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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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  • Why is salt used on roads in the winter?

    Why is salt used on roads in the winter?

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    We all know that road crews and plows work hard to keep roads clear and safe for drivers this time of year. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Road crews use salt on roads and other surfaces in the winter

    • Salt lowers the freezing point of water, which prevents ice from forming 

    • Salt loses its effectiveness once the temperature falls below 15 degrees

    In addition to clearing snow and ice from roads, plows also put down a lot of salt on roads and other surfaces this time of year. 

    The usual freezing point of water – the temperature at which water freezes and becomes ice – is 32 degrees. So if there’s precipitation (snow, sleet, or freezing rain) and the ground is 32 degrees or colder, ice will form on streets and other surfaces. 

    So, why use salt on roads and other surfaces? It’s simple – salt lowers the freezing point of water, which prevents ice from forming. 

    Interesting fact: road salt is simply rock salt, which is table salt in its natural form. 

    The big difference is that the table salt that we use goes through a long purification process, while rock salt does not. As a result, rock salt still has impurities and that’s why it’s brownish or gray in color. 

    (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

    Can salt become less effective if it gets too cold? Generally, salt loses its effectiveness once the temperature falls below 15 degrees.

    When temperatures are that cold, the salt simply can’t get into the structure of the frozen water or ice to start the dissolving and melting process. Therefore, salt is much less effective or not effective at all when temperatures are bitterly cold.

    Road crews sometimes try other methods, even beet juice.

    When wintry weather hits, be careful, take your time and stay safe on the roads – especially when temperatures are cold enough to keep road treatments from doing their thing.

    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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    Carrie Cheevers

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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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Christmas tree syndrome: Why your allergies may flare up

    Christmas tree syndrome: Why your allergies may flare up

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    If you notice more sniffles and worsening allergy symptoms this time of year, you may suffer from “Christmas Tree Syndrome,” according to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pine pollen may cause sneezing inside your home

    • Mold spores are also a possible culprit

    • Artificial trees can also cause allergies to flare

    • Some types of live trees are better than others for allergies

    If you notice more allergy and asthma symptoms with a live tree in the house, pine pollen is most likely the problem. Otherwise, experts warn that mold spores could grow on your Christmas tree.

    In a 2011 study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, researchers took samples from their own Christmas trees and discovered more than 50 kinds of molds.

    (Pixabay)

    Allergies and asthma symptoms aren’t just caused by real trees, either. Even those who opt for a fake Christmas tree could still feel ill.

    If not properly stored in your basement or attic, dust and mold can accumulate or grow on the branches, aggravating symptoms.

    Combating the issue

    According to the American Christmas Tree Association, shaking out and hosing off real trees before bringing indoors can reduce allergy and asthma symptoms in some people. Although you’ll want to let the tree dry off before transferring indoors.

    Since drying off can take a while, experts claim you can use a dry air compressor to speed up the process.

    Using an air purifier and taking down the tree the day after Christmas can also reduce exposure to any mold spores that are still present on the tree.

    Those who decide on an artificial tree should also thoroughly dust and wipe down its branches to remove any allergens before putting up and taking down. This can also apply to any other indoor decorations you decide to put up, too.

    Once the holidays are over, place the tree and its components in an air-tight container and avoid storing it in a cardboard box. Cardboard is an ideal breeding ground for molds to grow on, which could spread to your tree.

    (iStock)

    Provided pollen is your biggest trigger, choosing a fake tree would probably be your best bet. However, if you are dead-set on putting up a live Christmas tree, experts recommend trying a fir, spruce, or cypress.

    Two popular suggestions for those with allergies or who are sensitive to tree scents are the White Fir and Leyland Cypress.

    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 Katie Walls

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  • Most of the U.S. will have to dream of a white Christmas this year

    Most of the U.S. will have to dream of a white Christmas this year

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    Burl Ives sang the words “I don’t know if there’ll be snow, but have a cup of cheer”… you’re going to need the cup of cheer, because most of the country won’t wake up to a winter wonderland next Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • A mild pattern has kept winter storms at bay

    • Very few areas will have at least an inch of snow on the ground on Monday

    • This year’s snow coverage is relatively low compared to the long-term average



    The recent mild pattern has been quite persistent and will stay that way right through the holiday. Here’s what temperatures compared to average look like through Monday.

    The relative warmth is great news for travelers hoping snow and ice won’t snarl their pre-holiday trip. But for those who like seeing a white Christmas, it’s a disappointment. Here’s where one of our reliable computer models predicts at least an inch of snow will be on the ground Christmas morning (which is the definition of a white Christmas).

    Snow will definitely be in short supply this year. For example, those who average three out of four Christmases being white… well, this year is that one-out-of-four.

    Travel weather next week likely involves a couple of weather systems in the central and eastern U.S. that’ll produce both rain and snow. Keep up with your local forecast to see what conditions may be like in your area–rain, snow or shine.

    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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  • Some businesses struggling to obtain legal marijuana license – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Some businesses struggling to obtain legal marijuana license – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    After the long battle for businesses in the Finger Lakes region to be able to apply for marijuana licenses, some are still waiting for their time to come.

    FingerLakes Cannabis Company co-owners Mark Byassee and Tim Hay decided to get into the cannabis industry more than two years ago.

    “I had an illness. He went through an accident. It was during the COVID time period and we were both in sales jobs,” Byassee said.

    They saw it as an opportunity to do something they enjoyed, but getting into the industry has been harder than they first imagined.

    “Cannabis became legal and Mark and I thought that this would be relatively pretty quick,” Hay said. “They would issue licenses. We’d put an application in. They’d issue licenses and we’d be able to start selling recreational cannabis. It hasn’t been like that.”

    Business owners like Byassee and Hay had to go through the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, which made sure applicants for a card license followed protocols like securing a location, getting approval from local municipalities and that the dispensary is at least 30% owned by a justice-involved individual or someone with a marijuana conviction.

    “We checked off all those boxes and are currently still waiting for a license,” Hay said.

    Despite every effort, they say they were not granted a license. Then the process was delayed because of a lawsuit filed by another company also denied approval by the state.

    Byassee claims “because he wanted a…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

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    MMP News Author

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  • 2 dead in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York

    2 dead in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York

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    The death toll rose to two on Monday following a stampede at a rap concert in Rochester, New York, that authorities said may have been triggered by unfounded fears of gunfire.

    The Memphis rap stars GloRilla and Finesse2tymes had finished performing Sunday night at Rochester’s Main Street Armory when something prompted people to surge dangerously toward the exits just after 11 p.m., Police Chief David M. Smith said at a news briefing Monday.

    “We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene,” Smith said.

    Concertgoer Ikea Hayes returned to the venue Monday to retrieve belongings she left behind.

    “I was watching my life flash before my eyes, and I still didn’t even know what was going on,” she told Rochester television station WHEC. She described being “on the ground, just scared, praying, like, you got to get up, you got to move. If you stay here, they’re going to keep running you over. So, you got to get up. You got to move.”

    Police found three badly injured women in the auditorium. One, Rhondesia Belton, of Buffalo, died at a hospital. Belton, 33, worked for Buffalo’s Traffic Violations Agency, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown tweeted Monday evening.

    “Her family, friends, and colleagues are devastated and left to mourn this tragic loss,” Brown said. “Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.”

    Rochester Police announced the death of a 35-year-old woman late Monday. Her name was not released. Another woman remained in critical condition, police said. Seven additional people were treated at area hospitals for injuries that were not life-threatening.

    Security guard Anthony Rouse told WHEC he signed up to work when he learned his daughter was going to the concert. She was hurt in the rush to the exits and spent part of Monday in the hospital, he said.

    “The whole reason I signed on was to protect her,” he said. “And I failed.”

    Rouse said he was near the stage when his daughter went down near the entrance of the crowded hall.

    “What began last night as a night of live music and fun for the performer GloRilla ended in tragedy,” said Smith, the police chief.

    While there is no evidence of gunfire, Smith said, police are investigating several possible causes of the fatal surge, including “possibly crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray and other contributing factors.”

    Mayor Malik Evans called the fatal stampede “totally unacceptable” and promised a thorough investigation into whether venue operators had the necessary safety measures in place for a large crowd.

    “We are going to hold people accountable for what happened last night, period,” Evans said, though he cautioned that it was too early in the investigation to assign blame. “I intend to get to the bottom of this.”

    There was no response to emails requesting comment sent Monday to the Main Street Armory.

    GloRilla, whose 2022 song “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” with Hitkidd was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance, tweeted that she was “praying everybody is ok.”

    Fatal crowd surges have been a recurring disaster at concerts and other large events in the U.S. and around the world, including one at a 2021 concert by rapper Travis Scott in which 10 people died.

    Built from 1905 to 1907 and initially used by the U.S. Army, the armory hosted sporting events throughout the 20th century before being shut down for several years starting in the late 1990s, partly because it lacked a fire suppression system at the time.

    It reopened after extensive renovations and began hosting concerts and other events in 2005. Smith said its main arena is meant to have a capacity of about 5,000 people, and the city fire marshal will work with police to determine whether that capacity was exceeded Sunday.

    City officials said the facility underwent a physical fire safety inspection in December and was compliant with fire codes.

    The venue’s next scheduled show, a Saturday performance by the rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, has been canceled.

    “If you go to a concert, you do not expect to be trampled,” Evans said. “Your loved ones expect you to be able to come home and talk about the experience that you had at that great concert.”

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  • 2 killed in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York

    2 killed in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York

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    2 killed in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Two woman are dead and one remained in critical condition after a panicked crowd rushed for the exits at a rap concert in Rochester, New York. Police said the stampede may have been sparked when attendees incorrectly thought they heard gunfire.

    Be the first to know

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  • Wide-range of topics discussed at NYSABPRHAL Conference – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Wide-range of topics discussed at NYSABPRHAL Conference – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    This weekend, the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, & Asian legislators celebrated their 52nd annual conference.

    “As one of the important things we do during our weekend, we have workshops called issue forums where we discuss a wide range of topics, including mental health, housing, nursing, union issues and community renewal,” NYSABPRHAL’s Executive Director Charlene Gayle said.

    The theme of this year’s conference was “Fight the Power,” and workshops addressed a wide range of issues, including health care inequities, housing insecurity and criminal justice reform.

    Recreational marijuana was one topic at the forefront, and how minority communities deserve to have equality when it comes to usage and retail licenses.

    “We need to understand what it means to have it in our community,” Yasmin Hurston Cornelius, treasurer of the New York CannaBusiness Chamber of Commerce, said. “It is important to understand our rights and the importance of hiring the right people to make your business succeed. Legislators and community organizers discussed climate change and environmental justice, as well as how to ensure that a more sustainable future can be achieved.”

    Public officials, legislators, community organizers, advocates and constituents filled the hallways and meeting rooms of Empire Plaza to have discussions regarding the latter. Health care disparities that came to light during the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked various panel…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

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  • Today in History: December 24, astronauts read from Genesis

    Today in History: December 24, astronauts read from Genesis

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    Today in History

    Today is Saturday, Dec. 24, the 358th day of 2022. There are seven days left in the year. This is Christmas Eve.

    Today’s Highlight in History:

    On Dec. 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast.

    On this date:

    In 1814, the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812 following ratification by both the British Parliament and the U.S. Senate.

    In 1851, fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes.

    In 1865, several veterans of the Confederate Army formed a private social club in Pulaski, Tennessee, that was the original version of the Ku Klux Klan.

    In 1906, Canadian physicist Reginald A. Fessenden became the first person to transmit the human voice (his own) as well as music over radio, from Brant Rock, Massachusetts.

    In 1913, 73 people, most of them children, died in a crush of panic after a false cry of “Fire!” during a Christmas party for striking miners and their families at the Italian Hall in Calumet, Michigan.

    In 1914, during World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front between British and German soldiers.

    In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe as part of Operation Overlord.

    In 1951, Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” the first opera written specifically for television, was broadcast by NBC-TV.

    In 1990, actor Tom Cruise married his “Days of Thunder” co-star, Nicole Kidman, during a private ceremony at a Colorado ski resort (the marriage ended in 2001).

    In 1992, President Bush pardoned former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five others in the Iran-Contra scandal.

    In 2013, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II granted a posthumous pardon to code-breaker Alan Turing, who was convicted of homosexual behavior in the 1950s.

    In 2020, Bethlehem ushered in Christmas Eve with a stream of joyous marching bands and the triumphant arrival of the top Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land, but few people were there to greet them as the pandemic and a strict lockdown dampened celebrations. Just a week before the deadline, Britain and the European Union struck a free-trade deal that would avert economic chaos on New Year’s and bring a measure of certainty for businesses after years of Brexit turmoil.

    Ten years ago: An Afghan policewoman walked into a high-security compound in Kabul and killed an American contractor, the first such shooting by a woman in a spate of insider attacks by Afghans against their foreign allies. An ex-con gunned down two firefighters in Webster, New York, after luring them to his suburban Rochester neighborhood by setting a car and a house ablaze, then took shots at police and committed suicide as seven homes burned down. Death claimed actors Charles Durning, 89, and Jack Klugman, 90.

    Five years ago: Peru’s president announced that he had granted a medical pardon to jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, 79, who had been serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. In Christmas eve remarks, Pope Francis likened the journey to Bethlehem by Mary and Joseph to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave homelands for a better life, or just to survive.

    One year ago: Around the world, the surging coronavirus dampened Christmas Eve festivities for a second year, with travel plans disrupted and churches canceling or scaling back services. Airlines canceled hundreds of flights as the omicron variant jumbled schedules and drew down staffing levels at some carriers during the busy holiday travel season. Drummers and bagpipers marched through Bethlehem to smaller than usual crowds after new Israeli travel restrictions aimed at slowing the highly contagious omicron variant kept international tourists away. Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 2,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica, going ahead with the service despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases that had prompted a new vaccine mandate for Vatican employees.

    Today’s Birthdays: Dr. Anthony Fauci is 82. Recording company executive Mike Curb is 78. Actor Sharon Farrell is 76. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is 76. Actor Grand L. Bush is 67. Actor Clarence Gilyard is 67. Actor Stephanie Hodge is 66. The former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai (HAH’-mihd KAHR’-zeye), is 65. Rock musician Ian Burden (The Human League) is 65. Actor Anil Kapoor (ah-NEEL’ kuh-POOR’) is 63. Actor Eva Tamargo is 62. Actor Wade Williams is 61. Rock singer Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) is 59. Actor Mark Valley is 58. Actor Diedrich Bader is 56. Actor Amaury Nolasco is 52. Singer Ricky Martin is 51. Author Stephenie Meyer is 49. TV personality Ryan Seacrest (TV: “Live With Kelly & Ryan”) is 48. Actor Michael Raymond-James is 45. Actor Austin Stowell is 38. Actor Sofia Black-D’Elia is 31. Rock singer Louis Tomlinson (One Direction) is 31. NFL wide receiver Davante Adams is 30. Estonian tennis player Anett Kontaveit is 27.

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