Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Parade of storms cross the country on Mardi Gras and we watch for the Space Shuttle tonight


Tuesday, March 8, 2011 (Updated to include new times of shuttle and ISS fly-over tonight)

Wow we talked about a rollercoaster ride and we have got it! We woke up with lower to middle 40s in many areas this morning and by noon most of us were in the lower 70s. Yes! Happy Mardi Gras and it looks like nature is getting into the spirit with a parade of storms across the country. Burlington, Vermont has canceled flights and had its 5th biggest snowstorm on record with over two feet of snow. For a snowstorm to shut down Vermont you know this pattern means business! These storms are whipping up warm weather ahead of them with chilly spells for us behind them. The one thing we have been missing is rain but tonight I will tell you about why this next storm system on Wednesday night and Thursday morning will deliver needed rain and an increased threat of thunderstorms we will have to watch closely. I will post more on this here on the blog. But first things first!

Tonight we will look to the sky for the Space Shuttle which should pass over the First Coast at 7:23 p.m. Look for Discovery in the north just above the horizon and it will cross the sky like a slow-moving shooting star until it exits from our view at 7:24 p.m. in the northeast. You do not need a telescope. The International Space Station will closely follow the shuttle at 7:25 p.m. and be in view until 7:27 p.m. The good news is the latest satellite picture from NASA shows we should have decent viewing with the thicker clouds from our next weather maker holding back in western Florida through late tonight. Enjoy and of course I will be on the roof watching with you!

A special thanks to my wife who helped talk me through making her special Mexican Dip recipe (on the phone) for our First Coast News Mardi Gras party. I think the dip will be long gone by time I am watching the shuttle. The hard part will be not eating it before I get to work. Have a great day!

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