#MEwx Cold, snowstorm coming and another chicken recipe

Good morning Augusta

The predicted snow totals for the impending storm have gone up. The Storm watch is in the post preceeding this one. I suggest you read it through.

This morning we have mostly cloudy skies with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs around 30°F. Light and variable winds.

Tonight we’ll have partly cloudy skies, then clearing. Lows around 5°F. Southwest winds around 10 mph, becoming northwest with gusts up to 20 mph after midnight. Wind chill values as low as 3 below after midnight.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

The Wind Chill is 10.2°F, Dew Point is -2.4°F, the humidity is 56%, and the outdoor temp is 10.2°F.

The wind direction is North between 0.1 MPH and 0.3 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 30.10, the Absolute pressure is 29.90 and Falling with a weather graphic indicating snow.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with overcast skies to 2,900 ft / 883 m.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is 7:09 A.M., Sunset is 4:29 P.M., Moonrise is 2:00 P.M., Moonset is 4:24 A.M. and the moon phase is waxing gibbous.

Augusta’s RAW METAR readings are:

METAR KAUG 181153Z AUTO 00000KT 7SM OVC029 M13/M14 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP228 60000 T11281144 11117 21133 58007

We have’nt received any new snow here over the past 24 hours, but it’s on it’s way.

The below is a snowstorm recipe.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN AND ORZO

4 servings

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1¼ lbs)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/3 cups uncooked orzo or Rosa marina pasta

1 can (14½ oz) fat-free chicken broth

½ cup water

1 tbsp chopped fresh or 1 tsp

dried rosemary leaves

½ tsp salt

2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into fourths, then cut crosswise into slices (1 ½ cups)

3 roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into fourths and sliced (1½ cups)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz) if desired

Sliced ripe olives, if desired

Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 10 minutes, turning once, until brown. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.  Mix garlic, pasta, broth and water in skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese and olives. Add chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring once, until bell pepper is crisp-tender and pasta is tender. Sprinkle with feta cheese and olives.  If your family prefers, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over this skillet instead of using feta cheese and omit the olives.  Quickly complete this meal with warmed purchased focaccia bread and fresh pears or clusters of red grapes.

If you’re feeling a pinch of some sort from the Government shutdown, perhaps now you, like me, truly understand the definition of the term: “I’m from the government. I’m here to help.”