Dry and Pleasant Fall Weather Continues for Week 6
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – The sun returned last week in time for the slate of Week 5 games in the Big Central Conference. The sun has decided to stay for the most part since then. There was a brief hiccup earlier in the week. On Sunday night into Monday morning, a front passed through the region and brought a brief sprinkle. Otherwise, the dry and pleasant weather continues for Week 6.
High pressure has been in control over the past several days, and will prevent what is left of Hurricane Milton stays well to the south and out to sea. Milton came ashore near Siesta Key, Florida on Thursday night as a Category Three Hurricane with 120 mph winds. The storm had weakened significantly after reaching a high Category Five strength with 185 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 897 millibars or 26.49 inches.
The hurricane went through what is known as an Eyewall Replacement Cycle and weakened a bit before restrengthening to a Cat 5 storm with 165 mph and a minimum central pressure of 902 millibars or 26.64 inches. Thankfully, dry air and wind shear provided by the jet stream that dipped into the Gulf of Mexico managed to get into the storm and reduce its power before landfall.
Nevertheless, Milton caused a great deal of damage throughout Western and Central Florida. The roof was ripped off Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where the Tampa Bay Devil Rays play home games. A record 126 tornado warnings were issued in Florida. One of the tornadoes produced by Milton left 4 people dead in a nursing home near Port St. Lucie County.
A wind gust of 87 miles per hour was reported in Orlando, Florida. It is the second-highest wind gust from a hurricane ever recorded in Orlando behind the 102 mph gust from Hurricane Charley in August 2004. Rainfall amounts ranged from 10 inches in Safety Harbor to over 17 inches in St. Petersburg. Wind gusts of over 100 mph were reported in Tampa, Sarasota, and Bradenton.
Returning to home. There has been no measurable rainfall at Greg’s Weather Center in South Plainfield so far in October 2024. Since August 9th, there has only been 1.98 inches of rain at GWC. On Thursday morning, the low temperature bottomed out at 45 degrees before climbing back into the mid-50s by the time of this report (11:25 AM EDT). The forecast is calling for a high of only 62 here on Thursday afternoon.
For the Big Central Conference Freedom Silver contest between South Hunterdon and Belvidere at Samuel Jeffries Athletic Stadium in Lambertville on Thursday night, conditions will be ideal for football. However, you will want to bring a jacket. According to the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, the temperature at kickoff will be in the low 50s after an afternoon high of 62. Winds will be light out of the North-Northwest and turning to the Northwest, and the chance of rain will be low. A Frost Advisory is in effect for Friday morning.
Then, on Friday night, Big Central Gridiron will be in Clark Township to take in the contest between A.L. Johnson and Delaware Valley in a BCC Crossover between teams from the Patriot Silver and Patriot Gold divisions. Conditions will be warmer for the kickoff of this game. According to the National Weather Service office in New York, the temperature will be in the mid-60s after an afternoon high near 70. Winds will be light, but shifting from the West-Northwest to the West-Southwest by game time. The chance of rain is low.
Moving on to Saturday night’s BCC crossover game between Voorhees of the Patriot Gold Division and Governor Livingston of the United Silver Division at Voorhees Stadium in Glen Gardner, conditions will be a bit cooler. The temperature at kickoff will be about 60 degrees, after a high in the low 70s in the afternoon. Winds out of the Northwest will be decreasing and shifting to the North-Northwest during the game. The chance of rain will be negligible.
A couple of other things to note this weekend. Starting tonight and lasting into next week will be the appearance of a comet in the night sky. On Thursday night and Friday evening, a comet will be visible in the western sky in the twilight about 25 minutes after sunset. The comet will still be visible after that and higher in the sky, but not as bright according to an article in The Smithsonian. In addition, another geomagnetic storm will be impacting the earth starting on Thursday afternoon and lasting into Friday. Could be another opportunity to see the Northern Lights.