OCTOBER 31, 2006: WILDFIRES AND FIRE SAFETY AT HOME

As of October 24th, California has had 7,757 wildfires so far this year. The current fires in Southern California provide an example of the strong effects weather has on fire spread and control. Experts are attributing the rapid spread of fires to the warm, dry and powerful Santa Ana winds, which can dry out already parched vegetation, and quickly spread small brush fires.

If you live in a forested area, protect your home by clearing an area 100 feet around your home. Keep all highly flammable materials, such as woodpiles, brush, and dry grass at least 30 feet from the house. By being proactive about fire preparation, you can increase the chances of your home surviving a forest fire.

Remove all ignitable fuels, such as pinyon and juniper, as well as dead wood and leaves for at least 30 feet around your home. Replace them with less flammable, shorter plants that are maintained frequently. Stick to rock mulches and hard surfaces within three feet of your house.

If you are planning renovations or building a new home, consider replacing highly flammable shingle roofs with more fire-resistant tile and swap wooden siding with stucco and brick. No matter what type of roof you have, make sure to keep it free of fallen leaves, needles and branches.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 31, 2006: FULL MOONS AND HALLOWEEN

While typical Halloween scenes feature witches flying across the face of the full moon, the actual occurrence of a full moon is pretty rare. The last time it happened was in 2001, and before that it happened all the way back in 1955. The next full moon on Halloween won’t occur until 2020, some 14 years. After that there will be four more this century in 2039, 2058, 2077, and 2096.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 30, 2006: FALL CLEANUP - CAN HELP BIRDS THROUGH WINTER!
This is the time of year when many homeowners head outside for a backyard clean-up. Instead of sendng leaves, branches, and last season's plants to the landfill, consider putting these items to use as mulch, compost, and wildlife habitat in your yard.

Raking leaves under shrubs and into garden beds will provide a protective layer of mulch around plants, as well as an area for birds and small animals to forage for food.

You can also shred leaves with your lawnmower and add them to a compost pile. If you are trimming branches or cleaning up fallen debris, consider building a small brush pile in your yard to provide shelter for birds as weather cools.

You may also want to hold off on removing any seed-bearing plants and grasses until spring - these plants can serve as a food source for birds throughout winter.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 30, 2006: A STREAK COMES TO AN END

Some say we haven’t had a fall this year as we went from summer warmth to near winter chill. Rainfall has been up this month and temperatures have been down. Our high temperatures for the last ten days have been below average. That streak should come to an end this afternoon as temperatures soar above average, into the upper 60’s. This October has seen 21 days with high temperatures below average and only 8 days with high temperatures above average. Rainfall is just shy of the record of 7.01 inches set back in 1954. We currently stand at 6.86 inches for the month. Some rain is expected tomorrow evening, but amounts should be light, generally less than a tenth of an inch.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 29, 2006: IT WAS A STRANGE DAY SATURDAY--SPOOKY!

Howling winds can be a little scary, especially this time of year! Luckily the strongest winds occurred north of the area in Northern Ohio. Cleveland recorded a wind gust early yesterday of 64 miles per hour! The weather looked like "the end of the world" yesterday afternoon, according to John Paul and Ryan Recker! Those were their first words to me when they came into work. Yes, it seemed that way for a short while and came as a big surprise to many when they walked outside and had hail covering the ground and cars! Parts of the Pittsburgh area actually had snow covering the parking lots for a brief time. The powerful winds and cold air aloft caused the unusual weather. Very unstable air in the mid- to upper-levels of the atmosphere, and that's why we saw thunderstorms, sleet and hail.

The Ohio Valley was under a Wind Advisory for much of the day, with gusts as high as 50 mph expected. But no major damage reported. Some trees, a telephone pole, and many power outages were reported all over the area, but no injuries or accidents, good news!

Get ready for a beautiful Monday---the perfect day! Sunny, light winds and a high temperature of 65 degrees! Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out Jeff Oechslein's recent visit to Italy....check out his pictures on the website listed below.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 28, 2006: TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXPECTED HERE

Get ready for a blustery weekend. A High Wind Watch is in effect for the entire viewing area Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. Winds will be 30 to 40 miles per hour, as a strong cold front and deep low pressure system passes through the area Saturday. Wind gusts can be as high as 58 mph!

Tropical storm wind strength is 34 knots or 39 mph or higher.

If this is the case, mostly likely we will have wind damage: trees and limbs downed, as well as power lines. Be prepared, have flashlights and candles ready, dry goods, bottled water and a first aid kit. Secure any loose or lightweight outdoor items. Maybe now's the time to put away the patio furniture.

The cold front will usher in cooler air Saturday night and we could possibly see some snowflakes mix with rain before it dries out Sunday. Sunday will bring windy but dry conditions, and it will be cold once again. Highs only in the 40's.

Don't forget about your animals if they're outside, make sure they are safe from flying debris and possible falling tree limbs.

Be sure to watch WeatherPlus and WTOV9 this weekend for the latest. I'm Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 27, 2006: VIEW PHOTOS OF WTOV9 ITTALIAN VACATION

Last week I had the opportunity of a lifetime. I had the privilege of hosting the WTOV9 trip to Italy. Some twenty seven people from the Ohio Valley attended this marvelous trip. On Saturday, October 14th we said goodbye to the United States and hello to a 9 hour flight to Europe. The flight wasn’t that bad, you watch a movie, eat dinner, get some sleep, and before you know it you’re in Italy.

Our travels took us through northern Italy as we enjoyed picturesque lakes. We stayed two nights in Verona, a roman city that dates back to before the time of Christ.

Venice was breathtaking! Venice had it all, St. Marks Square, the Basilica of San Marco, and of course the Grand Canal. The gondola ride was the highlight of our trip to Venice. After Venice it was on to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and home of “The David.” According to my fiancée Amber, the good looking girl in all the pictures, Florence is well known for shoes and jewelry. I even bought a pair of pointy Italian leather boots in Florence!

After Florence we wandered through the Tuscan countryside and stopped in Assisi, home of Saint Francis. I loved the small towns with the relaxed lifestyle and Italian shops. We ended our tour with 3 nights in Rome. For me the Vatican was the highlight of the entire trip. Words can not begin to describe the beauty of The Sistine Chapel and St. Peters. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so we visited the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. In Rome we stopped by the Trevi Fountain. I tossed a coin over my left shoulder for good luck. Legend says that if you toss a coin over your left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain it will ensure a return visit to Rome. I hope that’s true as Rome was truly magical. I would like to share some of my magical time in Rome with you. Check out the pictures of the trip by clicking on Photo Album: Jeff's Trip To Italy

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 27, 2006: THIS OCTOBER MIGHT BE WETTEST EVER

More rain is in the forecast to start off our weekend. So far we have piled up 5.77 inches of rain this month. The record rainfall for the month of October is 7.01 inches set back in 1954. That means we need to squeeze out 1.25 inches of rain from this storm to become the wettest October on record. It will be a close call as many computer forecast models are predicting an inch of rain to fall this afternoon through Saturday. The bulk of that rain will fall tonight, just in time for Friday Night Football!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 26, 2006: CLOCK TALK

I’m looking forward to the extra hour of sleep this weekend, but dread having to change all those clocks, especially the one in my car. I think you have to hold in the volume with one hand and hold in scan with the other, or is it the seek button? Why is it so confusing?

Some of us may be confused next year when it comes to Daylight Savings Time. This Sunday morning clocks will fall back to Standard Time, but there are changes for the beginning and ending dates of Daylight Savings Time. The period of Daylight Savings Time will be extended by three weeks next year. Starting next year we will turn our clocks ahead one hour on the second Sunday of March instead of the first weekend in April. We will turn the clocks back during the first Sunday of November instead of the last weekend of October. This change is subject to evaluation by the Department of Energy and Congress could reinstate the old schedule if energy savings do not justify the change.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 25, 2006: TWO MONTH’S UNTIL CHRISTMAS AND IT ALREADY FEELS LIKE WINTER!

The freezer door to Canada remains open and cold air continues to flow in under a northwesterly flow of air. Temperatures will remain below normal through the weekend. Fall isn’t totally over though as upper level winds should begin to blow out of the southwest by early next week. So a return to near normal temperatures is in the cards by Halloween. Good news for all those little ghosts and goblins!

Spending close to 20 hours in an airplane over the past week made me think about weather and air travel. What type of weather would produce the greatest aircraft noise? In general, the amount of noise emitted from a particular jet aircraft during landing, departure or engine testing does not change from day to day. However, several factors may affect the sound level heard by an individual at a given location. Noise is essentially a sound wave distributed in equal directions away from the source. Generally, noise levels decrease as the distance increases between the source and the receiver. However, the direction in which the sound waves travel can be altered by weather conditions. Cloud cover produces the biggest change in noise level by bending sound waves downward toward the ground.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 24, 2006: WHAT HAPPENED TO FALL?

My vacation is over, back to reality. My fiancée and I had a wonderful time on the WTOV trip to Italy. The weather was almost as beautiful as the Tuscan countryside with sunshine most of the time and temperatures in the low 70’s. By the way look for some pictures of my trip to Italy on wtov9.com in the next few days. It’s a good thing I picked up a pair of Italian boots as the weather is taking a turn towards winter. What happened to fall? I leave for a week and come back to winter!

The snow flurries that were being whipped across the sky over the past 24 hours made me think of a rare weather phenomenon known as “snowbows.” A snowbow forms when sunlight is reflected and refracted by ice crystals in the air. This is the same way a normal rainbow is produced by the reflection and refraction of sunlight by raindrops. Snowbow colors are relatively faint because ice crystals are much poorer reflecting surfaces than raindrops.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 23, 2006: NO INDIAN SUMMER?

I've had many people ask what is an Indian Summer and if we've had one yet. The term "Indian Summer" dates back to the 18th century in the United States. It can be defined as "any spell of warm, quiet, hazy weather that may occur in October or even early November." Basically, autumn is a transition season as the thunderstorms and severe weather of the summer give way to a tamer, calmer weather period before the turbulence of the winter commences. It is characteristic for Indian summers to last for at least a few days to well over a week and there may be several cases before winter sets in.

So far, the Ohio Valley has not had an Indian Summer. We had a frosty couple of nights October 13-15, followed by normal temperatures. The higest temperature of 68 degrees came on October 19th. The next day only climbed to 50 degrees.

After this week's wintry weather, hopefully an Indian Summer isn't too far away!

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 21, 2006: OHIO VALLEY SNOW

"What year had the most snow in October?"

William Mushrush

Great question, William. According to our stats here at the station, the most snow in October was 2 inches in 1993. Depending on how old you are, you may remember it! The snowfall occurred on Halloween, Oct. 31st.

The earliest snowfall on record was 0.3 inches, way back in 1959. That occurred on October 4th.

Look for some of the white stuff flying early this week, as a sharp cold front ushers in much cooler air Sunday night. The chance for snow will be Sunday night through Tuesday, but don't expect a whole lot. We're just looking at some scattered snow showers. A dusting is possible in some areas, but that's even questionable!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 19, 2006: CHILLY AND WET ONCE AGAIN

If you're planning on traveling to Cleveland or Buffalo early next week, make sure you check the latest forecast because those typical snowbelt areas could be getting another blast of lake effect snow by Monday! Locally, A sharp cold front tonight will bring showers, possibly heavy at times, and a chance of thunderstorms late today and overnight. Stay alert if you live near a creek or stream, or any low-lying, flood-prone area. The ground is already pretty saturated from this week's previous heavy rains. Rainfall totals could reach 1 inch, most locations including the Ohio River, will be able to handle the added rainfall.

Another cold front will arrive on Sunday, only giving us another shot of cold air, and this one may produce some snowflakes mixing in with rain early Monday and Tuesday! But lake-effect snow in Northeast Ohio and Western Pa., will need to be monitored. More on this as we get closer to Monday! Remember: Weather's always changing!!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 18, 2006: WATER POLLUTION AND CARS!

Much of the Ohio Valley got dumped with heavy rainfall yesterday, many areas received close to 2 inches of rain! Did you know th amount of water that falls on one acre of land during 1-inch rainfall is more than 27,000 gallons - that's about 540 full bathtubs!

Paved areas produce up to 16 times more rainwater running off into streets and storm drains than natural areas, which allow much of the water to soak into the soil. Rain water running off of lawns, streets, and rooftops is a main cause of water pollution in the U.S. - it accounts for more pollution than wastewater and other industrial discharges.

Here's a tip: Make sure your car isn't contributing unwanted chemicals to our waters. Regularly checking your vehicle for leaks and repairing them can prevent oil and antifreeze from dripping on streets and driveways, and washing into local rivers during the next rain.

If you change car fluids at home, be sure to keep absorbent cat litter or sawdust on hand to soak up any small spills and throw the material away in the trash can. Those fluids can harm people and animals.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 17, 2006: EARTHQUAKES AND WEATHER

With Hawaii's recent earthquake in the news, I thought I'd share some interesting facts:

Shaking from earthquakes can trigger a number of other natural disasters like landslides, flash floods, fires, avalanches and tsunamis.

Each year in the U.S., there are an average of six magnitude 6 or higher earthquakes, and 57 magnitue 5 or higher.

The largest recorded earthquake in the U.S. was magnitude 9.2 in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 28, 1964.

While earthquakes are more common in the Western U.S., studies indicate that a severe quake in the Eastern U.S. could be devastating because the shaking would affect a larger area than a comparable quake in the Western U.S. would. Additionally, population density is high in the East, and many buildings are not built to withstand an earthquake.

The Myth: There is common belief that earthquakes occur more frequently during hot and dry weather. Scientists have never found a correlation between weather and earthquake activity. Because earthquakes originate miles below ground, they are not affected by weather occurring at the Earth's surface.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 14, 2006: HOW GOOD IS OUR WATER?

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, citizens around the world will join in World Water Monitoring Day, a yearly event coordinated by the Water Environmental Federation (WEF). For the event, volunteer monitoring groups, agencies, students and the general public test four key indicators of water quality: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. The results of the testing are recorded in a database to provide baseline information for future events.

Our weather and environment can impact water quality. The four water quality indicators listed above are used. Here's one example why:

Dissolved oxygen tests determine how much oxygen is available in the water. Aquatic animals depend on dissolved oxygen for survival. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, and water with ample oxygen will support a wide variety of aquatic animals.

Here's the weather connection: Dissolved oxygen levels in water can drop when organic waste is deposited in the water-organic waste can include sewage, decaying leaves or plants, grass clippings from lawns, pet waste and fertilizers. Wind and rain can transport these wastes to local water bodies.

When it rains, grass clippings, leaves, pet waste and fertilizer can be carried from your yard into a storm drain, which is a direct pathway to the nearest body of water.

What can you do? Don't leave yard waste in the street or sweep it into storm drains. Instead, use clippings as mulch, or start a compost pile! When using fertilizers or other chemicals in our yard, be sure to follow the directions, only use the recommended amounts, and clean up any spills.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

SOURCES: National Environmental Education & Training Foundation; America's Clean Water Foundation; U.S. EPA "After the Storm: A Citizen's Guide to Understanding Stormwater" (For more info. go to www.worldwatermonitoringday.org)

OCTOBER 13, 2006: END OF GROWING SEASON

It's official, the growing season has come to an end in the Ohio Valley! The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh reported temperatures were observed at or below freezing this morning across the area, which effectively ends the growing season for the region.

A trace of snow was recorded across the local area Thursday, with only a few snowflakes flying! We typically receive about a trace of snow for the month of October. But there are exceptions. On Oct. 31st back in 1993, the Ohio Valley received two inches of snowfall!

This week's cold snap brought much snowfall to Buffalo, New York, only a 4-5 hour drive north! A rare October snow clobbered Western New York, where areas received 1-2 feet of snow! Dozens of schools were closed this morning, and more than 300,000 customers were without power. Fourteen inches of snow has been recorded at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

OCTOBER 12, 2006: FREEZE WARNING

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM FRIDAY.

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION. ACTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT PLANTINGS THAT YOU WISH TO PRESERVE.

The Climate Prediction Center came out with it’s Winter Forecast. It says that most of the nation will experience a milder than average winter, but it should not be as mild as last year. Read more about the upcoming winter at WINTER PREDICTION.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

OCTOBER 11, 2006: TALKING COLD

We have been talking about the major shot of cold air arriving across much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation the past several days. Well, anyone living in the northern Plains can attest that the arctic air has definitely arrived. Early this morning, the temperature in Fargo, North Dakota, plummeted to 30 degrees as some snow fell. We will start to feel the affects of the cold air starting tomorrow. Temperatures will hover in the 40’s for much of the day Thursday and a brisk wind will make it feel colder. The mercury will bottom out in the low 30’s by Friday morning.

All this talk about cold weather made Bill email me this question: “I am curious about the earliest and latest dates that we have reached 0 degrees locally?”

Great question Bill! You almost stumped me, but after a little research I found your answer.

EARLIEST: NOVEMBER 30, 1958

LATEST: MARCH 11, 1960

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 10, 2006: WHEN IS INDIAN SUMMER?

Our weather of late has been warm and some have been asking if this is Indian Summer? The weather for Indian Summer can be characterized by an extended period of above average temperatures, mainly clear and hazy skies, no precipitation, light winds and generally calm nights. These conditions must last for at least three nights. But this weather scenario must occur after the first killing frost, something that we have not yet seen. After the cold air retreats, it is replaced by an extension of the subtropical Bermuda High, which ushers in the warm and humid air mass and locks it for days.

The origin of the term Indian Summer is uncertain. One explanation suggests that Native Americans identified this weather pattern as a blessing from the god of the Southwest. Another explanation attributes the name to the belief that the haziness of Indian Summer days was caused by prairie fires deliberately set by Midwestern tribes.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 9, 2006: OHIO VALLEY WILL FLIRT WITH RECORD COLD BY WEEKS END

Get ready to take a ride on the Arctic Express (or at least an early-season version of it). A strong cold front will drop southward into the Dakotas and northern Minnesota late Tuesday into early Wednesday, and push through the Ohio Valley during the day Thursday. This front will unleash a shot of extremely cold air for this time of year. Temperatures will plummet markedly behind this front. With such cold air coming south, many areas will have the threat of frost and freezing conditions later this week. This will spell an end to the growing season in many areas by the end of this week.

WILL RECORDS FALL?

Record low for Friday, October 13 is 30 degrees set back in 1946

Forecasted low for this Friday is 36 degrees

Record low for this Saturday, October 14 is 29 degrees set back in 1988

Forecasted low for this Saturday is 30 degrees

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 8, 2006: DOES WEATHER AFFECT FALL'S COLORS?

"Is it true that the amount of rain we get affects how vivid the leaf colors are?"

William Mushrush

Good question, William. Yes, not only the amount of rain but when we get the rain can affect our fall colors. Frost can also hurt our chances of a beautiful fall. The blazing yellows, reds and oranges can be a bit duller if we have a wet summer and/or an early frost.

A severe summer drought can also lead to less intense colors while encouraging leaves to fall from trees earlier than usual.

Our fall this year should be pretty colorful as long as we have sunny, warm days and cool but mostly frost-free nights between now and our peak, which is mid-October.

However, the shorter days and longer nights this time of year have the largest impact on the annual explosion of color in foliage. Environmental factors, including plant genetics, rainfall and the nutrients available to trees, all impact the seasonal color change. But, its the loss of daylight hours and the sun's intensity that encourages leaves to cut back on, and finally stop, the production of chlorophyll, which produces the leaves' green color.

When chlorophyll is reduced and then eliminated, naturally occurring yellows, oranges and red hues become visible.

Other weather related reasons for a less intense fall color: Strong winds can knock leaves off trees, as well as heavy rain. Cloudy fall days and warm nights act to dull colors.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

October 5, 2006: Meteor Showers

"This doesn't have anything to do with the weather but I see you're talking about the moon so here it goes, Do you let people know when there will be a meteor shower in our area?"

Crystal Logan

Absolutely, Crystal. In fact, just this past August, Severe Weather Team 9 talked about the Perseid Meteor Shower and the peak viewing time. We'll give such information especially if the weather's going to let the "naked eye" of the average person have a good viewing! The Perseid meteor shower appears each year in mid-August as the earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. Perseid meteors are some of the brightest that appear each year, with colorful, long lasting trails that light up the late night sky.

This year we had clear skies; hence, great viewing weather for our viewers and weather watchers to see the meteor shower.

An increase in the number of meteors at a particular time of year is called a meteor shower. Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed and icy, dusty debris stream along the comet's orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation.

Meteor showers are named by the constellation from which meteors appear to fall, a spot in the sky astronomers call the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Leonid meteor shower is located in the constellation Leo. The Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

October 4, 2006: SEVERE WEATHER AND FALL FOLIAGE

A frontal boundary slipping southeastward will serve as a focusing mechanism for thunderstorms today. Cool, dry air behind this front will clash with warm, moist air out ahead of it, setting the stage for some thunderstorms to be locally strong to severe. The main threats in storms later today and this evening will be hail and strong, gusty winds.

Autumn has landed and travelers have been searching on Yahoo! for the best spots to catch the leaf show. The top-searched Fall Foliage locations on Yahoo! are as follows:

Top Fall Foliage Destinations

Fall Foliage top-searches on Yahoo!

1. New England

2. Vermont

3. New Hampshire

4. Maine

5. Colorado

6. New York

7. North Carolina

8. Pennsylvania

9. Virginia

10. Tennessee

For specific areas, according to Travel.Yahoo.Com, Boston is the cool spot for fall foliage viewing. However, the states of Maine and Rhode Island seem to have the most leafy-pleasing destinations, with three areas each.

Top Spots for Fall Foliage on Yahoo!

1. Boston, Massachusetts

2. Bar Harbor, Maine

3. Ogunquit, Maine

4. Block Island, Rhode Island

5. Portland, Maine

6. Nantucket, Massachusetts

7. Providence, Rhode Island

8. Mystic, Connecticut

9. Portsmouth, New Hampshire

10. Newport, Rhode Island

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 3, 2006: WORM FOOD

The Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa has begun using earthworms to dispose of vegetable food waste in a project that some say could have a significant impact on climate change. Organic waste in landfill sites produces most of the carbon dioxide, methane, and greenhouse gases that are contributing to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Worms prevent the release of methane by eating the waste and turning it into stabilized organic matter. Worms can reduce the waste by as much as 70%. In addition the worms neutralize harmful bacteria, such as E. coli. The hotel currently processes about 20% of its organic waste through its worm farm, but hopes to expand the farm to handle 100% of the waste over the next nine months.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 2, 2006: SNOWFLAKES COMING THIS OCTOBER 6TH!

On October 6th, this Friday, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the 39-cent Holiday Snowflake commemorative postage stamps. The stamps feature photographs by Caltech Physics Professor Kenneth Libbrecht of two types of stellar snowflakes, three are stellar dendrites, which have tree-like branches, and one (lower left) is a sectored plate, which has broad branches divided by ridges. The lower left crystals were photographed in Michigan, upper right crystals in Alaska, and the remaining two crystals in northern Ontario. To take the photographs, Libbrecht used a small paintbrush to move each crystal from a cardboard collection board to a glass slide. He then snapped the photos using a digital camera attached to a high-resolution microscope.

You can find an image of the Holiday Snowflake stamps online at US Postage Service or at Snowflakes.
You can also link to Professor Libbrecht's Web site at Snow Crystals.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

October 1, 2006: HARVEST MOON SHINES THIS FRIDAY

This year's Harvest Moon comes this Friday at 3:13 a.m. The Full Harvest Moon comes closest to autumnal equinox and will shine from dusk to dawn for several days AFTER the full moon, which does not happen at other times of the year. It's typically the brightest moon all year.

Because of the moon shining so brightly for several nights, farmers gave this moon the "harvest" name because they could work by moonlight all night in their gardens to gather and harvest their crops before the cooler, frosty nights arrived a few weeks later.

Enjoy this breathtaking sight! A sure sign the Fall season is upon us.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.