Join Us. Get Epic

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Members of our Mid-Atlantic Team working our booth 

at the 2012 USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington DC 

Maryland Lead Forecaster Connor reporting from Baltimore's 

Inner Harbor on why you should join our team

Everyone Has Impact. On our team, the best innovations come from the creative forward-thinking of our members across the nation. Being a member of Foot's Forecast is more than a title. Your talents and abilities have wide impact on a readership of 60,000+. Current opportunities are available for energetic applicants who can contribute to our bigger story. Your future is now arriving, ready to get on board?

Start the conversation leadership@footsforecast.org
or
Move on it now Visit the text-only application to join

Join Us, Get Epic. We welcome applications from students in high school or college and those in the workforce seeking a different venue for their talents. It starts with having the passion to collaborate with others. On our team, when you give 100%, our members celebrate your effort across the country, and you are welcomed into a family of supportive, multi-talented forecasters.

Rainy Saturday?

Not Anymore...

7:30 AM EDT 9/28 (Maryland Team) Concerns earlier this week about Saturday showers from a stalled front along the Mid-Atlantic turned into "much ado about nothing." Thanks to High pressure pushing southeast behind the front, cooler and drier air has overtaken conditions for a majority of the Mid-Atlantic as indicated by this latest NOAA surface analysis as of earlier this morning. Those organizing or attending public events such as the Baltimore Book Festival  or the Harford County Wine Festival and many other grand activities  can bask confidently in the sunshine today!

Outdoor events in the Southeast may have to contend with occasional showers or a brief thunderstorm as daytime heating and Gulf moisture are likely to interact, fueling instability. Looking ahead, a vigorous storm system in the Southern Plains will move along the southern edge of the front, picking up moisture and energy as it does. Heavy rain in the Southeast on Sunday will press toward the Mid-Atlantic Monday into Tuesday as indicated in this NOAA precipitation projection below for 8 AM Monday morning.

But for now, those who were fearful of a rain-filled fracas at their festival can raise a glass to the forecast! Enjoy this weekend's sunny gift from Mother Nature. 

NOAA 48-hour Quantitative Precipitation Forecast

for 8 AM Monday 10/1

Our Prologue Forecast 
for the
Baltimore Book Festival

11:00 AM EDT 9/27/12 | Who's brimming with suspense and excitement for this year's Baltimore Book Festival? We sure are and invite you, your family and friends to join us this weekend in Baltimore City's historic Mount Vernon. It's where readers and authors of all ages will connect all weekend in a vibrant mosaic of literature, the arts, music, food and... reading! 

There's still time to plan your visit to this 17th annual event attended by enthusiastic readers and accomplished authors from all over the U.S. and around the world. Turn the page and feast your eyes on the details at the main site: baltimorebookfestival.com

Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore will soon be 

a HQ of reading inspiration for all ages!

• THURSDAY - A cloudy start to the day as vendors begin to set up in Mount Vernon for the Festival. A few peeks of sun may break in as highs reach the upper 70s. Rain may return in the afternoon and evening hours.

• FRIDAY - When the gates open tomorrow at 12 Noon, your Maryland Team will be on-site at the Festival Guest Services Tent all weekend with our partners from the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. As noted on in our "Prologue Forecast" we'll make sure the weather is not a mystery for visitors and event organizers! Print out the event map as noted below or at this link.

While you're at the festival, please stop by our booth at Festival Guest Serices for some weather magic and hands-on team-building activities. Ready to share YOUR weather stories of Snowmageddon, Irene or the Derecho? We can even show you little-known clues about the upcoming winter. 

We're looking forward to connecting you with readers and authors at the Book Festival... so see you there this weekend!

MARYLAND TEAM OF FOOT’S FORECAST

BRIEFS BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVE 

AT PREPAREDNESS MONTH MEDIA BRIEFING

County Emergency Manager Steve Welzant, third from right, extended
the invitation on behalf of County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's Office.

7:25 AM 9/26/12 (Baltimore, MD) The Maryland Team of Foot’s Forecast extends thanks to the Baltimore County Office of Homeland Security for the opportunity to participate in their National Preparedness Month Media Briefing on Tuesday 9/25 at the County Emergency Operations Center in Towson, Maryland. This event was the team's third presentation to Baltimore County Government in the past three years, having previously developed and led hurricane simulation exercises with the County's command staff in 2010 and 2011.  

The 2012 Baltimore County high school and college student presenters included: 

• Caron Schroeter, senior at Towson High School
• Evan Schiesser, senior at Kenwood High School
• Joey Krastel, CCBC Dundalk junior 
• Meagan Buster, Towson University senior and Director of Fusion Forecasting.

During the media briefing, which included a presentation by the National Weather Service on the "Weather-Ready Nation" Initiative, Foot's Forecasters presented analysis of data resources from NOAA in providing emergency managers an overview of Maryland weather in the past year. The presentation concluded with an assessment of current climate “indicators” as a preliminary projection for seasonal amounts of rain, snow and ice for the upcoming winter based on NOAA data.

Forecaster Evan on Winter Climate Indicators 

Also in attendance was the Founder and Lead Advisor of Foot’s Forecast, Mr. Richard Foot. Mr. Foot taught Earth & Environmental Science in the Baltimore County Public Schools from 2001-2009 and served two years as a Teacher Fellow with Baltimore Ecosystem Study in the National Science Foundation before devoting full-time work to the company as CEO and Lead Advisor.

Mr. Foot with Forecasters Mike and Connor
at the 2011 Baltimore County hurricane simulation exercise

Since a January 2004 founding at Dundalk High School by Mr. Foot and his Earth science students, the organization has expanded to over 70 student and professional forecasters in 27 states and the United Kingdom. Over 10 degreed and certified meteorologists serve the organization as advisors from numerous colleges, universities and in the private sector.

Foot’s Forecast Contact Information

Keith Krichinsky

Chief Operating Officer                 

keith.krich@footsforecast.org

Aaron Salter

U.S. Team Spokesperson

aaron.salter@footsforecast.org

Baltimore Book Festival 

&

Foot's Forecast
turning the page together...

ANNOUNCING AN INNOVATIVE TRADE SPONSORSHIP 

BETWEEN THE MARYLAND TEAM OF FOOT'S FORECAST 

AND THE BALTIMORE OFFICE OF PROMOTION AND THE ARTS

9:50 AM EDT 9/24/12 (Baltimore, MD) The Maryland Team of Foot’s Forecast is excited to announce an invitation to collaborate with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Inc. (BOPA) to serve the upcoming 17^th annual Baltimore Book Festival, September 28-30 in Mount Vernon on North Charles Street in the City of Baltimore. A look at the official event Youtube video as posted on the Book Festival website. On their Facebook page, you can take a look at all the great shots from last year's event to help stoke you up to come on down and join us at this classic outdoor event!

This innovative trade sponsorship will provide the Baltimore Book Festival and the BOPA a fresh suite of advance “fusion forecasting” products to promote the event. Our services will include exclusive on-site “weather intelligence” for the event organizers of the Festival as well as engaging public outreach activities for weather fans of all ages:

• Targeted “Fusion Forecasts” to inform and promote the Baltimore Book Festival to the public, posted to our nearly 49,000 readers in the Central Maryland Facebook page and on the main site of footsforecast.org, as well as across 10 additional forecast zones in the Mid-Atlantic.

•  Daily on-site weather intelligence and interpretive forecast services to the Office of Promotion and Arts; Daily event forecasts to the public and the Book Festival vendors  /sponsors.

• Public outreach activities including engaging, hands-on “weather magic” for children and adults.

• Wide-angle promotion and advertising of the Baltimore Book Festival via ads on footsforecast.org and promotional messages in our twitter pages.

The Baltimore Book Festival will be held September 28-30, 2012 at Mt. Vernon Place, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD.  For additional information about the Baltimore Book Festival:

• Website      baltimorebookfestival.com
• Facebook   facebook.com/BaltimoreBookFestival
• Twitter       twitter.com/BmoreBookFest
• Email          baltimorebookfestival@promotionandarts.org
• Phone         410.752.8632

Foot's Forecast LLC is a weather forecasting, decision support and education outreach company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Since January 2004, the “Foots Team” of forecasters and meteorologists have provided public weather forecasts as well as client-specific products and services to a loyal audience of over 640,000 unique individuals across all 50 states. 

The Central Maryland Team of Foot’s Forecast is led by State Team Leader, Nikki Byers; Lead Forecasters Mike Natoli and Joey Krastel and backed by an accomplished Advisory Board of scientists, meteorologists, educators and media professionals around the state.

MEDIA INQUIRIES

• Email    keith.krich@footsforecast.org: Chief Operating Officer, Keith Krichinsky
• Online  footsforecast.org | facebook.com/ffcentralmaryland | @footsmdwx
• Phone  443.929.0721

Legends Of The Fall,

Part 2

If you figure how to put Summer weather in a bottle...
then let's talk!

11:05 AM EDT 9/23 (Second Report by the Long Range Team) As we turn the corner into Astronomical Autumn, we believe a long-wave pattern hinting at clues for winter may already be establishing. The full details of this analysis will be available in our by-request-only Winter Risk Assessment. Here is the synopsis for a sunny Sunday:

• September: A notable cool down for first week of Fall will continue until mid week for the northern and eastern U.S., courtesy of the first round of colder Canadian air we've seen so far this season.
• October: As shown in the NOAA CPC image below, Pumpkin month is projected to start above normal for a large portion of the country. Following this we expect a mid-month cold snap - with the traditional first big widespread frosts and freezes possible. A resurgent warm trend may return toward end of the month.
• November may start warm for much of the northern and central U.S., and then produce a sharp cold spell by mid-month that could drain the reservoir of Canadian cold. This could set in motion a significant imbalance of cold vs. warm that might take several months to correct, leading to yet another winter of "out-of-season" extremes. 

Will this result in Fall 2012 being counted among the legendary ones? 

Only time and data will tell.

The Grand Prix of Baltimore:
Strong Start, Photo Finish

Photo credit: Race On Baltimore LLC Facebook page

September 2012 (Baltimore, MD) Great collaboration and sparkling skies revved up the excitement for the second Grand Prix of Baltimore. Our team was thrilled to deliver authentic on-site fusion forecasts for readers and weather intelligence to the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management and the organizers of RaceOnBaltimore.com. 

TEAM BALTIMORE. We salute the dedication and tireless work of the 40+ agencies and organizations which came together in support of SRT, Andretti Sports Marketing, IndyCar Racing and the Race On Baltimore Team to make this second annual event a true photo-finish for the City of Baltimore. 

We also acknowledge the invaluable meteorological resources of NOAA's National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center. These tools which enable our team to provide wide-angle access of real-time data to those leading the decision making for safety of the public.

THANKING OUR PARTNERS. Our thanks are extended to Lieutenant Scott Brillman of Emergency Management, Lieutenant Kyle Caldwell, Health and Safety Officer, City Risk Manager Douglas Kerr and the "no stone unturned" staff of the Joint Information Center for their collaboration and partnership with the Maryland Team of Foot's Forecast.

The Grand Prix was a classic example of the impact that dedicated, local, on-site services can have on the success of an event. Being able to work alongside city agencies, the Police Department and more enabled officials to get instant access to our intepretive services. We were able to show officials in short order the very latest statements and analyses from the NWS. This facilitated rapid redistribution of relevant weather safety related updates to readers and race fans alike in Facebook, Twitter and our main site, as well as through the communications channels of Baltimore City.

Forecaster Connor with Lt. Scott Brillman from the
Mayor's Office of Emergency Management - City of Baltimore

A testimonial of our results from our public safety partners:

The 2012 Grand Prix of Baltimore

Partner served

Mayor's Office of Emergency Management - Baltimore City

Product delivered

On-Site Weather Intelligence and Fusion Forecasting

Press reports
"Impressive showing for second annual Grand Prix..."
Performance result

"We appreciated you helping us keep everyone safe at the Grand Prix.  
I hope every city will be as lucky as us one day to have you!

-Lieutenant Scott Brillman, Office of Emergency Management

U.S. Team Spokesperson and Forecaster Aaron Salter

relishing in the excitement of the Grand Prix of Baltimore

The following sections contains our team's Fusion Forecasts and Grand Prix Resource Center for our readers:

Fusion Forecasting. Event Promotion.

GRAND PRIX | DEW TOUR | SUMMERFEST | BBQ BASH
Recent Fusion Forecast projects from Summer 2012 

Our Fusion Forecast for the Friday, August 31, 2012
kickoff of the second Grand Prix of Baltimore

Every day, our multi-state forecast teams provide authentic local weather to an engaged readership across all 50 U.S. states and 110 countries. Promoting your event, attraction or product in our forecast would provide you innovative access to a loyal and diverse readership population in the core demographic of those 25 to 54 years of age.

Our latest project? The Maryland Team was the Official Forecaster for the 17th Baltimore Book Festival, September 28-30. View the full details of the trade sponsorship announcement in our 9/21/2012 post.

Advantages of fusion forecasting for your organization: 

• 100 million+ hits annually to our 40+ Facebook pages across 27 states
• 30,000-50,000 hits a month to the main site of footsforecast.org
• Experienced Weather Graphics Team to produce customized forecast products for your event, to be redistributed to local, state, regional or national audiences.

For more information about how we can help you harness our local or national readership to promote your event, send us a note: collaborate@footsforecast.org

More Epic Blue. Just For You.

Catch the glory of a blue sky day with our team shirt! 

Southeast PA Forecaster Robert Johnson relishing sunshine
at the Caroline County, MD SummerFest in August 2012. 

When we're graced with those breath-taking clear skies, regardless of the temperature, we can't help but think of this classic line from Louie Armstrong's timeless song: "I see skies of blue, and clouds of white. Bright blessed days, dark sacred nights."  We know you LIVE for the BLUE. Doesn't matter when or where the sky goes sapphire, right?  Your spirits are highest when the sun is brightest. 

On days like these, ever want to capture that feeling you could live forever? Then wrap yourself in our exclusive, Foot's Forecast only EPIC BLUE shirt, now available for a small donation that will have a big impact on our services for you.

LEFT: "EPIC LIGHT"                          RIGHT: "EPIC BOLD"

How To Get Epic Today.

• A donation of $25 for adult sizes, and $15 for youth sizes.
• Send a pre-request to orders@footsforecast.org  
• Include your name, address, sizes and quantity.
• We'll send a followup with details on our "coming soon" online storm

What We're Doing. hWhen skies go Epic like this, your multi-state team of Foot's Forecast actually hunkers down on hard data analysis and preparations for an interesting winter ahead. We would welcome your help to continue developing:

• An easy-access website with locally-relevant content from all our zones;
• A FREE SmartPhone app in coding by one of our media partners
• A dedicated local team of forecasters in your county or state

Why You'll Benefit. Each donation-funded shirt will strengthen our level of forecast services for all readers heading toward winter. With your help, we can recruit and train more future meteorologists, enhance zone coverage to the county level, and launch an innovative new website for the benefit of all readers. 

Forecaster Paul from Ocean City, MD looks forward to
seeing you be part of the Authentic Weather Campaign.

Thanks for your years of loyal support of our team, and we hope you can get out to enjoy the Epic-ness of today's blue! 

On-site support helped MD State 
BBQ Bash make the right call

"I wish you guys were wrong sometimes."
-Executive Director Scott Walker

A HEADS UP THAT HELPED THOUSANDS. After a year of planning and countless hours of coordination by the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, the 11th MD State BBQ Bash got underway on Friday August 10, 2012 with dreary skies and light rain. But Executive Director Scott Walker happily pounded the pavement that morning as vendors set up in a steady drizzle, tweeting and promoting his event in Facebook and Twitter. 

Event staff were asking: "Why are you so happy? It's raining." His simple  reply: "Foot's Forecast says it's gonna clear up and they've never let me down."  As expected, skies cleared, leaving behind a classic summer night of family fun on the streets of Downtown Bel Air in Harford County, Maryland.  

Saturday featured brilliant skies for almost the entire day. Crowds came by the thousands to fill the event. By late afternoon however, the weather began to turn. When Executive Director Scott Walker needed to know rain arrival down to the minute, he turned to Forecasters Mike from Harford County and Forecaster Connor from Howard County. Assisting were Mid-Atlantic Director Greg Jackson, and Forecaster Matt Balash from the Three Rivers Zone.

The crucial on-site minute-by-minute decision support provided Scott with actionable intelligence to inform the visitors, give the band a heads up, and allow vendors a 30-minute lead to prep for a thunderstorm. Once the storm passed, crowds came streaming back in as it the rain never happened!

The next week, when an Outdoor Movie Night was unfortunately cut short due to rain, Director Walker was quoted as saying "Hey, I wish you guys were wrong sometimes! Thanks for the support!"

If you are interested in learning more about our services, contact us at collaborate@footsforecast.org.

Guess Who Made 

Best of Baltimore 2012?

We'll give you a hint: 

Has something to do with weather.

And this guy... 

Check out the article 
in the Baltimore City Paper's 
"Best of Baltimore" 

Our thanks go out to our loyal readers
and fans for your of support.

We appreciate you making us your...

 Right Step For Local Weather

Dangerous Wind Event 

Moving Toward The Coast 

MODERATE RISK OF DAMAGING WINDS:

NORTH CAROLINA AND EASTERN VIRGINIA 

I-81 CORRIDOR OF EASTERN PA TO NYC 

NEW JERSEY & EASTERN NY

TORNADO WATCHES NOW IN EFFECT INCLUDE

• # 641 FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
• # 642 FOR MARYLAND, EASTERN VA, NORTHERN NC
• # 643 FOR EASTERN PA, DE, NJ AND, SOUTHERN NY  
• # 644 FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
• # 645 FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEW YORK

5:50 PM EDT 9/18 | Numerous Tornado Watches remain in effect across a large portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and at least 46 wind reports have been received by the Storm Prediction Center. View today's latest Storm Reports at this SPC link.

Our team is continuing with local updates from metro-focused Facebook zones in the affected zones areas, including these states: 

VIRGINIA
Central VA, Northern VA, Tidewater

MARYLAND 
Southern MD, Capital Region, Bayshore, Central MD

PENNSYLVANIA
Central PA, Southeast PA, Northeast PA
NEW JERSEY
Central New Jersey

NEW YORK

Metro New York City

MID-ATLANTIC

Our Severe Weather Team on Facebook

TIMING: The periods and locations of highest impact include

• After 5:00 PM into overnight hours for PA to NJ and NY
• After 9 PM, areas, west of I-95 should be in the clear
• Areas right along the immediate coast in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia may  remain at risk for wind impacts until the front passes late tonight. 

HAZARDS: Damaging winds in the area denoted by the Tornado Watch are expected, along with several tornadoes will be possible in the more robust storms. Although this setup does not necessarily favor intense tornadoes, any that form will likely be moving at over 50 mph. (Forecasters Jason M., Josh O., Greg J., Connor M., and Rich F.)

Where's The Ice? 

Photo credit: UK Guardian

ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE INDICATORS QUESTIONS CALL
FOR BIG SNOWS IN EASTERN U.S. CITIES THIS WINTER
Register now to receive our Winter Risk Assessment

5:50 PM EDT 9/17/12 (Winter Stormcast Team) So, you've heard that the big Eastern cities are set for big snows this winter? Hey now, that would be fun! Lots of snowdays for the students and teachers, ski resorts would be lovin' life, and snowplow operators would be raking in the dough. There's just one problem with that kind of forecast.

We don't believe it is founded on solid data, and we disagree with it. 

WISHING FOR REALITY. Our Long Range Analysis Team has been crunching the data for months, and yes, we've seen at all the wild-eyed winter forecasts issued by other organizations. Now we're putting our less-than-snowcovered hat in the ring.

Here's our summary of their winter forecasts: Despite record meltoff of Arctic sea ice, a lackluster run-up by El Nino, and accelerated glacier melt in Greenland, North America is going to *somehow* experience a brutal, snowy and extreme winter?"

If those headlines were tied to winter projections for Europe, we do agree with that as outlined in this article by the UK Guardian. But for the U.S., not so fast. Here's an alternate view by the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang about the likelihood of a big snowy Mid-Atlantic winter.

Europe has experienced harsh winters when Arctic sea ice decreases.
The same is not always true for the United States and Canada.

When Arctic sea ice decreases to a level millions of square kilometers less than a 30-year average, it is going to have a major impact on climate-driven interrelationships across the Northern Hemisphere. One does not need a computer model to make that statement, simple photographs will suffice. These resources from the NASA Scientific Visualization Lab include a report to the August 26, 2012 sea ice update.

The forecasters on our team are Powderhounds just like many of you. We all enjoy a big snowstorm. But there comes a time when one must put aside desires to spark hype or push ratings, and just focus on the data. we welcome your input on this discussion in our Winter Stormcast Zones on Facebook for the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Western Lakes and Central Plains.

LET'S BE STRAIGHT ABOUT THIS. If we wanted to give all the Powderhounds big promises about bongo snow this winter, here are the headlines we'd rather see right now:

"Arctic sea ice surprisingly rebounds to pre-2000 levels..."  

"Heavy early season Siberian snows portend brutal winter..." 

"El Nino temperatures jump to readings higher than in 2009..."

But guess what snow friends, those are NOT the headlines right now. Read further if you're ready to dive into the truth behind the data.