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First Big Snow in Rome in 26 Years

February 6, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Parts of Europe seem to be getting the winter weather that has avoided much of the U.S. this year. Rome saw up to 8 inches of snow on Saturday. That was the biggest snowfall for the city since 1986. Many attractions were closed amid fears visitors would slip and fall on icy cobblestones. The area rarely sees freezing temperatures. Heating of homes is only allowed 10 to 12 hours a day to cut down on pollution. The same storm dumped over 3 feet of snow in areas to the north of Rome. Snow fell as far south as the beaches of Majorca Island (south of the coast of Barcelona, Spain) where the sand was coated in white.

Snow in Rome - anamericaninrome.com

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Colosseum closes and drivers abandon cars… (Great pictures)

Rome struggles with more snow; govt shovels issued

Plains Storm Brings Snow & Severe Weather

February 3, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Blizzard warnings were in effect Friday morning for parts of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska while, at the same time, a tornado watch was posted for parts of Oklahoma and Texas only 200 miles away. A wild storm system was bringing the worst of winter and summer at the same time as it swept into the Plains.

On the winter side of the storm, heavy snow with whiteout conditions made travel treacherous if not impossible. Portions of Interstates 70 and 25 were closed in Colorado as snow fell at the rate of two inches per hour in some spots. As much as 22 inches of snow was reported in Conifer, Colorado with 3 to 4 foot drifts.

Friday Morning Denver Forecast - NOAA

On the summer side of the storm, the Storm Prediction Center was forecasting a slight risk of severe thunderstorms with damaging hail, winds and tornadoes for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Storm Prediction Center Friday Thunderstorm Outllook - NOAA

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Snow Report from National Weather Service- Denver/Boulder

Heavy snowstorm hits Colorado on its way east

January Thaw in U.S. / Deadly Eastern Europe Cold Snap

February 1, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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January ended on a mild note in the United States with most of the country above freezing. At the same time, eastern Europe was in the middle of a deadly cold snap that sent temperatures plummeting close to -30F.

January 31 High Temperatures - NOAA

145 high temperature records were either tied or broken on January 31st. Most of them were in the central U.S.. Here are a few highlights:

73 – Ness City, KS
70 – Fremont, NE
66 – Ankeny, IA
59 – Porcupine, SD
59 – Terre Haute, IN
55 – Marshall, MN
52 – Elgin, IL
46 – Underwood, ND

During the month of January, 2892 record high temperatures were tied or broken across the nation.

At the same time, Eastern Europeans were setting records for cold temperatures. 79 deaths were reported due to the Arctic outbreak as of Wednesday morning. Serbia, Ukraine and Romania have been hard-hit. Over 700 Ukrainians were hospitalized due to frostbite and hypothermia. Some areas of the Black Sea have frozen near the Romanian coastline.

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Unseasonably Warm Temperatures Across Most of the U.S.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center Records

Victims of Eastern Europe’s cold snap are rescued

February 1 Weather Quiz

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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answers available at the bottom

1. According to folklore, if the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, we can expect:
(a) Winter will end soon (b) 12 more weeks of winter (c) 9 more weeks of winter (d) 6 more weeks of winter

2. The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in:
(a) Punxsutawney, PA (b) Los Angeles, CA (c) Philadelphia, PA (d) Pittsburgh, PA

3. The largest tornado outbreak (56) in Arkansas occurred:
(a) In March (b) In January (c) In June (d) In May

4. The explosive expansion of rapidly heated air around lightning causes:
(a) Hail (b) Raindrops (c) Snow (d) Thunder

5. Which gas is found in higher concentrations in the atmosphere?
(a) Ammonia (b) Carbon monoxide (c) Carbon dioxide (d) Ozone

6. How long has the National Weather Service used weather balloons?
(a) 25 years (b) Over 60 years (c) 32 years (d) 48 years

7. Which is always correct? Clouds form when air cools to:
(a) -15°F (b) -25°F (c) Freezing (d) The dew point

8. The Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011 hit which city?
(a) Chicago, IL (b) Minot, ND (c) Minneapolis, MN (d) Denver, CO

Answers: 1(d) / 2(a) /3(b) /4(d) / 5(c) / 6 (b) / 7(d) / 8(a)

Coldest in 40 Years In Fairbanks, Alaska

January 30, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Fairbanks, Alaska has seen 16 days this month with temperatures reaching -40° or colder as of Monday morning. There haven’t been that many days that cold in January since 1971 and it’s only happened two other times since 1906. The mercury dipped to dropped to -51 over the weekend. Temperatures have been even colder in Alaska over the last few days. Fort Yukon dipped to -60° Monday morning and Bettles set a record low of -60° on Saturday and Sunday.

Below is a video uploaded to YouTube on Sunday showing the ice fog that formed around Fairbanks.

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Firefighters battle North Pole house fire in 60-below-zero temperatures

Heavy Rains Flood Drought-Stricken Texas

January 27, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Heavy rains midweek brought flooding to Texas. Quite a change considering the state saw its driest year on record in 2011. Moderate flooding continued to be reported along several rivers in eastern Texas Friday morning. 5.66 inches of rain fell at Austin, Texas Wednesday setting records for the most rain ever recorded on the date plus the most rain ever recorded on any January day and the 8th wettest day on record. Local rainfall estimates south and east of Austin approached eight inches.

TUE-WED-THU Rainfall Estimate - NOAA

Even though heavy rain fell, the drought in Texas is not over. Rain that falls as fast as it did this week isn’t as helpful because most of it runs off. Proof of that is the high river levels across the area. Texas will need long stretches of above-normal rainfall to end the drought. According to the Drought Information Statement from the National Weather Service office in Austin/San Antonio, long-term drought conditions continue in the region.

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Western Gulf River Forecast Center Flooding Update

Severe storms drench Texas, spawn tornadoes

NOAA Drought Information Statement – Austin/San Antonio Area

January 25 Weather Quiz

January 25, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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answers available at the bottom

1. Returns to Barrow, Alaska in late January after 65 days:
(a) Polar bears (b) Seals (c) Thawing temps (d) Sunlight

2. Diamond Dust is another name for:
(a) Falling ice crystals (b) Blizzard (c) Small hailstorm (d) Frost

3. The US state most often affected by Monsoons:
(a) Washington (b) Georgia (c) Arizona (d) South Carolina

4. Cold weather and winter storms claim more lives in the US than:
(a) Lightning (b) Tornadoes (c) Hurricanes (d) Floods

5. Large, slow-moving mass of ice from compacted snow layers:
(a) Snowdrift (b) Glacier (c) Snow pack (d) Black ice

6. Which is most likely to occur with the passage of a cold front?
(a) Rainfall (b) Snowfall (c) Temps drop (d) Sunshine

7. An air mass influenced by the sea is called:
(a) Sailing air mass (b) Oceanic air mass (c) Nautical air mass (d) Maritime air mass

8. What is the Arctic Oscillation?
(a) Strong cold front (b) Pressure pattern (c) Northern Lights (d) Alaska tornado

Answers 1 (d) / 2(a) / 3(c) / 4 (a) / 5(b) / 6(c) /7(d) /8(b)

Deadly January Severe Weather Outbreak

January 23, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are not unheard of in January but outbreaks like the one that swept through the South Sunday and Monday are rare. The Storm Prediction Center reported nearly two dozen tornadoes on Sunday across Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. The same storm system produced powerful thunderstorms that claimed three lives early Monday in Alabama. Two were killed in Center Point and one in Oak Grove just to the east of Birmingham. 129 wind damage reports were received on Sunday as far north as central Indiana.

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Storms leave 3 dead in Alabama

Latest Below Zero at Minneapolis/St. Paul

January 19, 2012

Written by Don Moldenhauer, My-Cast Meteorologist

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Minneapolis Skyline - THU - startribune.com

The official temperature reading for the Twin Cities dipped below zero Wednesday, one minute before midnight. That tied 1889 and 2002 for the latest date on record to reach subzero temperatures in a winter season. Normally, the first below zero reading occurs around December 9th. Temperatures fell as an Arctic blast of air blew in behind a cold front. By sunrise Thursday, the mercury bottomed out at -11° with wind chills near -30°. Thursday’s high in the Twin Cities only made it to 4° which is colder than just about every low temperature observed so far this winter.

Air temperatures in northern Minnesota dropped as low as -26° at Babbitt, Orr and Crane Lake. Wind chills at the time were running in the -50° range. Most of northern Minnesota remained below zero on Thursday.

My-Cast Weather

My-Cast. Your Weather. No Waiting.

First Big Snow in Rome in 26 Years

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Plains Storm Brings Snow & Severe Weather

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January Thaw in U.S. / Deadly Eastern Europe Cold Snap

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February 1 Weather Quiz

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Coldest in 40 Years In Fairbanks, Alaska

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Heavy Rains Flood Drought-Stricken Texas

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January 25 Weather Quiz

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Deadly January Severe Weather Outbreak

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Latest Below Zero at Minneapolis/St. Paul

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First Snow, Then Ice Hits Seattle