25 February 2011 - Conditions at 6:49 AM: +3.5C, Overcast, Wind: SSW 24 km/h

Yesterday was mostly sunny with temps a couple of degrees above freezing for highs.The evening was generally clear with temps dropping to slightly below freezing.Overnight temps rose ahead of an approaching storm.

Heavy rains are expected today along with high winds.Temps are expected to drop later today and a change to snow is possible.

Forecasts for our area issued by Environment Canada :

(Normals: Max +1C / Min -8C)

Rainfall warning in effect.

Today

Cloudy. A few flurries early this morning. Rain beginning near noon. Rainfall amount 10 mm. Fog patches developing this afternoon. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 50. High 8.

Tonight

Rain at times heavy changing to snow overnight. Rainfall amount 30 mm. Fog patches dissipating overnight. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming south 60 gusting to 80 this evening then northwest 50 gusting to 80 overnight. Low minus 7.

Saturday

Snow ending early in the morning then a mix of sun and cloud with 60 percent chance of flurries. Wind northwest 50 km/h gusting to 80 diminishing to 30 gusting to 50 in the evening. High minus 5.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud. Low minus 12. High minus 5.

·

The marine forecast:

Storm warning in effect.

Freezing spray warning in effect.

Wind southwest 15 to 20 knots backing to south 15 near noon then

 increasing to 25 this afternoon. Wind increasing to south 45 this

 evening then veering to southwest 35 after midnight. Wind increasing

 to northwest 50 overnight then diminishing to 35 Saturday morning.

 Wind diminishing to west 30 Saturday afternoon. Rain at times heavy

 and fog beginning near noon changing to rain near midnight then to a

 few flurries Saturday morning and ending Saturday morning. Freezing

 spray beginning Saturday afternoon. Temperatures plus 1 rising to

 plus 6 after midnight then falling to minus 4 Saturday afternoon.

·

Today’s Weather Trivia:

25 February 2003: Residents in northeastern New Brunswick had heard loud, cracking noises over several nights. Some thought they were earthquakes, but seismologists discounted that. Others felt it was breaking ice and snow crust. However, because a sharp inversion had formed overnight with the Arctic air mass, noises would be heard much farther away, as sound easily carries below an inversion.-Excerpt from 'The Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar' by David Phillips. © Environment Canada

·

Sky Events:

·

ISS visible sightings:

		LOCAL		DURATION	MAX ELEV		APPROACH º		DEPARTURE º
	Fri Feb 25 6:46 PM		3			40		32 above WNW		17 above NE

THE FOLLOWING SHUTTLE SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THU FEB 24 TO THU MAR 10

SATELLITE	LOCAL	DURATION	MAX ELEV	APPROACH	DEPARTURE
	DATE/TIME	(MIN)	(DEG)	(DEG-DIR)	(DEG-DIR)

SHUTTLE	Fri Feb 25/07:14 PM	1	19	15 above NW	18 above N
SHUTTLE	Sat Feb 26/07:13 PM	3	23	18 above NW	16 above NNE
SHUTTLE	Sun Feb 27/07:39 PM	1	19	16 above NNW	18 above N
SHUTTLE	Mon Feb 28/06:29 PM	3	22	15 above NW	15 above NNE
SHUTTLE	Mon Feb 28/08:06 PM	1	17	15 above NNW	17 above NNW
SHUTTLE	Tue Mar 01/06:56 PM	2	19	16 above NNW	16 above NNE
SHUTTLE	Wed Mar 02/07:23 PM	2	21	15 above NNW	18 above NE
SHUTTLE	Thu Mar 03/07:48 PM	2	30	15 above NW	30 above N
SHUTTLE	Fri Mar 04/06:39 PM	3	21	15 above NNW	15 above NE
SHUTTLE	Fri Mar 04/08:15 PM	1	25	20 above NW	25 above NW
SHUTTLE	Sat Mar 05/07:05 PM	4	33	15 above NW	18 above ENE
SHUTTLE	Sun Mar 06/07:32 PM	2	80	25 above NW	43 above ESE
SHUTTLE	Mon Mar 07/07:59 PM	1	32	24 above W	32 above SW
SHUTTLE	Tue Mar 08/06:50 PM	3	88	32 above WNW	16 above ESE
SHUTTLE	Wed Mar 09/07:16 PM	2	28	26 above WSW	16 above SSE

·

The five stars in the middle of the Big Dipper -- Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phad, and Merak -- are all members of the Ursa Major Moving Group. These stars were born about 500 million years ago and originally formed a tight cluster. Today, though, the cluster is so spread out that the stars are no longer bound together.

·

AURORA (‘Northern Lights’) WATCH: Auroral activity will be QUIET.