New York Local News

NEW YORK Curious about a cumulus cloud? Want the theory on thunder? Perhaps you want to know when you can run out into the rain? Whatever your weather question, send it to our CBS 2 Meteorologists! They'll give you understandable explanations of everything weather related.

What is Live Doppler's range of coverage?
Arthur
Arthur,
It shoots about 300 miles from the radar site. But since the radar beam is pointed upward eventually it shoots above the clouds (at greater distances from the radar site) at which time it can no longer see the rain. So although it can work to just short of 300 miles it often doesn't show precip that far out.
Jeff Berardelli

Tornadoes typically form in Thunderstorm/ cumulonimbus clouds. Now there is a kind of tornado which is very weak and forms from a water spout moving onto land. These usually dissapate immediately and do little if any damage. This type of "tornado" is not a real tornado (but may look the same) and does not really need a thunderstorm (cumulonimbus) cloud to form. Cold air funnels are waterspouts that can become brief tornadoes if they move on land. Again really not what you think of when you think tornado but by definition because it moves to land is called one.

But tornadoes that form over land are virtually always formed by a thunderstorm because you need to have ample turbulence (up and down air motion) to form them, which is really only found in t'storms. Another common attribute of the environment needed to form them is wind shear which is a switch in the wind direction and/or speed with increasing altitude in the atmosphere. That creates the spin. Hail is common near tornadoes due to the vertical size of the clouds that typically form the tornadoes.

Now in answer to number 4 you will have to do the research. I will just tell you that there have been a number of F5 tonadoes that may fit the bill. Examples include the Moore OK tornado, Xenia OH tornado, and perhaps the Jarrel TX tornado. Jeff

My husband and I disagree on which month is historically the coldest month of the winter season. I say March he says January. Please settle our bet. Thanks, Gen, Clark, NJ

Hi,
Your husband would be correct on this one..the coldest time of the year for New York City is from January 17th- 26th..January overall is normally the coldest month..there are years when this is an exception...Feb..of this year is going to turn out colder than January...as January turned out to be one of the mildest on record. march is capable of the big storm..transition month from winter into spring which usually breeds some big time storms..the infamous blizzard of 1888 march 12-13th shut down the northeast...thank you for watching us and your interest. John Bolaris

How can I find out how much snow fell in Secaucus, NJ. I know most of the time it depends if there are spotters in the area, but don't all towns keep track of this kind of information? Thank you for your help. Maria

Hi Maria,
Yes, we depend on spotters to give us many of our snow reports. Unfortunately, we did not receive a report from anyone in Secaucus. The National Weather Service is the official record keeper of this information. Here are the reports they received from the surrounding area: Audrey Puente

BERGEN COUNTY...
RIDGEWOOD 19.0 400 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
RUTHERFORD 19.0 1145 AM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
TEANECK 19.0 900 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
CLIFFSIDE PARK 18.0 1115 AM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
RIVERVALE 18.0 830 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
TENAFLY 18.0 1230 PM 2/12
NORTH ARLINGTON 17.5 130 PM 2/12 NORTH ARLINGTON OEM
BERGENFIELD 16.6 450 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
BERGENFIELD 16.5 500 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
MONTVALE 16.5 130 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER

ESSEX COUNTY...
ESSEX COUNTY 21.8 420 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
MONTCLAIR 21.8 900 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
WEST ORANGE 21.0 200 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
NEWARK 20.7 1255 PM 2/12 AIRPORT ASOS
SOUTH ORANGE 18.0 1000 PM 2/12 PUBLIC
WEST CALDWELL 17.6 800 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
BELLEVILLE 17.4 600 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
CEDAR GROVE 17.1 815 PM 2/12 PUBLIC

HUDSON COUNTY...
HOBOKEN 20.7 350 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
JERSEY CITY 20.0 355 PM 2/12 SKYWARN SPOTTER
HARRISON 17.5 630 PM 2/12 NWS CO-OP

How many inches of snow will we get in New Windsor? Hani Bleibel
As of now, the Hudson Valley looks like it will get a little less than areas near the coast. We are estimating 4-8" in your area but it will be very hard to measure because of the wind.
Craig Allen

Why does the Doppler 2 Million image on wcbstv.com not differentiate between rain and snow? As it is currently snowing, I saw Jeff standing in front of a white radar image; however, the online radar image is mostly green and yellow, as if it were raining. Is this a glitch? Geoffrey Sorensen, Huntington, NY

Good question... no there is no glitch. We just leave the internet radar in general reflectivity mode rather than snow mode. I prefer this mode myself because it is easier to see the difference between heavy and light precip. When the radar is solid white it is difficult to see where the snow is heavy vs. where it is light. This way you are getting a better look at the intensity of the snow moving toward you.
Jeff

This is more of a fact that I was trying to prove, if there is a lot of snow cover on the ground (keeping the ground and air temperature cooler I presume) and a low pressure system rides up the coast in; let's say March, could that cool the atmospheric temperature to a degree that it changes the precipitation over from rain to snow. Sean Garner

The snow on the ground wouldn't necessarily cool the atmosphere so that it would change the rain to snow. But you are correct in thinking that snow cover does have an affect on air temperature. The snow cover would allow temperatures to stay colder before a storm and also allow temperatures to cool off more at night. So this may lead a boderline snow versus rain situation to be more snow. But the "snow cover" effect is limited because snow forms in the clouds. Snow cover has little or no effect on cloud temperatures unless the airmass sits on top of that certain area for a long, long time.
Jeff

This is Eric from Budd Lake, fast weather question here, how is a "Wind Chill Factor" computed? ironcart (Eric Soley, Budd Lake,NJ)

Eric,
This is the wind chill formula I obtained from the National Weather Service. Typically we do not calculate it manually. There are "weather calculators" on the internet and other computer programs that calculate numbers like humidity, wind chill, heat index, etc.
Jeff Berardelli

The windchill temperature is calculated using the following formula:
Windchill (ºF) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V0.16) + 0.4275T(V0.16)
Where: T = Air Temperature (F)
V = Wind Speed (mph)
= raised to a power (exponential)

Do warm fronts and cold fronts move at the same speed?

No. Cold fronts generally move faster than warm fronts. The reason is that cold air behind cold fronts is denser, and thus heavier, than warm air behind warm fronts. Because cold air is heavier it exerts a greater force to propel cold fronts. Also, when a warm front is advancing on a given area with cold air in place, the warm air has a tough time dislodging the heavier cold air. Thus the warm front encounters more resistance.
Jeff Berardelli

Do seeding clouds to make it rain during a drought really work?

Weather modification is always a hotly debated topic. Cloud seeding is one form of weather modification. While theoretically it makes sense, in reality it is only mildly effective. The idea behind cloud seeding is as follows. In order for water vapor (invisible moisture) to condense into cloud droplets (visible water) there has to be a condensation nuclei. In cloud seeding scientists drop "nuclei" into clouds to make water vapor condense. The idea is that this process will make the clouds grow and produce rain. These nuclei include but are not limited to dry ice, silver iodide and sea salt. Although studies have shown some increase in rainfall due to cloud seeding, it is very difficult to accomplish on large scales. Droughts affect large areas, cloud seeding requires certain atmospheric conditions to be met and materials/ machinery cost money. All of these factors make cloud seeding a difficult process at best.
Jeff Berardelli

We hear about lake-effect snow. Why doesn't Long Island Sound create the same effect along the Westchester County shoreline?

First let me say that "lake-effect" snow does happen along the north shore of Long Island. This occurs when a strong northwest wind blows across the relatively warm waters of the Sound. Typically the snow produced by the sound doesn't amount to more than flurries. In a few instances a couple of inches of snow has been known to pile up. And during area-wide snowstorms the north shore of LI will often get "Sound enhanced snow" which may add an extra few inches of accumulation to towns near the sound. Now more specifically, for Westchester County to get "Sound-effect snow" the wind would have to be from the opposite direction. Instead of NW the wind would have to blow from the southeast. While this wind could theoretically produce clouds and flurries it is not in any way a favorable wind. Why? Well a southeast wind is a warm wind. A warm wind over warm water is does not make for snow producing conditions.
Jeff Berardelli

What is an air mass? How do air masses generate our local weather?

An air mass is an expansive area of air with uniform temperature and moisture content. Air masses can be hundreds or thousands of miles across. They typically form over a landmass or ocean with uniform properties. For example a landmass with lakes, mountains and plains would NOT be a good place to form an air mass. The Gulf of Mexico is an example of a great place to form an airmass because it is a large area of "just" warmth and moisture. An airmass that forms over the Gulf of Mexico is called Maritime Tropical and is responsible for the summer heat and humidity in the Southeast US. Because the Tri-State area is in the Mid-latitudes air masses tend not to form here. They either form where it is really cold (i.e. northern Canada) or really warm (i.e. Gulf of Mexico). So the air masses that generate our weather come from somewhere else and bring the attributes of that region. Locally we can sometimes get a maritime air mass from the Atlantic Ocean if conditions are right.
Jeff Berardelli

Why don't we generally hear thunder during winter storms?
The easy answer to this question is that we typically don't get lightning and thunder during winter storms. This is because for thunderstorms to form they need very rapidly rising air to cause towering clouds to develop. This rapid rising is rare in winter because it requires warm and moist air. There are some cases where an intense Nor'easter can produce enough "lift" to generate lightning. In these cases you may hear thunder. If it is snowing, the phenomenon is called "thunder snow". The heavy snowflakes, however, may make it difficult to hear the thunder by absorbing the sound.
Jeff Berardelli

What are adiabatic temperature changes?

Temperature changes related to changes of pressure without external gain or loss of heat. For example, gas becomes hot when it is compressed and cools when is expandsAudrey

I live in Southeast Texas, and sometimes, I watch CBS2 via the Internet, just to keep up [with] what is going on in the Northeast.

I'm just curious, when the temperature on the ground is 34 or 35, and the local TV meteorologist says it MIGHT snow, and it does, but the temperature is still above freezing on the ground (And in the air), how does it still snow? I thought that it had to be 32 or colder in all areas in order for it to snow?

Thanks for listening!
-Phoenix Nimitz, Katy,TX

Phoenix,
This is a good question. It does not have to be at or below freezing (32F) for snow to occur. Snow forms in the clouds where it is typically colder. As long as it is below freezing in the clouds snow can form. The snow will fall to the ground as snow unless the temperature near the ground is too warm or the layer of warmer air is too thick above the ground. If the surface temperatures are above freezing the snow will be wet and will melt upon contact with the ground. I have seen snow fall with temperatures as warm as the 40's. In these cases the temperatures are very cold as you rise higher above the ground.
Jeff



What is the dew point?

The strict definition of dew point is "the temperature to which the air needs to cool in order for dew to form". In other words when the air cools to a certain temperature dew/frost forms. Since warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, when you cool the air moisture must get squeezed out (dew/frost). This "certain temperature" is called the dew point and varies from day to day and sometimes minute to minute. A better way to understand the dew point is that it is simply a measure of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere in degrees. So if we have a dew point of 70 degrees then there is more moisture in the atmosphere than if the dew point is 50 degrees. By the way... when we speak of moisture in this way we are not talking about rain or snow. We are refering to invisible moisture or water vapor which, in everyday life, folks refer to as humidity. Jeff What's the difference between microscale and macroscale winds? Microscale winds are winds that blow on a small scale like a tornado or a downburst (microburst) of wind from a thunderstorm. Macroscale winds are winds that affect a large area like a jetstream or hurricane. Jeff


Now that we have satellites, do forecasters still rely on weather balloons?

Yes. Satellites relay images of the earth's atmosphere. Weather balloons carry instrument packages that measure the temperature, humidity, and air pressure at different altitudes.Audrey Puente


Do the terms "cyclone" and "tornado" refer to the same weather event?
The term "cyclone" refers to an area of low pressure that spins in the same direction that the Earth spins. In the Northern Hemisphere a cyclone spins counter-clockwise and in the Southern Hemisphere a cyclone spins clockwise.
When thinking about the spin of the earth you must picture the Earth from the top down in the Northern Hemisphere and from the bottom up in the
Southern Hemisphere. In this way the earth spins counter-clockwise in the N.H. and clockwise in the S.H. (the same as a low pressure cyclone). With that in mind, the less formal definition for a cyclone is really any area of low pressure like a snowstorm, hurricane, Nor'easter or tornado. More specifically hurricanes are tropical cyclones and in the Indian Ocean hurricanes are called "cyclones". Tornadoes are not usually talked about as cyclones but essentially because tornadoes are areas of low pressure with an inward spin they can be included as a type of cyclone.
Jeff


Why are there different times for hi tide on a given day for various inlets etc.? Why aren't they all the same time since the moon's gravity is a constant in a given area?
Andy Blondo - Totowa, NJ

The moon and Sun combine to exert a pull (force) on the Earth's surface. Also the planets exert a force as well, which is generally negligible. The movement of the Earth around the sun, the spin of the Earth, and the movement of the moon around the Earth all combine to determine the "tidal force" generated on a given place at a given time. So therefore the pull on any one part of a tidal basin is different from another. That is why tidal times vary and that is why tidal heights vary from place to place and from time to time. The math can be very complicated because you must take into account the distance of each one of these objects and the angles too to determine the total "tidal pull".
Jeff Berardelli


I'm leaving on a cruise to the Caribbean on Saturday - any chance that Hurricane Wilma could impact us?

Robert E. Tabick


The current forecast track will take Wilma north between Cancun and the tip of Cuba on Friday as a major hurricane-- Category 4. Then Wilma will begin to make a right hook toward the Florida coast. Some weakening could be expected but Wilma will remain a very dangerous hurricane. By Saturday, Wilma will be nearing the southwest Florida coastline, and will be rapidly moving to the northeast. The strike zone on the Florida coast will be from Key West to Tampa. By Sunday it will be [O'Brien, Philip] north northeast of the Bahamas. With an outside chance Wilma may become a Category 5, anywhere in the southern Gulf of Mexico through southwest and southern Florida from Friday on, the condition will deteriorate rapidly. John Bolaris

What is the difference between a flash flood watch and a flash flood warning?

It works the same for just about any watch and warning. A watch means that flooding is expected (the potential for flooding) in a given time. A warning means that flooding is occurring or imminent. When you add the word "flash" you imply that floodwaters can rise rapidly due to run-off from elevation or a river nearby. When there is no elevation (or rivers, creeks, streams) then the term flood warning or flood watch will be used. Jeff Berardelli


Why aren't there any hurricanes during the winter?

First let me say that on a rare occasion hurricanes can happen during the winter. With that said hurricanes are a warm weather phenomena. This is because hurricanes need warm water above 80 degrees to develop and grow. In addition tropical systems need a calm environment which allows them to get their act together with out being disturbed. In the winter atmospheric winds tend to be strong due to the battle between cold and warm air. These strong winds would tear any juvenile tropical systems apart. During the summer environmental winds tend to be calm and the tropical waters warm above 80 degrees providing the fuel. -Jeff Berardelli

(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)