#MEwx Wind Advisory, Rainy and warm with Two hot Holiday drinks for you

Good morning Augusta

I have a wireless personal weather station broadcasting live where you can view real time weather readings from it by clicking here.

We're under a wind advisory which is posted directly below this post. Ya better read it.

This morning it is raining, then partly sunny this afternoon. Highs in the upper 40s. South winds 20 to 25 mph gusting 50 mph, becoming west around 10 mph gusting to 20 mph this afternoon.

Tonight we'll have mostly clear skies with lows in the upper 20s. Winds will be West around 10 mph.

We've received 0.88 inches of rain/snow here over the past 24 hours, and it isnb't done coming down yet.

The wind velocity is between 5.1 MPH and 17.2 MPH from the Southwest.

The Relative pressure is 29.21, the Absolute pressure is 29.01 and falling with a weather graphic indicating rain and overcast

Our humidity is 99%, the temperature is 49.6°F, the dew point is 49.3°F and the wind chill is 49.6°F.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers with overcast, rainy skies.

The UV index is 0 placing the average person at low risk and the solar radiation reading is 14.3W/m2. Sunrise is 6:51 AM, sunset is 4:05 PM and we'll have 9 hours 13 minutes of daylight today. Moonrise is 4:01 PM and Moonset is  7:24 AM. The moon phase is a Full Moon and is 100% illuminated. Our next Full Moon is on December 26 and our next new moon will be on December 12.

 

Now, about 2 non-boozy hot Holiday drinks that are nonetheless bad for you… (of course you can always add some hooch into them. Just don't tell anyone you did it.)

 

*Holiday CRANBERRY SPICED TEA

1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries

3 quarts cold water

2 cups orange juice

2 ⅛ cups pineapple juice

¼ cup lemon juice

2 cups white sugar (or less; I use 1 ½ cups)

1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick

1 tsp whole cloves

½ tsp whole allspice berries

 

1.         Place cranberries and water in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and cook just until the berries pop, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand at room temperature until cold, several hours or overnight.

2.         Strain out the cranberries and stir the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar into the liquid.  Add the cinnamon stick, whole cloves and allspice berries.  Bring to a boil.  It is ready to serve at this point, but even better if allowed to sit overnight, refrigerated.

Note:  I usually can't find plain pineapple juice, so I use a bottled orange pineapple juice with the rest of the orange and lemon juices.  As long as the total amount of juice is the same and adjusted to taste, it has worked out nicely

 

* Holiday MOCHA-SPICED COFFEE

½ cup ground coffee (like a French Roast, unflavored)

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

5 cups water

1 cup fat-free milk

¼ cup packed brown sugar

⅓ cup chocolate syrup (like Hershey's)

1 tsp vanilla

Whipped cream (optional, but why wouldn't you?)

 

1.         Place first 3 ingredients in a coffee filter or filter basket of a coffeemaker.  Add 5 cups water to coffeemaker, brew according to manufacturer's instructions.

2.         Combine milk, sugar, and syrup in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.  Stir in brewed coffee and vanilla.  Serve immediately with whipped cream. 

6 servings, 1 cup each.