Scott Mace's Blog

Astronomy Pic Of The Day - Click Below for Explanation

scottmace — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:12:00 GMT

What is NASA's picture of the day? Click to learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope set to launch in 2014!

JWST: Mirrors and Masked Men
Image Courtesy: Ball Aerospace

Wednesday's Almanac

scottmace — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:36:00 GMT

Fresno's Almanac 3/10/10

Frost Advisory for the San Joaquin Valley from 2-7 am Thursday. Fresno's forecast low is 37°. The record low for 3/11/10 is 31° set in 1951.

The coldest locations are expected on the western side of the valley with lows around 32° for 3 to 5 hours.

From the NWS:

* TEMPERATURE: 30 DEGREES IN THE COLDEST LOCATIONS TO THE MID 30S

  ELSEWHERE.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE:
  HANFORD...LEMOORE...AVENAL...CORCORAN...MERCED... MADERA...LOS
  BANOS...COALINGA...MENDOTA...CARUTHERS...STRATFORD.

* IMPACTS: PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE MADE THIS EVENING. FROST
  SENSITIVE PLANTS AND VEGETATION WILL BE DAMAGED OR KILLED IF
  LEFT UNCOVERED.

Astronomy Pic Of The Day - Click Below for Explanation

scottmace — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:43:00 GMT

What is NASA's picture of the day? Click to learn more!

Saturn's Moon Helene from Cassini
Credit: NASA/JPL/SSI

Astronomy Pic Of The Day - Click Below for Explanation

scottmace — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:47:00 GMT

What is NASA's picture of the day?

Galaxies Beyond the Heart: Maffei 1 and 2
Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, WISE Team

Look at the upper left hand side of this photo. Can you see the spiral galaxy and the pale blue galaxy just below and to the right? They were first "seen" in 1968.

Tuesday's Almanac

scottmace — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:44:00 GMT

Fresno Almanac 3/9/10

Cold Storm for Central California

scottmace — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:38:00 GMT

A cold storm system blew in from the Pacific on Monday and chilled Central California. The afternoon high in Fresno was seven-degrees below normal at 58-degrees.

Overnight lows will dip into the 30s for the next few days across the valley. The record low in Fresno for Tuesday morning is 32-degrees. I'm forecasting upper 30s to about 40-degrees for Fresno and the city's rural surrounding areas. It'll get even colder Tuesday and Wednesday night with frost possible.

The snow level in the mountains dropped to about 2,300' Monday night and may fall to near 1,500' by Tuesday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Tulare and Kern County Mountains above 4,000' until 10 a.m. Tuesday for 4-7" inches of snow and 50 mph wind. Only light snow is expected from Kings Canyon north to Yosemite.

Central California's next cold and wet storm arrives early Wednesday morning with rain for Fresno forecast around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Monday's Almanac

scottmace — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:41:00 GMT

Fresno Almanac 3/8/10

Friday's Almanac

scottmace — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:23:00 GMT

Fresno Almanac 3/5/10

24-Hour Sierra Snow Totals

Sierra Snowfall Totals

scottmace — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:54:00 GMT

Wednesday's storm left another foot of snow on the Sierra's. Even elevations around 2,200' saw the flakes fly! Residents of Oakhurst woke up to about 3" of snow Thursday morning.

10 p.m. Update: Central California 24-Hour Rain Totals

scottmace — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:55:00 GMT

A band of heavy rain came through the valley around 8-10 p.m. It dropped about a half-an-inch of rain in Fresno and Clovis then unloaded more rain and snow in the foothills and mountains. By the way, the snow level dropped to about 2,200' Wednesday night.

Central California 24-Hour Rain Totals

scottmace — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:45:00 GMT

These were recorded around 4:00 Wednesday afternoon. It's been raining since then in many locations so the 10:00 numbers will be higher.

Wednesday's Almanac

scottmace — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:42:00 GMT

Fresno Almanac 3/3/10

Astronomy Pic Of The Day - Click Below for Explanation

scottmace — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:33:00 GMT

What is NASA's picture of the day?

The International Space Station from Above
Credit: STS-130 Crew, NASA

Astronomy Pic Of The Day - Click Below for Explanation

scottmace — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:55:00 GMT

What is NASA's picture of the day?

Slope Streaks in Acheron Fossae on Mars
Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA

Thursday's Almanac

scottmace — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:56:00 GMT

Fresno Almanac 2/25/10