Clouds, at or below freezing and a noreaster landing later today - Lobster Stew too!

Good Morning Augusta

We’re under a winter storm warning, make sure you have gas for the generator. This storm is heavy, wet snow.

This morning we have Clouds with snow showers developing this afternoon. Temps nearly steady in the low to mid 30s. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch to start with.

Tonight we’ll have Wind and periods of snow. Some rain may mix in. Low 29 °F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 5 to 8 inches.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Humidity is 55%, the Dew Point is 16.0°F and the outdoor temp is 30.2°F.

The wind direction is   Northeast between 2.5 MPH and 7.9 MPH, generating a wind chill of 21.6°F.

The Relative pressure is 29.91, the Absolute pressure is 29.71 and falling with a weather graphic indicating rain/snow.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is 6:05 a.m. Sunset is 5:35 p.m., Moonrise is 11:51 p.m., Moonset is 9:19 a.m. and the moon phase is Waning Gibbous being 68 % illuminated.

The RAW METAR readings from Augusta’s airport are:

METAR KAUG 071153Z AUTO 05007KT 10SM OVC023 M02/M07 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP185 T10171067 11006 21017 58006

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with overcast skies to 2,300 ft / 701 m.

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

Space weather for today is:

Today’s Solar flux is 68, the solar wind speed is 398  Kilometers per second and the chance of a solar storm is 1%.

Since we live in Maine, we need to have a lobster stew handy for cold and snowy days like today and tomorrow.  So let’s try:

LOBSTER AND VEGETABLE STEW

Serves:  8—1 cup

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. vegetable oil

28-oz can whole tomatoes

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

½ tsp. basil

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. sugar

1½ lb. Or frozen lobster meat in bit-size pieces

16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables

·         Sauté onion in oil until tender in a 4-quart saucepan.  Stir in can of tomatoes.  Add 2 potatoes, ½ tsp. basil, ¼ tsp. pepper, ½ tsp. Splenda and cook over high heat until boiling. 

·         Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir occasionally.

·         Meanwhile, flake lobster meat into bite-size pieces.  Add lobster and frozen vegetables to tomato mixture, and heat just until boiling.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes or until vegetables and lobster are tender when tested with a fork.

Exchanges:  2 lean meat, 1 ½ vegetables

Calories:  125; fat:  2 g; protein:  18 g; carbohydrates:  10 g; fiber:  3 g; cholesterol:  81 mg; sodium:  279 mg