Is THIS Snow White or Blue?

Thursday night, Chester County and surrounding areas were hit hard by a sneak attack of snow. Just 24 hours after a predicted snow did NOT develop into anything, this one came out of nowhere.

In addition to the surprise snow, THIS snow packed an additional surprise.  Some people actually saw the snow as blue.

That's right. We asked a British scientist what he thought (notice his spelling of color).  "It's likely due to some kind of colour constancy illusion, where some people are perceiving the context to be something like "lit by blueish daylight" and others are perceiving it to be something like "under yellow department store lights." In the former case, your brain will try and get the objective (if such a thing can be said) colour by subtracting out the blue as a shadow.  This is a common illusion in psychology but it's not seen that often 'in the wild,' even though your brain does this constantly."

So based on this theory, we at Chester County Weather Insider conclude all snow is actually blue but because we view it in daylight, and not in department stores we see it as white.

So what happened Thursday that allowed some of us to see the snow as blue?  The angle of the sun passing through the clouds perfectly replicated the poor yellow lighting of a typical department store, so those who do not spend hours shopping saw the snow as blue.  Those of you who are shopaholics, your eyes went into autopilot and compensated making the snow appear white as it normally does.

Above we have enhanced the original photo so everyone can see the extreme manner in which this may be perceived. Do your eyes perceive it as it actually IS in the original photo, or did your eyes played tricks on you and allow the snow to look mainly white with only a hint of blue?

Stay warm, and happy weather watching from the Insider!

Snowmeggadon 5.0 Wreaks Havoc in the Area!

Winter Storm Pandora swept through the mid Atlantic this weekend unleashing a box full of fury.  The snow depths of over three inches makes this officially Snowmegaddon 5.0.

We at the Insider were blessed to not bear the brunt of this wintery assault, yet thanks to our network of snow spotters and crack reporters, we have all the details you need.

While snow spotters have Snowmegaddon 5.0 depths in the 3-4 inch range the Insider Real Feel Snow Depths (tm) were reported at "Holy Cow, that's a lot of snow!"

This is a new index, similar to the wind chill matrix that allows us to indicated what it realllllly feeeeels like out there after major snow events.  The Real Feel Snow Depth (tm) will be accompanied by a picture indicating how you should most appropriately react when looking out at the devastation, or being interviewed by reporters braving the storm.

Staff photographer Felicia Renz sent me a picture of this Snownut late yesterday, which became an ice Glazed Snownut overnight.

Here you can see snow depths significantly deeper than the treads on tires of the clean up vehicles - the first time all year they have had to deal with such conditions.

We at the Insider hope you are all safe, as we will be returning from the heartland early this week! Happy Weather Watching!

Savant Predicts Biggest Snow Fall Totals Yet!

Last week we began tracking this storm, and our models were pretty sure a significant event was in store.  As the week went on our models have not yet reached consensus, but now 8 of 10 feel we will get snow - up from 7 of 10 a week ago.

Meanwhile, we have heard of a child weather savant in Toughkennamon who has accurately predicted all the storms this year within 2 inches.

When staffers at Tommy Tinker's Day Care turned there back, they found this little rascal working out details on this week's storm.  "He was muttering nonsense words like millibars and barometric, and we told him to use his 'big boy' words."

Frustrated, the child (who's name is not being released due to weather privacy legislation - WiPL) grabbed a crumpled up U.S. Map and a red crayon and proceeded to point and say "SNOW! Snow is coming TONIGHT!"

The National Weather Service has issued and Advisory for our area, with an 80% chance of snow, but they have issued a warning for neighboring Newark DE, and Elkton MD.

Because of our proximity to these areas we at CCWI are a issuing a Winter State of Panic.  We are officially calling this Snowmeggadon 4.0 and predicting a snow day for local schools in our area tomorrow.

Idaho Meteorologist Predicts Frigid Conditions After Forgetting Valentine's Day

While the Northeast is blasted by another polar vortex, most of the Northwest is seeing extremely mild conditions.  However a Meteorologist in Boise Idaho feels that trend will end, locally.

Lionel Myers, A meteorologist at KTVB 7 in Boise experienced a severe drop in temperature that began Saturday morning and continued into the evening.  

Myers explains, "While all weather models indicated a mild weekend, things dipped very quickly beginning Saturday morning.  My wife of 6 months, greeted me with breakfast in bed, and I thanked her, as any good husband would.  I then proceeded with my daily routine as normal.  I read some weather blogs, looked for changes in air mass, and even tweeted out some predictions for the next 5 and 10 day forecasts."  By mid afternoon, as he continued, he noticed the outside temperature rising as the sun moved across the clear blue skies, but inside it was cold and gloomy.

"Finally, around 7pm, Kristen asked me if I had made any dinner reservations.  I gently reminded her that it was the 2nd Saturday of the month, and that means D&D night.  I went over to my buddy Kevin's house...well technically it is his parent's place... he lives in the basement.   I was expecting a great night of slaying ogres.  Kevin looked stunned.  He said he just assumed since it was Valentine's Day I would not be around.   My face was ashen.  It was like I was caught in the midst of a dangerous winter squall."  Myers went into a state of emergency.

"I rushed to the grocery store and grabbed one of the last cards they had,"

After getting the card, he headed over to the flower department.  No staff was on hand, but they did have some flowers leftover, and they came with a vase.

"I texted my wife a Valentine's wish and message to let her know I was on my way home and had planned a dinner for us to enjoy together on our first Valentine's Day as a married couple."  When Myers got home, his wife was apparently locked in the bedroom and said she did not feel good and did not want to come out.  After pleading, and coaxing her out with a promise of a pasta dinner made especially for her, she begrudgingly opened the door.

With dinner prepared and plated especially for the occasion, Myers was sure the arctic blast would move out quickly.  He even opened a bottle of libations he had picked up from the grocery store's meager stock.

"Once dinner was on the table, I unscrewed the wine and said something like, look, red for Valentine's. Dinner went as well as could be expected, but despite some casual chit chat, things never really warmed up."  

Myers ended up watching Sanford and Son reruns, and polishing off the wine since his wife retired early, still "not feeling quite right".  Finally at 11:30 he tweeted out @MyersWeatherGuy: #mildconditions end locally #arcticblast hitting hard #frigiddays ahead

Dangerous Snow Squall Hampers Weather Insider Team

This evening, the back end of The Valentine's Day Storm of 2015 packed a real wallop.  On our way back, weather watcher Felicia Renz received an alert on her mobile weather device

Shortly after, we ran smack dab into it.  It was a sight to behold.  I grabbed the wheel with both hands and I used my knee a little, too.  I didn't know how long this dangerous squall would last so I urged my staff photographer to get a pic.  

The original pic didn't really do it justice, so I used Art Studio Lite to show you what it really looked like.

Reports and images of the Dangerous Snow Squall have been flooding into CCWI headquarters all evening.

Some weather watchers resorted to driving on rumble strips for added traction!

The most disturbing came from a weather watcher in Oxford Pa.

This image was sent to us by Josiah King, along with the message "I seen the Dangerous Snow Squall an she was terrifying."  

This image was so inconsistent with the others we sent our fraud department out to investigate. It was later determined the image was simply a misunderstanding - Josiah saw the dangerous squaw on the arm of Big Judy - long time bartender at the Octorara Hotel.

Tune into the Insider for Winter News as it breaks!!!

Tracking the Valentine's Day Storm of 2015!

The Chester County Weather Insider was up early on Valentine's Day, preparing for the 1-2 punch of the Valentine's Day Storm of 2015.

We set out and charted a course through the region - where conditions ranged from extreme flurries to dusting, and even a coating to the far north and west.

Not content to sit around and wait for the snow totals to come in, we set out to see FIRST HAND what the impact was throughout the Delaware Valley.

Radar showed storms in the area, and some models indicated 1 inch while others stated 2 inches of snow could pile up before this whole mess is over.

When we left, round one was finished, and there was already a dusting in place- with even MORE forecasted for this evening.  But we were not deterred.  We set off from West Grove to Warminster - to bring you a first hand look at the devastation.

Cats and other animals had to tiptoe through the frigid coating.

Though our app indicated it would take an hour and 16 minutes to reach our destination, it took ALMOST an hour and 20 minutes, hampered by wet roads and salt on our windshield.  At one point, traffic was at a complete standstill until a light turned green.

Roads here in the North, while mainly wet, showed signs of drifting as the coating encroached from the sidewalks.

Here at Heritage Creek, a 55 and older community, some creative and playful residents carved a head of cauliflower out of a large drift.  "It wasn't me," said resident Harold Riffkin.

Another local weather watcher, Jill Shapiro, reported in with this local update:  "It is going to be cold tonight."

We are glad to have so many of you contributing - it's what makes OUR blog a TRUE insider.  Just use common sense when tracking dangerous weather like we have seen this year.

Winter Storm Marcus Is Coming ... Or Not

After a quiet week, Mother Nature is once again rearing her ugly head and has set her sights squarely on New England. And JUST likes a few weeks back, we too could endure her wrath... Or not... We're really not sure.

Marcus will bring a mixed bag of snow, wintery mix, and rain to the eastern sea board, and we are predicting one of those things will hit Chester County during the day tomorrow.

Above was the scene early this evening - the red sky at night casting a warning across the serene countryside.  

While our models once again can't seem to agree on exactly WHAT will happen, weather watchers in the area have boldly predicted significant dampness from this system, which could hamper the morning commute and potentially worsen during the day... Or not.

When Weather Forecasters Attack!

It started out like any other Groundhog Day in Sun Prairie Wisconsin, but then things went terribly wrong.

Jimmy the Groundhog, inexplicably tried to take the mayor's ear off.  His handlers, Jerry and Maria Hahn, quickly pried the varmint's jaws apart, and pulled him off the mayor, as the mayor's head of security threw himself between Jimmy and the shaken politician.

After the commotion, even MORE hubbub ensued as the Mayor announced, despite a glorious day filled with sunshine, that Jimmy did NOT see his shadow.  Some feel the mayor was rattled and did not clearly hear Jimmy.  Other's feel perhaps Jimmy did in fact fail to see his shadow due to the Mayor's hat.   

A local, Jim Savage, of Sun Prairie noted, "well the mayor, he be rockin' that Abe Lincoln throw-back jaun, and you know, ain't no sun gettin' passed that."

Other's feel this was clearly a move by Mayor Jonathan Freund to add gravitas to a potential run for President.  Denied tickets to the Dallas Cowboys suite during the recent battle with local favorites, the Packers, Freund needed to find another route.  Perhaps claiming the groundhog did NOT see his shadow was  meant to show the world he was a leader ready to make bold statements akin to:

"My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I have signed legislation to outlaw Russia forever.  We begin bombing in 5 minutes."
"I am NOT a crook."
"No New taxes."
"Yes, but I did not inhale."
"I did NOT have sexual relations with that woman."
"Mission Accomplished."

An article on Channel3000.com said nothing one way or the other about the possibility of a rabid prognosticator, but did say that "either way, children and parents were all smiles as they met Jimmy in person."

Link to video and detailed account of the incident.

Linus is Coming!

Winter storm Linus is approaching, and it could be a major winter event.

Yes, while no one seems to be taking it seriously, and it sneaks in under the radar  due to the public's Super Bowl distraction, some, like meteorologist Linus Van Pelt feel a MAJOR WINTER EVENT could rise up out of this storm that is only warranting an Advisory.

"Every year, a great storm rises up out of a simple advisory.  And while every year I typically get it wrong, I am quite SURE that THIS year, the storm with my name sake, LINUS, will be THAT storm."

While the blue skies we saw today do not look terribly threatening, we DO realize mackerel skies and mares tails, make tall ships carry low tails - so we at CCWI are predicting big changes in the next 24 hours.

We feel significant rainfall is in the near future. 

Long underwear models we use to predict temperatures indicate the temperatures may not be cold enough for snow, but swimsuit models are not in agreement that it will be rain.

Therefore, with our battling models, we are predicting a chance of snow from Charlotte NC to Quebec.