Hello everyone! This week has been sunny and rainy so far. There will be more rain to come. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 4/10 : Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy in the morning, 🌥️ then cloudy skies ☁️ with occasional showers in the late afternoon and evening. 🌧️ For those who live north and west of Chatham, especially in higher elevations, you may see some snowflakes overnight, but little to no accumulation is expected. ❄️ Daytime high of 51°F and nighttime low of 38°F. Friday 4/11 : Rain in the morning, 🌧️ then cloudy ☁️ with on and off showers. Afterward, periods of rain overnight. 🌧️ Rain may be heavy at times. Possible wind gusts over 20 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 39°F. Saturday 4/12 : A steady rain in the morning, 🌧️ then showers tapering off in the evening. 🌧️ Possible wind gusts over 30 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 45°F and nighttime low of 38°F. Sunday 4/13 : Partly cloudy. ⛅ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 58°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Concluding thoughts : Relatively cloudy, rainy, windy, and cold for the next few days.

Hello everyone! Last week was a temperature roller coaster accompanied by rain and sunshine. This week will continue the rainy pattern. Here is what you need to know. Monday 4/7 : Rain in the morning, then cloudy ☁️ with occasional showers tapering off in the evening. 🌧️ Daytime high will peak just after midnight. Daytime high of 49°F, secondary daytime high of 42°F, and nighttime low of 34°F. Tuesday 4/8 : Sunny in the morning, ☀️ then mostly sunny to partly cloudy in the afternoon. ⛅ Possible wind gusts over 40 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 43°F and nighttime low of 27°F. Wednesday 4/9 : Sunny. ☀️ Daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 32°F. Thursday 4/10 : Mostly cloudy in the morning, 🌥️ then showers in the evening and overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 50°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Friday 4/11 : Periods of rain. 🌧️ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 47°F and nighttime low of 42°F. Saturday 4/12 : Rain in the morning, then cloudy ☁️ with on and off showers in the afternoon. 🌧️ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 47°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Sunday 4/13 : Cloudy in the morning, ☁️ then clouds will gradually clear throughout the afternoon. ⛅ Daytime high of 55°F and nighttime low of 41°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of sunshine, rain, wind, and colder temperatures throughout the week.

Hello everyone! This week has been rainy and sunny. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 4/3 : Mostly cloudy 🌥️ with a few morning showers. 🌧️ Then, occasional showers overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 73°F and nighttime low of 58°F. Friday 4/4 : Cloudy ☁️ with spotty showers in the morning, 🌧️ then mostly cloudy in the afternoon. 🌥️ The daytime high will peak during the wee hours. Daytime high of 71°F, secondary daytime high of 66°F, and nighttime low of 45°F. Saturday 4/5 : Cloudy ☁️ with occasional showers. 🌧️ The daytime high will peak just after midnight. Daytime high of 53°F, secondary daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 44°F. Sunday 4/6 : Cloudy ☁️ with occasional showers. 🌧️ Afterward, rain overnight. 🌧️ A rumble of thunder or two is possible. ⛈️ Daytime high of 54°F and nighttime low of 37°F. Concluding thoughts : Cloudy with showers and cooler temperatures over the next few days.

Hello everyone! March has finally come to close. Here is what you need to know. Monday 3/31 : A few spotty showers in the morning, 🌧️ then partly cloudy skies ⛅ with showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. ⛈️ Rain will continue overnight. 🌧️ Some thunderstorms may contain damaging wind gusts and small hail. 🌬️🧊 Possible wind gusts over 30 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 73°F and nighttime low of 39°F. Tuesday 4/1 : Sunny. ☀️ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 53°F and nighttime low of 31°F. Wednesday 4/2 : Increasing clouds throughout the day. ⛅ A few possible showers in the evening or overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 41°F. Thursday 4/3 : Mostly cloudy 🌥️ accompanied by occasional showers and thunderstorms throughout the afternoon and overnight. ⛈️ Possible wind gusts over 30 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 72°F and nighttime low of 57°F. Friday 4/4 : A few showers in the morning, 🌧️ then mostly cloudy in the afternoon. 🌥️ Daytime high of 63°F and nighttime low of 46°F. Saturday 4/5 : Cloudy ☁️ with periods of rain. 🌧️ Daytime high of 56°F and nighttime low of 42°F. Sunday 4/6 : Cloudy ☁️ with on and off showers. 🌧️ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 62°F and nighttime low of 45°F. Concluding thoughts : An erratic week with rain, sunshine, storms, wind, and fluctuating temperatures.

Hello everyone! The past few days have been a mix of sun and rain showers. This pattern will continue. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 3/27 : Sunny. ☀️ Afterward, a few spotty showers overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 52°F and nighttime low of 35°F. Friday 3/28 : Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly to mostly cloudy skies in the afternoon. 🌥️ Showers are forecast to arrive in the evening or overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 63°F and nighttime low of 50°F. Saturday 3/29 : Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. ⛅ Hot. 🥵 Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 82°F and nighttime low of 43°F. Sunday 3/30 : Mix of clouds and sunshine. ⛅ Rain is expected to move in overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 54°F and nighttime low of 48°F. Concluding thoughts : A wild temperature roller coaster with sunshine, clouds, and rain.

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Here is what you need to know. Monday 3/24 : Occasional showers in the early morning, then light rain throughout the afternoon. 🌧️ Clouds will clear during the evening. ⛅ Daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 39°F. Tuesday 3/25 : Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. ⛅ Wind gusts over 25 mph are possible. 🌬️ Daytime high of 57°F and nighttime low of 33°F. Wednesday 3/26 : Mostly sunny in the early morning hours, 🌤️ then a mix of clouds and sunshine in the afternoon ⛅ with spotty rain or snow showers. 🌧️🌨️ Daytime high of 51°F and nighttime low of 30°F. Thursday 3/27 : Mostly sunny. 🌤️ Daytime high of 52°F and nighttime low of 36°F. Friday 3/28 : Mix of clouds and sunshine. ⛅ Afterward, showers are forecast to arrive overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 58°F and nighttime low of 48°F. Saturday 3/29 : Mostly cloudy 🌥️ with occasional showers in the evening and overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 66°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Sunday 3/30 : Mostly cloudy, 🌥️ then showers in the evening and overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 51°F and nighttime low of 44°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of sunshine, clouds, rain, and cooler conditions this week.

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine so far. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 3/20 : First day of astronomical spring! 🌷 Mostly cloudy. 🌥️ Afterward, rain in the evening and overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 55°F and nighttime low of 37°F. Friday 3/21 : Sunny. ☀️ Possible wind gusts over 35 mph. 🌬️ Gusty winds will diminish overnight. Daytime high of 52°F and nighttime low of 30°F. Saturday 3/22 : Mix of clouds and sunshine throughout the day, ⛅ with some showers in the afternoon or evening. 🌧️ Possible wind gusts over 30 mph in the evening and overnight. 🌬️ Daytime high of 60°F and nighttime low of 28°F. Sunday 3/23 : Mostly sunny. 🌤️ Rain is forecast to develop overnight into the early morning hours on Monday. 🌧️ Daytime high of 47°F and nighttime low of 37°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of clouds, rain, sun, and wind for the next few days.

January is usually cold and snowy across much of the United States. However, fire and ice clashed this year. Blazing and destructive fires raged in Southern California while historic frigid and snowy conditions swept across the Gulf Coast. What a contrast. Let's dive into how these devastating and unique events unfolded and their impacts. Southern California Wildfires The January 2025 Southern California Wildfires raged for an interminable 24 days, from January 7 to 31. 14 destructive wildfires impacted the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego County. On January 2, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) warned that there could be "above normal significant fire potential" in Southern California. Southern California had become increasingly arid due to El Niño shifting to La Niña. January is usually California's wettest month. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that destructive winds could be life-threatening and result in widespread power outages and downed trees. Santa Ana winds develop when high-pressure air from the Great Basin (a desert in the Western US) flows toward lower-pressure areas near the Pacific Coast, creating strong, warm, and extremely dry winds. On January 8, the Storm Prediction Center issued an extremely critical risk for Fire Weather, the first time in January for California since 2007. The Palisades and Eaton Fires were the most notable ones. On January 7, Cal Fire reported the Palisades Fire started at 10:30 am and the Eaton Fire at 6:18 pm. During the hectic evacuation, some roads became gridlocked as the Palisades Fire approached. The fire spread so fast that many people abandoned their cars and fled for their lives on foot. Later on, bulldozers came in to move around 200 vehicles off the road to make way for firefighters to battle the monstrous wildfire. Afterward, the Palisades Fire quickly swept through eastern Malibu, destroying luxury, multi-million dollar beachfront homes. By January 11, the Palisades Fire had exploded to over 20,000 acres and the Eaton Fire to over 14,000 acres. By January 31, after burning for over three weeks, both fires were fully contained. Satellite imagery of the Palisades (left) and Eaton (right) Fires exploding in size in Los Angeles County on January 9. Aerial drone footage reveals the destruction in Pacific Palisades. Estimates suggest as much as 75% of the neighborhood has been destroyed. While the Palisades and Eaton Fires were the highlights, a couple of other larger fires occurred. The Hughes Fire, the third largest fire in Los Angeles County during this natural disaster, lasted for a week and burned over 10,000 acres. In San Diego, the Border 2 Fire exploded in size and burned more than 6,000 acres. Both fires caused over 30,000 people to be put under evacuation orders, but luckily no structures were damaged nor destroyed. The Palisades and Eaton Fires caused widespread devastation across parts of Southern California. The Palisades Fire destroyed the majority of Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire burned the majority of Altadena. When the destructive fires started on January 7, multiple areas reported high wind gusts. The NWS reported wind gusts of 84 mph on Magic Mountain Truck Trail in Santa Clarita and 62 mph in Escondido Canyon. Powerful 100 mph wind gusts were recorded on Mount Lukens and near 100 mph in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Palisades Fire scorched over 23,000 acres and the Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres. In total, over 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate. Unfortunately, about 30 people died and over 30 remain missing. A shocking >18,000 structures were damaged or destroyed. Satellite imagery of before and after the Eaton Fire devastated Altadena. A firefighter battles a beachfront home going up in flames in Malibu on January 7. A home is engulfed in flames in Altadena during the Eaton Fire. Causes So what caused these fires? Both fires remain under investigation and there has been no official cause of these natural disasters yet. However, the Eaton Fire could have started from faulty power lines of Southern California Edison (SCE). There have also been allegations that SCE failed to de-energize transmission lines, which would prevent igniting a wildfire, despite the NWS issuing a red flag warning (ideal conditions for rapid wildfire spread). On the other hand, the cause of the Palisades Fire is quite gray. Investigators are examining several factors, including the role of utility lines, arson, and fireworks. One of the leading theories is the Lachman Fire, an earlier and smaller brush fire. On January 1, fireworks sparked this fire in the hillsides above Pacific Palisades. Six days later, the larger Palisades Fire ignited in the same area where the Lachman Fire burned. Santa Ana winds can rekindle fires. Rekindling occurs due to the lack of water in the surrounding area and unextinguished embers that can remain hot enough to reignite. Gulf Coast Blizzard While monstrous wildfires ravaged Southern California, the Gulf Coast experienced the polar opposite. The 2025 Gulf Coast Blizzard was unusually strong and brought widespread impacts across the Gulf Coast of the United States from January 20-22. The blizzard came from an elongated polar vortex. The polar vortex is a large area of swirling, cold air surrounding the Earth's poles. During the winter, the polar vortex strengthens and becomes unstable, bringing frigid air to areas that are not typically cold. An area of low pressure connected to an Arctic cold front in the western Gulf of Mexico, causing snow, sleet, and freezing rain from Texas to Florida. After January 22, the winter storm moved offshore and away from the US. This storm was the first recorded Gulf Coast blizzard and the most significant winter storm since 1895. In Texas, up to 6 inches of snow fell near La Porte and 0.18 inches of freezing rain near League City. In Louisiana, the NWS issued a blizzard warning for the first time on record in southwestern Louisiana, including Lafayette, Cameron, Vermilion, Jefferson Davis, and Acadia parishes. An astonishing 13.4 inches of snow fell near Grand Coteau. Chalmette recorded a staggering 11.5 inches and New Orleans reached 10 inches. Baton Rouge measured 7.6 inches, surpassing the one-day snowfall record of 6.5 inches. In Mississippi, Ocean Springs recorded 9 inches. In Alabama, snowfall reached a shocking 11 inches in Babbie and 7.5 inches in Mobile Regional Airport. In Florida, Milton recorded a mind-blowing 10 inches of snow , shattering the state's record snowfall of 4 inches, also coming from Milton, in March 1954. Pensacola recorded a stunning 8.9 inches, nearly tripling its record of 3 inches from February 1895. In Georgia, Cordele measured 9 inches and Camilla followed behind with 8 inches. In North Carolina, 9 inches was reported at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and 6.5 inches in Kelly. In South Carolina, 6 inches was recorded in Cross and 4 inches in Charleston. Hundreds of stations set new snowfall records between January 20 and 22 across parts of the Southern US. Blizzard conditions in Carlyss, Louisiana on January 21 Additionally, extremely cold temperatures followed the record-breaking snow across the Gulf Coast. New record low temperatures were set in Jennings, Lafayette, New Roads, and New Iberia at 7°F, 4°F, 4°F, and 2°F, respectively. Baton Rouge and Lake Charles set all-time monthly record lows of 7°F and 6°F for January. In Texas, Beaumont set an all-time monthly record low of 11°F for January. Ultimately, the blizzard caused more than 77,000 power outages, canceled or postponed thousands of flights, and resulted in a shocking $500 million in damages and 13 fatalities. Snow at the Mississippi State Capitol Lots of snow in Navarre, Florida Relations to Climate Change Both the Southern California fires and the historic Gulf Coast blizzard were extreme events. Out of those two natural disasters, the Southern California fires were the most prominent example of being impacted by climate change. In early 2024, vegetation was enhanced by a wetter-than-average winter. However, the summer of 2024 was the hottest on record in Southern California and created severe drought conditions. As a result, the plentiful vegetation dried out. Climate change has also lengthened the dry season, reducing water supplies and the number of days for prescribed burns. In order to show the impact of climate change in Southern California, scientists at the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace attributed the intensified fire conditions to human-induced climate change, with natural climate variability playing only a minor role. The study discussed how meteorological conditions that triggered the January 2025 Southern California fires are up to 5°C warmer, 15% drier, and about 20% windier. More broadly, a National Integrated Drought Information funded study in 2023 estimated a +172% increase in burned areas from 1971 to 2021. Almost all the observed increase in burned areas is due to human-caused climate change. Conclusion The devastating Southern California fires were a stark reminder of climate change making wildfires more frequent and destructive than ever before. Thousands of homes and businesses and dozens of lives unfortunately paid the price. In contrast, the historic Gulf Coast blizzard was a stark reminder of the potential for unusually severe and harsh winter weather in areas not accustomed to such conditions. The unprecedented snowfall and bitter cold closed many schools and roads, canceled flights, and caused widespread power outages. The main takeaway of the Gulf Coast blizzard is to better prepare for extended periods of cold, snow, power outages by stocking up on essential items including food and water, and having backup heating. The destructive Southern California wildfires, which caused tens of billions in damages, will take years to clean up. In the future, individuals should practice proactive wildfire preparedness by hardening homes to prevent flames and flying embers, clearing vegetation around homes to create buffer zones, and using fire-resistant building materials. In sharing this knowledge, people can hopefully learn to better prepare for more extreme weather in order to protect themselves and save lives. Citations https://abcnews.go.com/US/los-angeles-wildfires-timeline-palisades-eaton/story?id=117643473 https://www.wkyc.com/article/weather/weather-blog/factors-influencing-california-wildfires/95-e609f9d2-04a1-4e91-9b0f-edaa943edfc6 https://www.npr.org/2025/01/09/nx-s1-5254109/california-wildfires-palisades-eaton-before-after-satellite-images https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/power-grid/outage-management/new-sensor-data-provides-more-insight-into-what-may-have-caused-californias-eaton-fire/?related=post_cards https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/2350663/california-death-toll-rises-many-injured-multiple-blazes-explode-in-size.html https://signalscv.com/2025/01/firefighters-responding-to-smoke-showing-near-i-5-in-castaic/ https://patch.com/california/san-diego/border-2-fire-forces-evacuations-otay-mountain-area https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/02/what-caused-the-gulf-coasts-incredible-january-snowstorm/ https://www.kare11.com/article/weather/texas-louisana-and-florida-more-snow-than-the-twin-cities-jan-2025/89-21d19783-0611-4494-859e-a6645578fd2e https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/miami/news/florida-panhandle-gets-record-snowfall-from-winter-blast/ https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/historic-january-2025-snowstorm-southern-us https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/winter-storm-here-are-snow-totals-metro-atlanta-south-georgia/YERWWLYXTVD3DHG6WNQWIXFJLA/ https://www.wyff4.com/article/final-snow-totals-for-south-carolina/63523315 https://www.americanpress.com/2025/01/22/the-big-chill-record-breaking-temperatures-recorded-in-parts-of-sw-la/ https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/01/the-role-of-climate-change-in-the-catastrophic-2025-los-angeles-fires/ https://www.drought.gov/news/study-finds-climate-change-blame-record-breaking-california-wildfires-2023-08-08 https://zenodo.org/records/14635145 https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/hardening-your-home/

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Here is what you need to know. Monday 3/17 : Cloudy with light rain in the morning, 🌧️ then clouds will gradually clear throughout the afternoon and evening. ⛅ Temperatures have peaked just after midnight, so a lower peak temperature of near 58°F is forecast this late morning or noon. Daytime high of 64°F and nighttime low of 32°F. Tuesday 3/18 : Sunny. ☀️ Daytime high of 62°F and nighttime low of 36°F. Wednesday 3/19 : Mostly sunny in the morning, 🌤️ then increasing clouds throughout the afternoon and evening. 🌥️ Daytime high of 66°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Thursday 3/20 : Mostly cloudy in the morning, 🌥️ then rain in the evening and overnight hours. 🌧️ Rain may be heavy at times. Wind gusts over 30 mph are possible. 🌬️ Daytime high of 62°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Friday 3/21 : Mostly cloudy in the morning, 🌥️ then clouds will clear in the afternoon. ⛅ Wind gusts over 40 mph are possible. 🌬️ Daytime high of 51°F and nighttime low of 34°F. Saturday 3/22 : Partly cloudy. ⛅ Daytime high of 61°F and nighttime low of 38°F. Sunday 3/23 : Partly cloudy. ⛅ Daytime high of 57°F and nighttime low of 39°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of clouds, rain, sunshine, and wind throughout the week.

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the warm weather. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 3/13 : Mostly sunny. 🌤️ Total lunar eclipse tonight! 🌕 😁 Daytime high of 53°F and nighttime low of 30°F. Friday 3/14 : Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. ⛅ Increasing clouds overnight. Daytime high of 57°F and nighttime low of 38°F. Saturday 3/15 : Cloudy ☁️ with drizzle and fog at times. 🌫️ A few possible spotty showers in the afternoon or evening. 🌧️ Daytime high of 53°F and nighttime low of 48°F. Sunday 3/16 : Cloudy ☁️ with some spotty showers in the morning, then periods of rain in the afternoon and overnight hours. 🌧️ A few thunderstorms are possible in the evening or overnight. ⛈️ Wind gusts over 25 mph are possible. 🌬️ Daytime high of 68°F and nighttime low of 50°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of sunshine, clouds, and rain over the next few days.

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine. As we transition to spring, temperatures have started to warm up. Here is what you need to know. Monday 3/10 : Sunny. ☀️😎 Daytime high of 68°F and nighttime low of 35°F. Tuesday 3/11 : Sunny. ☀️😎 Daytime high of 70°F and nighttime low of 37°F. Wednesday 3/12 : Partly cloudy. ⛅ A few possible isolated showers in the vicinity or here overnight. 🌧️ Daytime high of 55°F and nighttime low of 36°F. Thursday 3/13 : Mostly cloudy. 🌥️ Daytime high of 51°F and nighttime low of 36°F. Friday 3/14 : Mostly cloudy in the morning, 🌥️ then partly cloudy in the afternoon. ⛅ Daytime high of 55°F and nighttime low of 40°F. Saturday 3/15 : Cloudy. ☁️ Daytime high of 54°F and nighttime low of 49°F. Sunday 3/16 : Cloudy ☁️ with a few showers in the morning, then rain during the afternoon to overnight hours. 🌧️ Some thunderstorms are possible. ⛈️ Rain may be heavy at times. Daytime high of 69°F and nighttime low of 54°F. Concluding thoughts : Warm temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, then cooler conditions for the rest of the week. Mix of sunshine, clouds, and rain throughout the week.

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good week so far. Here is what you need to know. Thursday 3/6 : Mostly cloudy 🌥️ with spotty showers in the morning. 🌧️ Afterward, partly to mostly cloudy skies in the afternoon. 🌥️ Slight chance of an isolated snow shower overnight. 🌨️ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph in the afternoon, then over 40 mph wind gusts overnight. 🌬️ Daytime high of 55°F and nighttime low of 31°F. Friday 3/7 : Mostly sunny. 🌤️ Afterward, increasing clouds in the evening with a few possible rain or snow showers here or in the vicinity overnight. 🌧️🌨️ Possible wind gusts over 40 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 48°F and nighttime low of 33°F. Saturday 3/8 : Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. ⛅ Possible wind gusts over 25 mph. 🌬️ Daytime high of 46°F and nighttime low of 26°F. Sunday 3/9 : Daylight Saving Time and spring forward! 🕒 Mostly sunny. 🌤️ Daytime high of 49°F and nighttime low of 32°F. Concluding thoughts : Mix of blustery, sunny, cloudy, and rainy conditions for the next few days.