Paul Piorek's Blog

Coming Home in the Dark

Hello.

After nearly 15 years of working the early-morning shift, I suppose I’ve gotten used to getting up and driving to work in the dark. However, I have an especially difficult time with the Sun setting so early in the afternoon. It seems that there is very little time to do anything outside before it gets dark. In fact, one of the late buses from our neighborhood school arrived just before 5 o’clock last night when it was completely dark out. I don’t like it.

Those who work the 9-to-5 shift are coming home in the dark now. Sunset this afternoon is at 4:37. And, it only gets earlier over the next two months. By the middle of November, the Sun sets at 4:33, and by the end of the month, Sunset is at 4:24. The earliest time the Sun sets at our latitude is 4:23 in early December. That is a striking contrast to late June, when the latest Sunset in southwestern Connecticut happens at 8:30.

Psychologically, the darker afternoons and evenings affect many people. You’ve no doubt heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the National Mental Health Association, some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the Winter months, with those symptoms subsiding during the Spring and Summer. This may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression episodes and related to seasonal variations of light.

How does SAD affect people? People with the disorder frequently experience the following:

• Sleep problems – oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon
• Overeating – carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
• Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety – normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
• Family / social problems – avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, loss of feeling
• Lethargy – too tired to cope, everything an effort
• Physical symptoms – often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
• Behavioral problems – especially in young people

Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.

Phototherapy or bright light therapy has been shown to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin. Although, there have been no research findings to definitely link this therapy with an antidepressant effect, many people respond to this treatment.

I admit, the early darkness always shocks me in early November. Remember, it was only two months ago we were still enjoying Summer and relatively brighter evenings. The Sun set at 7:25 on the first day of September. Seemingly, in the blink of an eye, we’re less than seven weeks from the first day of Winter. Yeah, it’s a bummer, to be sure.

Personally, the only positive about the longer nights is the relative ease of falling asleep. I actually feel as though I should be going to bed at 8:30, even though it’s an early time by most people’s standards. During the Summer, it’s virtually impossible to fall asleep when the Sun is still shining, my son is playing, and I hear people laughing and talking outside. I actually embrace the darker evenings for that reason alone. After all, the 2 o’clock alarm is not a “friend,” no matter the time of the year.

So, if you don’t enjoy the shorter days and longer nights, we have less than seven weeks before the length of daylight begins to increase once again. The first day of Winter is technically “the shortest day of the year.” Before you know it, the evenings will start getting a little brighter once more.

It can’t get here fast enough!

Paul

Ready on the Set ... Lights, Camera, Action

Hello.

I was honored to take part in the taping of a Cablevision/News 12 commercial Thursday morning at Rockville Center, New York. Veteran News 12 Connecticut anchor Rebecca Surran joined me and two anchors from each of the four other News 12 operations in the region for the taping of the spots, which are part of an aggressive advertising campaign for the company.

The setting was quite impressive. Three homes were "rented" and used by the production staff, makeup artist, photographers, producers, directors, and "actors." An entire street was blocked off, and bucket trucks, a huge fan, several vans, and scores of people lined both sides of the street. It looked like Hollywood on Long Island. 

Naturally, we enjoyed chatting with the anchors and "talent" from each of the other four News 12 operations from Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, and the Bronx. It was the first time I met many of the anchors, and they seemed just as excited as Becky and me. After individual makeup sessions, we went outside and prepared for the taping of the commercial.

The premise of the commercial revolves around a husband and wife who decide to drop Cablevision in favor of another provider. As they stand on the front porch, the door opens, and their longtime "family" leaves their home. This "family" includes a News 12 camerman, two anchors, and several other cast members who carry trophies, awards, and plaques out of the house. The expressions on the faces of the husband and wife indicate that they know they made a terrible mistake.

Becky and I watched several tapings of the commercial by the first set of News 12 anchors before it was our turn. The director showed us clips of the preceding segments and told us how to act, how to walk, and what facial expressions to use in each of the four "takes" in which we participated. It seemed easy enough. Once we entered the house, we assumed our positions and waited to hear the word "action" from the director. It was a lot of fun! Just take a look at the two homeowners on the right.

 

 

  

It was over in a matter of minutes. The production crew was outstanding, and everything went smoothly. Obviously, the crew wanted to take pictures of everybody involved in the taping of the commercial, and every anchor brought a camera to take photographs, too. Next, it was off to the lunch area, which put the best football tailgate party to shame. The spread included soup, salads, bread, chicken, steak, hot dogs, hamburgers, and a wide assortment of libations.

However, Becky and I opted out of lunch, since it has been a long week. Becky worked overtime Monday and Tuesday for Election Day coverage, and I arrived at the studio at 4:30 yesterday morning to write, edit, and record my Weatherkids segment for the evening newscasts. We couldn't stop talking about the fun we had and the great company for which we work on the way home.

"That's a take!"

Paul

Waiting for the First Snowfall of the Season

Hello.

It's beginning to look and feel more like late November across southwestern Connecticut. In fact, a storm system developing offshore may bring some snow to interior sections of the state tomorrow night. It's no wonder I'm hearing the familiar question just about everywhere I go now. "When will it snow?" After all, Thanksgiving is three weeks from tomorrow, and December will be here before we know it.

Based on 40 years of climatology, the first measured snowfall usually occurs in November. In fact, other than a half-inch of snow which fell on Sunday, October 4, 1987, the earliest measured snow happened on November 6, 1953, when 3.4 inches accumulated across southwestern Connecticut. In all, there have been 12 dates on which at least an inch of snow fell this month. Taking it a step further, at least a trace of snow has happened on every day of the month.

In fact, the the most memorable and snowiest day on record this month occurred on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, 1987, when over a half-foot (6.2 inches) was recorded. The snow began falling the night before, and continued for much of Thanksgiving. Consider that the normal average snowfall for this month is only 0.7 inches.

Over an inch of snow fell as early as November 12, 1968. Just five years ago an inch-and-a-half was recorded on November 13, 2004. Looking ahead, keep in mind that our two snowiest months of the year are January (8.5" average) and February (7.2" average). Even March has an annual average snowfall of 4.3 inches.

Snow is more likely in December, though. The snowiest day on record during the last month of the year happened on December 19, 1948, when 16.0 inches fell across southwestern Connecticut. More recently, 10 inches blanketed the ground on Saturday, December 30, 2000. At least a half-foot on snow has been recorded on 10 dates in December, including a memorable 3.1 inches on New Year's Eve of 1967. The normal average for the month is 3.6 inches.

When do you think the first measured snow will fall this season? For some reason, I always go with December 8. However, I'd like to know what you think.The Winter Solstice is less than seven weeks away. By then, I'm just about certain we will have seen our first measured snow of the year.

Paul

The Impact of Weather on Elections

Hello.

Election Day is here, and it looks like Mother Nature will cooperate. Today will feature a mix of sun and clouds, but it will be breezy and cool with high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50s. Many hotly-contested local elections will be the focus as voters head to the polls to cast their ballots. But does the weather play a critical role in voter turnout? Only recently has science been applied to illustrate that bad weather on Election Day can indeed change the course of history.

The longtime belief is that rain hurts Democrats. Generally speaking, Democrats are more likely to live in cities and tend to be less affluent than Republicans. Consequently, they are more likely to walk to the polls or depend on public transportation. So logically, rain might discourage more Democrats than Republicans from getting out to vote or from waiting outside crowded urban polling places.

As far as presidential elections are concerned, a recently released study confirmed that belief. The Republicans Should Pray for Rain: Weather Turnout and Voting in U.S. Presidential Elections was published in The Journal of Politics in June of 2007. A team of political scientists cross-referenced voting data and weather reports from more than 3,000 counties for presidential elections from 1948 to 2000.

The researchers carefully adjusted for differences in normal precipitation from place to place by factoring in, for example, the greater likelihood of wet weather in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, than in dry areas such as Los Angeles. Overall, the researchers found that "rain does have a significant effect decreasing the Democratic vote share," said political scientist Brad Gomez, a co-author of the study.

"For nearly 95 percent of our observations, the effect of rain on vote share is positive, significant, and increases in magnitude," the study found. Specifically, "for every one-inch increase in rain above its election day normal, the Republican presidential candidate received approximately an extra 2.5 percent of the vote," the study found. "For every one-inch increase in snow above normal, the Republican candidate's vote share increases by approximately 0.6 percent."

So if it's raining or snowing on Election Day, the challenge for Democrats is to overcome the Republican advantage by better mobilizing their supporters, the researchers said. "Otherwise, Democrats may wish to pray for dry weather," they said. The single most impressive example of rain dampening enthusiasm occurred in 1972 in Tunica County, Mississippi, the researchers reported. Over four inches of rain (4.37") fell on Election Day that year, and voter turnout plunged 3.8 percent.

In the hotly contested 2000 election, better weather in Florida could have tilted it into Democrat Al Gore's column, the study concluded. That would have made irrelevant the recount that led to George W. Bush's victory in the U.S. Supreme Court that year. In 1960, the study said, Richard Nixon would have won an additional 106 electoral votes --- and the presidency --- had the weather been bad in Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, all closely contested states Kennedy won that year.

Although the weather was pretty bad across the country on Election Day in 1972 and 1992, the outcomes those years were so lopsided for Nixon and Bill Clinton, respectively, that less precipitation couldn't have changed things, the researchers said. So, the obvious conclusion is that the tighter the election, the more important the weather becomes, according to the study.

There is no excuse not to get out and cast your vote today. Make your vote count!

Paul

November's Full Beaver Moon Brightens Autumn Night Sky

Hello.

A nearly Full Moon considerably brightened the sky on my way to work shortly before 3 o'clock this morning. Now that the nights are growing longer, the Moon is climbing higher in the sky during the Autumn and Winter months. The Full Beaver Moon will happen at 2:15 EST this afternoon.

November's Full Moon is so named because this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze to ensure a supply of warm Winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for Winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

During the late 1800s, beavers were almost hunted to extinction by the white trappers and traders, because the beaver pelt became a very fashionable wardrobe accessory, especially for men's top hats in Europe and in New England. Since that time they have greatly increased in number and in the amount of damage that they cause during the building of their dams and dens.

Are you aware that a single beaver may chew down hundreds of trees every year as he continuously builds and repairs his lodges and dams? The beavers do provide habitat for other animals such as ducks and otters, but they can also cause unexpected large-scale floods.

Ten years ago in the Washington, D.C. tidal basin, where many of the famous ornamental cherry trees bloom drawing tourists from all over the world, a family of beavers moved into the "luxurious digs." The beavers were noticed as soon as they began downing cherry trees to build their lodges. The National Park Service Rangers quickly set live humane traps and moved the family of pesky beavers to another area where the trees were not as famous or rare.

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans in what is now the Northern and Eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

As far as our weather goes, today will become mostly cloudy, breezy, and cool as a storm system passes to our East and out to sea. There is even a chance of a few sprinkles. You'll need the jacket and hat before heading out the door. Tonight will be mostly cloudy and cold with a low in the 30s inland and lower 40s along the immediate shoreline.

Paul

Taking a Look at November by the Numbers

Hello.

Now that Halloween is behind us, it's time to look ahead to November and how the month shapes up climatologically. The weather didn't disappoint this weekend, although there were some scattered showers late Saturday evening. The week ahead looks fairly quiet, too, as we adjust to Standard Time, which began this morning at 2 o'clock. Now, what about November?

Snow is certainly not out of the question during the month. Perhaps the most memorable Thanksgiving Day in recent memory occured in 1989 when over a half-foot of snow fell that day. The snow began falling shortly after midnight, and by the time it ended late Thanksgiving afternoon, it was the biggest single-day snow event in November.

Snow also fell twice in 1995, including 2.4 inches on November 29 of that year. That was the snowiest Winter on record across southwestern Connecticut. Another "snowstorm" of note happened on November 6 and 7 of 1953 when a combined 5.4 inches fell. However, the average snow for the month is only 0.6 inches.

November can also be a wet month, too. The most precipitation in November occured in 1972 when 10.22 inches were recorded. There have also been some impressive single-day totals, including 3.12" (Nov. 2, 1954), 3.04" (1972), and 2.91" (Nov. 10, 1948). The average precipitation for the month is 3.81 inches, ranking it fourth behind March, May, and April as the wettest months of the year. The driest November happened 33 years ago when only 0.36" fell in 1976.

We begin to experience a dramatic decline in average temperatures, too. At the start of the month, the normal high and low are 59 and 43 degrees, respectively. However, by month's end, the normals are 47 and 33. That's an 11-degree drop in the mean temperature. The average high temperature is 53 degrees, while the average low for the month is 38.2 degrees.

The warmest November on record occured in 1975 when the average temperature was a relatively balmy 50.5 degrees. The coldest November happened 13 years ago, in 1996, when the mercury averaged 40.7 degrees. Although the temperature has never officially reached 80 degrees at the airport during the month, we've come close a few times. The warmest single day reading was 78 degrees which happened twice, on Nov. 4, 1975, and Nov. 15, 1993. Other notable warm days include 77 degrees (Nov. 2, 1950), and 72 degrees (Nov. 5, 1961).

The length of daylight continues to decrease with each passing day. We're a little more than seven weeks from the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. By the middle of the month, Sunrise and Sunset are at 6:41 a.m. and 4:33 p.m., respectively. By the last day of the month, the Sun rises at 6:58 in the morning and sets at 4:24 in the afternoon. That's only one minute later than the earliest Sunset, at 4:23, in early-to-mid December.

The Full Beaver Moon happens Monday afternoon at 2:15.  Why the Beaver Moon? This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Welcome to November

Paul

Extended Daylight Saving Time Leaves Early-Risers in the Dark

Hello.

Count me among those opposed to extending Daylight Saving Time for an extra week. This is the third straight year that we don't return to Standard Time until the first Sunday in November. Although it amounts to only one additional week, the darker mornings may be an "accident waiting to happen," especially for middle school and high school students walking to school or waiting at the bus stop.

This morning's moderate rain only magnified the potential for danger and accidents on area roadways. About a half-inch of rain fell before daybreak this morning. Motorists needed to exercise extreme caution due to the rain, rapidly falling leaves, slippery roads, and children walking to bus stops or to school in the dark. This is a recipe for disaster, in my opinion.

Sunrise occurred at 7:19 this morning, and it is still dark as late as 6:50, the time when many secondary school students are off to school. Is the added week of extra daylight in the evening worth the risk in the morning? The only comparable --- and much more dramatic --- example was the failed experiment in 1974 when Daylight Saving Time was implemented in January. The accompanying story from The Bridgeport Telegram dated Tuesday, January 8, 1974, illustrated just how poorly it was received by the public.

One of the reasons given for extending Daylight Saving Time was the potential for energy savings. However, according to an article in The Bridgeport Telegram dated Thursday, January 24, 1974, there was only a "slight" saving of energy as a result of the change. Northeast Utilities stated that DST had saved only about one percent of the fuel used during Standard Time.

"We have felt a significant decrease in peak load at the end of the day, greater than anticipated," said a Northeast spokesman in the article. "But at the same time there has been a 'modest' increase in peak usage in the dark early-morning hours." Charles Bragg, a Northeast vice president, said there are only two periods when the time switch helps utilities save fuel: all of November and early December, and the last half of February and March. 

Eventually, public outcry and only minimal energy savings led to legislation to end the experiment. According to an article in the Tuesday, January 29, 1974, edition of The Bridgeport Telegram, "It's time to recognize that we may well have made a mistake" in approving Winter Daylight Saving time, Senator Dick Clark of Iowa said in a speech.

He and several other senators said that extending Daylight Saving Time jeopardizes children by forcing them to go to school in early-morning darkness. They referred to the pre-dawn deaths of eight children in Florida since the energy-saving time schedule became effective. Senate Democratic leader Mike Mansfield called for immediate repeal of Winter Daylight Saving Time and said it has failed as an energy conservation measure.

The only positive from the added week of Daylight Saving Time is a brighter Halloween evening. The younger trick-or-treaters, who normally get an early start, will be able to take advantage of the later sunset at 5:49 rather than the customary 4:49 sundown. The older set, though, will still be parading from door-to-door in the dark. Most people use caution on the roads on Halloween anyway, so the advantage of DST is minimal at best.

What do you think? Naturally, I realize the one extra week isn't as dramatic as instituting DST in January, but I'd like to know your opinion. I don't think the extra week of Daylight Saving Time is worth it. Why take the chance?

Paul

This Year's World Series More "Trick" Than "Treat"

Hello.

Trick or treat!

Halloween is just four days away, and Major League Baseball's Fall Classic hasn't even started yet. The World Series, which traditionally takes place in early-to-mid October, could very well finish Sunday, November 5, if it goes to seven games. The awkward post-season schedule has featured too many unnecessary off-days, dragging the playoffs and Series too late into the calendar year. In fact, the Los Angeles Angels played nine games in 22 days. That's ridiculous!

Columnist Jay Mariotti, a daily panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, writes, "The lords of baseball don't realize it, probably because they're old and stubborn and semi-senile. But their showcase event, the World Series, never has seemed more irrelevant in American life. The Boys of Summer are perilously close to becoming the Icecubes of Winter, which is not the smart way to determine a champion in a game of intellectual nuance and patient, incremental drama."

When the New York Yankees host the Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow night in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, fans may be carrying their umbrellas to Yankee Stadium. Periods of rain are likely through midday, tapering to showers by afternoon with high temperatures only in the lower 50s. Nearly a half-inch of rain is expected with a Northeast breeze at 10 to 15 miles an hour. By game time, the mercury will most likely hover in the upper 40s.

Obviously, the weather becomes a big factor when baseball is played in late October and early November. Baseball has always encountered postseason weather problems, long before the division series format was added in 1995. Two-and-a-half hours of rain delays marred Game 6 of the 1982 World Series in St. Louis. The first game of the 1979 World Series was snowed out in Baltimore. The famous Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Red Sox and Reds followed three rainouts in Boston.

Perhaps the biggest weather fiasco came last October 27, when the fifth and final game of the World Series had to be suspended for two days because of heavy rains in Philadelphia. Angels' manager Mike Scioscia cited that example as a reason to adjust the schedule. He said, "You can’t control the weather to a certain extent, but the earlier you can schedule these to get them in, the better chance you have of finishing this in weather that is, I think, conducive to the outstanding level of play that is going to be on any playoff baseball field."

I agree with ESPN senior writer Rob Neyer, who writes, "I hate November baseball in the Northeast. I don't believe that baseball players should have to wear earmuffs just to survive out there." He also points out, "Playoff baseball in October increasingly has had to compete for the sports fan's attention with college and pro football. Major League Baseball will also be fighting the ratings game with pro basketball. Perhaps for the first time ever, the NBA regular season will begin one day before Game 1 of the World Series starts."

Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune writes of this year's World Series, "I hope it's a mess. I hope there are ice storms, blizzards, sleet and slush. I want it so cold that (commissioner) Bud Selig's eyelids freeze. I want weather delays that keep everyone at the ballpark until 3 a.m. I want postponements that push the Series back until Thanksgiving."

Now that would be something!

Paul

Let's Make It Five Consecutive Wet Weekends

Hello.

Another weekend is upon us, and that must mean more rain! This will be the fifth straight weekend with measured rain across southwestern Connecticut, and it may even be moderate to heavy late tomorrow and tomorrow night. The last completely dry weekend happened over a month ago on September 20 and 21. Yesterday, though, was just about perfect! Viewer Peter Braun sent the following photo of colorful foliage from Stamford.

The current stretch of wet weekends began on September 27 and 28 when a total of 1.62" of rain fell. In fact, over an inch of rain (1.24") was recorded on September 27 alone. The following weekend, we received a half-inch of rain October 3. The streak continued --- just barely --- the next weekend when two-hundredths of an inch of rain was recorded October 10. Finally, over a half-inch (0.63") of rain soaked southwestern Connecticut last Sunday, October 18.

Despite last weekend's rain, viewer Stephanie Sullivan was able to take a couple of great photos in northwestern Connecticut. She wrote, "While the weather turned pretty nasty on Saturday, I still managed to get out ahead of it and go up to the hills of Litchfield County and take a few shots of the fabulous fall colors.  These were taken in Cornwall from inside that quaint Covered Bridge. Hope you enjoy them."

A storm system is poised to bring rain to the region later tonight and tomorrow. The rain may me moderate and heavy at times later tomorrow and especially tomorrow night. Daytime temperatures will climb into the mid 60s Saturday afternoon, and there will be a gusty wind. However, Sunday will bring clearing skies, drier air, and windy conditions with a high temperature close to 60 degrees.

Have a good weekend.

Paul

The Annual October Attack of the Ladybugs

Hello.

It’s that time of the year again. No, I don’t mean Halloween, either. The onset of warmer air in mid October signals the return of the ladybugs, lured out of forests by the warm daytime sun and driven indoors with the evening chill. As soon as I got home from work yesterday, I saw them between the screen and windows on the South side of my home. And there were a lot of them!

It happens every year just about this time, and it’s not that unusual, according to Eric Day, manager of the Insect Identification Lab at Virginia Tech. “You get these warm days at the end of October, and they get active,” he said. “If you have a house that’s infested, you can literally find thousands and thousands inside.”

So, I brought the ladder outside and began examining the windows more closely. It didn’t take long to figure out how the ladybugs were getting between the screen and window. The insulation at the top of the screens was all but destroyed, and the little creatures were flying inside. Fortunately, they weren’t able to get into the house, since the windows were closed tightly. It was time to take action.

The manager of the hardware store listened to my story and told me that I wasn’t alone. There were at least 10 other people in his store yesterday searching for a solution to the ladybug infestation. For a few days, the usually beneficial creatures become a nuisance, collecting by the tens of thousands in buildings in their search to find a warm place for the winter.

Day said the type of ladybug that causes the ruckus is the Asian lady beetle, an invasive species present in the Eastern United States for about 13 years. How the bugs got here is unclear, but the best guess, he opined, is that they hitched a ride on cargo ships or escaped from the United States Department of Agriculture experimental fields, a charge the agency denies.

As if the mere presence of tens of thousands of bugs in your living room isn’t enough, they emit a gut-churning musky odor that lingers after they die — and they die quickly in dry, indoor air. They also leave yellowish stains on everything, caused by a defense mechanism called “reflex bleeding.”

The ladybugs aren’t particularly harmful, and in most cases, the bugs will just retreat or die without any treatment. However, I didn’t want to take any chances. The manager recommended an especially strong tape to cover the damaged insulation at the tops of the screens. So, I climbed the ladder, opened each of the screens, and cleaned out the lady bugs from within. Then, I applied the tape. I added an extra layer for good measure.

Naturally, I’m anxious to see the results of my work when I get home this afternoon. Hopefully, there won’t be any ladybugs attempting to get into my home from the South side of the house. It will be even milder today with temperatures reaching into the mid 60s by this afternoon. Cooler air is expected by the end of the week, and Saturday promises to be wet, windy, and cool. By then, the ladybugs should be gone.

Paul