Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Warm Temperatures and Severe Weather Outbreak!

Whether it is from the changing leave colors to Indian summer and mid Fall severe weather outbreaks, I must say, I absolutely love the Fall!
If you have been watching your local news for the past few days, you would have seen my fellows meteorologists (myself included) more or less freaking out about an intensifying storm over our Midwest states. This storm is EPIC!
 Forecast models have been in agreement for quite some time about the projected path and intensity of this storm. I know that when I was observing the models the other day, I did a double take because the power from this forecasted storm seemed to be so unreal! The low will deepen and strengthen to a storm that is near category 3 hurricane strength over northern Minnesota and Canada border region! The forcasted pressure is 959 mb; absolutely incredible!

00Z 10/27 Courtesy of NOAA/NWS/NCEP/HPC
The National Weather Service (NWS) and the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) has issued severe weather warnings from blizzard warnings in North Dakota to tornado watches and warnings all through the Ohio River Valley, and all conditions are expected to worsen as the daytime heating continues, convection and instability rises to destabilize the atmosphere. All of this weather is forecasted to push North and East through midweek. However, for us in New Jersey/ New York there is a chance for a severe weather outbreak through Wednesday evening as the prevailing cold front pushes through the area, breaking our unseasonably warm temperatures. High temperatures in the area have been flirting with the 80s along with moisture, making this much like a summer-time airmass minus all the heat. Once the front passes over bringing with it a few severe storms through Wednesday, temperatures for the end of the week and weekend will feel cool and crisp with highs reaching to get to the middle 50s.

The Windy City (Chicago) is expected to become even windier with wind gusting up to 45-50mph plus and much will be the same for pretty much the entire northern Midwest. High surf in the Great Lakes and associated beach erosion and 20 plus foot fetch is also on the look out. Heavy rain associated with squalls is the next issue for the Midwest. These squalls can drop a significant amount of windswept rain in a short period of time. Blizzard conditions in parts of the Dakota, and wide spread tornado outbreak in the Ohio River Valley. This storms has all the classic ingredients of an epic Midwest cyclone!

Watches and Warnings 10/26 at 15:17 UTC coutesy of NWS.
This will be a huge wind storm for the Midwest. The record lowest central pressure recorded in Minnesota weather history is 28.42" Hg = 962.30 mb. This storm will certainly make the record books; a 959 mb "Land Bomb." The central pressure of this storm is lower then the central pressure of the notable Perfect Storm; an extratropical low that created absolute havoc along the Eastern Seaboard from October 29th-31st, 1991.

A lot of us Mets. have been referring to this storm as another Fitzgerald storm. On November 10, 1975, the ship Fitzgerald suddenly sank, with all 29 hands on deck, in Whitefish Bay while traveling on Lake Superior during a gale storm. The ship encountered a massive winter storm that reported hurricane-force winds and gusts with winds in excess of 58 mph (50 knots) with gusts up to 100 mph (86.9 knots), and waves as high as 35 feet. The Edmund Fitzgerald is the most famous disaster in the shipping history of the Great Lakes. There are a lot of similarities between this storm and the Fitzgerald storm. Thankfully though, the fishing season in the Great Lakes is near the end, and many ships and small boats are docked for the season.

The record breaking strong winds are due to essentially all of this 'air' being sucked into the center of this 959mb storm . The regions where the center of the storm passes over may not be as windy as surrounding areas, due to this.
The set-up: There was a strong upper level jet in excess of 200 mph. This set up the stage for the initiation of the low. A surface low associated with a cold front will deepen to 959 mb along with a strong Southwest flow prevailing the front adding the warmer and more moist air (contributing to the instability). One of the reasons for the strong winds is associated with the area of high pressure located along in Texas; the pressure gradient (the difference between the high pressure and low pressure). The tighter lines around the low in the Northern Midwest, also know as isobars, signifies the strength of the storm and also shows the movement of the air going from an area of higher to lower pressure. In the Northern Hemisphere for a low pressure system, air flows inward, spiraling counterclockwise.
Courtesy of Weather Underground
The area between the two pressure areas is where the the gradient is the greatest
Courtesy of MetEd/ COMET
This image shows the motion in the Northern Hemisphere of air flowing inward and counterclockwise for a low pressure area, and air flowing outward and clockwise in a high pressure area.

From winter blizzard snow in the Dakotas and Colorado higher elevations, record breaking winds and central low pressure storm in the Northern Midwest, severe weather outbreaks from the Ohio River Valley on Eastward, and Springtime thunderstorms, this storm by events' end will have impacted more then half of the country.

As for Tri-state, metropolitan area: mixed skies of sunshine, clouds, showers, and storms; quite unsettled for much of Tuesday through Wednesday. The strong cold front will push through Wednesday triggering off occasional storms clearing later Wednesday evening through Thursday. Thursday onward mostly sunny skies and temperatures beginning to fall towards the weekend with daytime high temperatures only getting as high as the middle 50s! It will feel like Fall once again!

(Note: I will have the final storm reports from this event, once this event is finished reeking havoc in the states Thursday).

~ V.S.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Fair Fall Weather

I do realize that most of the posting headlines have been rather negative; discussing rain, storms, flooding. Do not get me wrong, as much as I love beautiful blue sunny skies, I also live for the severe weather much like my fellow nerdy mets. Hey, that is the only time things really get interesting! Otherwise, the weather could get quite boring...yes, I used 'boring' and 'weather' in the same sentence!


Headlining the weather for the next few days; sun and clouds through much of the weekend. The only exception is a cold front that will approach our area from the Northwest this evening that will allow more clouds to build back up this evening, lasting through Thursday adding the chance for some rain showers through the day Thursday as the front moves over our area. The thick cloud deck will allow temperatures to get as high as the middle 50s, if that. After the front pushes through, we are in the clear my friends.
Friday through the weekend sunny skies and beautiful!
If you look back to the last post when I wrote about the leaves changing their colors, this weather that we will be experiencing is prime weather for the color changing to kick into full gear.
Sunny skies and chilly daytime high temperatures, accompanied by cold evenings are part of the recipe for color changing.


Strong high pressure, with cooler, drier air, will push its way in from the Western states and dominate our weather through the rest of the week. Temperatures will be on the chilly side, but refreshing nevertheless. High temperatures through the general area will be in the lower to middle 60 degree F range. Towards the coastal regions and higher elevations, daytime high temperatures will be flirting with the 40s! Check this: Thursday and Friday evenings, higher elevations, rural areas, and outer suburbs, low temperatures will drop to the 30s!
Yes! The 30s! It is time to bring in the outside plants. They will not be able to survive in the cool evenings ahead.


Stumbled upon this picture thinking that I really would like to be there!


Dress warm the next few days, jump in the car (or go for a bike ride to be more eco-friendly), have a camera handy and snap pictures of the beautiful weather ahead!








Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Colors of the Season

Mostly everyone loves this time of year, including myself. This is in part because of the refreshing cooler weather giving us a reprieve from such a blustering hot summer, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes (to be honest, my all time favorite coffee drink besides my go-to Americano...but it HAS to be with soy milk. Check it!!), there is Halloween, carving pumpkins, 'tis almost the time for snow to fall, and most of all, we love the smell of Fall with the beautiful array of colors of the leaves on trees.
There has been talk of this Fall not being as much of a 'colorful year' as Falls past. This is in part true based on the extreme heat this past Summer and the lack of rain we have had (as a whole, not as of recent) in the past few months.These conditions cause the trees to 'shutdown' for the Winter earlier and faster and leaves have been falling before they have had the chance to change color. The next issue hindering the change of color are freezing temperatures. Luckily for us (in New Jersey in particular), most places have been a little on the warm side, flirting with freezing temperatures, but not quite getting there. Freezing temperatures and frost conditions essentially kill the processes within the leaves which lead to lack of color. However, much like every other year, this year will be beautiful (from what is left).
The colors of the season are upon us!


Much life every weather system and pattern, there are key ingredients, if you will, to make the Fall colors just perfect and bright. According to the U.S. National Arboretum, a wet growing season followed by a dry autumn filled with sunny days and cool frostless nights results in the brightest fall colors. We have part of that recipe this year, so there is still hope for us!


The process of the leaves changing their colors is quite fascinating.
There are four (4) primary pigment colors that leaves change to. If you look outside, you will see these colors and this is the reason why there are not hundreds of colors of leaves. Here is a little plant biology for you; with in the leaves there is chlorophyll, which  is the green pigment (responsible for the green color in leaves) found in most plants and algae. Chlorophyll is absolutely vital for plants to obtain energy from sunlight. Which is otherwise known as photosynthesis. Other chemical pigments that contribute the leaf colors are the following: xanthophylls for the yellow pigments. Xanthophylls are found in most plants where they work with chlorophyll to modulate light energy. Carotenoids (think carrots and the orange fruit) for the orange pigments.
Carotenoids naturally occur in chloroplasts in plants and in some organisms like bacteria and fungus. In general, carotenoide absorb blue light. In algae and plants, they serve to absorb light energy for photosynthesis and they protect the chlorophyll from photodamage. The last pigment are anthocyanins, responsible for the purple and red pigments. These are water-soluble pigments that appear purple, red, and blue according to the pH. These belong to a 'parent class' called flavonoids; in which they are odorless and flavorless. Anthocyanins occur in all tissues of plants including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. In flowers and fruit in particular, the bright purples and reds are adaptive traits for attracting pollinators. In fruit, the colorful skins attract the attention of animals which may eat the fruit and could disperse the seeds.




The cool part about all of these pigments; these are found in the bodies of animals from their food, which in turn helps us humans, and are derived from plant sources. For example, crack open an egg and see the egg yolk color, that is color is contributed to ingested xanthophyll. In humans, carotenoids act as antioxidants (through alpha-, beta-, gamma-carotene have vitamin A activity). Which means they can be converted to retinal that is a chemical that is bound to proteins that is chemical basis for animal vision; remember to eat your carrots!


Replenishment of the chlorophyll is a must for trees because sunlight causes it to fade over time. In the Fall season, as the daytime light becomes shorter and nights grow longer, trees begin to prepare for the Winter and the next growing season by blocking off the flow to and from a leaf's stem. This process stops the green chlorophyll from being replenished and causes the green leaf color to fade thus emerges the brilliant Fall color hues.


Now, most of you who know me, know how I feel about The Weather Channel. However, I must say, I've been searching for an image for a good map that will show the Northeast Fall Foliage.







The New Jersey/ New York area is near peak with approximately 50-75% change in color. The peak in foliage color is well Northeast as of now. For Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, the peak time will be later this October to early November.


Enjoy watching the beauty of nature!


~ V.S.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

More Rain!

I feel like all I have been posting about is nothing but rain, and flooding, and dreariness! For most of us all this negative drab weather is just depressing. However, according to my bestie (you know who you are..) the rain is her favorite weather! Personally, according to one of my favorite quotes: "Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness, has never danced in the rain." Try it sometime, it is quite fabulous and liberating.

My friends, there is more rain a'coming. On a positive note though; the is beautiful Fall weather is upon is for the weekend!

Now, back to the main event: The Nor'easter (Bumm bum bummm ::scary music::)

If the North East has not seen enough rain, there is more, yes more, yet to come. However, Jersey does look to be spared a bit and the low pressure moving in from the Southwest Thursday, is forecasted to rapidly intensify and 'redevelop' over New England which equals more rain for Mass., Conn., New York, RI and such. As the current (as of Wednesday evening) moves further off the coast, clouds will begin to move in early Thursday. As of now, the exact forecasted track of the system is still not agreeing with all the models, which in turn makes it difficult to have an exact idea of the impacts and as far as when the precipitation will being. We do have an idea of what to expect.

Rain will intensify from South to North Jersey and Pennsylvania (as the system is moving North and East from out of the Southwest) Just as a F.Y.I.: Nor'easter is a East Coast low pressure area in which the center of rotation is just off the East Coast and leading winds (in the front left quadrant) rotate on land from the Northeast.


    12z 10/14/10: NWS/NCEP/HPC/NOAA

00z 10/15/10: NWS/NCEP/HPC/NOAA
Note: the pink circle shows the Northeastward movement of the system up the coast.












Thus far, the QPF seems to be an inch (1) to two (2) inches max. Some areas still affected by the last rain could have some flooding. Instability, especially in Southern Jersey could trigger an isolated thunderstorm, to which in these storms, rain could fall heavier. The next ingredient to this system to keep an eye on is the wind. The winds are forecasted to be on the rise through Thursday through Saturday (as this system leaves the area). Winds will be 15-20 mph, with higher gusts of 30-40 mph. The temperatures Thursday will only reach the middle to lower 60s and fall to the middle 40s in the evening. It will feel a little cooler due to the wind picking up. It is just going to be down right chilly and raw out there for the next two days.

~ V.S.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A Foggy Start

Showers and storms rolled through the area late last night through early this morning, overnight temperatures fell to the middle to upper 50s, with the humidity in the 90s percentage range (gross!). Cloudy, but clearing skies and fog is what you woke up to this morning. Now, the fog that you saw is nothing compared to what residents of San Fransisco see on pretty much a daily basis.
What exactly is fog?
Fog is just water droplets that are suspended in the air at the surface of the Earth. It is essentially a 'surface cloud.' However, though similar, fog is not mist and vice versa. Fog and mist are only distinguishable through density. Mist can reduce visibility to NO LESS than a mile, where as fog can reduce visibility to LESS THAN a mile.

Fog forms when the difference between the dew point and temperatures is less than 4 degrees F (or 2.5 degrees C) and when water vapor condenses into liquid water droplets (very tiny) in the air. Normally fog occurs when the relative humidity is at or near 100% (relative humidity of 100% means the air can no longer hold anymore moisture). Getting to 100% can be achieved by adding more moisture to the air or dropping the air temperature. If more moisture is added to the air when the relative humidity is already 100%, then the air will become 'supersaturated.' Whew! That was A LOT! My nightmare of my undergraduate Thermodynamics class just came back to haunt me!

Now getting back...
The following are ways water vapor can be added to the air:
- precipitation or virga falling from above the surface
- daytime heating and evaporating water from surface bodies of water i.e. the oceans, lakes, any wet surface
- wind convergence into areas with upward motion
- cool drier air moving over warmer water
- air lifting over mountains (temperature cools when rising in elevation = condensation)
- plant transpiration

Water vapor begins to condense on dust, ice, and salt; condensation nuclei (cloud seeds), to form clouds. Fog is said to be a stratus cloud; it is a stable cloud deck that forms when a cool, stable air mass is trapped under a warm air mass.  If you can remember back to the Summer Olympics that were held in China a few years ago, scientists were discussing 'cloud seeding' as an option to break the heat and drought-like weather and to encourage rainfall over the Olympic grounds.

Example of Cloud Seeding




Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification in effort of change the amount to precipitation falls from clouds usually in the form of rain, however other uses are to used at airports to suppress hail and fog from forming. The main chemicals used in this process are silver iodine and dry ice (frozen CO2). Now, other methods are being researched due to the risk of human and environmental health from (over) exposure to these chemicals.

Back to the fog.

There are many kinds of fog...yes, many kinds, ranging from Valley fog to frozen fog (that's fun!). The main kinds of fog that is prevalent in New Jersey are the following:
Radiation Fog (or Ground Fog): formed by the cooling of the land after the sun sets by thermal radiation in calm, clear weather and sky conditions. A.K.A. radiational cooling. The cooling ground produces condensation in the nearby air by heat conduction. This is most common in the Fall and Winter seasons.
Advection Fog: forms when (warm) moist air passes over a cool surface by advection (wind) and is cooled. This is most common when a warm front passes over a cooled surface, such as a surface with significant snowpack.
My poor attempt of creating a Paint doc. illustrating advection fog












I leave you with this: an absolutely beautiful timelapse of fog in San Fransisco Rolling Fog

Near term forcasted NJ weather:  Sun, clouds and scattered shower and isolated thunderstorms ending early this afternoon. Clearing skies this evening as a weak high pressure move in for Wednesday. More clouds and rain roll in Wednesday evening through Friday, as a pretty intense low move in from off the coast . Could this be (another) significant Nor'easter? Stay tuned tomorrow for the updated forecast!

~V.S.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Talk About Some Bad Water

Since Sunday, parts of Mercer County, i.e. Trenton, Ewing, Lawrence, Hamilton, and Hopewell Townships experienced low water pressure and 'bad water' because of an emergency shutdown at the Trenton water filtration plant. The system shutdown was due to excessive muddy, turbid water from the Delaware Riving flowing too high as a result from the heavy rain last week. After four days of a boil water advisory, residents of Ewing and Trenton are growing frustrated with not only the lack of communication from the townships, but are wondering when they can finally use the water without having to boil it.

Having family affected by this newspaper headlining 'water event,' I could not help but think how much people take just the basic life essentials for granted, when there are wars over these basic necessities. So we need to boil water just to drink it, we at least are fortunate enough to have running water from our faucets, and washing machines to wash our clothes instead of having to walk a mile to the river to fetch water for a family that will last a day or to wash your clothes. It disgusts me to think of how some people, ah hemm, Americans take everything we have for granted. In just fifty (50) years, as population increases, and as more and more water is wasted and not conserved, all drinkable water we have on this planet will be gone. Yes, we are the water planet, however unless we can extract the salt from the salt water in the oceans, without substantially effecting the ocean ecosystem and the overall balance of the Earth systems (systems meaning the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere). I am almost sure there is innovative research on this idea in the works.

This experience made me think of a trip my sister and I took to Tijuana, Mexico. With the collaboration of a local youth group and the Habitat for Humanity, we built houses for people who literally has nothing (besides each other). While we were there, in the scorching heat, we had a limited supply of water. We had to conserve what we had because the water truck stopped by once a day. But we were Americans, we are from the country where we expect to have water at our fingertips. We also had a bucket of cold water at night (if we were lucky) to bathe ourselves; not in a shower, but out in the open area, in the dark just to wash the dirt and grime off from that days work. I can remember wanting to wet my lips from being so parched, but I could not let the water touch my mouth because I didn't want to get 'montezuma's revenge.'

Just think about all the people who would literally die just to have a taste of that water, the next time you are wasting down the drain...

Next on the list of bad water is the mess in Hungary with the toxic sludge. If one environmental disaster is not enough this year (The oil spill in the Gulf), hopefully, most likely she will as history has proven, Mother Nature will rebound from this toxic human mess.
A reservoir from an aluminum plant located about 100 miles West of Budapest near the town of Ajka, burst Monday that sent approximately 100 milling cubic meters ( toxic red sludge downhill affecting three villages with consequences that can't be fathomed. Hungarian disaster management is watching the Danube River. Flow of the sludge downstream will not only affect the water ecosystem, but other counties well face consequences as well. Officials stated they believe pH levels have dropped within an acceptable range, making the river safe enough to not affect the water ecosystem. The exact chemical compositions within the sludge is still unknown however, it is known that aluminum processing involves compounds involving Cadmium, chromium, and cyanide; all of which cause
The reservoir that was been plugged with tons of plaster to the river to help bind the sludge, passed inspection, but failed to contain all the sludge. Environmentalists are affraid of the damage already done as well as fear the further damage that will be done now that the sludge has reached the Danube River. The amount of that damage is still yet to be assessed.
Another environmental catastrophe.

In a matter of a year:
- The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano spreading volcanic ash high into the stratosphere across the globe.
- Devastating earthquake in Hati that sent tremors and movements months after from Canada that could be felt in Jersey (!)
- Flooding rains in Pakistan and Vietnam and along the East Coast
- Record amount of tornadoes in the southwest U.S., where they typically see about 4 tornadoes in a year, they saw in one day.
- Glaciers melting in Montana at record rates.
- The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has decimated the fishery ecosystem and the U.S. fish economy trying to survive in this great recession.
- Toxic sludge in Hungary, now flowing in the Danube River.

I really hate to be so negative, but stop and take a look at the world around you. We need to pay attention and look at the bigger picture We need to take care of the planet that has taken care of our human race since mans creation. We need to stop abusing and using, and start giving back.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

This One is for the Girls

Not only am I a weather freak, but I am also a huge health and fitness nut. A yoga session is written in on my schedule everyday, (0%) greek yogurt is my best friend, and being good to my body is one of my number one motto's. I used to run religiously everyday when I was in high school and college, mostly in part because I was on a cross country team for six years of my life. All came to a tragic end when I 'threw my back out' while running collegiate my freshman year. Extensive rehab and a whole team disgusted with me later, I dropped out of being on the cross country team, and sought proper medical attention from a spine doctor that gave me a second chance of life.
At three years ago I underwent a spinal disc replacement surgery that literally replaced a disc in my spine (at L5-S1) with an artificial disc. The entire summer after the surgery was quite a blur with pain medication (that to this day I refuse to take medication unless it is completely necessary because of this experience), passing time watching seasons of The Office, and extensive rehab. The only thing that made this experience a little better was knowing that one of my best girl friends was also going through her own struggle recovering from an ACL surgery and we were complaining and chatting with each other all during our recovery. I honestly believe I was given a second chance of life. Living life to the fullest, pain and worry free.

If my own trial and tribulation that summer was not horrible enough, one afternoon I received a phone call from my gradmother, very calmly, while holding back her tears, that she was just diagnosed with breast cancer. I can still remember my whole world just stopping the moment she mentioned the big 'C' word. Thankfully, doctors were able to catch it in time and they removed the cancer and her left breast. I was able to hobble out of the house to visit my grandmother in the hospital after her surgery.

Her strength is so inspiring.

A few months ago while giving myself a breast exam, I found a lump in my left breast.
(I can not express enough: Women NEED to feel their girls! No one knows your body better then you do!)

After agonizing few months, thinking if I could be next, and pounding my head against the wall thinking of what I could have done so wrong to have this happen to me...I eat well, exercise daily, don't drink (with the exception of occasional wine, and am so anal as to making sure to receive my eight hours of sleep a night...nothing was adding up right!

Late this summer a biopsy was performed, and after so many prayers, I received the best news anyone could ever give me: "the lump in your breast is benign." I cried, celebrated, and said a prayer, because I got lucky. I got real lucky, because I know there are so many women (and men) that are not as fortunate as I am. I do understand that this time around, God willing there are no more scares, I was so fortunate to catch it early. I do need to be monitored for any occurrences in the future.

I was reading through my fabulous Womens Health Magazine aka: my bible, and a page about breast cancer news was screaming for me share:

89% of women diagnosed with breast cancer who, with treatment, are able to fight off the disease for five years.

A third of breast cancer can be avoided through regular exercise and a better diet...a little more walking and no more of the ventis and 'super-size-me's'.

A new blood test may be able to detect early markers of breast cancer up to 17 months earlier than conventional exams.

1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer over the course of  her lifetime

In 2010 alone, an estimated 201,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S...this is too many women.

I raise my glass to all the fabulous and strong women who are struggling this fight every day.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Bring on the Drap and Dreary

If we have not already seen enough rain, more rain is in the forecast for New Jersey for the next few days. Remember, we are still in a considerable drought so we do need the rain.
Although Jersey was spared the worst from last weeks storm, some parts of the area did see quite a significant amount, and Delaware River has been flowing high since and portions of Southern Jersey are sill in flood warnings (from the past storm plus the next few days). The National Weather Service posted the rain totals from the latest storm. New Jersey saw rain from 7.17 inches (Gibbstown, Gloucester County) to 0.40 of an inch (Cape May). I can say, it was quite eerie Thursday (early) morning when central Jersey got hit with the worst; I could literally hear the wind whistling through the windows (which could actually mean that I should get an energy audit on my house before this winter...) and the rain hitting the windows like nickle-sized hail (yes, hail that big has hit my windows once before so I can compare the rain to that). Areas in Western Pennsylvania and especially the hardest hit; North Carolina, were not so lucky. Nearly 20 inches fell in portions of North Carolina!!

As for the near term weather...have an umbrella handy because for the next few days, the weather will be rather damp and dreary with mostly cloudy to overcast skies rain. Yes, more rain. A low pressure area will not Northward along the East coast, really churning up the waters, and stalling over the Mid-Atlantic, affecting our weather Sunday and for much of the week. Some of the rain could fall heavy and steady at times, other times. Winds will pick up through the evening Sunday into Monday; around 15-20 mph. Temperatures for the most part will feel damp, chilly, and finally feeling like Fall; in the middle 50s during the day (near 60s Tuesday) falling to the middle to upper 40s towards the evening.
Not much exciting weather going on however so far, the weekend is shaping up to be quite pleasant!

As for now, snuggle up with a book, hot coco, and catch up on some R&R (if you can).