Thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards and heat waves are of no concern to the forecasters at the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado. This is a group of very specialized scientists that are more interested in such things as the solar wind, geomagnetic and radiation storms, and radio blackouts. The SWPC provides real-time monitoring and forecasting of solar and geophysical …
Winter Storm to Bring Treacherous Travel and Wintry Mix to Lake Anna Area
Lake Anna Weather is brought to you by Michael Eckert. To keep up to date with this storm and other weather alerts, join Lake Anna Weather here. As central and northern Virginia brace for an approaching winter storm, residents and visitors to Lake Anna should prepare for challenging travel conditions starting Sunday evening into Monday. While the weekend begins quietly, …
What does an Altimeter Have to do with Flying a Plane?
An altimeter is an instrument that measures air pressure and uses that to determine the altitude of an object with respect to a fixed level. Before we get into the details, we need to review the history of pressure measurement. A barometer is used to tell us the pressure of the air at a particular location. Galileo was puzzled about …
Winter Weather Forecast: What to Expect this Season
Several people have asked about the upcoming winter season and whether they should get ready for snow or prepare for another mild winter. The last three winters were very mild with temperatures well above normal and almost no significant snow. Our last big winter storm was Jan 2022 when around 12” of heavy wet snow blanketed the region. This was …
Upper, Middle, and Lower Basins: Understanding Lake Anna’s Watershed and Effect of Runoff
Basin Map Courtesy of Randy Thomas. Consensus seems to agree that the Upper part of Lake Anna is defined as the area above the Splits. This border is from just below Rose Valley to the State Park. The Middle is from the Splits to around the Power Plant, and the Lower is below the Power Plant. The Watershed (see map) …
First Frost/Freeze at Lake Anna
Now that we are solidly into the Fall Season, the next question is when will our first frost or freeze occur? The term “frost” is used in describing the process of ice accretion or deposit upon things outside when the air temperature drops to or below freezing (32 deg F or 0 deg C). Frost is basically the cousin of …
Fall Foliage at Lake Anna
Autumn Equinox (Fall) officially arrived on September 22 this year. Our first taste of Fall actually arrived in August with the passage of the remnants of Hurricane Debby, which changed the overall pattern over the eastern US and ended the summer heat, putting a dent in the drought. This pattern change was a little earlier than usual and helped contribute …
Football Meets Wacky Weather: Notorious Game Flashback
The NFL and NCAA Football seasons have finally begun. It seems like an eternity waiting to watch your favorite team hit the field for another year of excitement or the agony of defeat. Although many teams have covered stadiums, there are several that still play in the elements. Weather can play a huge role in the outcome of games. Snow, …
The “Dog Days” of Summer
The term “Dog Days” is used during the normally hottest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. This usually lasts from early July through the middle of August. It started a bit earlier than usual this summer. The period of 20 days either side of the conjunction of Sirius and the sun is called the “Dog Days”. The origins, of …
‘Wet Microburst’ Hits Lake Anna
You don’t have to be a meteorologist to know when the weather is extreme…although having one available can be helpful if you want a scientific name for what you are experiencing. Lake Anna recently took advantage of that availability when it suffered a weather event identified by Sunset Cove, Bluewater residents and retired National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Eckert as …