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Starting tonight, comet PANSTARRS, which was first discovered in images taken by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System in 2001, should finally begin to become visible in the Northern Hemisphere, weather permitting. The comet will appear very low near the west-southwest horizon about a half hour after sunset.

By this coming Tuesday, March 12, the comet will sit almost directly above the western horizon, less than 5 degrees to the left of a very narrow crescent moon. The comet will slowly move higher in the sky, shifting slowly toward the west-northwest part of the sky during the middle and later part of this month, and become gradually dimmer as it pulls away from both the Sun and the Earth.

The tail of the comet, if visible, should appear to be pointed upward and tipped slightly toward the left through mid-March, before tipping more toward the right or the remainder of the month.

Here’s a more detailed story about the comet from the 2013 Farmers’ Almanac.

If you manage to snap a good picture of comet PANSTARRS, be sure to share it with us on Facebook or Twitter.

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Years ago when I was getting ready to move to Maine, my grandmother said to me “oh well at least you don’t need a bathing suit when you move there.” Umm I did and enjoyed many days of swimming in the lakes, but must admit, never the ocean (too cold!).

While I was living in Maine, a friend of mine moved to Arizona – Flagstaff. We would call each other and compare winter storms – she won.

Last week I went to Minnesota for work. I packed a warm scarf and hemmed and hawed on whether I should pack an additional sweater or not. Now most of the time I was inside, but when I did venture out, my coat was more than enough to keep me warm (it was a balmy 32-35 degrees F). Who knew Minneapolis wouldn’t be that cold, in February (well at least for the few days I was there)?

I grew up in New Jersey and remember winters being more white and full of snow. Now unlike Maine and Minnesota, the snow in NJ, then and now, never lasts quite as long as it does in those states, but we did have snow. Today I almost feel like NJ experiences snowfall as Virginia did when I was growing up – some but nothing major.

But then again, remember Snowmageddon, the February 5-6, 2010, blizzard that dumped 20-35 inches of snow across southern Pennsylvania, northern Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey? And last week’s historic blizzard that hit Texas, and before that Kansas? Or the major ice storm in Atlanta, Georgia in January of 2011?

I guess it’s hard to really judge the state by its weather, especially since weather recently has been so …weird.

What are your preconceived notions about weather in certain states? I mean Florida always sounds warm and nice, but they too experience some cold temperatures… share your thoughts here.

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Today is March 1, 2013, expressed numerically as 3/1/13. That makes today a palindrome.

A palindrome is the term for when a word or phrase is spelled the same way backwards as it is forward. Some examples of palindromes include level, kayak, civic, radar, solos, tenet, names like Bob, Otto, and Hannah, and sentences like “Was it a bar or a bat I saw?”

Palindromes aren’t limited to words, though. Numbers can also be palindromes, like today’s date: 3113.

It’s always fun when dates and times have interesting patterns. For instance, a couple of months ago it was 12/12/12.

A little over a year ago, on 11/02/2011, I wrote that palindrome days are notable because they are rare, and that the next one wouldn’t be for eight more years. So, what gives? Why another one so soon.

Dates like 11/02/2011, which include the full two-digit form of the day and month, and the full four-digit form of the year, are rare. There are only 12 such dates in this entire century.

But there are other days that qualify as palindromes, too, if you use less than the full form of of the date. 3/1/13 is one, and there will be others this month – ten more, in fact, beginning on 3/10/13 and running through 3/19/13. Whew! That’s a lot of palindromes!

What other fun dates can you think of?

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There is nothing like a huge snowstorm to remind you that it is still winter. The Northeast got walloped earlier this month, and again over the last few days, but last week took its toll on Kansas City. Jo-an Lantz is one of my most traveled associates. She bops around the country, and the world, on business at a fast clip. Fast until she arrived in Kansas City last Wednesday, that is. As she arrived she learned that her flight out would be cancelled the following day, and she would be stranded in town at least overnight. Sometimes you just can’t rush Mother Nature.

Kansas City averages about 20” of a snow for a winter – so they do get some white. But, February will usually get 4.5”. But last week they got over a foot of snow, with it coming down at a torrid pace of 3” per hour. So, Jo-an has shared a few pictures from around her hotel. You don’t have to live in Alaska, Minnesota, Michigan, or Maine to enjoy snow. The Midwest is a winter wonderland for now.

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Next week I’m heading to the “State of 10,000 Lakes,” also known as Minnesota. I’ve never been there, but I am representing the Farmers’ Almanac, along with a group of talented associates, at the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show from Wednesday, February 27 through Sunday, March 3. We will be selling Almanacs and talking weather lore. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by booth 962 and say hello.

I realized that Minnesota will the 24th state I’ve been able to visit in my lifetime so far. Maybe one day I’ll get to all 50!  Ever stop and count the number of states you’ve visited? I only count states that I’ve stayed at least one night. I have most of the East Coast covered, I’ve got to head west and check out the Plains States and the heartland of our country.

In honor of my trip west next week, I thought I’d leave you with some interesting state license plate mottos (that may or may not still be used) from western portion of the country. Enjoy:

Iowa – The Corn State
Missouri – Show Me State
Nevada – Silver State
North Dakota – Legendary
Oklahoma – Native America
Washington – Evergreen State
Wyoming – Like No Place on Earth

Happy Trails.

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Ever feel like you are riding on a yoyo? Gas prices dropped in early January, only to spike up $.43 (national average) in the past four weeks. In Los Angeles the increase was $.50 a gallon, with as much as a $.70 jump in other places.

Why? The reasons are complex, but part of the cause is the fact that refineries are switching over to summer gasoline blends – an abruption in production.

Over the years, we have shared many ways to maximize your gas mileage. If you have a truck or SUV, you are not going to get much more than what is on the sticker, but four quick ways to save include:

• No Idlers – When you are at a store or a drive up window and the car is going to idle for more than a minute, stop and restart – unnecessary idling is a huge gas drain – 19%.

• Go the Limit – If you have cruise control, set it at 55 or 65 and take your foot off the pedal. The constant acceleration this offers the biggest bang for your buck. If you don’t have cruise control, keep your eye on your speed.

• Drop a Few Pounds – (In your vehicle). Get rid of any unnecessary cargo. Every 100 pounds reduces efficiency by mile 1 mile per gallon.

• Check Your Tires – This not new, but check the pressure in your tires. When low, it can reduce gas consumption by 3%.

We have a number of articles on our website that deal with getting more gas for your dollar. The spike in the last 30 days is a wake-up call to consume less fuel so there is more to go around. Do you have any special tricks to conserve fuel, if so please share.

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If you’ve been watching or reading the news lately, you may be wondering about that exact question. Yesterday a meteor streaked across the Russian sky and caused an explosion that injured many people.

And today there is an asteroid measuring roughly 120-feet across that will pass within 17,000-miles of Earth. You can get more information about this astronomical event, as well as how and when you might be able to view it, in this piece written by our own astronomer, Joe Rao, on Space.com.

So, you may be wondering if the sky is literally falling. While the timing may have many “Chicken Little” types rushing to think doomsday is close, sources affirm that the meteorite that fell in Russia had nothing to do with the close encounter of the asteroid later today. These space objects weren’t even in the same orbit.

Unlike large asteroids, meteors that survive and enter our Earth’s atmosphere are unpredictable.

So relax, the sky isn’t falling. It’s just very busy.

For more information about asteroids, including the difference between an asteroid and a meteorite, check out our previous story on them!

UPDATE:

Here is a statement from Farmers’ Almanac astronomer Joe Rao about today’s asteroid near-miss.

The asteroid passing us today will not hit the Earth. Plain and simple. The closest it will come to us will be 17,200 miles at around 2:20 p.m. this afternoon. And this is not really such a rare event in that our Earth is literally in a “celestial shooting gallery” with large chunks of rock hurtling past us all the time. We get an asteroid passing to within the average distance of the Moon (238,857 miles) about once a month, while asteroids coming to within less than half distance whiz by about once every two months.

The late Dr. Isaac Asimov once wrote that within the next 100,000 years there will come an object from space that will flatten some large metropolis … it’s not so much a “what if?” as it is a “just when.”

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Although inflation has been relatively flat, the price of food continues to skyrocket. That is due in part to the impact fuel has on growing and transporting product. There are a growing number of semi-professional “couponists” but there are so many ways to keep the food budget down and not starve along the way.

Clip Coupons – these are everywhere but my favorite is the Sunday newspaper and online. By the way, is it a better deal? Lately, you might have to buy three boxes of cereal in order to save a $1. OK – $.33 off on a box – no thanks.

Buy Bulk – when there is a sale, stock up. You can freeze most meats and veggies for extended times. Big box stores offer value on paper products and trash bags – much better deal than the neighborhood grocery store.

Farmers’ Markets – many communities have weekly farmers’ markets. Check them out for fresh foods and values. And/ or, grow your own food. A packet of seeds is a cheap investment in food for the table.

Season for Everything - if it is in season, buy it. That is especially true for fruits and vegetables. Clementines are a steal in December and January. Build your menus around the seasons.

Shop on a Full Stomach – before going to a supermarket, eat so you don’t fall victim to urges.

Work a List – if you have a tight budget, make a list of what is needed and don’t stray. And, if you know the store, build the list around the aisle layout so you eliminate wasted steps.

Stick to the Perimeter – stores are laid out to play on your instincts. The fresh stuff (fruits, veggies, dairy, meats/fish) are on the perimeter. The salty prepackaged foods are on the inside aisles. Endcaps are noticeable but not always the best buy. The priciest things are at eye level so look up and down and you shop.

Store Brands – generic or store brands used to be inferior in quality. That is usually no longer the case. They are always cheaper than name brands. They are usually produced by the same maker of the name brand foods.

Ignore the Packaging – do you really want to pay for expensive packaging? Go for price vs. fancier more attractive prices. Also evaluate sizes. Sometimes the unit price on a bigger bottle is actually more than the smaller ones. Check the pricing code on shelves before buying.

Scratch It – it is always cheaper to make a meal from scratch, and healthier too. Buy rice, flour and all the basics. When time permits, pull out the cookbook and make a meal from scratch.

Leave the Kids – supermarkets are probably the last bastion of families. But, when you go for food, definitely, leave the children home. They grab everything (including at checkout) and you are worn down and end up compromising by buying something not on your list. Single, alone, and by yourself is the cheapest way to do it.

Divide and Conquer – buy family size packages and put into smaller packages. When everyone is full, plan for the next meal. Amazing how far you can spread leftovers.

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The Blizzard of 2013, dubbed “Nemo” by the Weather Channel, has come and gone. Over the course of two days, a powerful nor’easter, created by the collision of two storm fronts, dumped record amounts of snow on the Northeastern U.S., with several feet falling on parts of southern New England. The winner (or loser, depending on how you look at it) for the most snow was Hamden, Connecticut, with an unbelievable a 40 inches. Compounding the snowfall was the punishing wind, which reached a peak of 89 miles per hour in coastal Maine.

We asked readers to share their weather reports with us on Twitter and Facebook. Here’s a look at what you had to say:

Gina M Duprey: 2ft of snow in the Berkshires

Jon M. Kinney: Just a regular snowstorm in Maine

Nicole Ginthwain: About 2 1/2 feet on the North Shore MA. The wind was wicked but thankfully we kept power. Also there have been a lot of reports of Carbon monoxide incidents and deaths due to the storm. So if you got buried, please check your outside vents to make sure they are clear of snow and while cleaning off your car, clear the exhaust pipes. There were a couple deaths regarding the cars.

Here’s a shot of a cresting wave of snow in my own front yard here in Lewiston, Maine:

And here’s a shot from Michelle St. Pierre Preston in not-too-distant Windham Maine:

A bit farther south, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Karen Corbett-Litwinczuk got this shot of cars buried in the snow:

Here are a couple of shots of furry friends romping in the snow, submitted by Heather Bernier from North Providence, Rhode Island, and Becky Lee, who didn’t say where she was from:

Tonya Ball Garofalo sent us this shot of her 21″ in northern New Jersey:

And Katrina Lackner Slade, from Millbrook, New York, sent this shot of the Hudson River iced over:

What did you see in your area? There’s still time to share photos on our Facebook page!