December has definitely started on a different note than November. Temperatures so far are running several degrees above average and arctic-type cold is in short supply, confined to Europe and Alaska.  It will generally stay there and not impact us over the next week, perhaps longer. This week's weather features a very mild Monday, a mild end of the week, and a typical December pattern in between. Monday's weather features 60s, a mild breeze, and some showers or a period of rain in the afternoon through the evening hours as a cold front moves through. There could even be a rare rumble of …

  This month is shaping up as not only our first month of below average temperatures since August of last year, but also, potentially, the coldest November since the late 1990s.   Before you fret and wonder if this is the beginning of a long, cold winter of discontent, November is not necessarily a harbinger of what winter will bring. Several cold Novembers have been followed by warm winters (2007, 1997, 1996 to name three over the last couple of decades). This November will close on the same chilled note on which it began, as temperatures for the balance of the month will average out a few …

  The National Weather Service reports that Bucks and Montgomery can expect about an inch of snow overnight - enough to make Tuesday's commute slippery. The Hazardous Weather Outlook posted by NWS states that an additional inch or so could accumulate Tuesday, possibly mixed with rain. Any remaining snow will probably be washed away by afternoon rain. Here's the NWS forecast: Tonight Snow likely after 1am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 30. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Tuesday Rain and snow before 1pm, then rain likely …

We largely lucked out on last week's nor'easter as it tracked about 30 to 40 miles farther east than it appeared it would when we wrote last week's article. Instead of a snowy outcome for the whole region, snow was largely confined to lower Bucks County and east into New Jersey. Some parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties picked up a foot of snow from that nor'easter ― Philly picked up a trace and Pottstown picked up a few snowflakes mixed in with light rain. Thankfully, the weather pattern this week is less complex and stormy and much easier on both forecasters and the storm-weary. Outside of …

  Bensalem Township is offering more water and MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) to Bensalem residents who are still without power following Hurricane Sandy. Yesterday, the township offered the food and water. Today they're doing it again. Residents can pick up MRE's and water today between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the township Public Works Department. Residents should enter on the Byberry Road side between Bensalem Rescue Squad and Public Works. Residents must bring identification.

  Five days. That's how long Hurricane Sandy and her aftermath have closed Bensalem schools. Public Safety Director Fred Harran said in the township's latest update video that four school buildings are still without power. School officials are hoping to reopen schools on Monday. The following information was posted on the Bensalem School District website: Due to power outages and road closures, all Bensalem Township Schools will be closed on Friday, November 2. Students are off, office staff should report! All activities in all buildings are cancelled. PECO predicts outages through Tuesday. …

  Even though the sun has been peeking out occasionally today, there are still a lot of businesses and residences along Street Road that remain in the dark. You can’t get a Big Mac at the Street Road McDonald’s or coffee at the Wawa or even a case of beer at the Bensalem Beer & Soda. Traffic lights along Street Road are also out but the township has portable generators powering some of the bigger ones including the intersection of Street and Hulmeville roads. Other area businesses in the dark include: Fisher’s Tudor House K-Mart Jack’s Cold Cuts Dunkin Donuts M&T Bank More in the Bensalem …

  The affects of Hurricane Sandy are continuing to cause closures and cancellations. Bensalem Patch will keep you updated on school and business closings and event cancellations. Check back often. As we learn about more, we will post them here for you. If you have a business or are running an event and want to add it to this list, post it in comments and we'll take it from there. You can also email joe.hart@patch.com. Schools: Bensalem Township School District Bucks County Head Start Inc. Bucks County Technical High School Holy Ghost Preparatory School School Lane Charter School

 If you drove down Bristol Pike today after waiting out Sandy’s wrath last night, you likely noticed that many large trees didn’t survive the strong winds and heavy rain. Some of the biggest casualties were at Holy Ghost Prep, where several old trees were broken or uprooted. Holy Ghost Director of Admissions Ryan Abramson told Patch he was glad the storm only affected trees. “We had a lot of tree damage, but fortunately no building damage,” Abramson said. He credited significant tree pruning done by the school over the summer for the lack of damage to the buildings. “The trees are probably…

  According to PECO’s website, there are still more than 3,500 power outages in Bensalem. PECO serves 24,100 customers in the township. Hurricane Sandy knocked out power to more than 50,000 of its 227,800 customers in Bucks County. If Sandy knocked your power out, but it has since been restored, let us know in the comments section below. Yesterday, PECO's Storm Center said the company is ready for Sandy: PECO has activated its emergency response organization and is prepared to respond to Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to bring extreme weather with drenching rains and sustained high winds…

  If you're safe, but have photos of roads, your home, your neighborhood that shows the impact of the hurricane, please upload them here. We are looking for people to provide a service, and inform the readers about the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Upload your photos here.

  According to PECO’s website, there are 501-1,500 outages in Bensalem and several other Bucks County municipalities. PECO serves 24,200 customers in Bensalem and 227,800 in Bucks County. Other towns showing scattered outages include Bristol Township, Doylestown, Falls, Lower Southampton, Northampton, Upper Makefield, Upper Southampton and Morrisville. Additional outages are expected. Check back throughout the storm for updates to PECO outages. PECO's Storm Center said the company is ready for Sandy: PECO has activated its emergency response organization and is prepared to respond to …

    Bensalem Patch will keep you updates on school and business closings and event cancellations. Check back often. As we learn about closings and cancellations, we will post them here for you. If you have a business or are running an event and want to add it to this list, post it in comments and we'll take it from there. You can also email joe.hart@patch.com. Update: Closures for Tuesday, Oct. 30. Schools: Aria Health School Of Nursing Bensalem Christian Day School Bensalem Township School District Bucks County Community Coll - Bristol Bucks County Community Coll - Bristol - Pm Bucks County …

  The National Weather Service has issued several warnings and watches for our area as Sandy approaches. The Weather Service Sunday morning issued a high wind warning, a coastal flood warning and a flood watch. High Wind Warning The high wind warning could produce damaging winds across our region Monday and especially early Monday night. Sandy will again become a powerful storm as it turns west Monday slamming into the northern mid-Atlantic coast late Monday evening with a period of 60 to 75 mph wind gusts. The high wind warning in effect from 8 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday. Winds northeast …

  The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a freeze watch for the surrounding area included Bucks and Montgomery counties. The watch is in effect from late Friday night through Saturday morning. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 20s to lower 30s. According to the Weather Service, sensitive plants will be damaged or killed if not protected or brought indoors. Here’s the local forecast: Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon.Friday Night: Patchy frost after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low …

  The National Weather Service (NWS) in Mount Holly has issued a wind advisory for the Philadelphia area including Bucks and Montgomery counties. Strong gusty winds are expected. The advisory is in effect from noon Tuesday through midnight. According to the NWS, a cold front from the west is forecast to pass through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey on Tuesday night. A strong south to southwest wind is anticipated in advance of the front`s arrival. A south wind at 20 to 25 mph on Tuesday afternoon becoming southwest on Tuesday evening is expected with wind gusts around 45 mph. …

  The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the entire Delaware Valley including Bucks and Montgomery counties. The watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Be on the lookout for a local upgrade to a thunderstorm warning. Here's the local forecast: This Afternoon: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds, heavy rain, and frequent lightning. High near 86. Breezy, with a southwest wind around 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts …

  The front that was responsible for bringing thunderstorms to our region on Sunday will cross the region throughout Monday.  While lingering shower and storm chances, especially to our south and east, will prevent a wholly nice day, the region will see its latest streak of 90 degree weather come to a thankful end.  High pressure builds for Tuesday and most of Wednesday, dropping dew points to the much more tolerable 50s and lower 60s, making Tuesday and Wednesday the "nicest" weather days of the coming week. However, as we all know from past August weather, low humidity in August is a …

  July 2012 will end up as one of the top three hottest months in Philadelphia's records once the month ends on Tuesday. The only question is whether it finishes second or third.  We won't know that answer with certainty until Tuesday night, but it should not end up as hot as last July, which is the hottest on record in Philly. This week won't feature excessive or gut-wrenching heat but it will feature unsettled weather thanks to a trough in the atmosphere that is going to park itself just off the East Coast.  This will provide for chances of thunderstorms on a number of days this week -- …

  In the wake of the severe thunderstorm watch issued Wednesday by the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania offered some sound advice on its Twitter feed. Some of it you've been hearing since you were in elementary school: for example, if you are stuck outside, avoid high ground, water, tall trees, and metal objects. Other tips, however, might not occur to everyone. "Bring items in from outside NOW that could blow away during a storm," the agency said. Waiting until you see the sky darken and hear thunder rumbling can place you at risk for being struck…