Super Sunday is Groundhog Day

This Sunday, February 2, is Groundhog Day, which is an unofficial weather holiday around these parts. I always look forward to the annual prediction by the Keystone State's most famous rodent. This Winter has been brutally cold and snowy, so I'm looking forward to an early Spring. We'll know the answer early Sunday morning when Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction before 7:30 in front of a huge gathering of onlookers and fans.

So, how did Groundhog Day originate, anyway? The earliest known reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College. According to storekeeper James Morris' diary dated February 4, 1841, "Last Tuesday, the second, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the groundhog peeps out of his Winter quarters. If he sees his shadow, he pops back for another six-week nap. But if it remain cloudy, he remains out as the weather is to be moderate."

Do you remember what happened last year? Authorities in frigid Ohio issued an "indictment" of the furry rodent, who predicted an early Spring when he didn't see his shadow after emerging from his western Pennsylvania lair. "Punxsutawney Phil did purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the people to believe that spring would come early," Mike Gmoser, the prosecutor in southwestern Ohio's Butler County, wrote in an official-looking indictment.

Gmoser wrote that Punxsutawney Phil was charged with misrepresentation of Spring, which constitutes a felony "against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio." The penalty Phil faced? Gmoser said — tongue firmly in cheek — was death. You may recall that I was featured in a segment on News 12 Connecticut on Groundhog Day 2013.



According to the Old English saying, "If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again." According to the Scottish, "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there will be two Winters in the year." Finally, the Germans believe, "For as the Sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl until May. For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day, so far will the Sun shine before May."

Over the years, there have been several interesting anecdotes to Groundhog Day. For example, during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of Winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink. Phil traveled to Washington, DC, in 1986 to meet with President Reagan, and, one year later, he met Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornberg. In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie Groundhog Day, starring comedian Bill Murray, and Phil appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995.

Following the release of the movie, annual crowds in excess of 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob. The spectacle has turned into a media event and has become quite commercial, too, with vendors hawking "Phil" tee-shirts, sweatshirts, a plastic Phil bank, Phil ornaments, and a classic Punxsutawney Phil cookbook. I wouldn't mind wearing one of those sweatshirts, in fact!

It is said that Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the "elixir of life," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life. So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog. I'm one of Phil's biggest fans!

Happy Groundhog Day.

Paul

Just "Itching" for Spring to Arrive

The recent stretch of cold, dry air can have an adverse affect on your skin. If you're like me, I'm sure you've been itching a lot lately. Unfortunately, Winter is the season for dry skin and chapped lips because lower air temperatures and low humidity result in drier air. The dryness is made worse by forced, hot-air heating in homes and offices. The dry air causes skin to lose more moisture and become itchy.

According to Dr. Rob Danoff of Discover Health, "As we age, Winter dryness becomes worse because the natural oil layer in our skin (which protects it from losing moisture) is depleted. Frequent baths or showers further removes this protective oil layer, and the cycle of winter-dry skin continues."

Even though I've turned down the thermostat in my home and limited showers to just a few minutes, using a moisturizer regularly during the dry Winter months is the best treatment. The most common cause of itchiness without a rash, according to Dr. Danoff, is dry skin. In fact, the most common symptom of dry skin is that itchy feeling, not the dry-skin flakes. Just because your skin is flaky, doesn't mean it's dry. A common example is seborrhea, a skin condition where the skin is flaky and oily, not dry.

"If your skin is itchy for no obvious reason, try using a moisturizer before visiting your health-care professional," writes Dr. Danoff. "Moisturizers add a protective oil layer to your skin and decrease the amount of moisture lost to dry air. You don't need to use fancy or expensive moisturizer. Sometimes simpler is better because 'special' added ingredients may not result in any benefit to your skin, even though the hype of the product may sound great!"

In fact, the air has been so dry that we'll be hard-pressed to squeeze any flurries or rain drops out of the sky today. So, what are some measures you can take to protect your skin during the cold and dry weather this Winter? Here are just a few:

• Lotions are good for most parts of your body, but creams are best for the really rough areas such as elbows, knees, hands and feet.
• Apply a moisturizer after you take a bath or shower. This will help keep your skin hydrated. It's often best to take a bath or shower before you go to bed. Cold dry air tends to cause the moisture on your skin to evaporate, setting up a cycle of drier skin.
• Drink plenty of water (as long as you have no fluid restrictions), not soda or caffeinated beverages.
• Avoid long showers or baths, use warm water, not hot, and try not to use scented soaps or detergents.
• Don't wear wool or other scratchy materials against your skin.
• Wear gloves when washing dishes, or if your hands are exposed to harsh chemicals.
• Consider getting a humidifier during the heating season, or use the time-proven method of keeping pots filled with water near the heating vents to increase the moisture in the air.
• Don't lick chapped lips because this will lead to even more fluid loss and more lip cracking.

I'll be following most of these over the next couple of weeks, no doubt. Another blast of Arctic air will arrive later this afternoon and tonight, with temperatures dropping into the single digits inland and close to 10 degrees along the shoreline by daybreak. The daytime high temperatures tomorrow and Wednesday will only be in the teens. Bundle up!

Paul

Powerful Blizzard Three Years Ago Today Resulted in Snowiest January on Record

A powerful storm exploded over southwestern Connecticut three years ago this morning, delivering heavy snow, gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. Nearly a foot-and-a-half of snow was reported in most communities in the area before the snow moved away by daybreak, January 26, 2011. Not surprisingly, it resulted in the snowiest January on record across southwestern Connecticut.

Officially, after that memorable storm, nearly three feet (34.8") of snow had fallen at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, breaking the previous January record of 26.2 inches set in 1965. The normal snowfall for the month is 8.5 inches. Last January, just 7.4" of snow fell, while three years ago, only 7.7 inches of snow fell in January. Take a look at this photo from viewer Margaret in Devon which was taken at 2 o'clock in the morning two years ago today.

Here are snowfall totals from Wednesday, January 26, 2011:

• Norwalk: 17.0"
• Darien: 15.5"
• Milford: 15.0"
• Fairfield: 15.0"
• Greenwich: 14.5"

Once again, my neighbor, Todd, who owns a snowplow, drove me to work. Without question, it was the worst ride to work in my 18-and-a-half years of doing morning weather at News 12 Connecticut. I have never seen I-95 as snow-covered and as dangerous as three years ago today. There were several tractor trailers jacknifed, and the backup was extensive on the Northbound side in Westport. The heavy, wet snow made driving extremely difficult.



I woke up to the sound of muffled thunder shortly after midnight, and when I went to look out the window, I saw nothing but white. The snow was falling heavily, and I knew the storm had intensified due to the gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. This was no ordinary snowstorm. Nearly a foot of snow had accumulated by midnight. When Todd arrived at my driveway at 2:20, I couldn't get the kitchen door open because the snow was piled so high. Just walking to his plow was a chore in itself. Here's another shot from Devon three years ago this morning.

A blustery and cold day is ahead, but clouds will increase and flurries or snow showers will develop this afternoon. Flurries and snow showers will linger through early tomorrow before temperatures rebound into the mid-to-upper 30s Monday afternoon. Another Arctic cold front will arrive tomorrow night, though, and we'll be back in the deep freeze by the middle of this week.

Paul

Use Caution & Common Sense Before Lacing Up Your Skates Outside

The recent cold stretch has prompted many of my neighbors and friends to lace up their ice skates and hit the ice at Samp Mortar Lake. The average temperature this month (28.3 degrees) is nearly two degrees below normal, and the last two mornings have featured low temperatures of two and five degrees, respectively. In fact, six days this month have had double-digit below-normal average temperatures.

I can recall many years spending hours at a time skating on our nearby lake in early January. In fact, the biggest obstacle more often than not was clearing the snow from the ice before skating. The normal high and low temperatures for this time of the year are 37 and 23 degrees, respectively, but there were many years when the mercury didn't come close to normal.

First responders across Connecticut responded to multiple incidents of people falling through the ice yesterday. The Greenwich Fire Department rescued two boys who fell into a private pond. The teenaged boys have been released from the hospital and are expected to be okay.

During the rescue, crews put on special suits to protect themselves from the cold water temperatures that can cause hypothermia. Authorities urge anyone who falls through ice to stay calm and make as much noise as possible to get help quickly.



So, what precautions should be taken before venturing out on the ice? According to safesport. com, "If possible, choose a frozen-over shallow body of water. If you do happen to fall in, the depth will be low enough for you to safely walk out. The strength of the ice cannot be determined just by looking at it. Its strength is determined by many factors."

These factors include:

• water chemistry, or whether it is salt or fresh water;
• the daily climate, including wind, snow, rain, and temperature fluctuations; 
• the presence of water currents at stream inflows and outflows;
• the size and depth of the open water; 
• distribution of weight on the ice; and signs of expansion cracks on the surface. 

Ice is generally considered safe for activities such as skating when it is at least four-to-five inches thick. Naturally, the thicker the ice, the better. To determine the ice thickness, chip or drill a hole through the ice and measure it. Keep in mind that one area of the lake, pond, or river may be thicker than another. 

Depending on the area you want to use, you may need to check the ice depth in more than one location. If the ice surface is covered with snow, the ice underneath all that light, fluffy whiteness has actually weakened, despite the freezing temperatures as snow acts as an insulator.

The best way to avoid falling through the ice is to do a thorough check of its strength. When possible, skate on designated areas. Nature is not perfect, though, and despite your best efforts to avoid weak spots, you still may happen upon them, causing you to fall into the frigid water. Bring along rope or a pole to assist in the rescue, just in case. Also, never go out onto frozen open water alone or at night.

Many years ago, the neighbors eagerly awaited an annual ritual which determined whether the ice was thick and safe enough for all of us to enjoy. One of my neighbors would drive his truck onto the ice as onlookers watched. Obviously, the driver took all the necessary precautions before his much-anticipated drive. Once his truck was safely on the ice, he'd give the "thumbs-up" sign to the cheers and delight of the onlookers.

Paul

St. Thomas Aquinas School's Third-Graders Star as Weekly Weatherkids

I visited with the third-graders at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Fairfield this week. One of the students wrote a song about me, and the class sang it on the air. We had a great time.



Paul

Latest Snowstorm Pushes Season Total Close to Two Feet

A major snowstorm dumped close to a foot of snow across parts of southwestern Connecticut yesterday, causing traffic problems, closing schools, and ushering frigid air into the Northeast. The snow began falling lightly just after 9 o'clock Tuesday morning and fell steadily through midday. Heavier snow fell after 2 p.m., bringing traffic to nearly a standstill in both directions along I-95.

Here are the official snow totals for many communities across the region, courtesy of the National Weather Service:

This was the view along the Post Road in Fairfield Tuesday morning as the snow started to fall. The town's public and parochial schools were dismissed early.

The total snowfall at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford from Tuesday through early Wednesday morning was over a half-foot (6.7"), pushing the season's total snowfall to 22.8" which is less than seven inches from the average for the entire season. January's snow total (11.9") is more than double the normal (5.8") and well ahead of last year's pace (3.5") through the same date. 

The following graph shows Sikorsky's snow totals from the three snowiest decades on record.

Paul