Becky’s Blog
The 33's Chief Meteorologist Rebecca Miller talks about all things weather -- and more
Jan
8
8:31PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 1
How low can you go?
Sorry...just realized I've been facebooking and twittering rather than blogging for....uh...months now? Follow me on FB and twitter, and you'll get daily updates!
Anyway, let's catch up: if you haven't been outside since Wednesday, an Arctic blast has gripped most of the nation. We dropped to 16 this morning, and it wasn't even a record. I think as long as it's going to be this cold, we might as well break records and have something to show for our suffering! Well, that might just happen tomorrow. The record low is 12, set in 1977. We will easily drop to the teens again...will we hit 11 and break the record? We could.
Here are some other noteworthy records, which I like to call the "Cold, Hard Facts", courtesy of the researchers (probably Daniel) at the National Weather Service:
1. The most recent prolonged cold spell was 85 hours of sub-freezing weather Jan 14-Jan 18, 2007.
2.The last time we had two days in a row of lows in the teens: Dec 8-9, 2005
3. The last time we had two days in a row of highs in the 20s: Dec 22-23, 1998 (we had a high of 46 yesterday and 30 today).
4. Last time it was this cold? Feb 4, 1996 when it was 8.
Bob Goosmann will have some good (warmer) news for you this weekend at 5:30 and 9pm on Ch 33!
Anyway, let's catch up: if you haven't been outside since Wednesday, an Arctic blast has gripped most of the nation. We dropped to 16 this morning, and it wasn't even a record. I think as long as it's going to be this cold, we might as well break records and have something to show for our suffering! Well, that might just happen tomorrow. The record low is 12, set in 1977. We will easily drop to the teens again...will we hit 11 and break the record? We could.
Here are some other noteworthy records, which I like to call the "Cold, Hard Facts", courtesy of the researchers (probably Daniel) at the National Weather Service:
1. The most recent prolonged cold spell was 85 hours of sub-freezing weather Jan 14-Jan 18, 2007.
2.The last time we had two days in a row of lows in the teens: Dec 8-9, 2005
3. The last time we had two days in a row of highs in the 20s: Dec 22-23, 1998 (we had a high of 46 yesterday and 30 today).
4. Last time it was this cold? Feb 4, 1996 when it was 8.
Bob Goosmann will have some good (warmer) news for you this weekend at 5:30 and 9pm on Ch 33!
Nov
11
7:36PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 0
FUN FALL FACTS
After finishing the cloudiest October on record, with 8.05 inches of rain officially recorded at the National Weather Service site at DFW airport...it was the 6th wettest on record. So far, November has been very nice, very sunny and fairly mild.
When do we expect our first freeze? On average, our first freeze occurs November 22. The earliest "first freeze" was Oct. 22, 1898 when the temperature dropped to 31. The latest "first freeze" was January 4, 1972, when the temperature dropped to 21...pretty amazing that the first freeze of that season was such a cold one!
In north Texas, we average 36 days with freezing temperatures...most of them occur in January.
With an El Nino present, we average 2 inches additional precipitation in the season along with cooler than average temperatures. If that precipitation hits when temperatures are below freezing...yeah, it means sleet, ice or snow! We'll keep you posted, but so far, no freezes are in sight for the next 7 days.
When do we expect our first freeze? On average, our first freeze occurs November 22. The earliest "first freeze" was Oct. 22, 1898 when the temperature dropped to 31. The latest "first freeze" was January 4, 1972, when the temperature dropped to 21...pretty amazing that the first freeze of that season was such a cold one!
In north Texas, we average 36 days with freezing temperatures...most of them occur in January.
With an El Nino present, we average 2 inches additional precipitation in the season along with cooler than average temperatures. If that precipitation hits when temperatures are below freezing...yeah, it means sleet, ice or snow! We'll keep you posted, but so far, no freezes are in sight for the next 7 days.
Oct
20
2:29PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 0
Flash flood watch already in effect for TOMORROW
Yup, a bunch more rain is heading our way. A cold front approaches from the west, and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico as well as Hurricane Rick remnants from the Pacific move into north Texas. We could see 2 to 3 inches of rain tomorrow, so take the time to turn off your sprinkler systems! There's a business across the street from us that runs its sprinklers every single night, whether it's raining or not...what a waste of water, plus the lawn looks terrible. Don't be like that business :)
The weather should be great for the weekend, though, so if you're headed to the Fort Worth Alliance Airshow, it's going to be sunny. Maybe I'll see you there.
Get your forecast every night at 5:30 and 9pm on Ch.33 .
The weather should be great for the weekend, though, so if you're headed to the Fort Worth Alliance Airshow, it's going to be sunny. Maybe I'll see you there.
Get your forecast every night at 5:30 and 9pm on Ch.33 .
Oct
8
7:44PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 0
Storms taking forever to arrive
We've been tracking storms to our west all day, but they haven't reached the Metroplex just yet. It's looking like this will be an "after midnight" storm event. Severe storms usually diminish in intensity the later it gets once the sun sets, but it was near 90 today...and the atmosphere is unstable. That means we could have storms producing damaging winds, hail and even an isolated tornado can't be ruled out.
Before going to bed tonight, make sure your NOAA weather radio is turned on. It will alert you to severe weather in your area, so you can take cover.
Flash flooding is also a possibility, and the National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches remain through 7pm tomorrow.
The rain will be very heavy during rush hour in the morning, but it should end by noon...and much, much colder air arrives. It will be in the 50s all day tomorrow with NW winds 10-20mph. I'm wearing a COAT to the State Fair in the afternoon!
Tune in at 9pm for your forecast on CH 33.
Before going to bed tonight, make sure your NOAA weather radio is turned on. It will alert you to severe weather in your area, so you can take cover.
Flash flooding is also a possibility, and the National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches remain through 7pm tomorrow.
The rain will be very heavy during rush hour in the morning, but it should end by noon...and much, much colder air arrives. It will be in the 50s all day tomorrow with NW winds 10-20mph. I'm wearing a COAT to the State Fair in the afternoon!
Tune in at 9pm for your forecast on CH 33.
Sep
11
2:04PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 0
RAINY WEEKEND AHEAD
It's going to be a rainy weekend for North Texas. A low pressure system from the Gulf of Mexico will continue its trek through Central Texas and will gradually merge with a cold front arriving from the North. What that means for us is off and on rain today, tomorrow and Sunday. On top of that, the latest maps show this Low Pressure stalling in East Texas for most of next week. We will include rain in our forecast through Tuesday at least, but the heaviest rain will fall today through Sunday.
Not everyone will be rained on at the same time, all the time, but all parts of North Texas will get some rain this weekend.
4 to 6 inches of rain are possible with isolated pockets of 7 to 8 inches, so the National Weather Service has placed all of North Texas under a Flash Flood Watch through Sunday. Remember, if you reach a flooded roadway, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
Flooding is the 2nd greatest weather killer. (Heat is #1). Half of all flood deaths are vehicle-related. Most victims are male. Stay safe this weekend and make sure you tune into Channel 33, KDAF "The 33" for the latest forecast every night at 9pm with Rebecca Miller and Bob Goosmann.
Not everyone will be rained on at the same time, all the time, but all parts of North Texas will get some rain this weekend.
4 to 6 inches of rain are possible with isolated pockets of 7 to 8 inches, so the National Weather Service has placed all of North Texas under a Flash Flood Watch through Sunday. Remember, if you reach a flooded roadway, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
Flooding is the 2nd greatest weather killer. (Heat is #1). Half of all flood deaths are vehicle-related. Most victims are male. Stay safe this weekend and make sure you tune into Channel 33, KDAF "The 33" for the latest forecast every night at 9pm with Rebecca Miller and Bob Goosmann.
Aug
20
3:36PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 0
Severe thunderstorm watch tonight 'til 10pm
Severe thunderstorm watch just issued effective until 10pm for Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Jack, Montague, Wise and Young Counties in N Texas. In NE Tx, severe thunderstorm watch until 10pm for Delta, Hopkins, Lamar and Rains counties.
At this time, Dallas and Fort Worth are not included in the watch, but we cannot rule out a few severe storms here. (Storms don't understand where county lines are...)
Be sure to tune in to CH 33 at 9pm, as this is when we expect storms...
Jul
10
7:38PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 2
HEAT IS THE NUMBER 1 WEATHER KILLER
Bet you thought it was flooding or lightning, right? Nope. More people die heat related deaths than any other weather event. This is dangerous heat in north Texas, and it will stick around through next week at least.
Heat advisories continue through Sunday (at least) until 7pm. There are certain criteria that must be met for the National Weather Service to issue heat advisories: overnight low temperatures cannot drop much below 80, and afternoon heat indices must reach 105 or hotter. What I just learned, myself, was that they also cannot issue the advisories more than two days ahead. (I don't know the reason behind this...) That's why we are saying we are under the advisories until at least Sunday.
Here are some safety tips: never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles. Never leave pets outdoors where they cannot seek shelter or get cool. Dress in light colored, loose fitting clothing; drink plenty of water and take breaks every 30 minutes if working outdoors. Check on the elderly, neighbors that might be ill or live alone.
When will it cool down? We usually don't drop below 90s on average until after the State Fair ends. That's in October.
Heat advisories continue through Sunday (at least) until 7pm. There are certain criteria that must be met for the National Weather Service to issue heat advisories: overnight low temperatures cannot drop much below 80, and afternoon heat indices must reach 105 or hotter. What I just learned, myself, was that they also cannot issue the advisories more than two days ahead. (I don't know the reason behind this...) That's why we are saying we are under the advisories until at least Sunday.
Here are some safety tips: never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles. Never leave pets outdoors where they cannot seek shelter or get cool. Dress in light colored, loose fitting clothing; drink plenty of water and take breaks every 30 minutes if working outdoors. Check on the elderly, neighbors that might be ill or live alone.
When will it cool down? We usually don't drop below 90s on average until after the State Fair ends. That's in October.
Jun
29
3:36PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 1
FINALLY! Some "cool" air, but how long will it last?
Saturday and Sunday marked the hottest temperatures we've seen so far this year at the official reporting site, DFW airport: it was 103 both days. On June 26 and 27, 1980, we hit the hottest temperatures ever recorded here: 113, so I guess you could argue that it could be worse. Still, this is only the beginning of summer, and it typically hits 100 or better 16 days each summer. So far, we've had 5 triple digit days. 11 more to go :)
The average first 100 degree day is July 1, so we weren't too far off this year. Once it hits 100, people start asking when the heat will end. We've hit 100 as late as Oct 3, 1951 when it was 106! My personal rule of thumb is that we don't really cool off until the Great State Fair of Texas comes to an end. This year, it ends on October 18.
The average first 100 degree day is July 1, so we weren't too far off this year. Once it hits 100, people start asking when the heat will end. We've hit 100 as late as Oct 3, 1951 when it was 106! My personal rule of thumb is that we don't really cool off until the Great State Fair of Texas comes to an end. This year, it ends on October 18.
Jun
18
2:17PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 3
Is it "hot" when it's not 100º ???
It's a discussion I hear all the time. Call it "hot" when it's in the 90s, and a slew of e-mails arrive saying it's not officially "hot" until it's 100º. And while the heat index has been 100º or higher this week, the actual temperature has reached its highest reading of 98º Tuesday afternoon. Close, but not 100º....
The heat index is another story. Based on how hot you feel when the humidity is factored into the temperature, it's completely subjective. I actually do not like to use it at all...I don't like to tell people how they feel. There's no way I could know how you feel in the heat.
Being from New Orleans, this week has been just fine by me. I'm used to much higher humidity. Take someone from the desert, and 100º might not feel too bad, either, but throw in our humidity, and it might feel extremely oppressive to that person.
So if you find yourself feeling worn down by the heat and humidity, make sure you take precautions: dress in light colored, loose-fitting clothing. Take plenty of breaks when working outdoors. Drink plenty of fluids...anything containing caffeine will dehydrate you; alcohol is also not helpful in dealing with heat. Make sure you provide shelter and plenty of water for outdoor pets. Heat and humidity affect them, too. Check on the elderly or those who are ill.
Heat is the number ONE weather killer.
The heat index is another story. Based on how hot you feel when the humidity is factored into the temperature, it's completely subjective. I actually do not like to use it at all...I don't like to tell people how they feel. There's no way I could know how you feel in the heat.
Being from New Orleans, this week has been just fine by me. I'm used to much higher humidity. Take someone from the desert, and 100º might not feel too bad, either, but throw in our humidity, and it might feel extremely oppressive to that person.
So if you find yourself feeling worn down by the heat and humidity, make sure you take precautions: dress in light colored, loose-fitting clothing. Take plenty of breaks when working outdoors. Drink plenty of fluids...anything containing caffeine will dehydrate you; alcohol is also not helpful in dealing with heat. Make sure you provide shelter and plenty of water for outdoor pets. Heat and humidity affect them, too. Check on the elderly or those who are ill.
Heat is the number ONE weather killer.
May
6
1:59PM | posted by Rebecca Miller | comments: 5
Is the rain finally gone?
Storms hit once again overnight and early this morning. Even this afternoon, we're still seeing a few showers, but by late this afternoon, we should start to see some sunshine! Expect sunny skies Thursday and Friday with highs in the low 90s...but with all the rain we've seen lately, it's going to feel pretty humid.
How are we doing on rainfall this year? We've seen 13.54 inches of rain since Jan 1. "Normal" by this time is 11.30" , so we're officially 2.24 inches above normal. That only tells part of the story, though. Since March 1, 12.00 inches of rain fell...that's most of the rain for the year, and 4.97 inches more than average.
May is typically the wettest month of the year, with an average of 5.15 inches...and yeah, there are a few showers back in the forecast for the weekend.
How are we doing on rainfall this year? We've seen 13.54 inches of rain since Jan 1. "Normal" by this time is 11.30" , so we're officially 2.24 inches above normal. That only tells part of the story, though. Since March 1, 12.00 inches of rain fell...that's most of the rain for the year, and 4.97 inches more than average.
May is typically the wettest month of the year, with an average of 5.15 inches...and yeah, there are a few showers back in the forecast for the weekend.
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