If We Seem Hyper Tonight, Here's Why

Random dessert party!!

My First UCONN Game

I went to my first UCONN game this weekend for Sara Grant's birthday!  You know Sara for her web updates on the FOX CT News at 4.  She's one of my favorite people. In the winter, steer clear of us on the mountain. We're both beginner snowboarders!

I went tailgating for the first time since my college days at Penn State.  A few beers and I'm still recovering. I'm officially old.

Happy birthday Sara! (Far left)  You may not recognize Sarah Lombardi
and Kelly Sullivan, but you know their work!  Sarah (top right) produces
the News at 4 and Kelly (top middle) is a web producer!

We had great seats in the sky box!

One Day Break

Clouds, showers and storms plagued us at times over the weekend. But the trigger for our unsettled weather is pulling away.  Tonight will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping into the upper 40s to low 50s.

High pressure will give the radar a one day break (you heard me) with mostly sunny skies and temperatures topping out near 70 degrees.  Winds will blow out of the west at 5 to 15 mph.

Clouds increase tomorrow with the chance for a few showers in the afternoon, mainly late in the day.  An approaching warm front will cause more showers to fire up during the day on Wednesday.

Thursday looks dry and mild followed by a late week cool down.

Friday Soaker, Not Perfect This Weekend

Tomorrow is one of those days you wish you could spend inside relaxing (I'm trying to catch up on ABC's Revenge on Netflix).  Alas, we must head off to work and school.

Clouds will increase tonight with temperatures dropping into the 50s.

Tomorrow will be cloudy, cool and wet with periods of rain.  Not only will you need an umbrella, but bring a long sleeved shirt too.  Temperatures will struggle in northern Connecticut where some areas will fight to make it out of the 50s!  Rain will come down heavy at times with poor drainage flooding in spots. Rain will taper to showers tomorrow night before ending early Saturday. Most of the weekend will be dry with variable cloudiness and a few passing showers.  The heaviest rain stays away!

Sun Returns For One Day

Scattered showers continue tonight from an approaching cold front.  A rumble of thunder is possible too. Temperatures will remain in the 50s.

A lingering shower is possible in spots early tomorrow as the cold front is slow to move south of Connecticut. That front will stall nearby, coming back to haunt us Friday into the weekend.  Clouds will break for sunshine on Thursday as high pressure briefly builds in.  High temperatures will climb into the upper 60s to low 70s.

Clouds will increase late Thursday night. Friday is cloudy and cool with periods of rain and temperatures stuck in the 60s. The weekend looks a little better with partly to mostly cloudy skies and the chance for a few showers. But overall, not a washout!

Clouds, Showers Return Tomorrow

WOW!  Low 70s, sunshine, low humidity…these are the days you want to remember for a dreary and cold winter day when your eyelashes freeze together walking from the heated car to the heated office.  Tomorrow we trade the sunglasses for umbrellas. Clouds will increase tonight with temperatures staying in the 50s (instead of tumbling through the 30s and 40s).

Tomorrow will not be a wash out.  Most of the time is dry, breezy and mild.  But a few showers will pass through from time to time under mostly cloudy skies.  A few peaks of hazy sun are possible in between rain drops.  Then a cold front will bring a renewed chance for showers tomorrow night.  Thursday is another slam dunk with morning clouds breaking for sun. Rain returns Friday.  Scattered showers continue this weekend. How much rain we get is still up for debate.

Fall Chill Tonight, Milder Tomorrow

I needed a light jacket on the way to the gym this morning!  But we have already determined I’m a wuss.  Although most of Connecticut dropped into the 40s, some of our typical cool spots dipped into the upper 30s!  Tonight is round two as we “chill out” all over again.  So if you keep the windows open, be ready with a heavier blanket. Patchy frost is possible in a few of our typical cold spots. 

After a cool start tomorrow, temperatures will rebound into the low 70s during the afternoon with plenty of sun and a southwest breeze. Clouds will increase tonight, holding temperatures in the 50s.  Wednesday is mostly cloudy with scattered showers out ahead of a cold front moving through at night. A lingering shower is possible early Thursday followed by clearing. Friday looks great.  The weekend is “iffy” with a storm lurking nearby. I’m putting showers in the forecast for now.  But there are still a lot of computer model differences to iron out.

First Week Of Fall, Feels Like Fall!

If you need help waking up tomorrow (I need help after the weekend), step outside. The cool air should perk you right up! Temperatures will drop into the low to mid 40s tonight with upper 30s for our typical cool spots.

Temperatures will remain below average throughout the day tomorrow, struggling through the 60s in the afternoon with a mix of sun and clouds. The atmosphere has enough instability to produce a few showers, but little moisture. So while a sprinkle is possible, most towns will stay dry.

 High pressure builds in Tuesday providing a nice sunny day. Clouds will increase on Wednesday ahead of a cold front with the chance for a few showers.

There is no warm up on the way.  80s have pretty much packed and moved south for the winter. The long range pattern looks cool going forward.  Sure a (singular) warm day could make a cameo appearance in October.  But a string of warmer than average temperatures?  It's not going to happen.  For the record, I warned you about this two weeks ago.

Best Of Hartford 2012 Party!

With FOX CT's Erika Arias and Laurie Perez.

Saturday night I had the pleasure of partying with the best of Hartford at the Best of Hartford 2012 anniversary celebration. Everyone got to take a picture in front of (my home), the green screen! The result is the above photo which was printed and handed out at the end of the night.  The whole process really took me back to my bar/bat mitzvah days. Somewhere I have a mouse pad with my face on Pamela Anderson's body. This is one of the many reasons I have to be nice to my mother.

This was the 9th annual party by Hartford Magazine and it was held at Glastonbury Hills Country Club. Not only was there live music and an open bar...but they also had food stations from some of the best local restaurants.  What a great night!  

Warmer Last Day Of Summer

Right on cue, temperatures will warm up for the last day of summer tomorrow. Daytime highs will climb into the mid to upper 70s with partly to mostly sunny skies. The warming trend peaks on Saturday for the fall equninox. Southwesterly winds will pump in mild, slightly humid air with a mix of sun and clouds. A cold front approaching Saturday night will bring the chance for a thunderstorm or two. Luckily, the showers exit before Sunday morning with clouds breaking for sun. The front ushers in a reinforcing shot of cool, refreshing fall air for the start of next week. There are no big warm ups in sight!

T Minus 2 Days Until Fall

The last two days of summer will feel like fall.  In fact, there is no summer heat in sight with high temperatures staying in the 60s and 70s in the foreseeable future. Grab a jacket this morning but you can ditch it in the afternoon with a quick warm up and mostly sunny skies.  A few more clouds will decorate the sky tomorrow and especially on Saturday with a little warming trend.  A cold front moving through Saturday night could trigger a few showers followed by a reinforcing shot of cool air!

Late Summer Storms

Our nice stretch of weather is officially over. You wanted rain?  You’re getting it in the form of a full-fledged rainstorm.  

Clouds will continue to increase tonight. Showers and storms will develop tomorrow morning as a warm front lifts north of Connecticut.  A High Wind Watch is in effect for all of Connecticut. Southwesterly winds will increase throughout the day, gusting up to 50+ mph by tomorrow afternoon and evening.  Winds could cause some minor damage and scattered power outages. The humidity will rise too, fueling the unstable air mass.  Storms will become stronger and more numerous late in the afternoon.  Some could turn severe with damaging winds and poor drainage flooding.

 The worst wind and heaviest rain will arrive late Tuesday night with the cold front. Showers and thunder will linger into Wednesday morning followed by clearing.  If the front moves a little faster (which is still possible), the rain will be out of here for the morning commute.  To be safe,  plan on leaving yourself extra time to get to work or school Wednesday morning.

The rest of the week looks positively fall-like for the last few days of summer.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday looks sunny and dry with daytime highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s. Fall arrives this Saturday!

Nice One More Day

Fantastic weather continues today with sunny skies and a nice mild afternoon. But our great stretch of weather is about to end.  Clouds will begin to increase tonight.  A front will approach tomorrow bringing a boost in humidity along with scattered showers and storms.  Some storms could produce gusty winds. The heaviest rain will likely fall tonight into early Wednesday morning.  Some towns could pick up one to two inches. Wednesday starts stormy and wet, with partial clearing in the afternoon.

Copy & Paste

Sunny skies, comfortably cool nights.  This is what we call a copy and paste forecast here in the weather center! Tonight clear skies will allow temperatures to tumble into the 50s inland, staying near 60 degrees for  the shoreline.

Once again tomorrow sunshine will reign supreme.  Temperatures will warm into the upper 70s to low 80s. A few clouds may develop in the afternoon out ahead of a cold front.  But the lack of moisture in the air will limit rainfall.  A shower or two is possible Friday night into early Saturday morning.  But the rain will be hit or miss. The front will usher in a cooler air mass for the weekend with daytime highs returning to the 70s and mostly sunny skies.  Widespread rain is possible Tuesday of next week!  There is no warm up in sight taking a look forward at the last week of summer and the first week of fall.

Significant August Weather Events

Long Range Chill

The NAO and AO are crashing.  The long range computer models hint at a series of troughs, the strongest one arriving late this month. Bottom line....summer is over.  I don't expect an early autumn warm spell this year! 

Not As Cool Tonight

Tonight will not be as chilly as recent evenings with lows dropping into the 50s instead of the 40s.  I don’t mind either way. I’ve been keeping my windows open.  The cold weather forces my pets (two cats and a dog) to climb into bed with me to stay warm.  It’s crowded but comfy!  My turtle is not invited. (Yeah I have a small zoo.)

Our stretch of typical near-perfect September weather continues tomorrow with sunny skies and low humidity.  Thursday will be a few degrees milder than today with a light southwest wind.  Friday remains dry and mostly sunny with increasing clouds late in the day as a cold front approaches.  The front will trigger a few showers Friday night into early Saturday morning.  A reinforcing shot of cool air will follow with daytime highs slumping back into the 70s.  The next chance for widespread rain is next Tuesday.

Another Chilly Night, Slight Warming Trend

Low temperatures this morning: 

Hartford: 46

Waterbury: 43

Chester: 48

Bridgeport: 51

New Haven: 48

Norfolk: 39.6

Groton: 48

Willimantic: 43

Get ready for another chilly fall-like evening with temperatures tumbling into the 40s and low 50s.

After a cool start to the day tomorrow, temperatures will rebound nicely in the afternoon under blue skies.  A little warming trend will continue this week.  High temperatures will flirt with the 80 degree mark Wednesday.  Then Thursday low 80s are possible away from the shore.  Low temperatures (after tonight) will not be AS cold, dropping into the 50s to low 60s. But one part of the forecast remains the same.  Sunshine, low humidity and a fall feel will be the theme through the end of the work week.  A cold front will bring scattered showers sometime this weekend. Next week looks even cooler!

Coldest Night Since May 20th, 40s!

Usually I talk about opening the windows on a cool night to give the A.C. a break. Tonight I'm going to advise that you to shut the windows to give your heating bill a break.  Yeah.  Take a moment to let that sink in.

The fall equinox is next Saturday (22nd) and tonight’s chill will serve as yet another reminder that autumn is around the corner! Temperatures will drop into the mid and upper 40s inland, near 50 for the shoreline. This will be the coolest night since May 20th!

At the bus stop tomorrow morning, kids may need an extra layer to start off the day!  But abundant sunshine will help temperatures recover nicely in the afternoon.  Highs: 70-75.

Sunshine will stick around for the rest of the week with cool mornings and dry sunny afternoons.  A small warming trend will allow temperatures to return to the 80s later this week.

Rain?  What rain?  The next chance for a shower will not come until Sunday or Monday! 

Fall Is Here Early!

If fall is one of your favorite seasons, you are going to love the weather this week! A bubble of high pressure and Canadian air will be settling in this week.   This means comfortably cool nights with low temperatures dipping into the 40s and 50s.  During the day, keep your sunglasses handy with blue skies and low humidity.  Not ready for the chill? Not to worry, as the week presses on, high temperatures will rise a few degrees each day.  The next chance for rain is not until next weekend!

Watching The Radar On Vacation

I was sending out tornado warnings in Connecticut from the beach today. Why do I always go on vacation during severe weather?

Apparently Boca Raton, FL is a ghost town in the summer. The "snow birds" all flock to the sunshine state after the first big storm. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my private beach!

Private beach?

Boca Raton, FL

What A Fighter!

I thought I had a whale on the line! King fish are fighters! I went deep sea fishing for the first time today at Deerfield Beach. It was a blast. I also caught barracuda and Bonita (used for bait). The boat crew did all the dirty work baiting and taking the fish off the hook. But it was my muscle reeling 'em in!

Tropical Downpours

So this is what a tropical rainforest feels like!  The leftover moisture from once Hurricane Isaac has infused our air with loads of moisture and energy. Any showers that develop tonight, tomorrow and early tonight are capable of torrential downpours and poor drainage flash flooding.  Although clouds will win out tomorrow, the sun might make an appearance at times allowing temperatures to climb into the low 80s. Thursday is partly cloudy and dry. Scattered showers are possible this weekend into early next week. 

Tropical Storm Leslie remains on a direct track to Bermuda.  The storm will likely effect Nova Scotia by this time next week.  But waves and surf are already affecting ocean facing beaches in New England.  The National Weather Service has already issued a High Surf Advisory for southern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.  Waves tomorrow will be 5-8 feet.  Waves could get 10-15 feet south and east of Nantucket! Also, beware of rip currents. Surfers, get ready for some epic days on the water!  Experts only! 

This is a map of every recorded tropical storm that has crossed over Leslie’s current latitude and longitude.  You can do this yourself with any lat/lon.  Or you can enter your zip code! Historical Hurricane Tracks

Wet Start To A Shortened Work Week

Back to work and school.  Back to reality.  Back to wet weather!  Seems fitting.

Connecticut will not experience the wind or storm surge from once Hurricane Isaac.  But we will get a taste of the storm’s leftover moisture! Clouds continue to increase tonight with showers developing late.

A warm front will usher in tropical air on Tuesday causing the humidity to skyrocket.  Rain will come down off and on the next two days.  The heaviest, most widespread rain is likely Tuesday night into early Wednesday.  Poor drainage flooding is possible in some towns.  Thursday is our transitional day with a soggy start and a dry finish.  Friday looks sunny and less humid.

Stratton-Faxon New Haven Road Race

Road races make running fun!  Seriously.  I hate running. I get bored and spend all my time thinking about reasons to take a break. But this was my first time participating in an organized run and it was a totally different experience. The energy level is sky high.  You don’t even need an iPod to distract you with live bands rocking out and spectators cheering you on.

So if you’re an inexperienced runner and you want to get into the sport, a 5K is the way to go.  Here’s another bonus! The road was completely flat today at the at the Stratton-Faxon New Haven Road race.  I ran my best time ever of 31:34.  It’s not too impressive.  But my goal was to beat my previous time AND continue running without taking a break.  I achieved both goals.

Who is that little boy on the far right?  That's
me with the United Way runners!

I also wanted to run to help raise money for the United Way!  They helped sponsor the kids race this year and they do a ton for the local community including pro

Running For United!!

Dave showed up to run his
first 5 K with me!  he's a huge
FOX CT fan and we talk on
facebook/twitter every night.

Labor Day Forecast

This is the kind of weather you hope for on the last (unofficial) day of summer. Today will be ideal for heading to the beach, golfing or even apple picking (the season arrived early). High pressure will gradually shift to the east, keeping us protected from Isaac’s leftover moisture for one more day!  Clouds will begin to increase later this afternoon.  Tonight, through Wednesday look wet at times with periods of rain, some heavy. The tropical air mass will also bring an increase in humidity. 

My Labor Day Weekend

Red Cedar Lake, Lebanon

The lake is so small, the people who gave us directions, didn't even know it had a name. (Google maps told us otherwise). But this hidden gem was a perfect way to pass the time on this unofficial "last weekend of summer".  I have a horrible confession to make. I didn't put sunscreen on my legs in a last ditch effort to get some color.  And I did.  I'm red.

I went to the beach with a new friend Lauren and her husband Andrew.  Lauren, A.K.A Lonnie is a baking enthusiast. And on the way to the beach I had a chance to check out her cooking blog. The recipe for banana bread was calling my name today so I made my first loaf!  Can you tell how proud I was?

Delicoius!  And a little overcooked.  But not bad for my first attempt! Tomorrow I run the Stratton-Faxon New Haven Road Race for the United Way.  Busy weekend (and I worked two out of three days)!