monahan
Meteorologist, WCVB

From Winter To Spring

2008-03-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

March is truly the transition month from winter to spring.
The average snowfall is around 8 inches for the Boston area.
We could still have a few snowy and icy situations develop
before the end of the month.

On the other hand,spring officially arrives on March 20th
at 1:48 in the morning. In addition, the average high temperatures
are above 50 degrees by the end of the month.A few of us will
notice the first tree buds of the season and a few flowers reaching
for the sun.

Dick Albert

A Trip Down Weather Memory Lane

2008-03-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

The 15 Year Anniversary Of "The Storm Of The Century"

15 years ago(3/12/93), the entire eastern quarter of the country was walloped by a major winter storm. Heavy snow fell from The Gulf Coast all the way up The East Coast. Here in Boston, 11" of snow fell ( in just 6 hours) before a change to sleet and rain. Then the sleet and rain changed back to snow and a few more inches accumulated. Winds gusted to 81 mph (hurricane force) in Boston. In the northern and western suburbs of Boston, up to 20" accumulated. Actually, for Boston, it was a fairly powerful nor'easter, but not one of the worst storms we've ever experienced. But, the reason the storm became known as "The Storm Of The Century" is because of the huge area of the United States it covered. Up to 40" of snow accumulated in Syracuse, New York, and heavy snow fell in southern locations that rarely see any snow at all.

Harvey Leonard
Co-Chief Meteorologist, WCVB-TV

Wasting Water

2008-03-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Did you know that our area could be missing out on 50 to 100 billion gallons of usable water? That’s how much water we lose to “run-off” from all of the paved surfaces we’ve created. Water usually soaks into the ground over grassy and wooded areas. This water feeds back into our water table and eventually some of it gets cycled back into our homes and apartments. Run-off comes from roadways, driveways, and sidewalks that allow the rain water to quickly enter the drainage systems and discharge directly into the rivers and streams. The run-off not only overloads the waterways and causes flooding, but large amounts of pollutants (oil, gas, pesticides) are released into the environment. One study has indicated that the city of Boston loses up to 100 billion gallons of water to run-off every year. You can reduce this loss by diverting gutters and drains to grassy areas around your home. Rain barrels are also great solutions to collect the excess water that will allow you to save on usage around your home.

Joe Venuti
WCVB Meteorologist

Flooding Terms

2008-03-08T17:52:00.001-08:00

With the recent heavy rains and snowmelt it's unfortunately the flood season. As meteorologist and hydrologist keep a tab on area rivers and streams, you may hear some unfamiliar terms. We say a river is flooding or "in flood" when water overflows the natural or artificial confines of a river or stream. . We measure a rivers depth and refer to this overflow point as the "flood stage". Each river's flood stage is different and is not the same all up and down the river. For example, the Merrimack River in Lowell has a flood stage of 52' , however in Lawrence it's only 21'. So don't pay attention to the flood stage number, only pay attention to the amount the river is above or below flood stage. We say a river "Crests" when the stream has reached it's highest point. It still may be flooding but when a river crests the water will go no higher. That's good news for those living near the water.

Mike Wankum
Meteorologist
WCVB-TV