28 February 2011 - Conditions at 6:52 AM: -11.9C, Mostly clear, Wind: N 10 km/h

It was very cold here yesterday with temps below freezing for the day and the high only near -4C.Winds were light.The sky remained clear through the evening and overnight.Temps dropped to the upper double digits below freezing.

Warmer air is moving into the area later today and rain is expected tonight.The rainfall is expected to be high and warnings have been issued.Some clearing will occur tomorrow with temps dropping to near the freezing point.

Forecasts for our area issued by Environment Canada :

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

Rainfall warning in effect.

Today

Increasing cloudiness. Snow beginning this afternoon. Amount 5 cm. Wind becoming southeast 20 km/h then increasing to 40 gusting to 70 near noon. High minus 1.

Tonight

Rain at times heavy. Rain mixed with snow early this evening. Rainfall amount 30 mm. Fog patches overnight. Wind south 60 km/h gusting to 80 becoming southwest 50 gusting to 70 near midnight. Temperature rising to 6 this evening then falling.

Tuesday

Rain showers or flurries ending in the morning then clearing. Wind northwest 30 km/h gusting to 50. Temperature falling to zero in the morning then steady.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Low minus 9. High plus 3.

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The marine forecast:

Gale warning in effect.

Freezing spray warning in effect.

Wind east 10 to 15 knots veering to southeast 20 early this morning

 then increasing to 25 to 30 this afternoon. Wind increasing to south

 35 early this evening then diminishing to west 25 to 30 overnight.

 Wind increasing to northwest 30 to 35 Tuesday morning then

 diminishing to 25 Tuesday evening. Chance of flurries beginning late

 this morning changing to rain late this afternoon then to rain at

 times heavy and fog patches this evening and ending Tuesday morning.

 Freezing spray beginning Tuesday evening. Temperatures minus 1

 rising to plus 6 after midnight then falling to minus 4 Tuesday

 evening.

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Today’s Weather Trivia:

28 February2003: In Ottawa, ON, 1,500 families could neither shower nor flush due to frozen pipes. The city's thawing and steam machines worked overtime to fix the problem, the worst since 1994 when pipes froze in 2,500 homes and businesses. Since January 1, there had been 24 cold days (compared to 1 in 2002 and 1 report of frozen pipes); average is 15 days. Letting taps run slightly prevents freeze-ups. -Excerpt from 'The Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar' by David Phillips. © Environment Canada

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Sky Events:

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ISS visible sightings:

		LOCAL		DURATION	MAX ELEV		APPROACH º		DEPARTURE º
	Mon Feb 28 08:05 PM		<>			17		15 above NNW		17 above NNW

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

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The crescent Moon and the planet Venus are quite low in the southeastern sky as daylight begins to break tomorrow. Venus, the dazzling "morning star," is close to the upper right of the Moon.

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