Luke Victor gives forecasts on ABC 17 News broadcasts and reports on weather stories on air and online, giving viewers and readers a deeper look at what causes different types of weather.
Mild and breezy this afternoon, arctic air looms
MONDAY: Plenty of sunshine is in the cards today! After mild start, temperatures won’t have much trouble reaching the middle 50’s later today. A system moving to our northeast will ramp up the winds, however. Gusts will reach 30-35 mph as it passes through the Great Lakes region. TONIGHT: Mostly clear skies stick around overnight,
Continue ReadingDarkest Day of the Year: Explaining Monday’s Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is fast approaching. It’s the northern hemisphere’s shortest day and longest night, set to occur on Monday, December 21, 2020. This solstice occurs when the earth tilts on its axis, pulling the northern hemisphere away from direct sunlight. In fact, as we approach this date, the further north that you get in
Continue ReadingCloudy, breezy, and a bit more mild this afternoon
THIS AFTERNOON:Â Sun is having a tough time trying to peek out this afternoon. Expect these mid-level clouds to hold on for most of the day with winds kicking up over the next several hours. Temperatures will be a bit easier to take than most of the week; into the upper 40s and low 50s. TONIGHT: Winds
Continue ReadingParts of the northeast saw 6″ per hour snowfall rates with latest Nor’easter
Even for the northeast, yesterday’s snow storm was a sight to behold. A crushing band of snow sat across the I-86/I-88 corridors dumping snowfall rates of 4-6″ per hour… for nearly 8 hours. You do the math. That puts you at 32-48″ of snow… which is around what most folks in that area measured in
Continue ReadingTemperatures above average headed into the weekend
THIS AFTERNOON: Clouds have slowly cleared but it’s still a bit chilly. Expect temperatures to hang around 40 and then slip back into the 30s by sunset. TONIGHT: Partly cloudy skies stick around with lows falling into the upper 20’s. EXTENDED: A little better warmup is in store tomorrow, with those southerly winds picking up. Gusts will
Continue ReadingPunch of polar vortex air possible after a warm start to Christmas week
A strong punch of arctic air from a displacement of the polar vortex could bring our coldest air of the season late next week. Right now mid-to-long range models are indicating Christmas eve into Christmas day would be the coldest next week. Right now there’s some uncertainty as to the duration of this cold air,
Continue ReadingWarming trend, breezy weather to close out the week
WEDNESDAY: Clouds will linger for the first part of the day, but should start to clear out by the afternoon. Highs will be stuck in the 30’s today after another cold start. TONIGHT: Skies continuing to clear overnight will cool us off overnight. Lows will tumble into the low to mid 20’s again. EXTENDED: Winds
Continue ReadingWith light snow in the forecast tonight, here’s what to keep in mind for the AM commute
We aren’t expecting a blockbuster snow event like they’re going to see in the northeast US, but parts of the area could see a fresh coating of snow by the Wednesday morning commute. Are we expected this to cause a bunch of traffic trouble? No. Should you go into your morning willy-nilly tomorrow like there’s
Continue ReadingSnow showers expected tonight, a few slick spots possible by morning
THIS AFTERNOON:Â Cold, cloudy conditions hold on for the rest of the evening. A few flurries are possible. Anything that has the potential to accumulate will happen well after sunset. TONIGHT:Â Snow showers are possible, especially south of I-70. A band of around 0.5″ looks to be possible from Osage Beach through Fulton. That’s where the best
Continue ReadingQuiet today, Tuesday, snow showers possible Tuesday night
THIS AFTERNOON: Chilly weather holds this afternoon, you’ll need the jacket if you’re planning on being out this evening with temperatures in the 30s. TONIGHT: Clouds will return overnight, but we’re still locked in the cool air. Lows will back off into the middle 20’s. EXTENDED: That chilly weather will be the theme for the first half of
Continue ReadingBEAUTIFUL SUNRISE: The science behind the color and the rare morning rainbow
Chances are if you were out around 7:00am this morning, you were greeted by a beautiful, color-filled sky. Red, orange, purple, blue… It was a cornucopia of colors! Now, if you were in the right spot in mid-Missouri, you got a double dose! Many in Boone County saw a large double rainbow as this morning’s
Continue ReadingRainy Friday leads to colder temperatures, flurries Saturday
THIS AFTERNOON: Rain will remain steady through the early evening, transitioning to on-and-off light showers through the night. Expect temperatures to fall through the 40s. TONIGHT: Rain will be a little more sporadic in coverage, but the chance will still be there. Lows will fall into the mid to upper 30’s. EXTENDED: We could see a few
Continue ReadingSlow start to snow this year… although it’s not unexpected
After a quick hit of snow to close out October, mid-Missouri hasn’t seen much winter weather since. We also managed to get to 70 almost twice this week, too. Snow lovers… I feel your pain. However, any latest-snowfall records are still quite a ways off. When was our latest snowfall (of 1″ or more)? The
Continue ReadingRain on Friday, mixes with snow for some on Saturday
THIS EVENING:Â Another quiet evening, but will get chilly quick. Have the jacket ready if you’re heading out the door. TONIGHT: Clouds will increase late tonight as our next storm system approaches from the west. Rain looks like it will hold off until Friday morning. EXTENDED: Rain overspreads the area early tomorrow and will be off and on
Continue ReadingNorthern lights possible in Missouri tonight, Geminids to flare up Sunday night
First, our Northern Light chances… A powerful geomagnetic storm is headed to Earth due to a coronal mass ejection let out by the Sun which was detected early on Monday. It sounds a lot scarier than it is… but it does have the potential to produce a vivid display of the Northern Lights across the
Continue ReadingAnother beautiful day ahead Thursday, wintry temps return for the weekend
THIS EVENING:Â An excellent evening to get out and about. Bring the jackets because we’ll start falling off into the 50s and 40s quickly… but the air will be pleasant if you’re looking to get out for a bite eat or a walk. TONIGHT: A quiet, cool night is in store tonight. Lows will fall into the
Continue ReadingMajor mid-MO warming trend on the way thanks to… the Rocky Mountains?
Yeah… we usually pin our warm ups as a result of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. This time, things are a bit different. Our warm air will be coming from a place that may seem a bit counter-intuitive… The Rocky Mountains. It will be an impressive round of warmth taking over the
Continue ReadingFog burning off across the region, warmer weather ahead!
THIS AFTERNOON: Fog from the morning has burned off, temperatures will make a slow climb to near 50 by 2-3pm before quickly dropping off into the 40s this evening. TONIGHT: Mostly clear skies will develop overhead, with lows only making it into the middle 30’s thanks to a southwest wind. EXTENDED: That gets us off
Continue ReadingRare “Christmas Star” to shine in the night sky on December 21st
It’s a rare sight that hasn’t been been seen from Earth since March 4th, 1226. No that isn’t a typo. It’s been nearly 800 years! While NASA is calling this a “Christmas Star” it’s technically not a star… however, from Earth, it will look similar with the naked eye. It’s actually two planets, Jupiter and
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