Monday, March 08, 2010

Do you have Spring Fever?

MARK

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar tonight..after a weekend of spring-like weather and a day which brought highs in the lower 60s for some us today you very well may have Spring Fever. That’s to be expected…heck you may even have a crocus or two popping up in your yard like this one a viewer sent in over the weekend:

But I have long felt that March is the cruelest month of the year. She’ll throw a few days at you like what we’ve seen lately then she’ll turn around and drop a half foot of snow on you the next week! Now, it does not look like we have any snow to worry about, at least THIS week. But we are possibly looking at a damp & dreary stretch of weather beginning Friday and possibly lasting through early next week. So, yes the 7-Day forecast is looking bleak for the upcoming weekend but at least the next couple of days will remain sunny and fairly mild. And if it’s spring you are craving, check out these statistics”

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME STARTS THIS WEEKEND!
March 14th Sunday:
SUNRISE: 6:59am
SUNSET:  6:51pm

SPRING STARTS SATURDAY MARCH 20th 1:32pm

Certainly spring is right around the corner…but just a word of warning: March sometimes can go out like a lion too! Remember the April Fool’s Day snow storm in 1997? Over a foot of heavy, wet snow…just when we thought we were finished with winter! In southern New England sometimes you just never know! Enjoy the sunshine and thanks for reading!! Mark

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Seeing robins? Well they’re from up north, eh?

Mark

Hi everyone, here’s what’s On My Radar tonight…I mentioned on the 6:00PM news earlier tonight that I received many calls from viewers saying they are seeing LOTS of robins lately. In fact faithful weather watchers Andrea & Buddy Luther from Scituate, RI told me they saw 5 in their backyard just today! Right after the news I got this message from Nancy Holt in Tiverton, RI and I thought it was great information and wanted to share it with you:

Subject: FEBRUARY ROBINS are CANADIAN!

Hi Mark…
A message from a fan in Tiverton (URI Master Gardner). Just to clarify that the big fat robins (as opposed to the smaller NE robins) that appear in large numbers in RI in February are really Canadian robins, stopping by on their way back to Canada in the spring. It’s usually warmer here than in Canada (except at the Olympics) and we see them come in large numbers on their way home every winter finding berries for energy for their journey. Last week there were 9-12 daily having themselves a hearty feast on my sargent cherry. Enjoy them while you see them, as they will be replaced by the usual suspects next month!
Nancy Holt

So it seems as though our robins are not streaming back sooner than usual it’s just that we are seeing their Canadian brethren. I never knew that our robins were so different…smaller, skinnier, etc. Good stuff…come on spring and come back robins…many of us can’t wait to see you again. Thanks for reading   Mark

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

WEDNESDAY STORM UPDATE

Mark

Follow my forecasts on Twitter!:

Hi everyone…thanks for checking out what’s On My Radar today…as of mid afternoon the radar is looking very impressive and this storm is developing as we expected…so far. We continue to watch the development of the storm and the progression of the rain & sleet mix line along coastal areas of Massachusetts. Here’s a picture from Westerly taken around midday…this will likely be the hardest hit area interms of snowfall:

THIS AFTERNOON:
Snow intensity increases…accumulation of heavy, wet snow continues. Coastal areas of Massachusetts likely seeing rain & sleet mixing in and possibly some inland areas get a period of mixed precip. The wind will start to increase by early afternoon…first along the coast then spreading inland. Gusts out of the east/northeast will climb over 40mph by late afternoon. Poor visibility and difficult travel conditions can be expected.

THIS EVENING:
Snow will likely be at its heaviest early in the evening and the wind will really be cranking…35-55mph gusts possible with the strongest wind found along the coast. Accumulations of the heavy, wet snow will be several inches…possibly approaching 10-14” in some spots across coastal Rhode Island. Totals will be less toward Providence and northern Rhode Island since the heaviest snow will likely not make t that far inland. Any mixed precip will transition back to mostly wet snow…poor visibility and difficult driving conditions.

OVERNIGHT:
Heavy snow and gusty wind early then the snow should taper off around midnight/early Thursday morning. The wind will stay gusty and with accumulation of wet, heavy snow on area trees and power lines we need to watch for localized power outages. Still poor visibility at times with difficult travel conditions.

TOTAL ACCUMULATION:

Still looks like a widespread 6-10” storm with potentially 10-14” in some locations of southern RThode Island….again this will be a heavier snow so it’s a good idea to shovel frequently. Try not to wait until the storm is over to move it all…it could be a back breaker!!

I’ll keep you updated all day…thanks for reading!!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Going back to my high school days!

Mark

Hi everyone, here’s what’s On My Radar today…I was lucky enough, recently, to get asked to participate in a friendly segement called “Ten From the Line”. It’s produced by Greg Sullivan from the Fall River Herald. We shoot 10 free throws and answer a few questions about ourselves. I shot mine last week at Case Junior High School in Swansea and it was lots of fun…check it out!

Thanks for watching!

Mark

Friday, January 08, 2010

Check before you skate…

MARK

FROM VGAUTHIER SENT VIA SNAP.TURNTO10.COM

Hi everyone, here’s what’s On My Radar tonight…with all of the recent cold as well as the forecast of another very cold weekend you may be thinking about hitting your local pond for some skating. This is always a temptation, especially after the holidays when some of us have shiny new skates to test. Local knowledge of the pond you will be skating is important…things like: does the pond have a history of freezing quickly, how deep is the water under the ice and is there a current in the water that may create thinner areas of ice.

“No one should ever assume that ice is safe for skating by merely conducting a visual inspection.  The ice needs to be cut through and measured in various locations in order to ensure that it is thick enough to support safe skating,” cautions John Faltus, Deputy Chief of DEM’s Division of Parks and Recreation in a statement issued earlier Friday. The DEM says that the ice is safe to skate on at Goddard Park. DEM regularly checks the safety of ice at Goddard & Meshanticut State Parks as well as Lincoln Woods. The information on the condition of the ice can be found on DEM’s 24 hour Ice Hotline 401-222-2632.

The DEM also has an ice safety page in its web page. Click here for the Ice Safety Page. It’s always best to check with your local recreation or public works department before you venture out onto a pond you THINK is safe. Remember to never go out on a pond alone and always let someone know your plans. Winter can be a great time for outdoor recreation, just be sure to enjoy it safely!

Thanks for reading

Mark

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Light Snow for Friday

MARK

Hi everyone, here’s what’s On My Radar tonight…a weak storm brings some light snow to the area Friday although we have seen MUCH worse this winter! Look for a period of flurries and occasional steady light snow showers Friday with minor accumulations of a coating to as much as 2” in some isolated communities.

One thing to watch for with this storm is the POTENTIAL for a bit of enhancement of the snowfall once the storm reaches the open water to our south. This map shows a computer model progression of the storm’s “500mb” low pressure track. We watch this track for the movement of energy in the atmosphere. As you can see the dark red colors track directly over our area indicating some rather robust energy in the air above us Friday morning.

We will need to keep a close eye on our VIPIR radar Friday morning for the chance that this energy fuels an area of somewhat heavier snow along our coastline. Again, this is simply a POTENTIAL and the likelihood is that most of our area will simply see the period of light snow and flurries that is currently in my forecast. Now, moving forward, this storm will really gain strength to our east Friday night and Saturday and it will pull another shot of frigid, dry air down across southern New England.

This next map shows that there is hope if you don’t like the prospect of another 10 days or so of cold, dry weather. Temperatures are expected to slowly climb back to above average levels during the January 15-21 time period as the jet stream becomes less amplified meaning fewer troughs and ridges and more of a west to east type of flow. Take a look:

So hang in there if this winter is bumming you out. Signs, at least in the next couple of weeks, are pointing toward a slow climb out of the freezer!
Thanks for reading!

MARK

Sunday, January 03, 2010

FINAL SUNDAY UPDATE

MARK

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today:  This will likely be my final storm update…current as of 10:30AM Sunday:

A few more bands of snow will move through into the early afternoon. an additional inch or so of accumulation is possible putting our total since early Saturday close to 6” for most of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Amounts of 6-10” have been reported near the Foxboro, Brockton area northeastward through Plymouth County and Boston.

The wind will remain gusty causing blowing of the fine snow…reduced visibility on the roads at time…give yourself some extra time!

These are the latest snow totals from the National weather Service  SNOW REPORTS!

Here’s a look at what to expect the rest of today & tonight…

SUNDAY AFTERNOON:  Periods of light to moderate snow at times early afternoon, flurries later in the day…temperatures remain cold…teens to lower 20s for highs at best! Wind gusting near 40mph so wind chill values will be near zero.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Flurries continue at times but little to no additional accumulation. Temps in the teens to near 20 degrees. Less wind…north around 15-20mph…blowing and minor drifting of the light snow.

MONDAY: Some breaks of sun as the storm moves away…brisk & cool with highs in the lower 30s.

Looking further down the road into the forecast for the week ahead…there is the chance of another snowstorm Thursday/Friday. Lots to iron out here but the week ahead looks chilly & dry with a coastal storm spinning up late Thursday…stay tuned!

Thanks for reading…Mark

SUNDAY MORNING STORM UPDATE

MARK

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today:  This is the this is the Sunday morning update as of 7:30AM:

As expected, the wind REALLY kicked in overnight and it is howling out there this morning! The bands of snow continue and we will pick up a couple of inches more of snow this morning before the snowfall slows this afternoon..

Most areas are reportinh 4-6” so far with this storm…dating back to early Saturday and we will add another couple of inches to that so total storm accumulations of around 6” for most of us with a couple of inches more across the higher elevations and especially central and eastern Massachusetts where 10” will accumulate in spots.

Please give yourself a little extra time to reach your destination this weekend. Use the link below to “peek in” at road conditions around the state. As you know, weather conditions vary WILDLY at times so this is a highly useful tool, check it out:

DOT Traffic Cams:  Click Here

Here’s a look at what to expect the rest of today & tonight…

SUNDAY MORNING:  Periods of light to moderate snow at times…temperatures are VERY cold…teens now and only rising to near 20 by early afternoon. Wind gusting near 40mph so wind chill values will be near zero…as low as -5 in the early morning.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Flurries continue but little to no additional accumulation. Temps in the low 20s AT BEST with wind chill values hovering near zero. Wind gusts of 35-40mph…lots of blowing & drifting of the light snow.

Thanks for checking back in from time to time. I appreciate all the feedback I have gotten from you and I encourage you to send me email updates at   or through Facebook. The link is: right here

Thanks for reading…Mark

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Saturday Storm Update

MARK

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today:  This is the Saturday night update as of 8:30PM:

As expected, bands of light snow continue to move across the area…totals from this latest round of snow average around 3-4” so far with reports of up to 7” out near Plymouth Mass.

Light to at times moderate snow (especially across eastern Massachusetts) will continue overnight into Sunday morning. Slow, additional accumulation overnight of 1-2” or so is likely by Sunday morning. Storm total accumulations of 3-6” for much of our area seem likely with higher totals across eastern Massachusetts from Boston south through Plymouth & Barnstable Counties…some locations in Plymouth County very well may reach 10”..

Please give yourself a little extra time to reach your destination this weekend. Use the link below to “peek in” at road conditions around the state. As you know, weather conditions vary WILDLY at times so this is a highly useful tool, check it out:

DOT Traffic Cams:  Click Here

Here’s a look at what to expect moving forward through the holiday weekend…

SATURDAY NIGHT:  Periods of light to moderate snow at times…temperatures falling into the lower 20s but the wind gusts will get stronger! North wind of 20-30mph with gusts as high as 40mph at times! This will likely cause some blowing of the fine snow…visibility reduced for travel.

SUNDAY: Still light to moderate snow will fall and the wind will gust over 40mph at times. Temperatures will reach 27-30 degrees so the wind chill will be as cold as 0-10 degrees! the bands of snow will become less of an issue for our area by Sunday afternoon…eastern Massachusetts up toward Boston may still have bands of steadier snow into Sunday evening.

Thanks for checking back in from time to time. I’ll have another update in the morning. I appreciate all the feedback I have gotten from you and I encourage you to send me email updates at   or through Facebook. The link is: right here

Thanks for reading…Mark

Friday, January 01, 2010

2010 starts with a big weekend storm!!

MARK

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today:  Happy New Year to you and your family! I sincerely wish all the best in the year to come. After a rather pleasant New Year’s Day a VERY large ocean storm “blows-up” to our east early Saturday. This storm will have an impact on our forecast all weekend long…even into Monday!

As weather conditions deteriorate this weekend, keep an eye on the DOT cameras for a peek in at road conditions around the state. These are GREAT to get a first hand look at how road & weather conditions vary around the state!:

DOT Traffic Cams:  Click Here

Here’s a look at what to expect moving forward through the holiday weekend…

FRIDAY NIGHT:
Energy in the upper levels of the atmosphere will bring an area of light snow during the overnight timeframe. This energy will reach the south coast early Saturday morning and help the ocean storm intensify. Light accumulations of a couple of inches of snow late tonight into Saturday morning. Lows in the upper 20s tonight.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
This when the storm REALLY gets going. It will “blow-up” over the waters southeast of Cape Cod and then move into Nova Scotia before backing into coastal Maine, all over a period of 36-48 hours. Aside from the threat of snow we are in for a lot of wind all weekend…northerly gusts of 30-40mph likely. In terms of snowfall accumulation…it looks like accumulations of 3-6” are likely across much the area with perhaps MORE than 6” in parts of eastern Massachusetts, especially areas near Foxboro, Brockton and up through Plymouth county and even out across Cape Cod where the snow bands may be heavier at times through Sunday. Road conditions will likely be variable across the area depending upon where the snow bands set up so, again, be sure to check those DOT cameras and check back regularly right here! This is certainly a changeable forecast and one to stay on top of over the next couple of days.

I will keep you updated all day today through the weekend as this storm materializes. Be sure to watch NBC10 News at 6PM, I’ll have a comprhensive look at the weekend weather and of course I’ll keep you updated right here on turnto10.com 24/7!

Thanks for reading…Mark

Thursday, December 31, 2009

A New Year…same storm!

Mark

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today: First off, Happy New Year to you and your family! I sincerely hope you had a safe New Year’s Eve and wish all the best in the year to come. Well, we certainly are starting the new year off with some slick roads and we are dealing with a storm which will affect our weather through this weekend and into early next week.

NEW YEAR’S EVE OVERNIGHT:

Watch those slick, untreated roads!! Additional snow showers as well as mixed snow/rain showers will move through the area overnight with some additional accumulation…1-2” is possible with snow likely inland and a mix possible along the immediate south coast…mainly rain falling across the Cape & Islands. Temperatures will hold steady in the upper 20s inland…lower 30s along the coast.

Check out the DOT cameras for a peek in at road conditions around the state:

http://www.tmc.dot.ri.gov/camcenter/camCenterMapView.aspx?regionId=3#

Here’s a look at what to expect moving forward through the holiday weekend…

NEW YEAR’S DAY:
Mostly cloudy…not a lot of precipitation as the storm becomes organized off to our southeast. Scattered rain showers or some drizzle is possible with temperatures hovering near 40.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
This when the storm REALLY gets going. It will “blow-up” over the waters east of Cape Cod and then move into Nova Scotia before backing into coastal Maine. The storm will continue “backing” toward Cape Cod Saturday night & Sunday and at that point in time we could be looking at bands of snow POTENTIALLY moving in from the north/northeast and accumulating across the area. Aside from the threat of snow we are in for a lot of wind all weekend…northerly gusts of 30-40mph likely. In terms of snowfall accumulation…tough to say exactly at this point since the storm hasn’t formed yet but computer forecasts suggest a chance of 4” or more through Sunday afternoon…possibly more depending upon the position of the storm. This is certainly a changeable forecast and one to stay on top of over the next couple of days.

I will keep you updated all day today through the weekend as this storm materializes. Keep checking in with NBC10 News as well as turnto10.com for future forecasts!

Thanks for reading…Mark

Tricky period of weather ahead!

Mark

Hi everyone…here’s what’s On My Radar today: Seems like I will be making quite a few blog entries over the next few days as this multi-day storm impacts our forecast right through Sunday. Happy New Year to you and your family! I sincerely hope you had a safe New Year’s Eve and wish all the best in the year to come. Well, we certainly are starting the new year off with some slick roads and we are dealing with a storm which will affect our weather through this weekend and into early next week.

NEW YEAR’S EVE OVERNIGHT:

Watch those slick, untreated roads!! Additional snow showers as well as mixed snow/rain showers will move through the area overnight with some additional accumulation…1-2” is possible with snow likely inland and a mix possible along the immediate south coast…mainly rain falling across the Cape & Islands. Temperatures will hold steady in the upper 20s inland…lower 30s along the coast.

Check out the DOT cameras for a peek in at road conditions around the state:

http://www.tmc.dot.ri.gov/camcenter/camCenterMapView.aspx?regionId=3#

Here’s a look at what to expect moving forward through the holiday weekend…

NEW YEAR’S DAY:
Mostly cloudy…not a lot of precipitation as the storm becomes organized off to our southeast. Scattered rain showers or some drizzle is possible with temperatures hovering near 40.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
This when the storm REALLY gets going. It will “blow-up” over the waters east of Cape Cod and then move into Nova Scotia before backing into coastal Maine. The storm will continue “backing” toward Cape Cod Saturday night & Sunday and at that point in time we could be looking at bands of snow POTENTIALLY moving in from the north/northeast and accumulating across the area. Aside from the threat of snow we are in for a lot of wind all weekend…northerly gusts of 30-40mph likely. In terms of snowfall accumulation…tough to say exactly at this point since the storm hasn’t formed yet but computer forecasts suggest a chance of 4” or more through Sunday afternoon…possibly more depending upon the position of the storm. This is certainly a changeable forecast and one to stay on top of over the next couple of days.

I will keep you updated all day today through the weekend as this storm materializes. Keep checking in with NBC10 News as well as turnto10.com for future forecasts!

Thanks for reading…Mark

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

TUESDAY NIGHT VIDEO BLOG

Mark

An absolutely FRIGID day and more of the same tonight! I talk about that and the potential of a New Year’s storm On My Radar tonight:

Friday, December 18, 2009

WEEKEND SNOW STORM

Mark

Hi everyone, here’s what’s On My Radar tonight: This is the overnight update into Sunday morning Heavy snow and strong, gusty wind will continue into Sunday morning

The snow willl be heaviest during the midnight to 8AM Sunday timeframe when snowfall rates very well may reach 2-3” and hour for a period of a few hours! Snow will taper off in intensity Sunday morning but will continue to blow and drift due to the strong northerly wind. Don’t be surprised to hear the rumble of thunder overnight as this storm intensifies!

This storm will intensify quickly to our east bringing gusty north/northeast winds. Speeds will average 20-35mph with gusts near 50mph late tonight, especially closer to the coast. The wind Sunday will be out of the north/northwest by afternoon and will average 15-30mph with higher gusts in the morning! The consistency of this snow should mainly be light and fluffy so the strong wind will easily blow it around…significant drifting is likely!! The snow may be wetter across the Cape & Islands so it may pack down a bit more but the wind will be strongest in this region!

It still like a widespread blanket of major accumulation across the area….10-15” is still likely with isolated amounts up to 18”. Again, the outer Cape & Islands may see a little less due to the possibility of some rain as well as a wetter snow. The last several computer runs have zeroed in on a path which should bring around a solid foot in MOST areas! Blowing and drifting will make measuring difficult but certainly shovels and plows will be needed Sunday morning!

Please stay tuned to NBC10 as well as turnto10.com for your weather coverage needs this weekend. We’ll keep you covered!
Thanks for reading!!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Monday Night Video Blog

Mark

Mild temps for another 24 hours then it’s back into the “ice box”! Here’s what’s On My Radar tonight!: