Cold and clear

Good Morning Augusta

This morning we have sunny to partly cloudy skies with a high of 24ºF. Winds will be out of the WNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight it will be partly cloudy during evening hours, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low will be at or below 17ºF. Winds light and variable.

The readings from my weather instruments in the North field are:

Humidity is 69%, the dew point is 7ºF, outside it’s -9.7ºC and 14.8ºF.

The wind direction is South Southwest between 0.1 MPH and 0.5 MPH, generating a wind chill of 14.8ºF.

The Barometric pressure is 30.18 / HPA 1022.0 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is at 6:53 a.m. Sunset is 4:53 P.M. Moon rise is at 11:12 a.m., Moon set is 12:28 a.m. and the moon phase is in its first quarter.   

The RAW METAR reading from the airport in Augusta, Maine is:

METAR KAUG 041153Z AUTO 28006KT 10SM CLR M10/M18 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP202 T11001178 11078 21106 53017

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with clear skies so far.

We didn’t receive any new snow here over the past 24 hours.

Space Weather for this morning is:

Today’s Solar flux is 74, the solar wind speed is 448 Kilometers per second and the chance of a solar storm is 1%.

The following recipe will not be found on my table any time soon nor should you look for it in the display case at your favorite bakery.  But it is a lot healthier for you than the usual stuff is.  Darn it.  Hey, look at this recipe like this – it’s penance for what you’ll probably be eating during the big game tomorrow. 

MILKLESS, EGGLESS, BUTTERLESS CAKE

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups raisins

2 cups water

2/3 cups cooking oil

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

3½ unbleached flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

•           Boil together 2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups raisins, 2 cups water, 2/3 cups cooking oil, ½ tsp. cinnamon and ½ tsp. nutmeg.  Boil for 3 minutes.

•           Let thoroughly cool.

•           Add 3½ cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking powder.

•           Put in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

NOTE:  1 cup nuts meats may be added if richer cake is desired.

Exchanges:  1 ½ fruit, 3 carbohydrates

Calories:  281; fat:  trace; protein:  4 g; carbohydrate:  69 g; fiber:  1 g; cholesterol:  0 mg; sodium: 337 mg