Counting Up Things To Be Thankful For This Year

"2018 Turkey Pardoning"

"President Donald J. Trump continued the time-honored White House tradition of officially pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey. This year’s candidates for National Thanksgiving Turkey were Peas and Carrots! After the votes were tallied, Peas earned the honor of 2018 National Thanksgiving Turkey. Peas and Carrots traveled to our Nation’s capital all the way from South Dakota! They were raised on a farm near Huron, S.D., under the supervision of National Turkey Federation Chairman Jeff Sveen and by turkey grower Ruben Waldner. The Presidential Flock of 50 turkeys was hatched in July, and Peas and Carrots were selected to travel to Washington, D.C."

See more from WhiteHouse.gov HERE:

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"AAA: Thanksgiving travel will hit 13-year high"

"Brace yourselves. This Thanksgiving, 54.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more away from home, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. That will be the highest volume of Thanksgiving travelers since 2005, with an additional 2.5 million people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year, according to an analysis by AAA. Most of those – 48.5 million – will drive to their destinations, a 5 percent increase over last year, says INRIX, a global mobility analytics company. Though gas prices have plunged in recent weeks, drivers will still be paying the highest Thanksgiving weekend gas prices in three years, says AAA. Even so, travel times in the most congested cities could be four times longer than a normal trip. The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25."

See more from USA Today HERE:

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Flight Aware Misery Map

The good news is that we don't have any major storms impacting the Eastern US this year, so travel "misery" should be kept at a minimum. However, a storm system moving in along the West Coast with heavy rain and mountain snow could cause some issues there. The storm is them expected to move across the Central and Eastern US as we head through the weekend and early next week, which could cause some travel issues on the way home from Grandma's house this year... Stay tuned!

See the Misery Map HERE:

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"Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: High Winds May Ground Balloons"

"CBS2’s Chief Weathercaster Lonnie Quinn explains we’re in for the possibility of record-breaking cold Thanksgiving morning, with winds that just might force the parade balloons to be grounded. The wind gusts are expected to be right at the threshold for flying balloons: sustained winds at 22 mph and gusts expected at 33 mph. Balloons are grounded when sustained winds hit 23 mph with gusts of 34 mph. “We are right there,” Quinn said. “Can you even imagine a Thanksgiving parade without the balloons?” Safety measures for balloon handling were implemented after a handful of spectators were injured due to balloons hitting things and sending debris into the crowd. It’s going to be very, very cold. An arctic air mass will drop in, sweeping across the northeast with some of the coldest air for Thanksgiving ever recorded. Temperatures in New York CIty are expected to be around 22 degrees at the start of the parade, but with the wind chill, it will feel like 5 degrees. “Thursday morning is really going to be the worst of it,” said CBS2 meteorologist John Elliott. The last time the parade was canceled was in 1971, due to high winds and heavy rains."

See more from CBS News HERE:

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's a look at the weather across the country for the Thanksgiving Day holiday this year. Note that the eastern two-thirds of the nation look pretty quite (other than cold and windy weather in the Northeast). In fact, it could be the COLDEST Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on record and with windy weather, those famous giant balloons could be grounded - OH NO! The most active weather across the country will be found in the Western US with areas of heavy Pacific moisture rolling in. Areas of heavy rain could lead to flash flooding, especially in burn scar areas of the recent California wildfires. There will also be areas of heavy mountain snow through the end of the week, which could add up to nearly 2ft. in some areas across the Sierra Nevada Range.

High Temps on Thanksgiving Day

High temps on Thanksgiving Day will be EXTREMELY cold in the Northeast with some locations nearly -20F to -30F below average! Meanwhile, temps along the Front Range of the Rockies will be fairly mild for this time of the year with temps running nearly 10F above average!

Record Cold Thanksgiving Day Morning in the Northeast

A number of folks in the Northeast could wake up to record low temps as they put the bird in the overn on Thursday morning! Some areas will even be down in the single digits above and below zero! Factor in the strong wind gusts here and it'll feel even colder - good grief!

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A Brown Thanksgiving & Thanksgiving Day Climatology

"Historically, about one in three Thanksgivings have at least one inch of snow on the ground. The deepest snow pack is a tie with 1921 and 1983, both with 10 inches on the ground by Turkey Day.
Because Thanksgiving Day occurs at the transition period between autumn and winter, Thanksgiving weather can be balmy to brutal. A typical Thanksgiving Day in the Twin Cities has high temperatures in the 30's and at least a bit of filtered sunshine. Having a mild day in the 50's on Thanksgiving Day is relatively rare, looking at the historical record back to 1872. A maximum of 50 or more has happened only eleven times in 144 years, or about once every 13 years or so. The warmest Thanksgiving Day is a tie of 62 degrees in 1914 and 1922. The mildest recent Thanksgiving Day was 60 degrees on November 22, 2012. This tied 1939 as the third warmest Thanksgiving back to 1872 for the Twin Cities."

See more from MN DNR HERE:

Current Snow Depth

In order to be considered a "White" Thanksgiving, there has to be at least 1" of snow on the ground. Currently, only a trace of snow is being reported in the Twin Cities, while most locations across the northern half of the state have anywhere from 1" to 3" of snow on the ground. However, recent cold weather has led to widespread lake effect snow across the Great Lakes and Marquette, MI is reporting a cool foot of snow on the ground!

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"Ice rescue prompts angler safety warning"

"Despite high winds, thin ice and wide swaths of open water, a handful of anglers decided to try their luck on Upper Red Lake Saturday afternoon. When two of those anglers didn't come home, search teams scoured the lake. According to the Red Lake Police Department, the anglers were found after midnight, stranded on a chunk of ice which had broken off and drifted out into open water. They were rescued safely and treated for hypothermia. These kind of rescues are pretty common on Upper Red Lake. It's a large, shallow body of water. That means it often freezes early, but the ice can be unstable. Waves build up quickly, cracking apart ice sheets, sometimes with anglers onboard. In 2015, 50 anglers had to be rescued. But this year's rescue is earlier than usual. DNR recreation safety coordinator Lisa Dugan, sees it as a cautionary tale. "Some lakes may have frozen early," she said. "But with temperatures in the 40s coming up this week, it might not be safe." She recommends anglers stay off the ice until it's at least 4 inches thick, and head for land if it seems unstable at all."

See more from MPR News HERE:

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Recent Cold Weather Making Ice on Area Lakes and Ponds

Ok folks - I know there A LOT of eager anglers excited that the recent cold blast has been making ice on area lakes and ponds, BUT please make sure you aren't putting yourself in danger on newly formed ice! The MN DNR has some basic guidelines on how thick the ice should be before you even think about stepping out onto the ice! Also remember that ice is NEVER 100% SAFE!

See more from the MN DNR HERE:

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Weather Outlook Thursday - November 21st, 2018

High temps on Thursday will be warmer than it has been as of late, especially across far southwestern MN, where temps could near 50F!! Folks in the Twin Cities will warm into the mid 30s, which will still be a tad cooler than average, but folks in the Arrowhead will still be nearly -10F below average.

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Temperature Outlook

Temperatures in the metro have been running nearly -8F below average so far this month, but reading could warm to above average levels for a change as we approach the weekend. That will sure feel nice!! Enjoy it because the extended outlook into the middle part of next week suggests another fresh batch of cold Canadian air moving in with highs only warming into the 10s and 20s - BRR!!

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Weather Outlook Ahead

Thanksgiving Day Thursday looks pretty quiet across much of the Upper Midwest, but Black Friday expeditions could get a little soggy as rain looks to develop across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Another storm system will develop on the heels of that with areas of heavy snow possible by late weekend/early next week. The track is still uncertain, so keep an eye on upcoming forecasts if you have travel plans during that time frame.

Snowfall Potential

According to the European Model (ECMWF), areas of heavy snow could fall across parts of the Midwest late weekend/early next weekend. Exact details are still yet unknown, however, this model is suggesting nearly a foot of snow from near Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI. Stay tuned.

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Counting Up Things To Be Thankful For This Year
By Paul Douglas

We have so much to be thankful for. Growing up in what was East Germany, my 88-year old father survived both Hitler and Stalin. "There are a few billion people around the world who would probably give anything to have your worst day" he told me. I suspect he's right.

I'm thankful to live in a progressive, optimistic state where many try to live up to "Minnesota Nice". I'm thankful for clean air and drinking water - for a perfect balance of urban culture and open land and lakes. I'm thankful for bug-killing cold fronts - and a lack of raging wildfires, quakes and storms with names.

The mercury finally mellows a few notches today, as winds pick up from the southeast. Mid-40s will feel pretty good tomorrow, with light rain streaking in later in the day.

It chills down again over the weekend; a fresh pulse of invigorating Canadian air whipping up a snowstorm just to our south Sunday and Monday. ECMWF hints at 6-12 inches from Des Moines to Madison and Milwaukee. Getting home may be rough 3-6 hours south/east of MSP.

That said, wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving.
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Extended Forecast

THANKSGIVING DAY: Mostly cloudy and breezy. Winds: SE10-15. High: 40.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy and quiet. Winds: SSE 10mph. Low: 38.

BLACK FRIDAY: Light rain likely PM hours. Winds: S 10-20. High: 40.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Drying out. Winds: NW 8-13. Wake-up: 32. High: 38.

SUNDAY: Cloudy. Snowstorm should stay south. Winds: N 10-15. Wake-up: 28. High: 32.

MONDAY: Mostly gray. WC in the teens. Winds: NW 10-15. Wake-up: 18. High: 27.

TUESDAY: More sunshine. Still chilly. Winds: W 7-12. Wake-up: 12. High: 26.

WEDNESDAY: Clouds increase. Light snow late. Winds: SE 8-13. Wake-up: 11. High: 30.
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This Day in Weather History
November 22nd

1996: Heavy snowfall accumulates over the same areas that were hit two days earlier. Four to seven inches of snowfall are reported across the area. Heavier snowfall occurred during the daylight hours of the 23rd. Snowfall totals of six inches were reported in the Twin Cities, Chanhassen, Stewart, St. James and Redwood Falls.

1970: Gale-driven snow falls across Minnesota. 45 mph winds are reported over Rochester and Duluth.
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Average High/Low for Minneapolis
November 22nd

Average High: 37F (Record: 60F set in 2012)
Average Low: 23F (Record: -6F set in 1880)

Record Rainfall: 0.74" set in 2016
Record Snowfall: 5.5" set in 1898
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Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
November 22nd

Sunrise: 7:20am
Sunset: 4:38pm

Hours of Daylight: ~9 hours & 18 minutes

Daylight LOST since yesterday: ~2 minutes & 3 seconds
Daylight LOST since summer solstice (June 21st): 6 hours and 5 Minutes
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Moon Phase for November 2nd at Midnight
0.1 Day After Full BEAVER Moon

"At this point of the year, it's time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. It's also called the Frosty Moon. Fullness occurs at 12:39 a.m. EST (0539 GMT)."

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What's in the Night Sky?

According to EarthSky.org this is what will be visible in the night sky over the next several nights:

"On November 22, 2018, despite the glare from the full or nearly full moon, you might be able to spot two major signposts in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Look first for the bright star Aldebaran, part of the V-shaped face of the Bull. Then look for the dipper-shaped Pleiades star cluster, in the Bull’s shoulder. In North America, we often call the November full moon the Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon. In the Southern Hemisphere, where it’s the opposite time of year, the November full moon is a fixture of the spring season rather than autumn. But no matter of where you live worldwide, this November 2018 full moon shines directly in front of the constellation Taurus the Bull, and presents the third and final full moon of this Northern Hemisphere autumn or Southern Hemisphere spring. By season, we mean the time period between the September equinox and the December solstice – or vice versa. Next month’s December full moon will occur less than one day after the December solstice – so we just miss having four moons this season."

See more about the meteor shower HERE:

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3-7 Day Hazard Forecast

1.) Heavy precipitation across portions of California, the Great Lakes, the Northeast, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Great Basin, Mon, Nov 26.
2.) Heavy rain across portions of the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic, Sat, Nov 24.
3.) Heavy snow across portions of the Central Plains, the Central Great Basin, the Northern Plains, the Northern Rockies, the Central Rockies, and the Northern Great Basin, Sat, Nov 24.
4.) Heavy snow across portions of the Central Plains, the Middle Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes, and the Upper Mississippi Valley, Sun, Nov 25.
5.) Flooding occurring or imminent across portions of the Southeast, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southern Plains.
6.) High winds across much of Nebraska and Kansas, northern Oklahoma and southern South Dakota, Sun, Nov 25.
7.) Much below normal temperatures across portions of the Northern and Central Plains, and the Mississippi Valley, Tue-Wed, Nov 27-Nov 28.
8.) Much below normal temperatures across portions of the Southeast, the Middle Mississippi Valley, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Ohio Valley, and the Tennessee Valley, Wed, Nov 28.
9.) Much below normal temperatures across portions of the Northeast, Sat, Nov 24.
10.) Heavy precipitation across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and mainland Alaska, Sun-Mon, Nov 25-Nov 26.
11.) High winds across portions of the Alaska Panhandle and mainland Alaska, Sun-Mon, Nov 25-Nov 26.
12.) Slight risk of much below normal temperatures for portions of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, Thu-Fri, Nov 29-Nov 30.
13.) Slight risk of heavy precipitation for portions of California and the Pacific Northwest, Thu-Mon, Nov 29-Dec 3.
14.) Slight risk of heavy precipitation for portions of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, Fri-Mon, Nov 30-Dec 3.
15.) Slight risk of heavy precipitation for portions of the Alaska Panhandle and mainland Alaska, Thu-Sun, Nov 29-Dec 2.
16.) Moderate risk of heavy precipitation for portions of the Alaska Panhandle and mainland Alaska, Thu-Sun, Nov 29-Dec 2.
17.) Severe Drought across the Central Plains, the Central Rockies, the Central Great Basin, the Southern Plains, the Northern Great Basin, the Southern Rockies, California, the Alaska Panhandle, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southwest.

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"Antarctic melting slows atmospheric warming and speeds sea level rise"

"As the Antarctic ice sheet melts, warming of the atmosphere will be delayed by about a decade but sea level rise will accelerate, according to new research scheduled for advance online publication in the journal Nature. The study is the first to project how the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet will affect future climate, said first author Ben Bronselaer of the University of Arizona, adding that current climate models do not include the effects of melting ice on the global climate. The entire Earth will continue to warm, but the atmosphere will warm more slowly because more of the heat will be trapped in the ocean, he said "Warming won't be as bad as fast as we thought, but sea level rise will be worse," said Bronselaer, a postdoctoral research associate in the UA Department of Geosciences. Observations show that the Antarctic ice sheet has been melting faster in recent years. The UA-led team found that by the year 2100, sea level could rise as much as 10 inches more than the previous estimate of approximately 30 inches by 2100. "No one had looked at the big picture of what Antarctic ice sheet melting means for the global climate," he said. To figure out whether the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet would affect global climate, the research team modified one of the most current climate computer models to include the ice melt."

See more from Phys.org HERE:

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"The Tiny Satellites That Might Fly to Another Solar System"

"Scientists hope the world’s smallest satellites will boldly go where no probe has gone before. During an interview at a Boston- area café, Zac Manchester apologized for not bringing along a copy of his latest satellite — one of many duplicates due to enter orbit this fall during a mission to the International Space Station. “Don’t worry,” says Manchester, a Stanford University professor of aeronautics and astronautics. “I’ll put one in an envelope and mail it to you.” Even a small envelope would suffice, given that Manchester has created the tiniest satellite yet. The Sprite, as it’s called, weighs just 4 grams and measures less than 2 square inches — roughly the size and weight of a standard sugar packet. Such diminutive spacecraft, assembled from off-the-shelf components at a cost of about $25 apiece, could play a big role in future space exploration, Manchester says. They may even represent our best chance of getting a human-made device to a star other than the sun. An upcoming ISS mission should show him just how close we already are."

See more from Discover Magazine HERE:

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"Air pollution is shaving YEARS off people's lives: Some cities could extend lifespans by more than a year if they got air quality under control, study warns"

"Global life expectancies are 1.8 tears shorter than they should be due to pollution, a new report has found . In the US, bad air now only clips our lives short by about 0.1 years, thanks to efforts to curb fine particulate metter. China didn't start to regulate air quality until 2013, but has since been 'winning' its 'war on pollution' India remains the worst off, with residents living 4.3 years shorter due to smog"

See more from Daily Mail HERE: