More On The October 13th Tornadoes

The National Weather Service has issued its full report on the October 13th tornadoes.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/akq/wx_events/severe/oct_13_2011/index.html

I spy a meteor shower!

If you can bear the chilly early Saturday morning temperatures in the 40s in central Virginia (and get yourself out of bed extra early in the first place!), then you could see one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year, the Orionids. Every year, the Earth in its orbit around the Sun passes through the debris left behind by Halley's Comet. At its peak early Saturday, October 22nd, you can expect to see about 15 meteors flashing across the sky per hour. Here's a sky map guide from NASA:

(A map of the morning sky on Saturday, Oct. 22nd at 5:30 a.m. local time, viewed facing southeast. Credit: NASA)

If you're in doubt, just look to the upper right of the Moon, and that should get you in the general direction of the meteors.

Stargazing tips:

• Bring blankets and extra layers to stay warm!
• Allow your eyes at least 15-20 minutes to adjust to the night sky to properly pick out the meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere.
• Be patient! With a meteor rate of just 15 meteors per hour, you may go a while without seeing anything flashing across the night sky (other than airplanes).
• Take snacks and water. You could be out there for a few hours watching the show.
• Best viewing window will be from 1AM through Dawn Saturday, October 22.
  

Click here to track the meteor count live!
Enjoy!
--Meteorologist Carrie Rose

Fall colors are reaching peak levels in western Virginia

Fall foliage is reaching peak levels in western Virginia this week! If you want to plan a drive along I-81 or anywhere in western Virginia this weekend, now is an ideal time to go. Here's the latest Fall Foliage update for central Virginia:

Leaf drop is picking up in western Virginia, though, especially after the strong cold front swept through the region late Wednesday night leaving behind windy conditions for Thursday.

Another strong cold front will sweep through the region late next week, so I expect leaf drop to be even higher by next weekend. This is why I'm suggesting you "leaf peep" this weekend in the western half of Virginia this weekend as opposed to waiting until Halloween weekend. Colors should be looking better in central and eastern Virginia, though, by the end of October! For your reference, here's the map of average peak color dates for Virginia, which we are on track with this Fall:

Enjoy the Fall weather and colors!
--Meteorologist Carrie Rose