Rare New Year's Eve 'Blue Moon' to ring in 2010

[Marti]

Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year's Eve.

Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon.

According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon
in a month. But don't expect it to be blue - the name has nothing
to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor.

A full moon occurred on Dec. 2. It will appear again on Thursday
(December 31) in time for the New Year's countdown.

"If you're in Times Square, you'll see the full moon right above you.

The New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States,
Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia
and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day,
making January a blue moon month for them.

The Eastern Hemisphere can celebrate with a partial lunar eclipse on
New Year's Eve when part of the moon enters the Earth's shadow.
The eclipse will not be visible in the Americas.

A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, and most years have 12. On average,
an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years.

The last time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007.

New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years.
The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028

[lawren2]

Eastern storm threatens some New Year's plans
Mike Chesterfield, Lead Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Dec. 31, 2009 5:03 am ET
Storm watch, Tornadoes, Thunderstorms, Weather News - weather.com

A weather maker will be moving into the Northeastern United States today.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for an area that includes the western and northern halves of Virginia extending northward up the I-95 corridor into the western portions of Massachusetts.

Precipitation has started out as snow in the Washington D.C. area. The Precipitation will change over to light rain by the end of the morning.

Any accumulation of snow or sleet is expected to be on the light side but there could be just enough to produce some icy travel especially along the I-81 corridor from western Virginia into south central Pennsylvania.

The precipitation will continue to journey northward up the I-95 corridor during the day today taking it into Philadelphia and New York City this morning.

It will be cold enough in both cities for the precipitation to start out as some light snow before changing over to light rain this afternoon.

Light accumulations of 1 to 2 inches will be possible for both Philadelphia and New York City prior to the changeover.

Expect some patchy drizzle or even a few flurries around for the New Year?s Eve ball drop in Time Square but nothing that should drastically interfere with bringing in the New Year.

The air in southern New England into the interior portions of the Northeast will be a touch colder allowing for primarily snow to fall.

Look for generally 2 to 3 inches of snow to fall in these locals with isolated four inch amounts possible.

Looking ahead much colder air will move in behind today?s wintry mix.

The colder air will allow for the development of significant lake effect snows for the snow belts of the eastern Great Lakes.

Meanwhile an intense storm system will be drifting westward clipping Maine and Northern New England with snow and wind throughout much of the upcoming weekend.