What winter weather to expect through Fri. 2/4/11

Hello everyone -
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for southeast Texas effective from noon today through noon Friday.

The warning means that dangerous winter weather like ice is expected.

I think the timing of the worst of the weather will be from 9 pm tonight through 6 am Friday. Problem is that even if the precpitation stops at 6 am, there will be a lot of icey roads. So, I wouldn't be surprised if there are lots and lots of school and even business cancellations. Conditions should be vastly improved by Friday afternoon.

Snow is possible (several inches), especially for area north of the 59 corridor. But the biggest concern is ice. The 1000-500 mb thicknesses south of the 59 corridor may not ever be low enough for snow production. But, the low level temperatures will be below freezing for a good portion of the area. And, that means that if cold rain falls, it has a good chance of turning into ice, especially for exposed bridges and overpasses.

Be safe everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Storms/Arctic Cold/Snow Houston Area

Hello all -
Big, big changes coming...

First slight risk for severe storms Tuesday morning.
Lows in 20s for most of Houston area Wed./Thurs/and Fri mornings and highs Wed and Thurs mainly in 30s. Coldest feeling day will be Wed. as it will be quite windy.

Snow possible Thursday pm into Friday morning...will have to keep checking this...but could get an inch or more in Houston area depending on how things come together.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

February through April Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks/The Big Move

WEATHER
Chilly this Tuesday across the Great Lakes and northeast with highs in the teens and 20s. There will also be snow around northern Minnesota, the Great Lakes and over to Boston. There is a slight risk for severe storms in Florida through the overnight hours.

Houston, the sunshine will return today, but it will be breezy and chilly. Into the weekend, lows will be in the 30s and highs will be in the 60s (starting Wednesday). Look for a light freeze in outlying areas Wed., Thurs. and Fri. mornings. Clouds return Saturday will some rain beginning Saturday night and continuing through Sunday. There will be lingering cloudiness and some rain through the middle of the coming week.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do move out or mudarse, pronunced moo-DAHR-say. It is time for us to mudarse of our house. Find out why in the AND MORE section.

We have released our Volume 3 DVD and Volumes 1 through 3 music review CD for Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. We have a special at our web site. Buy the bundle--Volumes 1 through 3 and get the music review CD for FREE!!! To take advantage of that offer, go to our web site:

http://www.frankandpaco.com

You can also find my award winning education series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volumes 1 and 2, on the shelf (in the education section) at Barnes & Noble stores or you can order them from http://www.amazon.com, http://www.bn.com, http://www.bestbuy.com, or http://www.ebay.com/. Our ESL (English as a Second Language) version can be found at http://www.frankypaco.com. P.S. THEY MAKE TERRIFIC GIFTS!!!

AND MORE
New Poll
My new poll is about the economy...do you think it is really getting better? Only one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for participating.

Meteorology Meeting in Houston
The Houston Chapter of the American Meteorological Society will have its monthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 31st at Saltgrass Steak House at 20241 Gulf Freeway in Webster. Dinner will be at 6:00 pm and the meeting will be at 7:00 pm. The topic will be "Hurricane Ike and Some Comparisons" presented by Lance Wood, Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service.

How to Find Out What It is Like to be a Sheriff
My buddy Leslie Williams, Houston Chronicle writer, sent me this link to one of her recent articles--it's about a program where kids can ride along and find out what it is like to be a sheriff. Here's the link and thanks Leslie!
http://ultimatecyfair.com/stories/228277-residents-invited-to-learn-what-it-s-like-to-be-a-sheriff-s-deputy

New Climate Outlooks and Drought Maps
I have posted at right the latest Feb. through April temperature and precipitation outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center. Much of the south is expected to have above normal temperatures with below normal precipitation. The west coast and western Alaska are supposed to have below normal temperatures. The Rockies and Great Lakes into Ohio Vally are supposed to be wetter than normal.

Drought is expected to persist for much of Texas and southern states. New drought will develop for a part of Nebraska and into northern Texas and westward to Arizona. Drought problems should improve in parts of Hawaii.

3rd Annual Groundhog Gala at Rice Hotel Feb. 2, 2011
It's almost time for the 3rd annual Groundhog Gala which will be held again at the Rice Hotel's crystal ballroom this Feb. 2nd. There is expected to be a huge crowd this year. So, it will be quite the event!

I'm Moving to Austin and Some Observations and Tips
My husband recently took early retirement. Congratulations Gordy!!! As he takes over a lot of our duties with Sarah, I have taken a full time position with Guaranty Bank. My brother is actually the one who pulled me in...I will be his Production Partner to get mortgages processed. Much of his business is through the Austin/San Antonio corridor and he has been super busy. I think it is because that is one of the economically healthier places in the country and a lot of people are moving there for that reason. Once we are settled, then Gordy is going to begin one of the new ventures he has been considering. BTW, if you know someone who loves variety and has good people and computer skills, they are looking to replace me. So let me know!

Being employed in the business sector is a natural for me. I am hoping that I will get to use some of what I learned from my MBA program. I have also worked in the business sector before--accounting firm, banking, and most recently as a law clerk. By the way, I want to thank my dear friend Marilyn for letting me work part time at Griffin and Griffin law firm. That has been a super fun job and I have learned so much!!! Gordy and I are very grateful for these last 2 years.

So, you can imagine that we have been very busy with trying to sell our house. And, it looks like we finally have. We have also purchased a home in the Austin area.

Our realtor, Susan Greer, with Coldwell Bankers has been phenomenal. She always uses a stager. So, after we thoroughly decluttered, the stager came in and made our house look like a model home. Gordy was amazing with painting and fixing up the house. It really did look brand new.

In the process of decluttering/staging, I learned the following:
-I took 7 large boxes of clothing out of our master closet. Neither Gordy nor I missed a thing. Obviously we had way more than we needed.
-We decided to move our bathing operations to a smaller secondary bath and leave the master bath clean and neat...this proved quite valuable when we were having to clean up and get out within 30 minutes
-Get some new range top burner trays and put those in for showings and use your old ones when cooking. It was an amazing face lift for the range top...looked brand new. When we did take the time to cook, I just put the old ones back in. That way I didn't have to worry about messing up. After dinner and dishes, I just popped the new ones back in.
-Eat dinner together at a table with the TV off. We had gotten into a terrible habit of eating in front of the TV. What a blessing it was to be forced to eat at the table. We sat and visited and rediscovered each other as a family. We have decided to keep this up after we move.

So, my dear friends, I am going to be very busy. But I will try to post as often as possible. I will also keep my ties with the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association. I will always love meteorology.

Have a great week!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Heavy Rain Threat/Winter Weather/New Year's Resolutions

WEATHER

Good morning everyone! Sorry to be such a stranger, but we are in the middle of trying to sell our house, and between that, work, business and just life, I am struggling to keep up.

Big weather story for southeast Texas is the heavy rain expected overnight tonight and early Sunday and the potential for wintry weather (sleet/freezing rain/snow) for areas well north of Houston tonight and Sunday and then the slight possibility of some sleet/snow for Houston area mid-week.

A cold front is already affecting the Houston area and as an upper storm approaches today, skies will turn cloudy by late afternoon. Overnight and through early afternoon Sunday, there could be some very heavy rain (2 to 3 inches) and there is a slight possibility of some tornadoes due to turning in the atmosphere. There is not a tornado watch issued as I write this post, but just be aware that might be a possiblity. The biggest threat is the heavy rain which according to the National Weather Service, could cause some minor flooding. If you plan to drive north into northeast Texas (on I45 or Highway 59), be aware that you could run into some icey roads and nasty travel conditions. If you are driving up there during the day tomorrow, conditions should improve, but you might see some snow flurries as far south as Huntsville.

The other big story is the dramatic change in temperature. Highs on Sunday will not get out of the 40s and I think it is possible that much of the area will stay in the 30s. It is also going to be very windy and there could be some coastal flooding due to high surf. Monday, there will likely be some sunshine and slightly warmer conditions but then a reinforcing shot of cold air will bring temperatures back down for the rest of the week and there will be some persistent cloudiness mid-week into the end of the week with a slight chance of precipitation Wed/Thurs. With temperatures being so cold, I won't rule out some snow flurries mid-week, but the air will be very dry. So, anything that falls will likely evaporate before you even see it. But I will keep and eye on those developments.

So, to sum it up:
Overnight and into early Sunday, heavy rain and flooding for Houston and surrounding areas
Wintry travel weather north of Houston tonight and even Sunday as far south as College Station to Huntsville to Livingston

AND MORE
Just a quick mention that our New Year's Resolutions poll is closed. 0% said they kept their resolutions for an entire year. 16% said they kept for a few months. 16% said they kept for a few weeks. 0% said they kept for a few days. 16% said they kept for one day. And, 50% said they never start. Only one answer was allowed. Thanks to all who participated.

I'll try to have a new poll on my next poll.

Have a safe weekend everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

New Year's Eve forecast/New Year's Resolutions

A quick post this evening to let you know that the heavy rain for the Houston area is over. There is only a slight chance for showers on Thursday. On New Year's Eve, there will be some thunderstorms during the day as the next cold front approaches. There will mild weather until the front passes...then a cold front arrives by New Year's eve evening. The rain should be over in time for going out on New Year's Eve evening. Take a jacket because by midnight, temperatures will be in the 50s. New Year's Day will be dry and cool. For several days, lows will be in the 40s and highs in the 50s and 60s into the middle of the coming week.

Next rain for Houston will come in the middle of the coming week.

For nation, trough out west will be in place for the next week or so...that means it will be chilly over the Rockies and northern plains and much of the west for the next week or so. The northeast will also have rounds of cold weather. Thursday, there will be snow over the northern Rockies and northern plains. DC/New York/NJ will have highs in the 30s and 40s and no snow.

My poll on when Christmas gifts are opened is closed. I think I accidentally allowed more than one answer because the percentages added up to more than 100. 74% said they open all gifts on Christmas Day, 28% said they open on Christmas Eve and 14% said they open at all different times. No one said they don't open Christmas gifts, open over the 12 days of Christmas or a little each day until Christmas.

My new poll is about New Year's Resolutions. How long do you usually keep your's or do you even get started.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

A Wet Christmas Eve for Houston

Just a quick note this evening to let you know that there will be some storms--looks like from 5 pm to around 2 am Christmas morning. There could even be some thunderstorms in the mix. However, National Weather Service is not predicting severe storms. If you plan to go to church services Friday evening, take your umbrella...for Christmas morning, take a coat.

Much colder and windy on Saturday, Christmas Day--highs may not break 50. Sun should come out in the afternoon. Then chilly but not windy on Sunday with freezing outlying areas early Sunday morning. Also expect freezing for outlying areas early on Monday.

Expect rain to return mid-week with milder temperatures.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Christmas Week Forecast/Weather Travel Trouble Spots/Winter Begins

WEATHER
This weekend, the coldest air will be over the northern states. Highs will be in the teens for the northern plains and twenties for the Great Lakes and much of New England. Today (Saturday) look for snow over the Sierra Nevada and Intermountain Region as well as over the Great Lakes. On Sunday, there will be snow over Sierra Nevada into the Rockies.

Worst travel days this coming week will be over southern California, the Southwest and southern Rockies on Tuesday and Wednesday and and over the Ohio Valley on Christmas Eve into New York early on Christmas.

Houston, the weather this week will be very pleasant. Lows will be in the 40s and 30s for most of the week and highs will be in the 50s into the 70s. Another shot of cool air will arrive for Christmas Day making the lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s. Rain chances through the coming weekend are almost nil.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do cold or frio, pronounced FREE-oh. It is going to be very frio in the northern states of the US this week.

Our Volume 3 DVD and Volumes 1 through 3 music review CD have arrived!!! We have 1000 copies of each. Within the next few days, our web site will have these available and if you buy Volumes 1 through 3, you will get the music review CD for free. In the meantime, you can find my award winning education series, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, Volumes 1 and 2, on the shelf (in the education section) at Barnes & Noble stores or you can order them from http://www.frankandpaco.com, http://www.amazon.com, http://www.bn.com, http://www.bestbuy.com, or http://www.ebay.com/. Our ESL (English as a Second Language) version can be found at http://www.frankypaco.com. P.S. THEY MAKE TERRIFIC GIFTS!!!

AND MORE
New Poll
My poll on Christmas cards is closed. 100% of respondents said they send their Christmas cards via mail. No one said they send their's by email or combination or not at all. Only one answer was allowed. Thanks to all who participated.

My new poll is about when you open Christmas gifts...Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or some other combination. Only one answer is allowed. Thanks in advance for participating.

Storm Cheer Special Needs APEX Team Wows Crowds
Sarah's special needs cheerleading team had another exhibition last weekend at the United Cheer competition held at the Merrill Center in Katy, Texas. This was a really big event with competitors coming from as far as Lubbock, Texas. Sarah's team came out and gave a superb performance which prompted a standing ovation. As we looked around we saw tears streaming down the faces of the audience. Everyone was so gracious and so kind. It was truly a wonderful day! Special thanks to Storm Cheer for sponsoring this team! The coaches, Jennifer and Brian, have been particularly awesome!!!

Winter Officially Begins Tuesday Dec. 21st
According to the US Naval Observatory, the Winter Solstice ("shortest day of the year" and official start of Winter) will begin on Tuesday, the 21st at 6:38 pm. From there on, the amount of daylight will increase slightly each day (although early one the change will won't be very apparent).

New 3 Month Outlooks and Drought Outlook
The Climate Prediction Center has put out the January through March outlooks for temperature and precipitation. Looks like the south central US will have above normal temperatures while the west and northwest and Alaska will have below normal temperatures. The Ohio Valley and Northwest will have above normal precipitation with much of the south experiencing below normal precipitation chances. Drought- wise, Texas is developing drought again with either persistence or a worsening of conditions expected. There are many other areas increasing in drought--see figure at right.

Safe travels and Happy Holidays to all of you!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman