Ξ March 31st, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
Opening day…that bridge spanning that dark sports void separating football and baseball seasons. Don’t get me wrong, the NCAA ‘bracketball’ tourney is an interesting diversion, a nice way to pass the time. But opening day is special. It has that certain feel to it where the sports world moves back outdoors; to a park, where our senses kick off winters chill for the warming rays of early spring sunshine and the sweet smell of fresh cut grass. It is a time for hope; everyone is a pennant contender. And I like, pausing periodically on the job and reflecting that somewhere there is a baseball game is going on during a routine workday.
Part of the signature of opening day is that in some cities there is nothing resembling the rebirth of springtime, or that of a summer’s game. For the first couple of weeks of the season some games are played in snow or called because of it. Often the boys of summer are shivering in howling winds or super cooled showers fighting to survive let alone complete a nine inning game; like today for instance. Rain delays in Chicago. Rain outs in New York and St. Louis. Invariably there will be those snow days. Part of the fun of early spring baseball.
Of course opening day signifies one other thing. Just 5 months until football season.
Ξ March 26th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
What an amazing spring it has been so far across the country. While, thankfully, the weather has been pretty benign here in good ole Nebraska (personally I hope it stays this way) it has been dramatic and deadly across other areas of the country, with devastating late winter tornadoes in Tennessee and Kentucky, more recent ones in Georgia, record snowfall paralyzing major cities in the Upper Midwest, and now the flooding rains of last week, that has claimed property and lives from Texas to the Great Lakes, swelling watersheds along hundreds of miles of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers basins. (more…)
Ξ March 24th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
It’s a shame we can’t string together a couple of days of 70 degree weather. A weak cold front will drift south tonight, passing through the Tri-Cities during the predawn hours. While it will be cooler Tuesday by about 10 degrees, I’d have to classify it a moderate cool down. Temperatures will remain above the 52 degree average.
Rain will not be a factor tonight, with very little moisture in place. Better rain chances will come in the middle part of the week. Jet stream winds will begin to flow in a west to east pattern with disturbances riding along it. Timing these is always a bit of a challenge but the best rain chances right now appear to be Wednesday night and possibly Sunday and Monday of next week. We’ll update as the week unfolds.
Ξ March 20th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
In keeping on yesterday’s theme of tornado myths, another one says that certain towns are protected from tornadoes because of the geography around them. The root of this myth seems to originate from Native Americans, whose belief that towns were protected by rivers or hills was handed down to settlers and remains alive in our culture today.
The legend suggests that a tornado will not strike between two rivers or within the confluence of two rivers. Once again, shear statistics may have given our Native American friends a false sense of security as 150 years later there have been numerous occasions where the myth has been debunked.
St. Louis has seen its share of tornadoes over the years and many tornadoes have crossed the Mississippi and Missouri rivers from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Emporia Kansas sat unaffected by tornadoes in the crux of two rivers until 1974 when a tornado ripped through the town killing six people.
Topography may have an influence on storms, but nothing will detour the path of a major tornado. The only real deterrent is the law of probabilities.
Ξ March 19th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
It’s barely springtime and the weather around the country has been horrific. Snow storms in the upper Midwest continue what must seem like an endless winter. Chicago through Milwaukee is being nailed with more fresh snow. Meanwhile to the south, in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky tremendous flooding has rivers as much as 16 feet above flood stage. Sixteen people have died with hundreds of homes evacuated. I was watching video tonight of a house floating down an Arkansas River disintegrating as it crashed into the span of a bridge.
Flooding is the deadliest weather related element in the U.S. Based on a 30 year period we average over 100 deaths per year. Most of those deaths occur when people try to drive onto flooded roadways or even try to walk through flooded roadways.
It is easy to underestimate the power of water. As little as six inches of rushing water can knock a person off their feet. One foot of rushing water exerts 500 lbs of lateral force. Two feet of water exerts 1000 lbs of lateral force and 1500 lbs of buoyancy force which will easily float most automobiles. Nearly 60% of flood victims are vehicle related.
Sobering statistics to what has already been a sobering start to springtime.
Ξ March 18th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
The images of the tornado damage out of Atlanta this weekend seems shocking to me. Such images in the core of a metropolis suggest to my mind warfare or terrorism or perhaps a horrible construction accident of some sort but I have trouble processing that a natural occurrence could project that kind of damage. Maybe because it happens so rarely; but it DOES happen. (more…)
Ξ March 14th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
Some people curse the snow, others celebrate it. Our viewers put the season’s first snowfall to good use as they annually have a ‘First snowfall party.’ Looks like a pretty good use of the freshly laden snow.
Not exactly the exotic, tropical beach images typically branded by that certain Mexican brewer.
Ξ March 11th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
Once again, I was able to show my face around the community. Gorgeous 70 degree weather across the area put a smile on most everyone’s face. We should be able to stay above the averages on Wednesday despite the arrival of a cold front. Afternoon highs should level off in the low 60s. Still not to shabby.
The rest of the week will be interesting. A series of upper level disturbances brings precipitation in the form of rain late Wednesday through early Thursday. Then we’re looking at a possible rain, snow mix Thursday night through Friday night.
Saturday, we’ll enjoy a break from the precipitation but not much sunshine. Yet another stronger storm will move in Sunday through Monday.
We’ll be timing these impulses more exactly as we get toward the end of the week.
Ξ March 10th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
Wow! As if a collapsing housing industry, potential recession, global warming, terrorism and the retirement of Brett Favre weren’t enough, now we have to face the “death star”. And I thought Mondays were rough.
If you’re a Star Wars fanatic you evidently have an idea about death stars. This one works a little differently and apparently not as immediate. (more…)
Ξ March 7th, 2008 | Posted by John Walsh | → 0 Comments | ∇ Weather |
It was a shock to the system today, but we’ll be putting the bitterly cold temperatures behind us. High temperatures should push to levels above our 46 degree average for this time of year by Monday.
Upper level winds remain in a northwesterly flow ushering in another low pressure system that will clip the northeastern part of the state. Once that clipper low begins to move tonight it will force a high plains trough/warm front to advance eastward. So hang on, relief from the cold is on its way.
I wish we could scare up more sunshine tomorrow. High and mid level clouds will continue to spread eastward and we are looking at a general overcast tomorrow early with a few peeks of sun mainly in the afternoon.
The warm up will stall out temporarily on Sunday after a cold front drops through, but it is a relatively weak front and we’re still anticipating low 40s for highs then.
Next week, 50s mainly with a possible 60+ degree day on Tuesday. Enjoy
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