Weather
By Dan Skeldon
Sure, it’s 2020, and most of us will be thankful simply if we make it through this long and tumultuous year. Meteorologically speaking, there is plenty to be thankful for as we head through the final six weeks of the year. I’d be thankful if you afford me the opportunity to elaborate:
I’m thankful that after almost 200 days and a record breaking 30 named storms and 12 landfalling tropical systems in the United States this year, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season appears to finally be over. Officially, the season concludes on November 30th.
I’m thankful that of all those storms, only one, Isaias, had a significant impact on our weather when it shot up the East Coast in early August with strong winds and even a few South Jersey tornadoes. The Gulf of Mexico was the focus for most of the activity this year, with Louisiana alone seeing three landfalling hurricanes. Sure, we did see some rain from a weak landfalling Tropical Storm Fay in July, and remnant rains from some of the Gulf hurricanes as well. But the East Coast certainly made out better than the Gulf Coast.
I’m thankful that it’s now almost 180 days before we have to worry about any tropical development. And I’m also thankful that we can hopefully put away the Greek alphabet for a while. Next year’s list begins with the names Ana, Bill, Claudette, and Danny.
I’m thankful that it’s been a quiet start to the coastal storm season this fall. The unofficial Nor’easter season runs from late October through mid-March. Here’s hoping our luck continues to hold.
I’m thankful that this year’s Thanksgiving Day forecast looks to be a mild one, with highs around 60 degrees expected. While many dream of a white Christmas, a white Thanksgiving is usually not as high on many wish lists. It is technically possible though, as a Thanksgiving Day snowstorm in 1989 gave snow lovers a timely reason to say thanks. But it’s certainly rare.
As a snow lover myself, I’m always thankful for at least the chance of a white Christmas. It’s a tall order in South Jersey, with about a 7 percent chance of late. But at least I’m saying there’s a chance.
Those that despise snow can be thankful for the essentially snowless winter of 2019-2020 that started this year. Remember this year began with one of the least snowy winters on record in South Jersey, with not even an inch of snow falling the entire winter.
We can all be thankful that after perhaps the wildest 7 year stretch of weather in recent memory from 2009 through 2016, the big ticket storms have been few and far between in the four years since. During that incredibly active stretch, we saw three blizzards in just over a year, two hurricanes(Irene and Sandy), one powerful Nor’easter (Jonas), and let’s not forget the derecho, just to name a few. There were also the record hot back-to-back summers of 2010 and 2011, with record 105-degree high temperatures.
I’m thankful, and always amazed at, how weather forecasts continue to improve with each year. Warning time ahead of hurricanes can be days in advance, and severe thunderstorm alert time continues to increase as well.
And for those times that Mother Nature does her own thing and surprises meteorologists and the viewing public alike, I’m thankful for the continued patience and understanding for those that try to figure out the “inexact” science of meteorology.
Personally, I’m thankful to have the continued opportunity to forecast South Jersey weather for the last 17 years, and for Shore Local for allowing me to continue that opportunity. I continue to learn, to occasionally be humbled, and to strive for the best possible forecast. I’m so fortunate to have a job that I love in a field that I became fascinated with at just nine years old. And I’m thankful that passion still burns strong today.
I’m thankful I’ve officially given up long range winter forecasts. As I wrote about in previous columns, I think they aren’t worth the time and effort, not to mention accuracy issues.
I’m thankful that the sunsets will start growing later by mid-December, as the early darkness can be a little depressing for most. The sun sets at 4:34pm in Atlantic City from November 30th through December 13th, but will start growing later thereafter, albeit painstakingly slowly. Granted, the sunrises continue to grow later through early January.
I’m thankful that for the first time since I was in college (in the late 1990s), I have four days off at Christmas this year. Perhaps we’re finally due for that long overdue white Christmas? Working in the broadcasting industry, it’s almost a given that I’m working Thanksgiving or Christmas (or both) any given year. In fact, I’ve worked 19 of the last 20 Christmas Days. But now with a precious 20 month old daughter I couldn’t be more thankful for, here’s hoping the forecast calls for more Christmas Days off in the near future.
Here’s forecasting all of you a very happy Thanksgiving, and a healthy and tranquil end to a stormy 2020!
Meteorologist Dan Skeldon has a degree in meteorology from Cornell University. He has forecasted the weather in South Jersey for the last 18 years, first on the former television station NBC40 and then on Longport Media radio. Dan has earned the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval for Broadcast Meteorologists, and now does television broadcasts on WFMZ-TV in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.
