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  • Your astronomical calendar for 2024

    Your astronomical calendar for 2024

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    We’re heading into another year, and there are so many astronomical events we can look forward to.

    What You Need To Know

    • A rare total solar eclipse will occur in April

    • We have many meteor showers happening throughout the year

    • Mercury will be our most-viewed planet

    • We’ll also see Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn


    Check out what to expect for each month. The second half of the year will bring plenty of fun shows.

    January

    Quadrantids meteor shower: We started the year with a bang. This meteor shower produced 40 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 3rd. Don’t worry if you missed it. We have plenty more meteor showers this year.

    (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

    View of Mercury: Our first 2024 view of Mercury occurred on the 12th. We’ll be able to view this planet six more times this year! 

    February

    February is quiet, only offering a new moon on the 9th and a full moon on the 24th.

    March

    First day of spring, also called the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere (the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere) will occur on the 19th this year at 11:06 p.m. ET. The Sun will pass directly over the equator, and we’ll have nearly equal amounts of day and night across the planet.

    (Spectrum News/Lacy Leonardi)

    Mercury in sight: our second view of Mercury will happen on the 24th. Look for it low in the western sky just after sunset.

    Penumbral lunar eclipse: occurring when the moon passes through Earth’s penumbra. This eclipse will take place on the 25th and be visible through all the U.S.

    April

    Total solar eclipse: this rare event will occur on the 8th and be visible in the eastern U.S. The Moon will completely block the Sun, letting us see the outer ring of the Sun. You don’t want to miss it because it won’t happen again until 2045.

    (Pixabay)

    Lyrids meteor shower: this is a decent shower that produces about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It will run from the 16th to the 25th but will peak on the night of the 22nd. Unfortunately, the full moon will block out many meteors, but you should still be able to catch a glimpse of the brightest ones.

    May

    Eta Aquarids meteor shower: this decent meteor shower will produce 30 meteors per hour in the Northern Hemisphere at its peak on the 6th. The new moon means we’ll have a dark sky and an excellent show.

    Mercury returns: our third viewing of Mercury this year will occur on the 9th. You can see it in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

    June

    First day of summer: this year, the summer solstice will occur at 4:50 p.m. ET on June 20, marking the first day of summer for the northern hemisphere. The North Pole will tilt toward the Sun, and the Sun will travel over the Tropic of Cancer.

    July

    Another view of Mercury: our fourth view of Mercury will happen on the 22nd. Look for it low in the western sky just after sunset.

    (Pixabay)

    Delta Aquarids meteor shower: this shower will produce 20 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 28th. The moon will block out a lot of the meteors, but you will still catch a few bright ones.

    August

    Perseids meteor shower: one of the best meteor showers of the year, you’ll see 60 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 12th. The good news is the Moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving us with dark skies for the show.

    Full moon and blue moon: we’ll get this full moon and blue moon on the 19th. It’s called a blue moon because it’s the third of four full moons of the season.

    September

    View of Mercury: our fifth view of Mercury will be on the 5th. Look for it low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

    See Saturn’s rings: Saturn should be visible all night on the 8th. You’ll see a glimpse of its rings and brightest moons with a medium or large telescope.

    Full moon and supermoon: this full moon and supermoon will occur on the 18th. Don’t miss it, as the moon will look larger and brighter.

    Partial lunar eclipse: occurring when the Moon passes through the penumbra and partially through the umbra. We’ll see this partial lunar eclipse on the 18th, and most of the U.S. will be able to view it.

    (Photo by Anthony Leone)

    The Blue Giant: we’ll get a view of Neptune all night on the 20th. Unfortunately, because of its distance, it’ll only look like a tiny blue dot in the sky unless you have an extremely powerful telescope.

    First day of fall: the autumnal equinox will occur at 8:43 a.m. ET on the 22nd. We’ll have nearly equal amounts of day and night across the world as the Sun shines over the equator, marking the first day of fall in the northern hemisphere.

    October

    Draconids meteor shower: practice patient with this shower on the 7th, as it only produces 10 meteors per hour. Unlike other showers, you’ll want to view this one in the early evening.

    Another full moon and supermoon: this full moon and supermoon will happen on the 17th. It’ll be the second supermoon of three in 2024.

    Orionids meteor shower: this shower will peak on the night of the 21st, bringing us 20 meteors per hour. The waning gibbous moon will block fainter meteors, but you should still be able to catch some brighter ones.

    November

    Taurids meteor shower: a very minor shower. This show will only produce 5-10 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 4h. The first quarter moon will block most of the meteors, but you’ll still see a few after midnight.

    Full moon and supermoon: the last of the supermoons of 2024, you can catch this full, big and bright moon on the 15th.

    Mercury’s back: Mercury loves to show off, as this will be our sixth view of the planet on the 16th.

    Uranus: Uranus appears on the 17th and you’ll be able to view it all night. Unfortunately, if you don’t have an extremely power telescope, you’ll only see a tiny dot in the sky.

    (NASA/JPL)

    Leonids meteor shower: another minor shower, this one will produce 15 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 17th. The best time to view this show will be during the early morning of the 18th, but the nearly full moon will block out most of the meteors.

    December

    Jupiter and its moons: Jupiter will appear on the 7th and be visible all night. You’ll be able to see Jupiter’s cloud bands with a medium telescope. Even with just binoculars, you’ll be able to see its four largest moons.

    Geminids meteor shower: welcome to the best meteor shower of every year. Peaking from Dec. 13-14, this shower will produce 120 multicolored meteors per hour. Unfortunately, an almost full moon means we won’t see a lot of the meteors, but we should still be able to catch a good amount. Bundle up and head outside after midnight for the best viewing time.

    First day of winter: on the 21st, the winter solstice will occur at 4:19 a.m. ET, marking the first day of winter. The South Pole will tilt toward the Sun, and the Sun will be in its southernmost position in the sky.

    (Photo by Sean Organ)

    Ursids meteor shower: the last shower of the year will be the Ursids meteor shower on Dec. 21-22. It is minor, producing 5-10 meteors per hour, and the waning gibbous moon will block out many of the meteors.

    One last view of Mercury: Mercury was the first planet we saw this year, and it’ll be the last. You’ll be able to view it on the 25th low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

    Viewing these events

    If you’re trying to view a planet, it might become a little tricky differentiating it from a star. Caballero-Nieves, assistant professor in Astronomy at FL Institute of Tech., explains “planets are typically brighter than stars. Stars also twinkle. This is called scintillation. Stars will change a little in brightness and even color, and planets do not.”

    “Finally, if you look at a planet over several nights or months, you will notice that it moves with respect to the stars near it. That’s where the Greeks gave the planets their names, which means wanderer.”

    If you want to view all these heavenly events this year, head to a dark area away from city lights.

    It also doesn’t hurt to buy a telescope, either. What kind of telescope should you buy?

    Caballero-Nieves suggests that “You should first decide what you are interested in observing. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors and are more compact, but reflecting telescopes that use lenses can be more affordable.”

    “Smaller telescopes are great for looking at bright things like the Moon, planets and bright stars. Larger telescopes are better for observing faint things like galaxies, nebulas and comets.”

    Hopefully, you will see some wonderful views this year!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather Explained: Understanding the wind chill

    Weather Explained: Understanding the wind chill

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    Learn how wind can affect the outside temperature.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • 2023 saw a record 28 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters

    2023 saw a record 28 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters

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    The U.S. dealt with 28 disasters that each cost over $1 billion last year, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. That’s the most in one year since records began in 1980.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. had 28 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023

    • 19 of them were severe storms and tornadoes

    • The 28 disasters cost an estimated $93 billion

    • Last year broke the record of 22 such events in 2020



    The average number of billion-dollar disasters since 1980 is 8.5 per year. However, from 2019 to 2023, the average was 20.4 events, including the previous record of 22 events in 2020.

    NOAA adjusts for the Consumer Price Index to account for inflation.

    Here’s when and where 2023’s billion-dollar disasters happened.

    The majority were from severe storms and tornadoes, which made up 19 of them. The rest included four floods, two tropical cyclones (including Hurricane Idalia), one wildfire, one winter storm and one drought/heat wave.

    The year may end up with one more, depending on the tally from the mid-December East Coast storm.

    In total, NCEI estimates 2023’s billion-dollar disasters cost $93.0 billion, above the average of $60.5 billion. They also say these also contributed to at least 492 deaths.

    NOAA’s information on 2023’s costly disasters came the same day that Europe’s climate agency reported the global average temperature last year set a record that was 2.66 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The Lower 48 had its fifth-hottest year on record, according to NOAA.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Justin Gehrts

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  • CFP title game a preview of new Big Ten, Pac-12’s shot to go out No. 1

    CFP title game a preview of new Big Ten, Pac-12’s shot to go out No. 1

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    HOUSTON — The College Football Playoff championship is quite the stage for Washington and Michigan to get reacquainted with each other.

    The teams play for the national title on Monday night. Starting next season, they’ll compete against each other for Big Ten titles.

    What You Need To Know

    • The College Football Playoff title game will feature two teams that will be in the Big Ten next season

    • The Big Ten’s expansion helped lead to the demise of the Pac-12

    • Michigan leads the overall series against Washington 8-5

    • A Washington victory Monday night would see the Pac-12 go out with the top team in the country

    “I imagine all the Big Ten folks in Chicago in the office, they’re sitting like a rat in a cheese factory right now for sure,” said Washington co-defensive coordinator William Inge, who was a graduate assistant at Iowa and assistant at Indiana for seven years.

    The Big Ten’s coast-to-coast expansion began in the summer of 2022 when it voted in USC and UCLA beginning in 2024. The Pac-12’s demolition was assured just over a year later when it failed to land a lucrative media rights contract. Oregon and Washington in August accepted invitations from the Big Ten, and four other Pac-12 schools bolted to the Big 12.

    “The Big Ten goes into 2024 with the national championship. We can write that now,” Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said.

    Washington and Michigan have met 13 times previously, most recently in 2021, and are scheduled to play a regular-season game in Seattle on Oct. 5. Michigan leads the series 8-5.

    DiNardo, the head coach at Indiana from 2002-04, said the entry of Washington and the other three schools comes at a fortuitous time.

    The Huskies are the team of the moment, but Oregon, USC and UCLA traditionally have been the biggest brands on the West Coast.

    “We’re taking on four teams that potentially are as good as they’ve been in recent years,” DiNardo said. “It’s not an obvious marriage, but never has there been a better time for this crossover to happen.”

    ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said he was a fan of the Pac-12 and has mixed feelings about its breakdown.

    “How fitting that they’ve had a heck of a run as a conference this year and then one of their teams get to the championship,” he said. “There are a lot of people from the Pac-12 excited to see how they go out. And then for the Big Ten to look into their future … It’s just weird to think this will be a conference game next year.

    “I’m from that early ‘90s era,” he added. “I remember these teams playing in the Rose Bowl back-to-back years. We’re all going to have to go through it to get used to it.”

    Herbstreit said even though he’s excited about the prospects for an 18-team Big Ten, he also is apprehensive. The Big Ten will have no divisions starting in 2024, meaning the top two teams will meet in the conference championship game, and the College Football Playoff will go from four to 12 teams.

    All that expansion, Herbstreit said, could water down the Big Ten’s most famous rivalry — Ohio State-Michigan. In the 10 years of the East-West alignment, the winner of “The Game,” as it’s known, reached the conference title game.

    Herbstreit, who played quarterback for the Buckeyes from 1989-92, said Ohio State and Michigan could meet multiple times over a month if the Big Ten power structure remains the same. Conceivably, he said, the teams’ regular-season game the last Saturday of November could be followed by a rematch the next week in Indianapolis.

    “How could it not take away from the last game in November?” Herbstreit said. “Not to say Ohio State and Michigan will do it every year. But if they play, and then again a week later, that’s bizarre. And then what if they match up a third time in the playoff? It’s part of this new world we have to get used to.”

    Michigan receiver Cornelius Johnson shares Herbstreit’s concern about the rivalry.

    “Used to be you’d play that game, and that would be basically the championship right then and there,” he said. “Now you get it adjusted. It’s going to be like an NFL-type of schedule with the playoffs.”

    As a fan, he said, he liked the Pac-12 and the four-team playoff. He also said he understood greater revenue potential was the impetus for the changes.

    “I thought it was perfectly fine the way it is,” he said. “They switched it up. The fact they did, you’ve got to roll with it. I’m excited to see how it plays out with everything new going on. It’s going to be weird getting adjusted to. There’s never been that many changes from one year to the next.”

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    Associated Press

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  • How rainbow clouds dazzle the skies

    How rainbow clouds dazzle the skies

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    Clouds come in many shapes and forms, but did you know there are rainbow clouds? 

    What You Need To Know

    • Rainbow clouds form when light scatters through tiny ice crystals and creates a cascade of colors

    • These types of clouds form in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular and cirrus clouds

    • High-altitude clouds, the uniform distribution of ice crystals, sunlight and a sun that is high in the sky is the recipe of iridescence

    According to NOAA, “a rainbow cloud can occur because of something called cloud iridescence.”

    You’ll see this dazzling phenomena in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular and cirrus clouds.

    These rainbow clouds, or as they’re scientifically known, ‘nacreous clouds’, form when small ice crystal scatter the sun’s light. Once the light hits the droplets, it creates a vibrant hue of colors.

    Check out this video of rainbow clouds see above Aylesford, United Kingdom in late December.

    Cloud iridescence is a rare phenomenon. Clouds need to be thin and have a lot of water droplets that are about the same size.

    Iridescence is a combination of high-altitude clouds, the uniform distribution of ice crystals, sunlight and a sun that is high in the sky.

    (Photo by: CameraLeon/WEATHER TRAKER/TMX)

    Nacreous clouds are rare sites to see. According to the World Meteorological Organization, you can see these dazzling sites in Alaska, Canada and parts of Scandinavia and the Arctic.

    Plus, the clouds form in colder climates because the ice crystals in the clouds need to be chilled to freezing or below.

    Whenever you see rainbow or nacreous clouds, enjoy these color clouds and experiences.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Look at incredible video of tornado spinning through Fort Lauderdale

    Look at incredible video of tornado spinning through Fort Lauderdale

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    A tornado ripped through parts of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, Jan. 6.

    Look at this incredible video of the tornado in the area.

    The video was shot by one of our Spectrum News photographers who was in the area covering the Buffalo Bills game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday Jan. 7.

    Ft. Lauderdale city officials on X (formerly known as Twitter) said the twister was spotted near Las Olas and the Intracoastal.

    The twister was a part of a storm system bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms to parts of South Florida.

    In another video, you can see sparks fly as the tornado spins through the area.

    Plus, the tornado touched down shortly after the National Weather Service in Miami issued a Tornado Warning for the area.

    There were no reports of injuries, just scattered debris and some power outages.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather Explained: Why bridges freeze before roads

    Weather Explained: Why bridges freeze before roads

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    It all has to do with the flow of cold air.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Look fast! A brief meteor shower peaks early Thursday morning

    Look fast! A brief meteor shower peaks early Thursday morning

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    The new year starts with the Quadrantid meteor shower. But don’t blink, or you might miss it.

    What You Need To Know

    • Astronomers named the Quadrantids after a former constellation

    • They have a very short peak

    • The peak falls early Thursday morning

    • Moonlight will obscure the fainter meteors



    The Quadrantids aren’t one of the more well-known meteor showers, but they can still bring a decent number of meteors… if you’re looking at the right time.

    Most meteor showers have a peak that lasts a couple of days, but the Quadrantids’ shower is much shorter. It should peak within a few hours of 4 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday morning, according to Sky & Telescope.

    NASA says the Quadrantids produce roughly 120 meteors per hour in perfect conditions, although that can vary quite a bit. And this year won’t have ideal conditions even if you get away from city lights, thanks to a half-full moon hanging in the southeastern sky during the peak.

    If you give it a shot, let your eyes adjust to the dark sky for at least 15 minutes and try to shield the moon from view. The American Meteor Society recommends looking north. Even if moonlight washes out the fainter meteors, you might catch a bright fireball meteor as relatively larger particles burn up in the atmosphere.

    The Quadrantids are unusual, like December’s Geminids, because they come as the Earth passes through the debris of an asteroid, rather than a comet. The name itself is also unusual; it’s from the constellation “Quadrans Muralis,” which didn’t make the cut in 1922’s official, modern list of constellations.

    An image of an etching of an astronomical chart of constellations, showing a quadrant–Quadrans Muralis–above Bootes the Ploughman. Also shown are the dogs Asterion and Chara and the hair of Berenice. (Library of Congress)

    The next noteworthy meteor shower is the Lyrids in April. Unfortunately, the moon will be nearly full for that show.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Different weather conditions can affect your fireworks show

    Different weather conditions can affect your fireworks show

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    Many people are looking forward to the spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks shows. However, everything from snow, wind and humidity can affect not only if you can launch those rockets into the sky, but also what they will look like.

    What You Need To Know

    • Heavy snow can make the fireworks’ colors less vibrant

    • Strong winds during fireworks can endanger the public

    • Lightning can strike spectators and unlit fireworks

    Ideal weather

    Clear skies, light winds and low humidity make for a great show. Extra moisture in the air can distort the colors and make them less vibrant.

    Less humidity also means we can enjoy the show a little more because we don’t feel sticky.

    Snow

    (Bradly J. Boner/AP Images for EUKANUBA™)

    Snow is okay when it comes to fireworks.

    The only problems are heavy snow can obscure the colors, and crews need to keep the fireworks dry in times of heavy snow or they might not light.

    Wind

    We also need to have the right amount of wind. Light wind might not clear the smoke quickly enough, affecting how well you can see the fireworks.  

    Too much wind can blow smoke or embers around, endangering people.

    Fireworks smoke

    Smoke from a fireworks display at Chicago’s Navy Pier filters through the skyline on wind currents from Lake Michigan. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

    Rain and lightning

    Light rain is okay when it comes to fireworks, as long as they are covered or in waterproof bags. A wet fuse will not light.

    Storms and heavy rain can lead to canceled or delayed shows. Lightning can pose a major threat, sometimes striking unlit fireworks or even people.

    (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

    Drought

    Drought conditions can also cause problems. The fallout from fireworks can spark fires when there’s a lot of dry vegetation.

    Each year, fireworks spawn many fires.

    (Photo by Heather Morrison)

    If there is a bad drought happening in your area, avoid setting off fireworks. Often, local authorities will ban the use of fireworks in high fire risk or drought conditions.

    However, bigger shows might launch over bodies of water to accommodate for a drought.

    So, keep these in mind if you plan on setting off fireworks. Check the forecast first and stay safe!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • Safety tips for driving through the rain

    Safety tips for driving through the rain

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    From drizzle to downpours, driving in the rain could be difficult and dangerous if you are not careful. According to U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, over 3,400 people are killed and over 357,300 people are injured in rainfall-related crashes. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Over 357,000 people are injured in rainfall-related crashes

    • AAA says wet pavements contribute to more than one million traffic crashes each year

    • Check the maintenance of your car before you drive in the rain

    • Hydroplaning happens when your vehicle glides on top of a thin film of water and your tires lose contact with the ground

    We want you to understand the hazards of driving in the rain and how you can drive defensively in the elements. AAA says wet pavement contributes to more than one million traffic crashes each year.

    Before driving in the rain

    Before you drive in the rain, it’s important to make sure your vehicle is prepared. You want to check your windshield wipers and make sure they don’t leave streaks and clear any rain on a single swipe. 

    Plus, you want to check if all your headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are working as well. 

    Next, you want to check your tire tread depth. The tire tread and inflation of your tires are important in maintaining traction on wet roads. 

    You can check the tread by using a quarter. If you turn it upside down and dip it into the tread of a tire and you can see the entire head of the president, that means you need to replace them.

    You also need to check the tire pressure, as well.

    Driving in the elements

    When driving in the rain, it’s important to leave room between vehicles. Safety experts suggest following the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you. In addition, the National Weather Service (NWS) suggests adding an extra two-seconds when you’re driving in heavy rain.

    The NWS also say to be careful during the first half hour of rainfall because grime and oil on the road could mix with water to make them slippery. Check out our “Weather Explained: Slick roads after a dry spell” for more information.

    According to AAA, “with as little as 1/12 inch of water on the road, tires have to displace a gallon of water per second to keep the rubber meeting the road.” To navigate driving in the rain, it’s best to stay toward the middle lanes, since water pools in the outside lanes. Plus, drive at the speed to correspond to the amount of rain on the roads. 

    Beware of hydroplaning

    Hydroplaning is one risk of driving in the rain. Hydroplaning happens when your vehicle glides on top of a thin film of water and your tires lose contact with the ground.

    It only happens in a few seconds, but it can feel like your vehicle is veering on its own. You should avoid hard braking and sharp turns. AAA says pressing the breaks will make hydroplaning worse and cause you to swerve out of your lane.

    To reduce your risk of hydroplaning, slow down, turn off cruise control and don’t panic.

    If you feel like your hydroplaning, ease your foot off the gas to regain control of the vehicle and pull over and park your car until the rainfall lightens.

    If you feel your card is skidding, don’t panic and avoid hard braking. Just look and steer in the direction you want your car to go. 

    Turn Around, Don’t Drown®

    Now, if water is over the road because of heavy rain, you should never drive through it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that over half of all flood-related drownings happen when a vehicle has driven into flood water.

    Whenever you encounter a flooded road, practice Turn Around, Don’t Drown®.

    The NWS says it takes 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks.

    An empty vehicle is surrounded by floodwaters on a road in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

    So it’s important to beware and drive defensively in the rain and avoid any hazards if you can. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • The most sustainable and cost-effective ways to heat your home

    The most sustainable and cost-effective ways to heat your home

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    Winter just began, and the coldest days of the season are on the horizon. Through much of the country, many will reach to their thermostats to crank up the heat… some places more than others.

    It’s important to know what options work best when it comes to heating your home.

    What You Need To Know

    • A large portion of the country needs to heat their homes in the winter

    • Most American homes are heated by a furnace, boiler or heat pump

    • Electricity and natural gas are the most common fuel sources

    The methods of how we heat our homes range from clean and green to the kind that literally cause smoke to rise out of a chimney.

    However, the most sustainable and cost-effective way to heat a home is subjective. The answer varies from one place to another and comes down to what type of fuel sources are most accessible in that location.

    Weather and climate play a role, too. Colder regions favor certain methods over others and vice versa.

    It all stems from the fuel source

    Electricity and natural gas are, by far, the most common heating fuel sources in the U.S. Other sources include propane, wood and oil.

    According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, about 25% of households in the U.S. rely solely on electricity to heat their homes. Electric heating systems are typically the most eco-friendly, but they often come at a higher cost.

    Of course, it’s hard to pin down exact amounts, since energy prices vary by location and fluctuate over time.

    Electric heating is more suitable across the southern U.S., where winters are usually milder and the demand for heating isn’t as high. Using this fuel source across the northern half of the country where it gets and stays colder for longer can send electricity bills soaring.

    In 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) stated that natural gas was 3.4 times more affordable than electricity, which is why it might be the better option for heating homes in some parts of the country. The EIA’s 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey reported over 50% of households in the U.S. used natural gas to heat their homes.

    Even though it might come with a slightly bigger carbon footprint, natural gas is far more cost-effective for many Americans, especially for those living in colder climates such as the Midwest and Northeast.

    (American Gas Association)

    The American Gas Association (AGA) claims that annual energy costs for an all-electric home using a cold-climate heat pump can be roughly 37% higher than a home using natural gas as its source of heating, cooking and drying clothes.

    A home heating oil delivery truck climbs a snow-covered road in the Northeast on Feb. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

    On the national scale, oil is not nearly as common as natural gas or electricity. Yet, it was once the most popular fuel in the Northeast, where it is still used in roughly 20% of homes. However, this source of heating is not as environmentally friendly and is often more expensive than electric and natural gas heat.

    The most common heating systems

    The DOE says that most Americans use either a furnace or boiler to heat their home. Both systems can be fueled by natural gas, oil or electricity, but differ in how they provide heat to dwellings.

    The biggest difference between the two is that furnaces heat air, while boilers heat water.

    Over the years, these systems have been improved to be more energy efficient. To see how efficient each furnace or boiler is, the DOE examines its annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE).

    The AFUE is essentially a percentage measuring how much fuel gets converted to heat. The higher the percentage, the more efficient the furnace or boiler is.

    1.) Furnaces:

    Most modern homes use a central furnace, which burns a fuel source (either oil or gas) to heat air.

    Technician works on a furnace. (Photo by Natalie Sopyla)

    The heated air then flows through a series of ducts, where it is released through vents in each room. Cooler air in the room is then sucked back through a return vent, then it goes back into the furnace to be reheated.

    This method of heating is fast and energy efficient, which is why most households use it.

    2.) Boilers:

    Radiators and baseboard heaters in older homes provide heat via a boiler. Hot water or steam travels through pipes in the home. When the hot water reaches the radiator or baseboard unit in each room, it releases its heat. The cooled water then flows back to the boiler to be reheated. 

    (Pexels)

    Since water takes longer to heat than air, this method can take longer for a home to reach the desired temperature, and might not be seen as the most efficient way to heat a home.

    That aside, boilers are usually better for people who suffer from indoor allergies, as furnace or forced air systems can blow around dust and pollen particles.

    3.) Heat pumps:

    Heat pumps are becoming more common and provide heat to the majority of homes in the Southeast. This system runs on electricity and does not require a fuel source to provide heat, which can significantly cut electricity costs compared to an electric furnace or boiler.

    Serving as both an air conditioning system and a heating system, heat pumps move warm air out and allow cooler air to flow back into a home during the summer. These systems work in reverse when it gets cold outside, and cooler air is pumped out and warmer air pumped in.

    While heat pumps are energy efficient and work well in milder climates, they are not the best option for areas that experience frequently temperatures below 40 degrees. They simply will struggle to provide enough heat, requiring the need for a secondary heating system.

    Secondary sources of heat

    Residences in colder climates will sometimes need a secondary source to generate heat, especially those that rely on heat pumps as their main system.

    To raise the temperatures up a few degrees, some people use space heaters or wood-burning stoves or fireplaces.

    (Pexels)

    These options are good at providing supplemental heat, but aren’t the best and most sustainable choices to heat a home by themselves.

    Each may be enough to heat one room, but you would need multiple fireplaces, wood-burning stoves or electric space heaters to heat an entire home. If the home is large, you could even need more than one in each room!

    Along with the additional costs associated with plugging in multiple space heaters or purchasing wood to burn, these methods come with fire hazards and can increase indoor pollutants, possibly outweighing their benefits.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shawnie Caslin

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  • Shakes on a plane: What causes air turbulence

    Shakes on a plane: What causes air turbulence

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    Everyone has experienced it. You’re in the middle of your flight, and all of a sudden, you feel the plane shake or jolt.

    The pilot comes on the intercom and announces you’re experiencing turbulence and to buckle up.

    But what exactly is turbulence?

    What You Need To Know

    • Turbulence is the unsteady movement of air

    • Many things can cause turbulence, including fronts, thunderstorms and mountains

    • Most turbulence is harmless, and engineers designed and built planes to handle it

    Turbulence is the unsteady movement of air resulting from eddies and vertical currents. There are many types of turbulence. Let’s explore some.

    Convective turbulence

    (NWS)

    When the sun heats the Earth’s surface, it’s usually uneven because different surface types heat up differently, and this can lead to turbulence.

    The heat then rises, and the cool air descends, leading to bumpy rides. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), turbulence is found from the base to the top of where the air stops rising, usually up to the clouds. Above this layer of turbulent air, you’ll find smooth conditions, usually above clouds.

    On days where pilots expect convective turbulence, they’ll travel in the morning or evening when heating is not so intense.

    Frontal turbulence

    (NWS)

    Frontal turbulence occurs when warm air meets cold air.

    The warm air will lift over the cold air, creating friction between the two air masses and producing turbulence.

    Wind shear

    Wind shear is the change in wind direction and/or wind speed over a horizontal or vertical distance. It can also cause turbulence, especially when the change is large.

    Wind shear often exists in areas of temperature inversions, along troughs and lows and around jet streams.

    The atmospheric temperature profile usually goes from warm (the ground) to cold (higher in the atmosphere). In a temperature inversion, that profile goes from cold to warm.

    Turbulence will often occur at the top of the inversion since that is where the warm, unstable air sits.

    We usually associate lows and troughs with wind shear. This change in wind speed and direction creates turbulence.

    The NWS states that a jet stream is a horizontal wind that follows a wave pattern, usually located where there are large horizontal differences in temperature between warm and cold air masses. Turbulence usually occurs where there is a large difference in horizontal wind speeds over a short distance.

    Turbulence from obstructions

    (NWS)

    When wind flows around an obstacle, it can break off and form into an eddy. The NWS defines eddies as gusts with sudden changes in speed and direction, and the size of an object and velocity of the wind can determine the eddy’s intensity.

    The NWS says this type of turbulence can cause dangerous impacts when flying. Aircraft can fail to gain enough altitude to clear low objects. When landing, aircraft can experience drops.

    Wind around bigger objects, such as mountains, is more noticeable. The wind moving up the windward side helps planes and other aircraft get over the peak.

    But on the leeward side, the wind blowing down can cause problems for pilots. The downdraft can push an aircraft into the mountain or cause the pilot to not clear the peak.

    Pilots often will gain enough altitude in advance to prevent this.

    Your next trip on an airplane

    I hope this information will help you relax the next time you fly.

    If you experience turbulence, you’ll now know that it’s just wind, and your pilot knows how to manage it.

    Engineers also designed and built your airplane to handle it.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • The ‘Full Cold Moon’ is here, even though it’s not cold

    The ‘Full Cold Moon’ is here, even though it’s not cold

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    December’s full moon is appropriately called the “Full Cold Moon,” although that name isn’t quite as relevant this year, considering the lack of bitter air around the country.

    What You Need To Know

    • December’s full moon is the “Cold Moon”

    • It’s also sometimes called the Moon Before Yule

    • The moon is fullest Tuesday evening

    • The constellations Gemini and Orion are near the moon all night



    The moon will become its fullest at 7:33 p.m. ET/4:33 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

    December’s full moon is also sometimes called the Moon Before Yule, since it happens near the ancient celebration around the winter solstice. Native American names include the Long Night Moon–also because it falls near the winter solstice and the longest night of the year–and Big Winter Moon.

    No matter the name, you can use the moon to find a couple of constellations. In the evening, it’ll appear right above Gemini and left of Orion. In the morning, Gemini is left of the moon and Orion is below.

    Simulated view of the eastern sky the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 26. (Adapted from Stellarium)

    You can also see the Big Dipper and Little Dipper in the northern sky throughout the night.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • The North Pole: More than a Christmas story

    The North Pole: More than a Christmas story

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    It is one of the most mysterious places on Earth, where only a handful of people have visited and an unspecified number of elves and reindeer may live.

    It is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, but you won’t find much water here.

    It is the home to only one sunrise and one sunset every year.

    You may think you know about the North Pole, but there are a lot of interesting facts to share.

    What You Need To Know

    • The North Pole has a multitude of meanings

    • The ice cover at the North Pole varies by season

    • The legend of Santa and the North Pole dates to 1866

    Where is the North Pole?

    Before we answer that question, we have to ask another: Which North Pole are you trying to find? The geographic North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth. It has no time zone, and no matter what direction you are pointing, it is south of where you are standing. 

    The geographic North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, surrounded by ice up to 10 feet thick at times, but the exact location can change slightly, based on the Earth’s wobble on its axis. 

    The geographic North Pole is in a different location than the magnetic North Pole, which is the spot that guides our compasses and other navigation systems. The Earth’s iron core and magnetic field create the magnetic North Pole.

    Discovered in the 1830s, the magnetic North Pole is near Ellesmere Island, Canada, about 500 miles from the geographic North Pole. 

    Weather at the North Pole

    It doesn’t take a meteorologist to know the North Pole is cold pretty much all year round.

    In the coldest part of the year, between the autumnal and vernal equinoxes (late September to late March), there is no sunlight, and temperatures average around 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

    When the North Pole sees nothing but sunlight between late March and late September, temperatures average right around the freezing mark.

    These temperatures are warmer than temperatures at the South Pole because the North Pole sits over water. 

    (AP Photo/David Goldman)

    Visitors to the North Pole

    While the North Pole doesn’t get many visitors outside those elves we mentioned earlier and the occasional explorer (more on that in a minute), animals are sparsely seen.

    You may see a rare polar bear sighting and a flock of migrating birds.

    The Arctic tern is usually spotted there and has the longest migration of any bird, traveling round trip from the North and South Poles every year!

    Exploration of the North Pole

    The main reason for early explorers to seek out and travel through the North Pole was to find a northwest passage or a sea route from the north Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

    Many expeditions took on this task with no luck, with the earliest being in 1827 by British Admiral William Parry.

    A Swedish explorer even tried to reach the North Pole by hydrogen balloon.

    The main debate on who reached the North Pole first is between a pair of Americans, physician Frederick Albert Cook and explorer Robert Peary and their teams. Peary’s team included Matthew Henson, the first African American Arctic explorer.

    Over the years, each man called the other a fraud or claimed their expedition was the first successful trip to the Pole. The men then published accounts of their trips in the booklet “At the Pole with Cook and Peary,” which was a best-seller. The debate about the veracity of both men’s claims is still up for debate. 

    The first verifiable expedition to the Pole was completed in 1926 by Norwegian Roald Amundsen, who was also the first person to reach the South Pole in 1911. Instead of taking a dog-sled, his preferred method to reach the South Pole, he took a dirigible and floated over the Pole with a team of others on board. 

    The USS Nautilus. (AP Photo)

    More fun firsts for the North Pole

    The Soviet Union landed the first planes at the North Pole on April 23, 1948, while the first naval vessel, the U.S. Navy submarine USS Nautilus, reached the Pole on Aug. 3, 1958.

    One of our favorite facts about the Pole was that Ralph Plaisted of Minnesota was the first to reach the North Pole by snowmobile on April 19, 1968.

    Also, Ann Bancroft was the first female to reach the Pole on May 1, 1986, part of the first expedition to reach the North Pole on foot without being resupplied. 

    Speaking of Santa

    We couldn’t end a story about the North Pole without talking about the jolly elf himself.

    Stories of St. Nick date back centuries, but no one ever knew where he lived. Many credit American illustrator Thomas Nast with popularizing the idea of Santa living at the North Pole in an issue of Harper’s Weekly in 1866.

    The illustration includes the title “Santa Clausville, N.P.,” and at a time when the public had a keen interest in the North Pole, readers understood the abbreviation. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Nathan Harrington

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  • The birth of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

    The birth of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

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    The heartwarming story of Rudolph guiding Santa through the winter snow helped guide the author to a better life.

    What You Need To Know

    • Robert L. May created Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

    • He wrote the story for his daughter Barbara May Lewis 

    • Barbara says she is Rudolph’s big sister

    • Rudolph has indeed gone down in history

    I had no idea where the story Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer originated, so I had to do some digging.

    The story was always around when I was a child, and yes, I cried when the snow monster took Rudolph over the cliff. Hey, I was four years young!

    Robert (Bob) May wrote the story in 1939. A self-proclaimed outcast, he was smart for his age and skipped a couple of grades. This resulted in him being younger and smaller than his classmates.

    He described himself as a nerdy kid and a loser. I think we can all relate to that sentiment at one point in our lives.

    He used his opinion of himself to help his daughter navigate the challenges of growing up, telling her a bedtime tale of a misfit reindeer.

    Bob always wanted to write an American Novel and eventually found work at Montgomery Ward as a catalog writer. Montgomery Ward was known for giving away free books at Christmas time to children throughout the country.

    May thought Rudolph would be a good character in a book and took pen to paper. After much labor of words, May wrote Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

    Montgomery Ward printed two million copies that year, and Bob received hundreds of letters from children, teachers, and other store managers. It was a huge success. After 10 years, his company gave him the rights to the story.

    With help from May’s brother, a songwriter, they turned the short story into a song. The song found its way to a famous cowboy, Gene Autry, and blew up the charts in 1949. The classic Christmas animation soon followed.

    Rudolph forever earned Bob and his family a comfortable life.

    Rudolph truly went down in history!

    Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Michael Gouldrick

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  • Bake up a storm with the sweet flavors of winter

    Bake up a storm with the sweet flavors of winter

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    As the holiday season marches along, why not bake up a flurry of sweet treats with a winter theme?

    What You Need To Know

    • Winter weather themed desserts are very popular through the holidays

    • Cold weather months naturally send people into a baking mood 

    • Many winter weather themed desserts contain very few ingredients

    • Baking is a good way to stay cozy and warm during a snow storm

    Who wants to eat a season? Apparently, some folks do exactly that as soon as December rolls around.

    From snowball cookies to marshmallow snowmen, there is no telling what inspiration dessert makers create with the flurry of baking excitement.

    It takes more than just a few snow flurries to get them going, as there is a version of the sugar cookie called the blizzard. The otherwise tumultuous winter storm vision is folded into a bowl with a wooden spoon and it lands on the parchment in a variety of flavors.

    Although these cookies do not contain actual snow as an ingredient, it’s the combination of sugar, vanilla, butter, flour, eggs and baking powder topped with snowflake and pearl sprinkles that makes it look like a mini snow covered island.

    Does this sound too basic sugar cookie for your taste? If you are looking for more oomph in your holiday snack, there are variations on the original. Take the chocolate, cream cheese and marshmallow blizzard cookie versions instead.

    These recipes make up some rip roaring flavorful combinations in every single bite. What makes the blizzard theme fitting is the combination of sugar cookie ingredients combined with a few extra swirls of partially melted white, chocolate and semi-chocolate chips.

    This gives the cookie a marble coloring that adds the vision of windy or whirling snow within the scrumptious treat. 

    If you want to bring back an original snow ball shaped holiday confection, why not go for the pecan-filled snow ball cookies recipe? This recipe contains only a handful of ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry. Pecans, flour, salt, sugar, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar, to be exact. 

    If you are looking for more fun and easy winter dessert recipes, check here. Or you can just search winter inspired desserts or snowflake cookies and you’ll be blown away at the possibilities.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Heather Morrison

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  • FSU board backs lawsuit challenging contract that binds school to ACC

    FSU board backs lawsuit challenging contract that binds school to ACC

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida State Board of Trustees on Friday cleared the way for a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging a contract that binds the school to the league for the next 12 years and creating a potential path to leave without paying more than $500 million in penalties.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU trustees Friday approved a legal challenge to the contract that ties the Seminoles to the ACC

    • The university seeks a way to potentially leave the conference without paying over $500 million in penalties

    • The lawsuit says the ACC’s grant of rights violates antitrust law and its penalties are unenforceable

    • The ACC said the move violates FSU’s commitments to the ACC and its members and that the program re-signed the deal in 2016

    “I believe this board has been left no choice but to challenge the legitimacy of the ACC grant of rights and its severe withdrawal penalties,” Florida State Board of Trustees chairman Peter Collins said during a trustees meeting.

    The lawsuit was filed soon after in Leon County Circuit Court, claiming the ACC has mismanaged its media rights and is imposing “draconian” exit fees

    Florida State outside counsel David Ashburn said a lawsuit was ready to be filed that claims the ACC’s grant of rights violates antitrust law and has unenforceable withdrawal penalties. Ashburn said it would cost a school $572 million to withdraw from the conference. The lawsuit also accuses the ACC of breach of contract and violation of public policy.

    ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and Virginia President Jim Ryan, chairman of the conference’s board of directors, posted a response to the lawsuit on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

    “Florida State’s decision to file action against the Conference is in direct conflict with their longstanding obligations and is a clear violation of their legal commitments to the other members of the Conference,” the ACC said in the post. “All ACC members, including Florida State, willingly and knowingly re-signed the current Grant of Rights in 2016, which is wholly enforceable and binding through 2036.”

    Florida State is looking for a way out of the conference it has been a member of since 1992 because it believes the ACC is locked into an undervalued and unusually lengthy media rights deal with ESPN that runs through 2036. The school leaders also say the league refuses to change its revenue distribution model to match FSU’s value.

    “It is a simple math problem,” Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said. “A very clear math problem.”

    FSU leaders have been pushing for unequal distribution of revenue for more than a year. The ACC has agreed to create a bonus system that would direct more revenue to schools that have postseason success in football and basketball, but that has not solved the frustration at FSU.

    “It’s time for us to try to do something about it,” Florida State President Richard McCullough said.

    McCullough said the trustees’ approval of the legal challenge was not a direct reaction to FSU recently being left out of the College Football Playoff, despite having an undefeated record. Florida State will play Georgia at 4 p.m. Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

    “This is not a reaction, but something we’ve done a lot of due diligence on,” he said.

    Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said on X, “Proud of Florida State, Pres McCullough and the FSU BOT for their bold action today to take a stand against an untenable situation. Unfortunate that it came to this, but college athletics is changing by the second and Florida must once again lead the way.”

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Weather Explained: Increasing your odds of having a white Christmas

    Weather Explained: Increasing your odds of having a white Christmas

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    So, you’re dreaming of a white Christmas? In some cities, a white Christmas is quite a treat!

    In 2004, a freak storm delivered a white Christmas to the residents of Brownsville, TX. It was the first white Christmas for the community, which hasn’t seen measurable snow since 1899.

    If you want to plan your travels next year to increase your odds of a white Christmas, your best bet is somewhere north and in the mountains.

    Aspen, Colorado, for example, has a white Christmas nearly every single year! Why? Not only is it much colder at their elevation (8,000 ft), but the community is farther north and away from large bodies of water. 

    Watch the video above to learn more about the best places to have a white Christmas, and keep up with your forecast to see what Christmas looks like for you!

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    Meteorologist Nick Merianos

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  • Pacific storm dumps heavy rains

    Pacific storm dumps heavy rains

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    SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Torrential rain flooded homes and streets in Southern California’s coastal cities Thursday, stranding some drivers in typically idyllic Santa Barbara and compounding holiday travel headaches.

    The downpours targeted Ventura and Santa Barbara counties northwest of Los Angeles County overnight, swamping areas in the cities of Port Hueneme, Oxnard and Santa Barbara, where a police detective carried a woman on his back after the SUV she was riding in got stuck in knee-deep floodwaters.

    Rainfall rates exceeding 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) an hour unleashed flash flooding about 1:30 a.m. in Ventura County, the National Weather Service said. Later in the morning, streets began filling with water in parts of Santa Barbara as the storm delivered another deluge. By midday, the rain and wind had eased and residents ventured outside to look at the damage.

    Sven Dybdahl, owner of olive oil and vinegar store Viva Oliva in downtown Santa Barbara, said he had trouble finding dry routes to work Thursday morning, but most of the heavy rains and flooding had receded shortly before 11 a.m. He said he was grateful that the weather is only expected to be an issue for a few days at the tail end of the holiday shopping season, otherwise he’d be worried about how the rains would affect his store’s bottom line.

    “It will have an impact but thankfully it’s happening quite late,” he said.

    The city of Port Hueneme issued evacuation orders for residences on four streets and warned of potential evacuations on four other streets. About 60 houses were affected by the orders, all in a senior citizen community, said Firefighter Andy VanSciver, a Ventura County fire spokesperson. An evacuation center was set up at a college gymnasium.

    Three people from the senior community were taken to hospitals out of an abundance of caution, and there were multiple rescues of drivers from flooded vehicles, he said.

    The city of Oxnard said in a social media post that many streets and intersections were heavily impacted. “Please stay off the city streets for the next several hours until the water recedes,” the post said.

    “This is a genuinely dramatic storm,” climate scientist Daniel Swain, of the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an online briefing. “In Oxnard, particularly, overnight there were downpours that preliminary data suggests were probably the heaviest downpours ever observed in that part of Southern California.”

    The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Oxnard and the city of Ventura at 1:28 a.m. due to a high-intensity thunderstorm, but no tornado activity was immediately observed, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.

    Hours later at Heritage Coffee and Gifts in downtown Oxnard, manager Carlos Larios said the storm hadn’t made a dent in their Thursday morning rush despite “gloomy” skies.

    “People are still coming in to get coffee, which is surprising,” he said. “I don’t think the rain is going to stop many people from being out and about.”

    Pedestrians walk on a flooded sidewalk as rain comes down, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 in Santa Barbara, Calif. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

    The storm swept through Northern California earlier in the week as the center of the low-pressure system slowly moved south off the coast. Forecasters described it as a “cutoff low,” a storm that is cut off from the general west-to-east flow and can linger for days, increasing the amount of rainfall.

    The system was producing hit-and-miss bands of precipitation rather than generalized widespread rainfall. Forecasters said the low would wobble slightly away from the coast on Thursday, drawing moisture away and allowing some sunshine, but will return.

    The San Diego-area weather office warned that rather than fizzling, the storm was gathering energy and its main core would move through that region overnight through Friday morning.

    Meanwhile, Californians were gearing up for holiday travel and finishing preparations for Christmas. The Automobile Club of Southern California predicted 9.5 million people in the region would travel during the year-end holiday period.

    The Northeast was hit with an unexpectedly strong storm earlier this week, and some parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont were still digging out from rain and wind damage. Parts of Maine along the Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers were hit especially hard.

    Floodwaters were receding throughout northern New England, though some localized areas were still in the flood stage, said Jon Palmer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Flood warnings were also still in effect in parts of Maine and New Hampshire, he said.

    At least four people died in Maine as a result of the storm.

    The storm cut power to 400,000 customers in Maine, and restoration was still underway Thursday morning.

    —-

    Antczak reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press reporters Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles and Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Short day, long night: The winter solstice explained

    Short day, long night: The winter solstice explained

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    It’s December, there’s a chill in the air, and more places are seeing snow. With the days getting shorter and the nights longer, the transition to winter is apparent. 

    The winter solstice marks the official start of winter, which will take place on Thursday this year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The winter solstice is a time and not a day

    • This year, the solstice will occur at 10:27 p.m. ET on Dec. 21

    • The solstice is when the Northern Hemisphere’s tilt away from the sun is at its maximum

    The tilt of the Earth

    The tilt of the Earth to the sun is the reason we have our seasons. Believe it or not, the Earth is closer to the sun during our winter.

    It’s Earth’s tilt that gives us our season.

    During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is at its maximum tilt away from the sun, putting the sun at a lower elevation.

    We also get the shortest day and longest night of the year on the winter solstice.

    This year, our winter solstice occurs at 10:27 p.m. ET on Dec. 21.

    If you’re not a fan of the shorter days, don’t worry. After Dec. 21, the days gradually get longer until the summer solstice on June 20, 2024.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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