Time is running out to view...

The latest astronomy special. You'll have until roughly Saturday to view the 5 planets lined up on the southern horizon. Best time to look is about 30 minutes to an hour before sunrise. The sun is coming up about 7:30 a.m., so I would be out looking around 6:30. I know getting out of bed early is a challenge. Mercury is the lowest planet on the horizon, so you'll have to get to an open area to see it. Venus is in the second spot from the horizon, followed by Saturn, Mars, and then Jupiter. Use the attached photo to help with your search. The good news... if you miss this latest parade of planets, they will be back for another show in early August, only for the next go around, it will be in the southwest sky just after sunset.

Based on the comments I've been getting on Facebook and Twitter, some of you still want snow! And everybody else wishes spring would be here for good today. It's not looking good at all for snow lovers. The pattern is going to favor more mild days than colder ones. Kansas continues to be on the dividing line with Arctic air east of us and warmer weather to the west. It's a battle that will continue for at least another 4-5 days. The warm days this week won't set any records, and the cold days won't be anything unusual for February. But it will be interesting to watch the swings happen each and every day.

There is a chance for drizzle Sunday morning for Valentines Day, but that's about the only chance at moisture that we really have in the near future. 

Late this week

SPRING ALERT - Next week, the pattern will favor WELL ABOVE normal temperatures for Kansas. In fact, there's a chance some areas just to our south will get close to 80 degrees (yes... in the month of February of all times) We are going to see an area of high pressure slide across the middle of the country around Wednesday/Thursday. That's going to allow the warmth to become widespread and possibly set records. A developing storm on the west coast late next week could bring moisture back to Kansas, but it's still easily 12-14 days off. 

Next week