Cloudy and damp

Good morning Augusta Maine.

This morning it is cloudy with snow and sleet expected this morning, changing to rain and sleet this afternoon. Temps are expected to reach the lower 30's. Winds will be light and variable. Chance of precipitation is set at 70%.

Tonight it will rain with temps being in the mid 30's.  Chance of rain is 80% with winds remaining light and variable.

The readings outside right now are:

a relative humidity of 77% with a Dew Point of 15.7ºF.

The temperature is 21.8ºF. We have almost no wind chill at this moment.

The wind velocity right now is between 0.0 mph and 1.1 mph out of the North. 

Our Barometric pressure is 29.99 and rising. The weather graphic indicates sun for today. That weather graphic is from a computer folks, I just report what it says.

We had precipitation overnight of 0.24 inches with none in the past hour.

Visibility is 7.0 miles with clouds down to 1,400 feet and overcast to 2,200 feet.

Now that we are getting temperatures significantly below freezing, we need to watch out for frost again. Since we have no nice thick blanket of snow to insulate the ground from deep freezing, I thought you would like to see this information.

 Interesting facts about Frost

Q: Can frost occur at temperatures above 32°F?

A: No, frost is defined as a layer of ice that forms on surfaces that are at or below 32°F. Sometimes frost can occur on your lawn overnight, even though your thermometer may never have dropped to the freezing mark. This is because cold air on clear, calm nights sinks to ground level. Temperatures at the ground can be lower than the temperature only a few feet higher where your thermometer may be located.

Since official weather measurements are taken in an instrument shelter four to five feet above the ground, frost can form even when the official temperature is above freezing.

Q: What is the frost line?

A: It's the average depth to which the ground freezes during the winter in a given area. Due to differences in winter temperatures from region to region, the frost line is deeper in colder climates, while the ground may not freeze at all in warmer locations. The frost line is important, particularly to builders. Building codes require that foundations be dug at least to the depth of the frost line. Failure to do so would compromise the structural integrity of the building as the ground shifts during the freezing process.

Q: Does frost form differently on different surfaces?

A: Yes. Frost forms faster on colder surfaces. Because of their composition and materials, your car or lawn will absorb less sunlight -- and therefore be colder -- than a driveway or wood deck. This is why you'll often see frost on your car and lawn as opposed to warmer surfaces such as pavement or wood.

Q. Does frost come out of the ground?

A. No, frost is caused when it is freezing cold and snowflakes fall then instantly freeze because of the cool tempreture.