Weather: Current Severe Weather Warnings and Updates

One of the best sources of weather news and everything related to climate world wide is the weather Underground. If you have a weather program running on your desktop it is most likely plugged into this URL for updates, alerts and warnings. Check it out for your area http://www.wunderground.com/

oh wow! i usually use the weathersites on the search engines....

Wolfie, thanks for holding down Geo when I was off reading stuff for tomorrow's postings. I really appreciate it. What fun to find someone beside me is interested (and what woman is not?!) And, authentic, card-carrying Droolers, too. The Spring will never be the same, which is a good thing!

My ex in central Pennsylvania is complaining of 100�F (37.77�C) temperatures out doors and sent the following: Russia is having abnormally high temps also. In the 90's and dry like us. Besides all that, they have locusts to eat the few plants that are surviving the weather.

More from Pennsylvania (note the size of the hail storms): Yesterday afternoon was sunny and hot, although some welcome scattered clouds began to appear by mid-afternoon. Then an area of clouds-joined-together moved over us. They sprinkled a couple of times and tried to give us a rain, then it got darker and there was a boomy rumble of thunder. Real rain fell for quite a while, then there was a rattle on the roof as nickle-sized and quarter-sized hail fell with the rain. That cell moved away to the south, and we had a pause in the rain. It was still dark where the clouds were coming from, but we could see blue sky along the side of the second storm that was approaching. A somewhat cauliflowered shower head grew along the side of the main gray mass, and rapidly achieved the height of the rest of the storm. Its rapid rise would have given a hint of what was to come. The fairly concealed second storm approached; and the sky had barely begun to get dark, but no rain yet, when scattered white objects began to fall. They were maybe 20 ft. apart at first, then there were more and more of them in the air until they were falling about 2 or 3 ft. apart mixed with rain. These white objects were the largest hail I have ever seen. Golfball-sized hail is often mentioned in the news, but there is was! They weren�t spheres, but were chunks about the right size. They were big enough that they could roll in the grass after they landed, rather than getting tangled in it. They generally bounced several feet high, some as high as 4 or 5 feet. I was afraid to look at the car after it was safe to go outside, but found only one dimple. Possibly the hail was mostly soft; and I did see some smash to bits on the parking lot and the cars, rather than bouncing.

From my Alma Mater, Penn State, one of the best Meteorology pages there is. Lots of links and information relating to severe weather. Http://bookend.met.psu.edu/

Since Hurrican Season is upon us and we all need to be aware of possible severe weather warnings for Tornadoes and other threats to life and property. First, before things begin, check for updates and possible storm threats to our area and while it is ongoing - as long as you have power to run your computer: http://www.noaa.gov/ Afterward you will need http://www.fema.gov/ And anytime is good to prepare the little ones in your family by using this URL http://www.fema.gov/kids/

Actually, the best National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association website which has all of the links you will need plus solar images and other goodies is: http://www.websites.noaa.gov/

You clever girl, posting this at Keepsakes. It got me to come by. I'm sorry to be complaining about the weather so much. I hate it when people do that. Look like relief is coming tomorrow though I can't remember if it's a high front or a low front. Which brings cooler temperatures and is it the same in winter?

A high brings clear skies and the cold front. My ex is in Williamsport and he had golfball-sized hail. Did you get any of that? (Heide, I am delighted you posted...I do what I can to get people here as I work pretty hard on it to just be for my own ego..) The jet stream was up in Canada and that is what moved stuff around on the North American continent. It is sliding south again and will move the hot stagnant air out. Yes, the same things happen in the winter...lows bring snow and sleet because you angle to the sun is different.

The State of New Jersey has declaired a state of emergency due to the prolonged drought afflicting the entire Eastern Seaboard. Other states in the area are bound to follow suit! (Rain Dances, anyone?)

Um...Maryland was just declared a federal disaster area (or whatever they call it) because of our severe drought--worst in 70 years they say. When will it rain???

Good question - and if I had the answer, I would not be sitting in the corner of my bedroom writing this. (BTW, welcome, Autumn!)... Jet stream, la ni�a and all that have to cooperate. Meanwhile I am being deluged by one of the feeder bands from Hurricane Eugene just below our island...Want some?!

well, louisiana has placed several parishes under burn bans since it's been so dry. expecting a cool front which will lower the ambient temp by 1 or 2 degrees plus the humidy level is expected to be much lower. hmmmm, so 95 will feel like 95 instead of 115! gotta luv it!!!!

Hey, anything is better than running an external fever...and according the the weather maps, you are due for some relief in the gulf states area. I hope it get to where it is needed most. Plan a garden party, if all else fails...that usually brings on the monsoons!

Forecast For Hilo, Hi 12 Pm Hst Sat Aug 14 1999 ...High Surf Advisory Is In Effect At 12 Noon For East And Southeast Facing Shores Of The Big Island Of Hawaii... .This Afternoon...Partly Cloudy With A Few Showers. High Near 80. Trades 10 To Near 25 Mph. .Tonight...Brief Showers. Low In The Upper 60S. Variable Winds 5 To 15 Mph. .Sunday...Showery. High Near 80. Trades 20 To 30 Mph. Special weather statement 12 Noon Hst Sat Aug 14 1999 ...A High Surf Advisory Is Effective At 12 Noon For East And Southeast Facing Shores Of The Big Island Of Hawaii... Large Swell Waves Travelling Out Ahead Of Hurricane Dora Are Forecast To Start Arriving At The East And Southeast Facing Beaches Of The Kau And Puna Districts Of The Big Island Late This Afternoon And Tonight And Continue On Sunday. This Wave Action Will Likely Also Affect Exposed Hilo District Beaches. These East And East Southeast Swell Waves Will Produce Surf That Is Expected To Be In The 8 To 10 Foot Range By Late Tonight And On Sunday. The Easterly Swell Will Reach As Far As Oahu And Kauai On Sunday And Could Produce Surf As High As 5 To 8 Feet Along Exposed East And Southeast Facing Beaches Of These Islands. Surfers...Swimmers...And Beach Goers Should Remain Alert And Cautious. Residents Along The Exposed Beaches Should Prepare To Protect Their Property. Another day in Paradise - with a hurricane...

does this mean you need to check your life preservers and raft, Marcia?

We are 450 feet (157 Meters) above sea level. I think the worst that could happen is my 6 picture windows in the living room might shatter - so we will plywood them across...I always have candles and water to drink (and for flushing) on hand - and we have Spam!!! Thanks for asking, though...

Actually, as soon as they post warnings like that one above, the crazies get their surfboards and head for the beach. Those are the ones who are in real danger!

Can you see the ocean from your picture windows? What's the view like? Batten up those hatches, and good luck getting through this one. Is this the biggest storm of the season so far?

We shall batten down the hatches and tighten the anchor bolts if it becomes necessary. The only ocean I can see from the property without sitting on the roof is a very distant horizon, which is just fine considering the Tsunami potential. This is the first major storm to come our way this season, but we are lucky with the two 14,000'(4267M) mountains behind Hilo. They are usually large enough to deflect the storms that threaten(so far.) The current pattern is for them to hook around the south point of ur island and head north hitting Oahu (Honolulu) and Kauai. The last one, Iniki, just about levelled Kauai, and they are still trying to rebuild and recover.

What's the elevation at your house?

450' (157.16 Meters) above sea level, and 5 miles (8 Km) inland.

For the lastest on our hurricane

In the picture above...the Hurricane is at the left and our island is the outline just avobe it. It also apprear as though there are a wholebunch of proto-hurricanes waiting to form to the right, near Mexico.

Anyone wishing to listen to our island's Civil Defense Coordinator, Harry Kim give the latest update on our Hurricane can do so on the hour (also does for lava flows when they are threatening inhabited areas)on the net: http://www.webradio.com/kwxx/

And, as we enter the feeder bands here is our little Big Island and an even bigger Hurricane Dora

wow, it looks ominous. please be careful dear marcia!

Thank you...and we had a Earthquake just a bit ago...I am tired of Mother Nature attacking - especially on a day like this one has been...!

ohmygod, marcia! girlfriend, you are in my prayers *hugs*

Thanks Luv! It surely could not hurt. Where are all those places that need water? Austin? May I ship you some?!

Those satellite pictures are just too freaky! Technology scares me!

It allows you to see how big God is and how tiny man is. Our Island is the size of Connecticut...it is not tiny!

how's the weather Marcia??

Finally...It is sunny and bright and we can see all the junk in the yard...At this hour it is 70�F (21�C)and the tradewinds are picking up. It will be a lovely day, thank you.

glad things are well for you marcia......wish i could say the same about louisiana. yup, the humidity is back on the rise. icky!

...it sounds like it is enough to melt your pralines before they get in your mouth...

check http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/news/32 for the next little storms waiting to assault the Hawaiian Islands. BTW, I had not ventured into the News Conference before this got linked to Geo, and Ree, your painting is outstanding. Smashing, actually! And now these cool horizontal bars...it is so chic...wish the default wallpaper could be something else, but...

and as i can see by the updated satellite pics, the hurricane is far off now. thankfully.

For an update on the next hurricane poising to attack Hawaii, check http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/14.26 It updates regularly. (Let me know if it is making the loading of this place too long, in which case I will delete it.)

Glad to see Marcia is safe and sound again (for the moment).

Thanks for saying that, Autumn. It is a great comfort to know good people care if you are safe...and I have not checked the updating maps on post 26 for a while...maybe I'd rather not know!!!

The above image is from http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/UnitedStates/SouthCentral/Texas/Brownsville/Satellite/

my parents live in harlingen. mom icq'd me to let me know they're waiting for evac orders and don't know where they're going right now.

Harlingen! That's where Evelyn was headed yesterday.

For the loop of the movement of this Hurricane about to hit Texas go to: http://www.intellicast.com/WeatherImages/SatelliteLoop/satloop.wsi;bro;SatelliteLoop;gif;satloop.gif It is pretty impressive and has intensified to a Category 4 hurricane - severe wind damage and flooding. They have taken the measures of dumping escess water from the lakes around Brownsville and Corpus Christi to handle the water generated by the rain bands accompanying the hurricane.

I keep my fingers crossed for all our friends in Texas.

looks like corpus is going to get the brunt of this one. hopefully it'll bring some rain up this way. hope my family is alright.

Plese keep us updated on your families! And, those living in the Austin area, could you please keep us up on your strong windy weather. I hate the thought of your losing power because it would mean no more Spring for a while. We NEED you! Thanks.

at present, we just have some clouds in San Antonio, but nothing else. the good thing about this hurricane is that i dont have to go to work this week (i work in Corpus)!

It is an ill wind that blows no good?! It would seem that someone else's bad fortune may allow us another day with you. Happy thought, indeed! Thanks for the report, Ray. I wonder if Austin is getting any rain - or any cooler?!

How is the flooding going in Corpus area and are they letting you go home any time soon? Wolf, how is your family doing? Ray is dry in San Antonio on a forced holiday and spent some of the time with us at Spring and got me on telnet for real. Will someone with the local scoop update us on the progress of your storm. Thanks!

nope and not noticably(sp?)...

Thanks for the report for the Austin area(?) Are you still not getting any rain from this system?

Nope, there has been scarce few drops of rain, the only change we've had is increased cloudiness.

sunburn alert here...

it's been raining here since last night...but am nowhere near the gulf ;-D

Thanks Terry for the Austin update. I hope the tornadoes go elsewhere, too. (It rains upwards of 200 inches (508 Cm) a year here, so I know rain!) Thanks for the other reports as well. I guess Colorado has sun alerts year round of one sort or another - just as Hawaii does.

my parents are fine (harlingen). we got a t-storm this afternoon, but it didn't rain through the whole area...which is too bad because we really need it.

That sort of activity starts mean brush fires. Glad to hear your parents are well and dry. Thanks for the report.

we've had that and spontaneous hay fires.

Incredible. Not much gets that dry on this side of the island, but where the lava flows go into new channels through the brush, it makes for particularly nasty fires and toxic fumes.

i'll bet! even the humidity doesn't help the parched grasses. i have to water my lawn just about every night to keep the grass from going dormant (that's what it is, not dead like folks think).

We just must live right (oh sure...NOT!)God waters ours every night and shines up the leaves and makes the flowers open with dew on them...! We call our showers "dust control"

Here is a great little map of the world and its troubles with weather from http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/ Reports from Australia report tornadoes in Perth area again and cricket-ball sized hail stones in Sydney. Homes are still unrepaired, by the thousands. Thanks, AnneH for your report.

A map of the world? Where? Where? I see but a little piece of the world here.

I erred. It is the world from Hawaii on the left to the edge of Africa of the right. They do not have one for the entire world, sadly, but few hurricanes form over the land mass of Europe. They have this one, though: fromhttp://www.wunderground.com/global/EU_ST_Index.html

For a totally awesome image of Hurricane Dennis: http://lumahai.soest.hawaii.edu/gifs/atl_cam.gif

From http://www.weather.com:

So, somebody update me on the weather, pls. In the office tomorrow, it'll be overcast and cloudy... Coping with suboptimal news, putting some plan Bs up, etc. That's your Central European weather report, brought to you by superstar magazine...

Most of the maps I put on this Topic automatically update every time you check them. Europe is http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/14.71 I am looking for a WX map rather than that temperature map. but it is some indication of the weather pattern for the area. Will try to get it up by the end of this day. Please check back. Sorry about the inclement weather in your office. Sometimes, it is necessary to go through that to appreciate the sun which will inevitably shine on you in two weeks. *smile*

For those interested in European weather, this map also updates each time you boot it. http://www.weather.com/weather/sat/europesat_440x297.html

This color bar explains the image colors.

Thank you for the European maps, Marcia, they come in very handy :-)

You are most welcome - Australia next...! I love the ones that update when you log in. It makes it so much easier.

Australia's updating weather satellite map from http://www.weather.com

I expect Marcia has put some of Oz's strange weather this winter on. But it is nothing compared to some parts in the rest of the world. Sydney's baseball or cricket size hailstones I suppose has been the worst. Adelaide has had a very dry season - already the driest city in Oz and they are in some trouble. I would be most interested to know if the monsoon arrived in India this year. New Delhi seems to have been hot most of their summer season.

Thanks, Anne. Nothing like a report from "on the ground" to go with the weather map. It is hard to imagine how the rest of the world fluctuates because we are eternally springtime here all year round.

Really, I hope you keep those weather reports from the other side of the planet coming! We're still waiting for rain in these parts, it's crackling dry here. Day after day of 100 degree weather. I love it! But we could use a good gully washer.

I shall put up the pacific basin from whence your weather will begin to come as autumn sets in. You need a soaking rain of some duration. Incredible how depressing so much sun can be (especially for someone who gets upwards of 200" (508 cm) of the stuff anually! (Do you really like that much heat?!)

Good chance of some wet stuff over the holidays. What are folks doing for the holidays and what's the prediction for your area?

Nothing happening here. Just trying to recouperate from the Volleyball tournament. I would love to hike in the volcano...but I think I may be home alone - again - so I will be at the Spring again!!!

sunny. mild, lovely trades in the day and mountain air at night. Same old Same old...

i just want everyone to know that nw louisiana has received rain and cooler temps! yippeeeeeeeee!!!

Hawaiian Islands updating satellite image from http://www.weather.com

Alright wolfie got her fur wet.

the bad one looks like it's sitting on the Bahamas as we speak...

A very dpecial lady in Drool is at the moment on a laptop in a bunker in Florida riding it out for the night. It does not sound like my favorite thing to do. http://www.wunderground.com

I feel rather bad wingeing about the earthquake swarms we are having as a prelude to our next volcano outbreak...I think I would rather deal with this Hell rather than her High Water!

According to CNN, Floyd is not going to strike Florida after all, but is heading upwards to North Carolina. So Moon should be alright (I hope), but do we know anyone in N.C.?

My Dear, I was just wondering about that! Do not think FLOYD is going near anyone we are aware of. Perhaps they will volunteer some information as they emerge from underground. Has to be a bad experience, but lots better than dying!

Hey did you see that global picture I posted earlier? There's a bigger hurricane than Floyd out there in the middle of the ocean. Just a little detail I noticed, that's all.

No, I did not. Where is it???

If you check http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/news/32.69 you will see the relative proximities of the two hurrricanes. This map updates so it keeps current.

Yes, that other one is called Gert and so far is following Floyd. I do not want to think about it! Florida was by-passed, thank you all for your prayers!

Could you tell us where this bunker you were in is? Dug into your back yard? Under your Condo building? I cannot imagine, but you were computer-up for hours longer than any batteries last on most laptops! I am eyeballing Gert with suspicion. I do not trust her and she is just as big as her brother. Keep that bottled water handy! And, please keep us posted. Terry posted a neat visual water vapor map of both storms http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/news/16.14

My bunker is my home all safely tucked (I hope), under the hurricane shutters, we literally bolt ourselves in. We will keep all our supplies handy just in case Gert comes our way. It seems to be just as huge as Floyd. :-(

Happy to know that, Moon. Don't take too much of that stuff off just yet! Gert is looking Bigger than Floyd now...!

Hang in there, Moon, we think of you:-)

Take care, Moon Dreams! My best wishes...

how'd ya fare??? still raining?? blowing??

I am happy to report that all Floridians save one who was far inland have checked in safe and well, but not unbolting their storm shutters just yet. Gert is not looking good for them...will keep in touch - if they do not report here, I will attempt to keep everyone posted on their well-being. Thanks for your kind thoughts!

Ah! The Tallahassee Droolian has checked in, finally. They got nothing of the storm, and not even any rain, which is making them very unhappy...and thirsty.

Ooooh, Marcia, I love how your maps automatically update. I see our rain is finally heading east. Now, when will it warm up a bit? This is end-of-October weather we're currently having. Any minute now, I expect the doorbell to ring and some little kids to thrust their grocery bags in my face demanding candy!! And the worst part is I've actually had to turn the heat on already. :-(

There is a rule of thumb about these things...as soon as you put away all your cool clothing it gets into Indian Summer in a big way and you rumple your nice woolens. By the mid to end of this month, there should be very few warm spells, considering the latitude of Chicago and its proximity to lake effect weather. Soon! (Those maps are neat, are they not?!)

From Anne Hale in Western Australia: We have for the last two days had the strangest weather - even my server was down. Storm winds - force 10 out to sea yesterday and last night (Thursday) today heavy rain for at least six hours - I measured three inches - unbelievable for October and extraordinary. Our total rainful for the month is two inches!! But three in two days. When Denis got up this morning he had an awful shock - rain coming through the lounge ceiling and now we have a large brown patch and a small hole - but fortunately he managed to get a roof tiler to come out in the pouring rain and fix it. He bored a hole to relieve the guttering on top of the rook and charged $70 but it was worth it to save the carpet and further damage to the ceiling. Now we have to repaint, it never stops does it.

Wow, you really took a hit!

Moon Dreams is in Miami enduring another hurricane - this time it is Irene. She has lost a huge oak tree so far... AUTO-UPDATING RADAR MAP OF INTENSE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE USA from http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/Radar.html

Anne Hale reports from West Australia: ...not been on line for a while - we have had storms again this week - electricity off, trees down and a storm again today. I am almost afraid to go on line at present because of the fear of losing it all if my computer goes off.

With winter coming on, you might like to know the windchill for your locality From http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/Windchill.html

Europe Windchill Australia Heat index

From Moon Dreams in storm-battered and soaked Miami, Florida USA: Irene did not pull a Floyd and my extensive garden need major clean up. We lost two trees and part of the screen where the pool is. It was a category 1 hurricane and ironically, no one really made a big deal out of it. It happened very quickly, we did not even get the time to put up the shutters. Where I live lots of trees were up-rooted. In other areas there is flooding. We survived another one!

One man died when he drove his car into a canal thinking it was part of the street. He could not swim and drown. Four young boys out walking in the storm were electrocuted from broken electrical lines which were hidden by the high waters same happened to a woman walking her dog. Lots of areas remain without electricity and phone. The scary thing was not receiving a warning so as to prepare until it was too late to really do anything about it. Hurricane Irene was over Cuba and they predicted it would turn west towards Naples Florida, instead it went east to Miami. We survived another one!

Thanks for your report, Moon. There is nothing quite as scary as a natural disaster which sneaks up on you then beats you to a pulp. We are delighted that you survived another one. This WAS the last one for the season, was it not? You do not think weather also has a Y2K bug...!

I just scribbled all of the non-updating maps and images from this topic. All of the remaining ones keep currentm including the water vapor ones which show we are going to get hit by some thundery weather tonight or tomorrow!!!

Good luck!

Thanks - the other islands are experiencing flooding now, but this side of the last island to get it is still dry. We have everything lashed down so we are prepared.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 830 AM HST WED OCT 20 1999 *** THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM HST WEDNESDAY. *** FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... *** ALL THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS *** A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING. FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT... BUT PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS BY BEING PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN IS OBSERVED OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. *** THE KONA LOW IS NOW A LITTLE LESS THAN 600 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF KAUAI AND CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST AT 15 TO 20 MPH. SHOWERS HAVE DECREASED OVER KAUAI AND EARLY MORNING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS AROUND THE STATE HAVE BEEN RATHER LIGHT EXCEPT FOR KAUAI AND A FEW AREAS OF THE BIG ISLAND. *** THE MAIN THREAT IS NOW FROM ABUNDANT MOISTURE CARRIED NORTHWARD FROM 800 OR 1000 MILES SOUTH FROM THE INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE NEAR THE EQUATOR BY A BRANCH OF THE SUB TROPICAL JET STREAM. RADAR AND SATELLITE SHOW THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY PRECIPITATION ADVANCING TOWARD THE ISLANDS... MAINLY FROM OAHU TO THE BIG ISLAND. IT IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE OVER THESE ISLANDS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. KAUAI MAY BE AFFECTED AS WELL SINCE THIS IS A VERY BROAD AREA OF MOIST UNSTABLE AIR. *** PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA... ESPECIALLY THOSE IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG STREAMS... RIVERS... AND OTHER DRAINAGES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF HEAVY RAINS OR FLOODING OCCURS OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

We got rained upon, went up the volcano to get through the clouds and only succeeded in getting pure Mother Nature's acid rain (SO2 from the volcano mixing with the mist) - which ate at my eyes and throat until we got upwind of it. No flooding on this Island that I know of so far...but it is still 1000% humidity (at the very least) and just hanging. No breezes to move it off of our high mountains. We often get weather systems hung-up that way.

Anne Hale reports that Eastern Australia is having devastating floods and giant hail stones again. Gotta check that weather map...!

Love your maps, Marcia.

Thanks! Several people from diverse corners of the world check in here almost daily to check their weather map updates. That is lovely and makes me think I did *something* right! They were a great find!!!

Have heard from Pennsylvania that it is very cold (below freezing) and from California that it is chilly and wet. I shall be watching out for flooding conditions. Will post here when I know more.

Did you hear the south of France has had dreadful flooding in the last few days?

No, I had not heard except for a brief mention in headline news (which promptly disappeared from my head). I did note that their Weather Map was not all that promising. Lots more moisture heading for France from the Atlantic. Thanks, Maggie. I'll go check for pix and a report.

Ski lovers are under the impression that we are having severe weather... no snow...

I guess all the white stuff is falling in the New England. 30" (76 cm) have fallen on Mt. Mansfield, but that is not a lot. Is Colorado experiencing warmer than usual weather or is it simply a matter of skies too clear and no weather fronts to dump the good stuff on you? One appears to be heading your way...is just now going through Nevada and Utah.

?

"Severe" winter, according to Stacey, in the ski state of Colorado is one with NO SNOW at all! "Severe" in all other places means dire things for drivers and homeless and the Amateur Snow-Shovelling Emergency Squad (ASSES for short) which incur heart attacks clearing it out of their sidewalks. Does that answer your '?'

Good thing Stacey's impervious to any environmental extremes.

We did not get this far in the evolution of time and space without adapting. We are ingenious enough, even though we grouch a lot when it is not specifically the way we want things...too hot...too cold...too damp...too dry... We are worse than the Three Bears! (don't have the foggiest how that huge space got in there with Response 133...)

There is a hurricane in the Florida area approaching category 5 status. Check the updating weather maps for your area if you think you might be in danger.

One of the best sites for live WweatherCams is the University of Michigan'S http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/wxcam.html Check out the weather and scenery in your area or in the area where someone you know lives *smile* Donner summit in California is interesting in the winter tiime. Lots of snow and trucks impounded until the roads clear (if the name Donner is not familiar to you, ask me...) Mauna Loa Observatory on our Island is good, also, but for very different reasons.

While the Caribbean plays games with Hurricane Lenny, we have high surf warnings. It is the normal situation in the winter when we get our weather patterns flowing from west to east. Forecast For Hilo, Hi 10 Am Hst Fri Nov 19 1999 ...High Surf Advisory In Effect For North Shores... .This Afternoon...Becoming Mostly Cloudy With Widely Scattered Showers. Trade Winds 5 To 15 Mph. .Tonight...Mostly Cloudy With Widely Scattered Showers. Trade Winds Increasing To 10 To 20 Mph. .Saturday...Becoming Sunny After Morning Showers. Trade Winds 10 To 20 Mph. Temperature Hilo Airport 77 65 78 Special weather statement 8 Am Hst Fri Nov 19 1999 The National Weather Service In Honolulu Has Issued A High Surf Advisory Effective At 8 Am Hst For The North Shores Of All The Hawaiian Islands. Surf Heights Reported This Morning Along The North Shores Of Oahu And Kauai Were 8 To 10 Feet. Surf Heights Are Forecast To Remain In The 8 To 12 Foot Range Along The North Shores Of Kauai And Oahu Today And Then Slowly Decline Tonight And Saturday. Surf Heights Will Be Lower Along West Shores And Along The North Shores Of The Other Islands. A New Swell Train From More Northwesterly Directions Is Excpected To Arrive Later On Saturday. Large Surf Poses A Danger To Swimmers...Surfers...Beachgoers And Opihi Pickers Along The Affected Shores. These Beaches Should Be Avoided Until The Surf Subsides. The Next Advisory Will Be Issued At 8 Pm Hst This Evening Or Sooner If Necessary. Rosendal National Weather Service Honolulu

musta jinxed myself... six inches of snow on the ground... another four expected before sundown (although, I mentioned elsewhere that the sun hasn't really even been seen today)

(bet it woulda looked pretty...)

I heard you were really going to get a sizeable accumulation - especially in the mountains - from this storm system. Sunset is just a time it gets dark...as is sunrise when it is storming outside. We are having much the same kind of day but a whole lot warmer *smile*

bitter cold right now but the sun is shining bright so I see no reason to complain... The ground was still really warm so most of the snow on the roads melted (and froze again this a.m.) but plenty of fluffy white on the grass and trees and roofs, etc...

So you won't be as annoyed as people who get a lot of snow normally are when the rest of us are a bit jealous?

I watched the Raiders - Broncos game played in Denver last night and it was fun to see white stuff falling from the skies. Stace had better be prepared for a lot of envy between now and the New Year. I put flocked white stuff everywhere so at night I can pretend it is like it was when I was young. *sigh* I don't miss the traffic snarls, however!

nope Mark... won't annoy me at all! The first 'winter' Brandon and I were in Colorado it snowed on September 25th. I went over to his house... at 5am and made him get dressed and take a picture with me outside! I still like the white and the fluffy... and now that I have an all-wheel drive vehicle the driving in it isn't so bad either... there is just a sense of loss at losing temperate sunny days in one fell swoop with nine inches of snow and temperatures in the teens... It's funny Marcia... now that's we have Christmas seasons with snow when we go back to Texas something just doesn't seem right...

And Marcia... I was AT that game last night (working in the Team Leukemia concession stand) and I froze my bippy!!

Wow!!! Fantastic you were there (did you get to see any of it?)...and I'll bet your bippy was frozen. It is always the worst the first really cold snap of the year. Our bodies think we are playing cruel jokes on us and respond with cruel jokes of their own. Hot toddy weather, methinks! Next time there is a good accumulation, make snow angels for me. I miss being a little kid in the snow!

Well, today is pleasantly chilled in Austin.

OOoh, it really is in the 40's. I envy you. In the 70's as usual here...Sun shining after a night of gentle rain to water our plants and clean off the leaves and do general dust control...*sigh*

was 14 F this morning... has warmed up to mid 40's in the sunshine

That will melt your pretty white fluffy stuff! Then it will refreeze tonight making it really fun and games on the roadways. Or, is it too early for that in Colorado? (14�F = -10�C) (40�F = 4.44444444�C)

Temperature translations, Marcia! That is considerate! Surely it would take quite a while at mid-40s to thaw any serious snow? So long since we had any good stuff I don't remember

My pleasure on the conversion. My son got me a hand calculator which makes it very easy. I cannot stand not knowing how hot 42�C is when it sounds cold to me and they are complaining about the heat (107�F) - I do it for the non-Americans who seem to outnumber the locals. Thanks for your comments, Mark! Since Britain is surrounded by moderating seas, you do not get as much snow which looks Dickensian?!

and back to warmth... highs in the upper 50s (F) since Friday... Still snow on the north face of everything but if you stay in the sun, you don't notice!

I noted while watching the Colorado game on Saturday that most of the snow was gone with only patchy [places under the trees and on the mountains. I was rooting for you to win the game - not much love for Nebraska from this Penn Stater. I am sure the ski resorts would appreciate a good blizzard about now!

The resorts have still been getting snow... evidently they had enough last week to generate quite a few happy faces over Thanksgiving. The high country gets and maintains their snow until the weather warms up for good!

This is true...and I am very happy for the most beautiful state I have ever visited. I miss winter and autumn, my very most favorite season!

It was a very loud night in Hilo. Much lightning and resulting thunder and buckets of rain as noted below. That means snow on our mountains. The only time we get snow up there is when we have thunder storms. They are the only precipitation-inducing clouds we get which are high enough to snow on the tops of the mountains. BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 2 AM HST THU DEC 2 1999 ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM HST FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... ON NORTH AND EAST HAWAII INCLUDING THE HILO AND PUNA DISTRICTS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING. PERSONS ON NORTH AND EAST HAWAII SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NOW TO PROTECT PROPERTY AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN IS OBSERVED OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. NOW THAT THE GROUND IS SATURATED IN MOST OF NORTH AND SOUTH HILO AND PUNA...ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MAY RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. SATELLITE AND WEATHER RADAR SHOW MORE THUNDERSTORMS OVER WATER EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF THE BIG ISLAND. FLASH FLOODING MAY OCCUR IF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OVER LAND. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER...MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. ESCAPE RISING WATER BY GOING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN A FLOOD EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION. CRAIG NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

You and John are on high ground, I hope!

John teaches at the high school across the street from the Athletic Complex of UHHilo so is pretty high and as dry as anyone is going to be today. He lives in a condo on overlooking Hilo Bay and is well fortified against the elements. I am well above sea level and the yard is surrounded by a drainage "moat" which empties uner the street and goes down across the golf course and eventually into Hilo Bay. That "moat" is usually a mowed and grassy slope which is quite pretty, or partly a stone wall...with a offee tree growing in it at present time - the gift of the last flooding rains we had.

What is fun is listening to the public works road crews - they speak a language which is a whole nuther thing to English. It is very picturesque and semi-pidgin English with some Hawaiiand and Japanese mixed in for good measure. It is an adventure to listen to them (on scanner, of course.)

Check this picture for true snow in paradise. It IS snowing on Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. This is from the 9,000 foot level (2743M) level on Mauna Loa

This picture is Mauna Kea with snow on the top from Mauna Loa. The camera is located atop the buildings in the previous photograph.

Fantastic! But why am I so surprised - high mountains will get snow however tropically situated. Madeira is the same.

I guess no one ever imagines Hawaii as having mountains that high. They think we are a single funnel-shaped volcano with a palm tree sticking out of the side and white beach all around the perimeter. Not so. This island is 200 sq miles (518 sq Km)and has green, black, brown and some white beaches...and mountains high enough to have snow on them right now!

Cooler weather headed this way. It's been delightful for a long, long time here.

I've noted your spring/fall weather rather jealously. Do you ever get snow on the ground in Austin.

Lets see if these update: For Austin and vicinity

Fierce Winter Storms Ravage Northern Europe COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Fierce winter storms left at least 17 people dead and scores injured across northern Europe on Saturday, as well as causing millions of dollars of damage and severely disrupting power and transport. Emergency officials said a series of storms packing gale force winds and heavy rain or snow rolled eastward from Britain on Friday afternoon, causing devastation across Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and the Baltic states overnight. Denmark appeared hardest hit and officials there said six people were killed and many injured in the country's most powerful storm this century. Material damage was estimated at more than one billion crowns ($134.5 million), the Danish Insurance Information Service said. ``This is the worst storm in Denmark this century,'' an official at the Danish Meteorological Institute said on DR1 television. Rescue officials logged more than 4,000 reports of damage to buildings, mainly shattered windows and torn off roofs, DR1 said. THREE KILLED IN NORTHERN POLAND In northern Poland, falling trees killed three people early on Saturday as 62 mph winds swept across the country, downing power and telephone lines, damaging houses and wreaking havoc with road and rail transport. A giant 345 foot crane capable of lifting 900 tons was toppled into the sea at a shipyard in the Baltic port of Gdynia. Rail connections between Warsaw and the Baltic cities of Szczecin and Gdansk were cut by falling trees, the news agency PAP reported. Air traffic at northern airports was badly disrupted. ``Many homes are cut off from the world, without power or electricity,'' the agency said. Casualty figures are expected to rise as more information arrived from outlying areas, police officials said. In Sweden, three people were killed and more than 125,000 households and businesses were left without power when the storm swept southern and central regions. Power companies said every effort was being made to restore power in the Skane region, Dalsland and Nykoping but about 70,000 households remained without power on Saturday afternoon. The storm halted traffic at Swedish airports and ferry terminals. Several train services were also cancelled. OFFICIALS HOPEFUL FOR TRAPPED LATVIAN FISHERMEN In Latvia, officials at the port of Liepaja said they were hopeful that six men trapped under their capsized fishing vessel since before dawn could survive a another night of crashing waves and near freezing water. ``We wouldn't speculate what the odds of survival are but we sincerely hope that there could be people still alive inside the wreck,'' a port official told Reuters. He said the water temperature was about 35.60 degrees Fahrenheit with winds of 18 miles per hour. He added the waves remained strong and winds were expected to reach 55 miles per hour overnight. Lithuanian media reported a 13-year-old boy had been crushed to death after strong winds toppled the chimney of his house in the western region of Shilute. A 76-year-old Hamburg man died and 16 others were hurt in Germany, officials reported. Strong winds, which reached up to 110 mph, ripped off roofs, and flooding raised the sea level 19 feet in Hamburg. On Friday, three people were killed when a large tree fell onto traffic as gales swept central England. Rain, snow and heavy winds also caused serious travel problems in Scotland.

well marcia, thanks for the snow pics in hawaii because i would've been hard-pressed to believe it (and i know mountains in tropical zones get snow!!) we've got rain and cooler temps. it's beginning to feel like christmas (for Louisiana that is). but it's been sooooo muggy.

You have my commiseration on the humidity front. It has rained for so long everything I own aches - including inanimate objects and my refirgerator is sweating - I hate that! If we wanted to be in a really huge traffic jam we'd go up the mountain with some plywood or a sheet of galvanized metal and slide on the snow. But, we don't so we didn't... This is about as Christmassy as Hawaii gets, as well.

Where in Looziana are you? Gimme a town so I can put it on my weather program and see how you're doing.

Bossier City--and it's raining cats and dogs. there was some wind damage over in Marshal Texas but all the bad weather is moving east.

Ah...that band of bad weather on the above images (Response 170) are going eastward. I guess you are in the middle of it right about now...Keep warm and dry, Wolfie!!!

Oh, bummer!!! You have a tornado watch in effect. Sheesh! Hunker down, Dear. We cannot afford to have any Wolfies visiting Oz!

Oh good! The Response 170 weather maps of Austin and Texas in general update. I can keep watch over you now!

well, you can see that we are having a clear night, those temps are gonna drop. and it's been cold all day! *woohoo* feels like Christmas. now if i could just get the icicle lights on the outside of the house!

Oooh...you got those lovely dangly ones...they are very popular over here as it is the only time it looks like Christmas. In the daytime all of the green leaves and flowers show and it looks like summer! Looks like you are gonna have good weather and cold nights for a while - just about the entire country is cloud-free!

Chilly Willy!!! 20 degrees here.

That's getting down to the seriously cold...(-6.7�C) Almost "take a friend to bed to stay warm" temperatures! How cold does Austin get actually?

back into the high 40s yesterday and today... cold front tonight w/ a few inches of snow and highs only in the 20s tomorrow... I'll be in Hawaii in 3 1/2 days!

The weather will be lovely for you. Bring your surf board: Forecast For Hilo, Hi 4 Am Hst Tue Dec 7 1999 ...High Surf Advisory In Effect For North And West Shores... .Today...Brief Mainly Morning Showers. Frequently Sunny In The Afternoon. High In The Upper 70S. Trades 10 To 25 Mph. .Tonight...Brief Showers. Low In The Mid 60S. Variable Wind 5 To 15 Mph. .Wednesday...Mostly Cloudy With A Few Showers. High In The Upper 70S. Trades 10 To 25 Mph. Special weather statement 830 Am Hst Tue Dec 7 1999 ...A High Surf Advisory Is In Effect For The North And West Shores Of All Hawaiian Islands... Another Northwest Swell Generated Several Days Ago By A Storm In The North Pacific Will Arrive At Hawaii Today. Surf Along The North Shores Of Kauai And Oahu Will Rise To 12 To 18 Feet This Morning While West Shores Will See 8 To 12 Foot Surf. Somewhat Lower Surf Will Arrive Along The North And West Shores Of The Other Islands By Early Afternoon. The Surf Will Lower Wednesday But The High Surf Advisory Will Likely Remain In Effect. Beachgoers Are Urged To Stay Out Of The Water And Well Away From The Shorebreak Due To The Suddenly Rising Waves And Riptide Action. The Next Issuance Will Be At 830 Pm Hst Or Sooner If Needed. Craig National Weather Service Honolulu State Extended Forecast .Thursday Through Saturday...Increasing Showers Both Windward And Leeward. Chance Of Locally Heavy Showers. Trade Winds 20 To 3O Mph And Gusty Becoming 10 To 20 Mph Friday And Turning Southeast 5 To 15 Mph Saturday. Lows Upper 60S To Lower 70S. Highs Upper 70S To Mid 80S.

I did not send you any information because what tourism stuff we get here is so old and miserable, you are better off stopping by one of this kiosks at the airport and picking up a bunch for Honolulu, Oahu and whatever else interests you. Tomorrow, another weather update for you - and you can access our updating weather maps for the islands further up on these Responses.

the road were nice a clean from the last snow dumping we had but the snow was still hanging around on the grass... we got five inches over night and they expect up to 12 more this afternoon... 2 1/2 days and counting... pulled the bikini out... and the shorts and tank tops!

Kinda cool, cloudy, rainy and muggy 'round these hyar parts.

Bring sunblock, Stace! Even if it is cloudy, you're gonna burn in that radiation! Especially with all the tender parts emposed by that bikini...! (I have experienced same and have aloe vera plants growing all over - after the fact.) Austin's temp and humidity is almost like Hilo's today but we have trade winds starting and a blue sky, so it will be most pleasant later. Still high surf... Betcha don't get hardly any of those warnings in Austin! Forecast For Honolulu, Hi 10 Am Hst Wed Dec 8 1999 ...A High Surf Advisory Is In Effect For North And West Shores... .Today...Partly Sunny And Windy With A Few Showers. Gusty Trades 20 To 30 Mph. .Tonight And Thursday...Continued Windy With Brief Showers. Gusty Trades 20 To 30 Mph. Temperature Honolulu Airport 83 72 83 Kaneohe Mcbh 80 72 80 Makaha 81 71 81 Wahiawa 76 64 76 Special weather statement 830 Am Hst Wed Dec 8 1999 ...A High Surf Advisory Is In Effect For The North And West Shores Of All Hawaiian Islands... Surf Along All North And West Shores Will Be Lower Today...And The Downward Trend In Surf Heights Will Continue Through Thursday. The Forecast Calls For Surf Along The Northwest Facing Shores Of Kauai And Oahu To Be 6 To 10 Feet Today. Surf On The Other Islands Will Be Foot Or Two Lower. Beachgoers Are Urged To Stay Well Away From The Shorebreak Due To The Suddenly Rising Waves And Riptide Action. The Next Issuance Will Be At 830 Pm Hst Or Sooner If Needed. Craig National Weather Service Honolulu State Extended Forecast .Friday Through Sunday...Increasing Showers...Some Possibly Heavy. Trades 10 To 20 Mph Becoming Southeast 10 To 20 Mph Saturday And Sunday. Lows In The Upper 60S To Lower 70S. Highs Near 80.

Stacey's doing Hawaii?

Tomorrow, I think...The Honolulu Marathon is this weekend! It is now raining outside...but cool!

Gonna check to see if it will be live on the net....

Check http://virt-340.connix.com/chapters/southeastern/HonoluluMarathon.html for everythihng you ever wanted to know about the Honolulu Marathon on Dec 12th

RACE DAY NOTICE: The 1999 Honolulu Marathon will be held on Sunday, December 12th starting at 5 AM (HST). Unofficial results for the mens' champion and top mens' finishers will be posted to this website as soon as they come in from the finish line (sometime between 7:15 and 7:30 AM HST). Unofficial results for the womens' champion and top womens' finishers will also be posted as soon as they come in from the finish line (sometime between 7:40 and 7:50 AM HST). Other unofficial results will be posted and updated as they come in throughout the morning. Official results for all finishers will be posted to a searchable database when they become available. Local radio station KGU 760 AM will broadcast the Honolulu Marathon live from 5 to 8 AM on race day. Traffic to this website will increase more than 10 fold on race day and throughout the post-race week. With thousands of simultaneous hits, you may experience slow performance. Your patience is appreciated. Mahalo!

The above from the official Honolulu Marathon website http://www.honolulumarathon.org/

go stacey!!

(was gonna say "break a leg" for good luck...but thought the better of it...!)

Weather forecast for the Honolulu Marathon which begins at 5am HST (9am Austin) Metric | English | Both Updated: 06:53 PM HST on December 11, 1999 Observed at Temperature 74� F HeatIndex 72� F Humidity 91% Dewpoint 71� F Wind East at 6 mph Pressure 30.00 in Conditions Light Rain Visibility 8 miles Hourly Precipitation 0.010 in Sunrise 6:58 AM (HST) Sunset 5:53 PM (HST) Moon Rise 10:41 AM (HST) Moon Set 10:08 PM (HST) Moon Phase Historical Conditions Add this page to your Favorites. Add this sticker to your homepage! Honolulu, Hawaii 74� F Light Rain at 6:53 PM (Click for forecast) Forecast as of 4:00 pm HST on December 11, 1999 High surf advisory in effect for north and west shores... Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain...some locally heavy. Chance of thundershowers. Southeast wind 10 to 25 mph. Sunday Cloudy with occasional rain...some locally heavy. Chance of thundershowers. Southeast wind 10 to 25 mph.

Forecast For Honolulu, Hi 830 Pm Hst Fri Dec 10 1999 ...Flash Flood Watch In Effect Until 5 Am Saturday... ...High Surf Advisory In Effect For North And West Shores... .Tonight...Showers...Some Locally Heavy With A Chance Of A Thunderstorm. Southeast Winds 10 To 20 Mph. .Saturday...Mostly Cloudy With A Few Mainly Windward Showers. Chance Of A Heavy Shower Or Thundershower. Southeast Wind 10 To 20 Mph. .Saturday Night And Sunday...Mostly Cloudy. Showers Mainly Windward With A Chance Of Heavy Showers. Southeast Winds 10 To 20 Mph. . Temperature Honolulu Airport 73 81 73 81 Kaneohe Mcbh 74 79 74 79 Makaha 70 81 70 81 Wahiawa 65 74 65 74 State Extended Forecast .Monday Through Wednesday...Partly Cloudy With Showers Mainly Windward. Chance Of Heavy Showers Kauai And Oahu. East Winds 10 To 20 Mph Except Becoming Southeast 10 To 20 Mph Tuesday Over Kauai And Oahu. Highs Near 80. Lows In The Upper 60S.

I woke up at 4:30am this morning and listed to the start of the Honolulu Marathon. The weather is as big a part of the story as the runners today. They are saying it is the worst race conditions since 1987 with torrential downpours and gusty winds. Monsoon conditions - on this Island as well. The race favorites, the Ethiopians are falling behind and the Russian women ( but not including our own Tinianovna) are running strongly and in front of the pack. Poor Stace, this is Not the way to start your ca eer in Marathoning. However, she is not alone; Thousands are running for the benefit of cancer research in diverse areas. They have raised many thousands of dollars for their cause - a truly meritorious reason for pounding your pedal extremities to a pulp. Go Stace!

Hurrah for Stacey! :-)

Lots more about her in the race in Fitness conf topic 15. I posted all sorts of things there yesterday including her order of finish.

For Anne Hale in Western Australia I post this Weather map which I hope updates: And, the satellite image: http://cnn.com/WEATHER/html/PerthAustralia.html

There are two cyclones in these weather maps. Good luck, Dear! Keep us posted! Anne wrote earlier today: We have a catogory five cyclone coming down the coast and the news media is saying the worst Australia has ever faced - think of the people in the North West tonight and early tomorrow morning - perhaps Spring will be interested. Anne

Take care, Anne!

From Anne as regards Cyclone John: Fortunately it is hundred's of miles from us and will only cause humidity and heat here in Perth. Karratha it seems will escape the worst of it. They were expecting huge tides but providentially it is expected to cross the coast at low tide. Most of the people of the town have been evacuated to higher ground. Fortunately too if it moves a little further down the coast it will cross over in a unpopulated area - an answer to prayer I believe. I shall keep you informed if anything further occurs. Anne

Oh Anne...your posts are disappearing on you again. I wish I could figure out what was the matter!

From Anne Hale: Marcia the cyclone has crossed the coast at a very small settlement called Whims Creek - it packed winds of 300ks an hour and has been confirmed as the strongest cyclone ever in Australia - or at least since records began. Port Hedland a large mining town has closed down and there is bad flooding etc. happening up there. There are no reports yet of damage or loss of life. Hopefully all reached higher ground and housed safely in schools etc. in the area. Thanks again for your concern. Anne

300 ks = 186.4 mph. A brisk wind indeed! Thanks Anne. Let us know if you hear anything further.

Cyclone John Hits West Australian Coast PERTH (Reuters) - Destructive gale-force winds lifted roofs from houses and cut communications as Cyclone John pounded towns on Australia's isolated northwest coast on Wednesday. The cyclone crossed the coast of Western Australia around 9.00 a.m. near the tiny settlement of Whim Creek, cutting off communications. Gerry Blum, a state emergency services official at the coastal town of Karratha, said houses had been damaged and power was down in the towns of Point Samson, Roebourne and Wickham, which collectively have a population of about 3,000 people. ``There are reports of substantial damage coming in from those areas and we are organizing a team to go out there to see what the situation is,'' Blum said. Whim Creek, one of many isolated towns in the state's Pilbara mining region, has a hotel, petrol station, and only a handful of miners and prospectors living in the settlement. ``When the conditions are right we will send a helicopter up to Whim Creek and see what is happening up there because we have lost contact with the people there,'' Blum said. About 400 people from the town of Karratha, which has a population of about 6,000, were on Tuesday moved into emergency shelters amid fears huge tides could devastate low-lying areas. ``Fortunately the cyclone did not come into Karratha as predicted, at the last moment it veered off to the east,'' Blum said. RED ALERT REMAINS Residents in Karratha were not yet permitted to return to their homes on Wednesday morning as the region remained on red alert amid fears conditions could still worsen. The cyclone, the most severe category five storm with winds gusting up to 290 kph, has caused iron ore operations to close and shut-down offshore oil production. The northwest coastal region of Western Australia is typically threatened by several cyclones each season. Cyclone John was the strongest cyclone to hit the coast since Cyclone Vance destroyed a third of the tiny fishing town of Exmouth earlier this year. Cyclone Warning Center spokesman Bryan Boase said the cyclone had hit the coast near Whim Creek as a category five cyclone with gusts stronger than the 167 mph level recorded by the destructive cyclone Vance. ``We haven't got any measuring gear there but we would estimate, as forecast, gusts around 290 kph. It is pretty substantial,'' he told Reuters. ``It is certainly right up there with Vance.'' Boase said the cyclone had now been downgraded to a category four cyclone, defined as having wind speeds from 225 kph to 279 kph, and would progressively weaken as it moved inland. Australian mining and energy companies continued to shut operations on Wednesday as Cyclone John passed overhead, with iron ore miner North Ltd closing its Pannawonica mine in the Pilbara. Woodside Petroleum said its North Rankin gas platform off the coast had escaped damage while the Cossack Pioneer oil production ship had stopped production and was sailing west to avoid the squalls. The Insurance Council of Australia said insured losses from the cyclone could be about A$300 million (US$192 million), the same as Cyclone Vance.

Severe dust storm here. Blew in from West Texas. It's eery and spooky. We just ain't seen dust like this in these parts. That's why a lot of West Texas folks moved to Austin, to escape the dusty conditions. Rare!

How long does this stuff hang in the air after the wind stops, Terry? Sounds miserable! Is it gritty or fine and power-like? From Anne Hale on the aftermath of Cyclone John Marcia on our news just to hand - no one hurt, some damage, Whim Creek people managed to save themselves in and old iron container from and old ship. Cyclone suddenly veered off and went inland at a small township of just 12 people who as I said managed to shelter in an old container. The other towns had some damage but not casualties heavy rain, some flooding but everyone okay. Another cyclone Ilsa due in a couple of days hopefully not so destructive. Perth is okay. We may get some of the rain on Sunday but as I said before - heat and humidity but main populated areas safe. Anne Thank you to everyone for their concern.

It didn't hang around very long. We're back to normal now.

Excellent news. Back to breathing air you cannot see? Scary stuff!!!

Yep. We got dusted and now it's back to normal. The folks that moved here from West Texas to escape the dust got an eerie reminder of their roots.

Like they tell me when it rains on my visits to Sunny California, they musta brought it with them. BTW, What is "normal" for Texas? I have heard so many stories...

There's a major cold front heading this way, you can feel it in the air.

I posted your WX report and chill warnings in Austin News. Going to be in the teens and icy roads a real possibility. Please be careful out there!

cold and cold and super cold here... only in the twenties but there is some humidity in the air (very rare) which makes it feel like negative 273 Kelvin!

Are you sure you don't mean Celsius? It probably does feel about that cold, though. Sears the lungs and freezes up your nose. Not a good place for me this week, I think!

Nope, I meant Kelvin... of course I know we'd all be dead if it were either... so I was kinda stretching the truth.

Yup! Especially since on the Kelvin scale absolute zero means all molecular activity is stopped. No orbiting electrons, no nothing! (I knew you knew!) *lol* That IS cold!!!

Venezuelan Flood Toll Rises to 10,000 Amid Looting LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (Reuters) - The death toll from mudslides and flash floods that swamped Venezuela's Caribbean coast last week rose to at least 10,000 on Monday, as hundreds of desperate survivors ransacked the main cargo port. Troops fired shots into the air at La Guaira port as disheveled looters, many barefoot, broke into containers and escaped with children's toys, work tools and fine imported foods such as smoked salmon and Swiss cheese. While some hungrily devoured their bounty sitting on the mud-caked streets, troops pinned about eight youths face down, their hands clasped behind their necks. The streets around the port teemed with people left behind by a massive air, land and sea evacuation of the coastal Vargas state which was devastated by torrential rains that lashed the South American country last week. ``Definitely it won't be less than 10,000 dead,'' Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel told Reuters. At a news conference later, Rangel said the death toll could reach 20,000, adding that ``any figure we give is more in the realm of speculation than reality.'' The death toll would make it Venezuela's worst ever natural disaster. It would also surpass the 9,000 people killed in Central America by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Authorities have recovered 1,500 bodies, Rangel said. ''There are bodies in the sea, bodies buried under mud, bodies everywhere,'' he added. U.S. GENERAL ``SHAKEN'' BY DAMAGE About 350,000 people lived in Vargas, an area just north of the capital Caracas about half the size of the smallest U.S. state Rhode Island. Along a 60-mile (100-km) stretch of coast, landslides and raging rivers buried entire towns under yards (meters) of earth, boulders and rubble, leaving tall buildings marooned in a sea of now rock-hard debris. U.S. military Southern Command chief Gen. Charles Wilhelm said he was ``shaken'' by what he saw after an overflight of the disaster area to assess humanitarian needs. ``The extent of the damage is indeed massive and it is obvious that a very, very large effort will be required to achieve recovery,'' he told reporters. Officials said reconstruction would run into billions of dollars and take several years. The Caracas stock market fell 8.8 percent over the impact on the recession-bound economy. About 200,000 people were made homeless by the floods which affected the entire northern coast, from the tourist island of Margarita to the western Zulia state bordering Colombia. With officials hinting that most of Vargas state would have to be razed, President Hugo Chavez said survivors would be moved to new settlements built in the interior of the country. ``Now comes the task of convincing people of the need to go to safer places, it won't be easy,'' he said during a visit to a Caracas sports hall sheltering more than 1,000 people. Dressed in the military fatigues he has worn since the crisis broke on Dec. 15, the former paratrooper said the government had enough land to accommodate everyone. ``Don't ask me how long it will take, but we start work today,'' he said, adding that 5,000 newly built houses were ready to be occupied. CHAVEZ: ``ADOPT A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS'' Chavez said army barracks would house refugees and called on the rich to ``adopt a family for Christmas.'' Leading by example, he took in at La Casona presidential residence dozens of young children orphaned by the floods. Evacuation of Vargas continued in a massive air-and-sea military rescue operation involving 12,000 troops, about 40 helicopters and several warships. Most towns along the coast were virtually deserted as the government tried to avoid epidemics caused by blocked drains, absence of running water and rotting corpses. ``The operation is house-to-house ... with dogs ... we're going to comb the entire area,'' Chavez said. Soldiers patrolled the rubble strewn coastal streets, searching for those still reluctant to leave. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed to combat widespread looting and theft. At the once plush resort town of Caraballeda, long lines of people waited under a blazing sun and waded up to their chests to board a naval ship designed to transport tanks and troops. Soldiers carried some aboard on stretchers. Flanked by the towering Avila mountain range, Vargas houses the country's main cargo port and international airport and contained some of the country's most popular beaches. Officials said the airport would be closed for at least another week and maybe as long as a month. Some international flights were being diverted via regional airports.

hey people, we may get some snow (ok, louisiana snow--it's called ice, but it'll do in a pinch!). it's real cold out there. now watch it be 70 deg on Christmas Day! oh, how did you do stacey? i somehow missed the whole thing. did go to the site that marcia posted and looked for your name on last year's list. perhaps, i should go again?

It is frozen water? Falls from the sky from God's hands to your yard? It works for me! Wolfie, did I confuse you with my syntax or lack thereof? I meant I posted the Weather for Austin (since she would be visiting in TX over the holidays) and mistakenly said "yours" instead. Sorry!!!

no, didn't catch it *grin*

...I am totally lost...but that's not that unusual. Must have the Y2K flu which shut off my mental computer...

now i'm confused! *heehee* start over? hi, i'm wolfie and we might get some snow in looooziana tonight *aaawwww heeee*

It works for me... Musta been from all that dreaming of a white-stuff Christmas (Where did you lose Stace?)

i dunno, somewhere where you all were talking about how well she did in the race.

fitness...I'll email you the URL for that. Ah so! Lightbulb is lighted! *Whew*

I post the following and add my concern for MarkG's well-being. Please check in with us as soon as you get to a handy computer! Scores Evacuated As Southern England Hit by Storms LONDON (Reuters) - Scores of Britons were evacuated from their homes and more than 5,000 houses were without electricity as gales and heavy rain lashed southern Britain on Christmas Day, officials said. Flood warnings were issued for 60 rivers in the southwestern counties of Cornwall and Devon. High tides forced police to evacuate 200 residents in east Sussex one of the worst-hit coastal areas -- but they were later able to return to their homes. Gales brought down power lines, knocking out supplies to about 4,000 homes in East Anglia in eastern England and 1,500 homes in south Wales. The Environment Agency said a change in wind direction and an easing of the rain had helped prevent worse problems. ``Although we expect showers today, conditions are much better than they were 24 or 36 hours ago,'' a spokesman said. ``River levels are very high all over Devon and Cornwall and across the south coast, but tides should start to decrease later in the afternoon,'' he said. Londoners were battered by strong winds and rain overnight but awoke to better weather on Christmas morning. ``There was some flooding in the Thames region with damage to lowland and farmland areas,'' said the spokesman. ``A lot of rivers have peaked, but the worst is likely over.'' The stormy weather played havoc with shipping off Britain's coasts, prompting several coastguard authorities to issue warnings. A crewman died on Friday from injuries sustained when raging seas swamped a cargo ship off England's southwest coast. On the northwest coast, a five-month-old baby was among six people airlifted by an air force helicopter from a stricken Dutch coaster.

Storms in Europe Kill More Than 50 People PARIS (Reuters) - Tornado-force winds up to 120 mph lashed western Europe over the Christmas weekend, killing up to 53 people, including two in a ski gondola brought down in the Swiss Alps. The gales disrupted rail services, blocked roads and closed both Paris airports for several hours on Sunday. Euro Disney (EDLP.PA) closed its Disneyland Paris theme park because of fears about the safety of visitors. Up to 28 deaths were reported in France, two of them when a roof collapsed on a family gathered for Christmas lunch. A woman was blown into Le Havre harbor and drowned. Others were crushed in their cars by falling trees. About 200 people were reported injured. Gales gusted to 60 mph in low lying area of Switzerland, and up to 120 mph atop the Jungfrau peak. TEENAGERS DIE IN SKI CABIN In the ski resort of Crans Montana, a 13-year-old German boy and an 18-year-old Belgian girl were killed when a tree crashed into a cable and sent their ski gondola plunging to the ground. Swiss media reported at least eight other weather-related deaths, including an elderly man blown to his death south of Zurich while trying to repair his roof. In the central village of Kandergrund, locals told how freak winds left a trail of destruction, tearing off roofs, wrecking buildings and flattening forests. ``It is dreadful, what this storm has done in such a short time,'' said Peter Roesti, head of the local community. Zurich airport was operating on Sunday but with delays. FALLEN TREES CAUSE CHAOS IN GERMANY In southwestern Germany at least 12 people died, many of them in road accidents caused by fallen trees, including three occupants of a car hit by a tree in a village near Ettlingen. The weather delayed flights in Stuttgart and Munich, disrupted trains to and from Switzerland and brought down power lines. Officials estimated the damage at millions of marks (dollars). Some 1.5 million French homes were without electricity, French media reported. Half a dozen people were seriously injured in Paris by falling walls or collapsing roofs. Three huge cranes were blown over in separate areas of Paris. Nearly all commuter train services to and from the suburbs were shut down, along with seven of the city's 14 Metro lines. Police even barred cars and pedestrians from the Champs Elysees because of flying roof tiles. Incoming flights to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports were diverted to Brussels, Lyon and other West European cities. The airports partly reopened in the afternoon as the winds moved eastwards. High tides and the threat of floods forced about 300 people out of homes along the south coast of England on Christmas Day. Three people have died in weather-related incidents in Britain since Christmas Eve. The storm hampered the work of firemen, soldiers and hundreds of volunteers trying to save beaches on France's Atlantic coast from dense oil spilled when the tanker Erika sank on December 12. In Austria eight people were injured, two seriously, when a British bus skidded off a snow-covered road and tumbled 15 yards down a mountainside in Tyrol. The ferocious weather was moving east but had not yet reached the Balkans, where people in Kosovo and Serbia are ill prepared to face it. Many in Kosovo live in make-shift shelter because their houses were destroyed during this year's March-to-June war. Many Serbians have scant heat for their homes because international trade sanctions restrict fuel supplies.

Europe mopping up after second hurricane in a couple of days hit France. 3 million still without electricity, not expected to be back on until new year. 2/3 of France reported to be affected by storm damage. Swathes of tress flattened, versailles lookes like a demolition site, don't know about damage to the palace. Current total 130 dead in storms and avalanches across mainland Europe. Austria badly hit by avalanches. Southern Britain still mopping up after severe flooding. Thames barrier raised for fi e consecutive tides (usually only raised three times a year).

...and it is now slamming into the Czech Republic as it wakes its way eastward. Wonder if this will be the storm of the millenniumn?!

Maggie, how are you doing in Britain? Did you have to evacuate? Did you lose some lovely old trees?

Lucie was asking about Portugal's status on Drool. Any info Marcia? But now that I read the news story above about the situation in the alps, we have Moon to worry about now. I'm pretty sure they were in Chamonix. :-(

Gi just posted this on Topic 4: Response 31 of 32: Gi (patas) * Tue, Dec 28, 1999 (14:54) * 1 lines There have been showers and some wind at different times here in Lisbon and in Albufeira. We were afraid the storm would hit us for New Year's Eve but I checked the weather channel online just now and it is supposed to get better for friday.

Good news about Gi. Any news on the French alps?

Maggie mentioned in fitness that the Thames spilled over its banks and flooded a park near to her gym... but she says the ducks love it!

Thanks for posting that. Scary! From Anne Hale in Western Australia: Today is going to be over a 100 degrees with a possibility of thunderstorms - tomorrow, 100, and the same on Saturday. This is one of the worst heat waves we have suffered in years and no end in sight. A blocking high in the Australian Bight is the cause. Well at least we don't have flooding, Melbourne has been awash. (100� F = 37.8� C)

I hope we get an update soon from Ree about weather conditions in Europe, it's been pretty intense over there.

I was hoping she would check in over the holidays. The reports from Zurich were not as bad as from other places...but it sure would be mice to hear from her! We are worried!

It would be exceedingly nice to hear from Ree.

....and exceedingly reassuring! One of our sisters is missing...our family is not complete!

Since all things Earth are affected by things Solar, keeping a watch on Sun Spots is a science in itself...including an interest by meteorologists: This updates and you can watch the sun rotate by watching it often...

Thousands Without Power Following Kentucky Storms OWENSBORO, Ky. (Reuters) - Thousands of homes were without power on Tuesday and storm debris littered streets and yards following a tornado that ripped through Owensboro and other parts of western Kentucky. The local power company, Owensboro Municipal Utilities, said it might take as long as five days to restore electricity to about 5,000 households in this town of 54,000 that were still blacked out following the Monday evening twister which snapped off dozens of power poles. Some of the most serious damage occurred at Kentucky Wesleyan University where the roof of the president's house was ripped off and nearly every building on campus suffered some damage. The campus was largely empty because students had not returned from Christmas break. No official damage estimates were available but about 50 houses were destroyed and many others damaged. There were several injuries though no deaths were blamed on the tornado in Owensboro. One man died near Paducah, Kentucky, when his truck was swept off a road by floodwaters from heavy rains that accompanied the storm front. The same storm system dumped heavy snow from parts of Kansas northeastward to Wisconsin and lower Michigan. There were also reports of tornadoes Monday in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Frigid air spilling down from Canada was chasing away unseasonal warmth from the East Coast. In the upper Midwest temperatures were falling and lows around zero Fahrenheit (-17.7 C) were forecast Tuesday night.

Thanks for the concern at #223, Marcia. Saw no evidence of flooding, as I had evacuated to Dublin before Christmas. Most of Northern mainland Europe had their highest winds of the century in its last week.

Marcia, I was travelling into France on the worst day of all Dec. 26. The wrath of God decended on La France with high winds, snow storms, floods and even an oil leak on the coast of Bretagne. In Paris there were 30 dead from high winds. All their New Years decorations were brought down and they said the Eiffel Tower's fireworks at midnight were delayed because of it. Sacre bleu! My DH says it happened to La Grand France because they put sugar in their wines and butter and cream in their food. There's a true Italian!

Wow, Europe went out of the century like a lion. Those winds must have been fearsome to behold.

Happy safe return to the European contingent. It is very good to hear from you! I hope the strong winds are lashing rain is out of the system for this winter! Thames Barrier up 5 days in one week! Unprescidented!! Moon...I love your DH's rationalization of the terrible winds and suffering which France underwent. Imagine sugaring wine? Bleah! As for their sauces, it is to hide miserable excuses for meat, according to my unbiased English grandfather. The Tour d'Eiffel was spectacular when it finally went off!

Yeah, but they still didn't put a man on the moon, did they? ;=}

True...true...!

Since this will be read in News as well as Geo I shall post this information here hoping for the widest coverage: Lunar Eclipse Photography by Fred Espenak (c)1999 by Fred Espenak. All rights reserved. Photographing an eclipse of the Moon is fun and easy. You don't even have to worry about special filters to protect your eyes or your camera. Unlike eclipses of the Sun, eclipses of the Moon are perfectly safe to watch with the naked eye. A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon passes directly through Earth's dark shadow. This can only occur during full Moon. Since we have a Full Moon every 29 and 1/2 days, you'd think we would have a lunar eclipse once a month. Unfortunately, the Moon's orbit is tipped 5 degrees with respect to Earth's orbit around the Sun. As a result, a lunar eclipse can only happen when Full Moon occurs as the Moon passes through Earth's orbital plane. This occurs once or twice every year and the resulting eclipse can be seen from the half of the Earth experiencing night. Watching and photographing an eclipse of the Moon is a relaxing activity since it progresses at a relatively leisurely pace. The eclipse begins as a small notch slowly appears along one edge of the Moon. During the next hour or so, the Moon gradually dips deeper into Earth's dark umbral shadow. If the eclipse is a total one, the last remaining minutes of the partial phases can be quite dramatic and beautiful. The crescent of the Moon grows thinner as darkness propagates through a night sky now deprived of moonlight. If you're away from city lights, the Milky Way becomes bright and beautiful as the total phase begins. It's quite a remarkable sight. The Star Trail Technique Perhaps the simplest way to photograph an eclipse is to use the "star trail" method. You'll need a tripod and a camera which accepts a cable release allowing you to make time exposures on the bulb setting. A 50mm lens works fine but a wide angle lens (35mm or 28mm) is a better choice for this technique. Choose a moderate speed film (e.g.: ISO 100 or 200), and an aperture of f/8 or f/11. As the eclipse begins, place the Moon's image in one corner of your camera's viewfinder. Your camera should be oriented so that the Moon's image will move across your camera's field during a 2 to 4 hour exposure. This motion is actually caused by Earth's rotation on its axis. You can figure out the approximate orientation by trying it out on the Moon one or two nights before the eclipse. Just remember that the Moon rises about one hour later each night. For example, if the eclipse begins at 10 PM, you'll need to run the test at 9 PM one night before or at 8 PM two nights before the eclipse. Choose one corner of your viewfinder, place the Moon there and see if it drifts into or out of the frame after several minutes. Select a different corner if the Moon moves the wrong way. If your tripod allows you to tilt your camera, you can use this capability to frame the Moon so that it will pass through the diagonal of your camera's viewfinder. A couple of final tips should help. If the eclipse occurs in the early evening, the Moon will be rising and its motion brings it up and to the right as you face the Moon. If the eclipse occurs during the middle of the night, the Moon's motion is basically from left to right. If the eclipse occurs during the early morning hours, the Moon is setting and its motion takes it down and to the right. On eclipse night, load your camera with film, mount it firmly on a tripod and make one last check of your f/number, focus (on infinity) and shutter speed. At the appointed time, lock open the shutter with your cable release, sit back and enjoy the eclipse! You can close the shutter in one or two hours, depending on your lens and the time required for the Moon to pass through the camera's field. When your film is developed, you'll have an picture of the sky with the Moon's image smeared across it. The interesting thing is that the diameter of the Moon's trail will be a function of the Moon's brightness (i.e. - phase of the eclipse). If your exposure includes part of totality, the Moon's trail will probably dwindle down to a bright orange or dark red line. Multiple Exposure Technique Although the "star trail" technique is easy, it doesn't give you an image of how the eclipse actually appeared. A variation on the "star trail" formula which produces recognizable images of the Moon is the "multiple exposure" technique. But to use it, your camera must be capable of taking double or multiple exposures. Check your camera manual to learn if and how you can make multiple exposures on one frame of film. The camera set up and orientation are exactly the same as in the "star trail" method. The difference here is that you will take a series of short exposures at various stages of the eclipse with your camera in multiple exposure mode. The resulting image will contain a series of small Moon images each illustrating a different phase of the eclipse. An essential key to the success of this method is ensuring that your camera and tripod remain absolutely ridged and do not move throughout the eclipse. You'll make your first exposure as the eclipse begins and then shoot additional exposures every five to ten minutes. Be consistent and use the same time interval between every shot. This will produce an aesthetically pleasing string of evenly spaced Moon images which show the progress of the eclipse. If you've got a digital wristwatch with a count-down timer, here's an ideal time to use it! Since the Moon's brightness varies during the eclipse, you'll also need to change your exposures as the eclipse proceeds. The Lunar Eclipse Exposure Guide shown below gives you approximate camera settings for various stages of the eclipse. To use the guide, begin in the upper left corner by selecting your ISO speed. On the same line, move to the right until you reach your chosen aperture (say f/5.6 of f/8). Then drop straight down to the phase of the eclipse and read the recommended shutter speed. Note that the partial phase begins in the row labeled "Umbral Contact". During the partial phases, just estimate the eclipse magnitude or fraction of the Moon's diameter eclipsed (Mag. = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) to determine the recommended exposures. As an example, let's say you're using ISO 100 at f/5.6. Then the table would recommend a shutter speed of 1/500 as the partial eclipse begins. The shutter speeds for eclipse magnitudes 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 would then be 1/250, 1/125 and 1/60, respectively. You'll note that the exposure guide lists a range of different exposures for totality. For the time being, use the row labeled "Totality: L=3" to determine your exposure. These values will be explained later. Continue taking exposures using the time interval you've chosen until the Moon moves outside your camera's field of view. At this point, it's important to make sure you take your camera out of double exposure mode. Otherwise, your carefully executed eclipse picture will be superimposed on the next picture you take. To be safe, put the lens cap on your camera and shot two or three frames to verify that the film is again advancing through your camera. When your film is developed, you'll have one frame that compresses the entire eclipse into one picture with a sequence of tiny Moon's each reflecting a different phase of the eclipse. Telephoto Photography To achieve large images of the Moon, you've got to use a long telephoto lens or a telescope. You'll need a single lens reflex (SLR) camera with interchangeable lenses. In this case, a lens with a fairly long focal length is desired in order to get as large an image as possible. A standard 50 mm lens produces an image of the Moon only 0.5 mm across. Switching to a 200 mm telephoto or zoom lens, the Moon appears 1.8 mm in diameter. This is still quite small but at least the image is recognizable. However, there are a number of compact 500 mm mirror lenses available in the $100 to $250 price range which yield a lunar image 4.6 mm in diameter. While this is seams like a respectable size, it still doesn't fill the frame. Adding a 2x tele-converter to a 500 mm lens results in a focal length of 1000 mm which doubles the Moon's size to 9.2 mm. Focal lengths in excess of 1000 mm take you into the realm of the super telephoto lens. If you're in the market for such an item, you might consider a small telescope instead. The main advantage of a telescope is that you can also use it visually with variable power eyepieces. There are a number of brands and models in the 1000 mm to 2000 mm focal length range, including the Celestron 90 and the Meade ETX. These instruments are both compact catadioptics in the $400 to $800 price range. The 3 1/2" Questar is renowned for both its high optical quality and price ($3000 to $4000). These telescopes are available with equatorial fork mounts and electric clock drives which counteract the Earth's rotation and allow you to automatically track the Sun, Moon and stars. A wealth of information on commercial telescopes can be obtained from advertisers in magazines like Astronomy or Sky and Telescope. Keep in mind that a focal length of 2600 mm produces an image of the Moon 23.9 mm in diameter which barely fits the narrow dimension of the 35 mm format. You can easily calculate the Moon's image size in any lens by dividing it's focal length by 109. The following table illustrates this point. Although the table is for the Sun, but it is equally applicable to the Moon since they appear the same size from Earth. With a telephoto lens or telescope, you can capture various stages of the eclipse using the Lunar Eclipse Exposure Guide as a starting point for your exposures. Since you're not putting all your exposures on one frame, you have the luxury of bracketing your exposures. To bracket, make one exposure at the recommended value and then two more at one stop (or shutter speed) overexposed and one stop underexposed. In most cases, this will ensure that you obtain a well exposed image. To be extra safe, you might even bracket plus or minus two stops. Weather conditions (fog, haze, thin clouds) may require an additional two or three stops to achieve a good exposure. Just remember that film is cheap and eclipses don't happen every month! To capture a good sequence of photos, you'll probably want to take a bracketed series of exposures every ten or fifteen minutes. Just make sure that you use a large enough tripod to hold you telephoto lens firmly with as little vibration as possible. The major challenge to lunar eclipse photography comes during totality because there's no way to predict how bright the Moon will appear. Brightness of Total Lunar Eclipses During a total eclipse, the Moon's color and brightness can vary enormously. It can take on hues from bright orange, through deep red, dark brown or even dark grey as it's brilliance ranges from bright to dark to nearly invisible. Although the Moon is cut off from all direct sunlight while it is in Earth's umbral shadow, the Moon receives indirect sunlight which is refracted through and modified by Earth's atmosphere. Our atmosphere contains varying amounts of water (clouds, mist, precipitation) and solid particles (dust, organic debris, volcanic ash). This material filters and attenuates the sunlight before it's refracted into the umbra. For instance, large or frequent volcanic eruptions dumping huge quantities of ash into the atmosphere are often followed by very dark, brownish red eclipses for several years. Extensive cloud cover along Earth's limb also tends to darken the eclipse by blocking sunlight. To successfully photograph the total phase of an eclipse, you have to be able make a reasonable guess as to how bright a particular eclipse is. Fortunately, a French astronomer named Dajon formulated a simple five point scale for evaluating the visual appearance and brightness of the Moon during total lunar eclipses. 'L' values for various luminosities are defined as follows: L = 0 Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-totality. L = 1 Dark Eclipse, gray or brownish in coloration. Details distinguishable only with difficulty. L = 2 Deep red or rust-colored eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer edge of umbra is relatively bright. L = 3 Brick-red eclipse. Umbral shadow usually has a bright or yellow rim. L = 4 Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse. Umbral shadow has a bluish, very bright rim. The assignment of an 'L' value to lunar eclipses is best done with the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope during totality. Use the descriptions above and select the one that best fits the Moon's appearance. To photograph the Moon in total eclipse, you choose the exposure with the corresponding 'L' value from the Lunar Eclipse Exposure Guide. Keep in mind that this exposure is only a 'guesstimate.' You should bracket two or three stops over and under the recommendation. Better yet, if your camera is one of the rare models which has a spot meter, use it to take an actual exposure reading and bracket from that point! http://www.mreclipse.com/LEgallery/LEphoto.html

Storm Socks Midwest, East By The Associated Press 01/20/00 A powerful winter storm that dumped up to 9 inches of snow in the upper Midwest blustered into the East today, bringing heavy snow, grounding air traffic and closing schools throughout the region. Flights up and down the coast were canceled or delayed today as crews tried to clear runways. Near Washington, about a third of the flights out of Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport were canceled this morning. "Winter has arrived,'' said Tara Hamilton, spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. All of the city's public schools were closed, and the federal government said non-essential employees could take a paid vacation day instead of trying to make it to the office. Elsewhere in the mid-Atlantic region -- where about 5 inches had fallen by midmorning -- Delaware Gov. Thomas Carper canceled his State of the State address, and schools were closed across Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. All the affected states reported numerous fender-benders. "This is probably really more typical of what a winter should be in North Carolina than what we've had in the last three years,'' said Ron Humble, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Raleigh. The storm dropped 1 to 3 inches of snow over much of the state. New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania also reported many school closings, as authorities braced for up to 6 inches of snow and possible gale force winds near the coast by day's end. The storm had some characteristics of a nor'easter, but was moving along the coast fast enough that it wasn't expected to have the same impact, said Kipp Hogan, a National Weather Service meteorologist. "There'll be some coastal flooding and that sort of thing, but it's not expected to last long enough to become a real nor'easter,'' Hogan said. A nor'easter is a winter coastal storm that packs high winds and rain or snow. Lingering longer than a hurricane, it can bring blizzard conditions and severe flooding. On Wednesday, the high winds blew snow and made driving treacherous in the Midwest. Blizzard conditions that snarled traffic in Iowa were blamed for three deaths there Wednesday, and Michigan also reported one fatal accident in the storm. Byron, Minn., received 9 inches of snow, while lesser amounts fell across the Midwest and as far south as North Carolina. Northwest Airlines on Wednesday canceled close to 200 flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport where just over 8 inches of snow was recorded. Bitter arctic air from Canada followed the storm into the region. Several towns in northeastern Minnesota were the coldest spots in the nation overnight with temperatures sinking to 24 degrees below zero, the National Weather Service said.

Mystery iceballs claim ``first victim'' in Spain MADRID, Jan 20 (Reuters) - An elderly Spanish woman has claimed she was hit by a falling iceball, apparently the first victim of a phenonmenon that has been puzzling scientists for days, state radio said on Thursday. Juana Sanchez Sanchez, 70, said she was knocked out briefly by a large, flying, frozen object that hit her on the shoulder as she walked in a street near her home in Almeria, southern Spain, the radio said. A man in Seville escaped injury last week when a four-kilo (nine-pound) iceball slammed into his car. Scientists are examining a dozen specimens to establish their origin amid speculation they could be frozen human excrement jettisoned by high-flying aircraft or debris from comets, an explanation which some space experts have ruled out.

Anne Hale in SW Australia Marcia, for your information re strange weather - last night we had a such a storm, Denis and I were sweeping water from the Laundry, the drains outside kept blocking, we had water in the garage, the patio, and the bar. I reckoned there has been at least 3inches - and as I said yesterday it doesn't rain in Perth in January or at least it didn't used. Interestingly Beirut also was inundated virtually the same latitude. The thunderstorm is starting again - 7.00a.m. now so I may have to log off.

You'll not like what I just heard on the news. The first few iceballs were real atmospheric oddities. The rest were home-made iceballs created and planted by "pranksters." The real ones are the ones we concentrate on now.

geez louise! sorry about all the rain, anne....

Now we find out The Rest Of The Story as regards Aussie weather from Anne: A friend of mine was rather peeved with her husband for arranging a fishing expedition as he had promised to help with the Church's air conditioning. Well she prayed that the weather would be too inclement to go!!!!!!!! It was far worse for others, knee high water in their houses - down pipes clogged and water pouring in through their ceilings, even a jumbo jet got clogged in the mud at Perth Airport when full of passangers and getting ready for take off - Airport was closed until they could get it out. Think of the weight!!!!!! I measured at least 6 inches of rain in our neck of the woods. Thats a lot of water. It is more normal now although there is a small cyclone some few hundred miles up the coast and slowly heading our way - that we don't need.

just shows to be careful what you wish for!!

yup! You just might get what you wished for!

My very special friend, who used to live in Hilo and wrote so eloquently of seeing the eruption of Kilauea from the sea, now lives in North Carolina. He is enduring the third winter storm of the week. His weather Winter Storm Warning For The North Central Portion Of Central North Carolina Expires At 5Pm... The Winter Storm Warning In Effect For The North Central Portion Of Central North Carolina Will Expire At 5Pm. However Areas Of Freezing Drizzle And Freezing Rain Will Continue Through The Early Evening Hours. In The Triad Area Including Winston Salem...Greensboro...Burlington And Asheboro...Freezing Drizzle Will Continue Overnight. Trees And Powerlines Have Some Ice Accumulation And The Freezing Drizzle Will Add To This Accumulation. Many Roads...Especially On Bridges...Overpasses And Secondary Roads Have Some Icy And Slick Spots. In The Triangle Area Including Raleigh...Durham...Chapel Hill And Roanoke Rapids...Areas Of Freezing Rain Will Continue Through The Evening Hours Tapering Off To Patchy Freezing Drizzle Around 7Pm. Additional Light Icing Could Accumulate On Trees And Powerlines. This Could Cause Some Small Or Weak Tree Branches To Break. Also With Temperatures Hovering Around Or Just Below The Freezing Mark... There Will Be Some Slick Spots On Roads Especially On Bridges... Overpasses And Secondary Roads. Motorists Are Urged To Drive With Extreme Caution While Travelling This Evening. Slow Down And Allow Extra Time To Reach Your Destination. During The Overnight Period...Temperatures Across Central North Carolina Will Fall Below The Freezing Mark Ranging From The Upper 20S In The Triad...Around 30 In The Triangle Area To Near 32 Degrees Across The Sandhills. Thus With These Temperatures... The Early Morning Commute Monday Morning Could Be Hazardous With Areas Of Ice On Roads...Especially On Bridges And Overpasses And Secondary Roads. Stay Tuned To Noaa Weather Radio Or Your Local Radio Or Tv Station For The Latest Weather Information.

Central Atlantic Seaboard where all of the Hurricanes and Nor'easters hit, Updating Doppler Radar Weather

From Warren near Raleigh, NC MSN 1-25-2000 Snow Storm Where we are, there is an average of 14" of snow on the ground. There is about 12" in my yard. Some areas East, like Raleigh got all time records over 18", and some counties south of here got over 2 Feet. It's about 29 - 30 degrees outside, and the roads are paralysed, except with truckers. Those poor guys have to roll whether they want to or not, and I don't want to get tangled up with them in a sliding accident. Winston-Salem got 2", Charlotte 6". The surprise was South Rock, SC., with 18", in a place they don't get that much in a year! Wilmington, NC,(where they film Dawson's Creek, and used to film some of Matlock) has 8" and Myrtle Beach(!) has 5". They haven't had that much snow on the ocean in the last decade! South Rock is leaving it alone, and waiting to get dug out by SC DoT trucks. Actual snowfall in Raleigh is about 18-19 inches. This is topping the biggest of the 1900's. Raleigh's record was 17.8" in 1899, and it is gone now. Call it what anyone wants, this storm dumped more snow than the '93 storm that was so bad for all the east coast. Keep an ear on CNN for what happens in New England. This is a Nor-Easter of the first magnitude! [Airports closed] RDU to Boston! Greensboro is clear and open! [re:Storm hugging the coast] That is why this will be so strong; it will pick up moisture and strength as it goes north and replenish itself. Boston is going to think that God has dumped a planet sized bowl of stuff on them. [re the house you are in] This a brick house, with storm windows and doors. Only a power outage could hurt us, and we are in a line with the regional hospital, so our power usually comes back relatively quickly, comparatively speaking.

From http://www.weather.com Storm pushes N. Carolina into state of emergency, RALEIGH, North Carolina (CNN) -- A near-blizzard clobbered North Carolina Tuesday, burying Raleigh's airport under a foot and a half of snow and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Gov. Jim Hunt declared a state of emergency. The storm extended northward through Virginia, Washington, eastern Pennsylvania, New York and New England, shutting down airports, schools, workplaces and government offices in the nation's capital. Hunt said North Carolina, still dealing with the devastating floods left by Hurricane Floyd last fall, had much of its snow removal and transportation equipment out of position in the state's western mountains, which were spared the brunt of the storm. "We really have a drastic situation, but we're used to a lot of these here in North Carolina and we're moving on it strongly," he said. In Raleigh, snowfall was expected to top a single-day record of 17.8 inches set March 2, 1927, Mayor Paul Cobble said. "The amount of snow, I think, was a surprise to everybody," said state emergency management spokesman Tom Hegele. He said the hardest hit area was Piedmont, in the center of the state, and that many roads from Charlotte to Raleigh along the I-85 corridor were impassable. More than 300,000 people were left without the power throughout the Carolinas. About 150,000 National Guard troops were called out to help stranded motorists in North Carolina. The troops will also provide emergency medical services and set up temporary power generators at hospitals. Carolina Power & Light reported 121,000 customers without power, primarily in the Sandhills area of North Carolina that includes Southern Pines and Asheboro, and in parts of South Carolina. Charlotte-based Duke Power, which serves two million customers in North and South Carolina, said 118,000 of its customers were left without power. Both utilities had deployed crews to clear downed trees and repair damaged power lines, but CP&L said its crews were slowed by strong winds upstate. "Visibility is very poor," said Sally Ramey, a CP&L spokeswoman. "With wind gusts at 40 miles per hour, it's just not safe to have somebody up there working on a power line in a bucket truck." Snowfall of 14 inches was forecast for Virginia and the Washington suburbs, and 18 inches in eastern Pennsylvania.

Boston wasn't really hit that badly; we got about 5-6 inches where I live. Not record-breaking, but enough to get out of work early. Worcester got more snow, which is typical. The change to rain/sleet is definately more of a problem; I'll probably have to chip my car out in the morning. I'd much rather deal with snow than ice. Here are the current weather reports for Boston... From WHDH-TV Boston, http://www.whdh.com Bay State Walloped by Winter Storm The snow is piling up in some parts of the Bay State today, while other areas escape with mostly rain. By midday, some communities north and west of Boston were reporting as much as eight inches of snow on the ground. Totals were much lower in southeastern Massachusetts, and it was raining on the Cape and Islands. Governor Cellucci told all non-essential state employees they could go home at 2 p.m. State highway crews struggled to keep up with the snow and ice. Numerous accidents were reported, but most w re minor in nature. It's been a tough day for anyone trying to get anywhere by air. The big winter storm has closed airports up and down the East Coast, leaving countless travelers stranded. Massport spokesman Phil Orlandella says about 400 flights have been cancelled at Boston's Logan Airport today. The airport was forced to close shortly before noon, but officials were hoping to get one runway open by mid-afternoon. (AP) NWS Weather Report for Boston Area, http://www.nws.noaa.gov/er/box/ Cheshire-Eastern Franklin-Eastern Hampden-Eastern Hampshire-Hartford-Hillsborough-Northern Worcester-Northwestern Providence-Southern Worcester-Tolland-Western Essex-Western Franklin-Western Hampden-Western Hampshire-Western Middlesex-Windham-Including the cities of, Blandford, Chesterfield, Fitchburg, Greenfield, Hartford, Keene, Lawrence, Lowell, Manchester, Northampton, Shelburne, Springfield, Stafford, Willimantic, Woonsocket, Worcester 1005 PM EST Tue Jan 25 2000 A winter storm warning remains in effect overnight The warning covers much of interior Southern New England north and west of Boston and Providence. Areas of mixed snow sleet and freezing rain will change to snow, Then taper off after 2 AM. An additional inch or two of snow is possible before daybreak. Total snow accumulations for the storm will be 8 to 12 inches from Hartford and Woonsocket to Worcester and Manchester New Hampshire...With totals of 10 to 15 inches accumulating across the Monadnocks and northwest Massachusetts. Gusty north winds will cause blowing and drifting of snow through the overnight hours. As cold air is drawn back across the region any wet or slushy roads will freeze, creating travel problems. If you must travel through tonight, allow extra time to reach your destination. Slow down, and leave extra distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

Ginny?! Dig yourself a hole and see if you see your shadow! We need to hear from you. Are you OK? Do you have power and all that? Sheesh!

Posts missing from the new server transfer: Response 269 of 270: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (11:32) * 9 lines I guess Pennsylvania has not gotten much of this storm. Frank in Williamsport reports: We had only 3 to 4 inches around here, and it took all day to accumulate that much. It least it's light and fluffy, and VERY white. I guess that was too far inland. This seems to tbe an entirely coastal experience. Thanks, Ginny, for your great report. I remember snow scrapers and whacking at the ice sheets to free the windshield wipers. Funny thing - I don't miss it much, but it is fun to relive old memories by watching you guys cope. Seriously. please take care and watch out for the idiots who think they can drive as usual with no traction. I shall go bug Warren for an update on his weather. Response 270 of 270: Wolf (wolf) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (11:36) * 1 lines we're in for it tonight and tomorrow (highs in the 30's to 40's plus ice and snow)...... Response 271 of 271: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (13:59) * 1 lines Oh Dear Wolfie...Please keep us updated. I shall plug you into my prayers for safety during this extraordinary winter weather. *Warm Hawaiian Hugs* Response 272 of 272: Wolf (wolf) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (19:33) * 1 lines thanks. i really hope it does come down and closes things down (like work)! (isn't that sad?) Response 273 of 273: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (20:33) * 1 lines Nope! Not sad! Weather like that unleashes the little kid in each of us and we just wanna go out and play in it or sit by the fireside and snuggle with the furry and non furry guys we love. *hugs* of anticipation... Response 273 of 275: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (20:33) * 1 lines Nope! Not sad! Weather like that unleashes the little kid in each of us and we just wanna go out and play in it or sit by the fireside and snuggle with the furry and non furry guys we love. *hugs* of anticipation... Response 274 of 275: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (08:48) * 7 lines Rain. Good thing I spread some ryegrass out at the farm last night! Marati, the new caretaker/cottage dweller has turned out to me the miracle man. He's building stuff every day and making new spaces for folks. It's awesome, baby! Response 275 of 275: Wolf (wolf) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (09:35) * 1 lines well, we're shut down! *woohoo* Response 276 of 276: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (11:22) * 5 lines It's about time some of your miracles were performed by someone other than you, Terry. I rejoice in your miracle man who is being so beneficial to you. I have heard such dire things about this 4 year drought you are having in Texas! Wolfie gets to stay home and play today. Yippee! I have had no check-ins yet on the weather front from the east coast, but I am sure the storm has moved off into the Atlantic. Meanwhile there is another coming in from the west. Happy winter! Response 277 of 280: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (12:30) * 3 lines We're getting a good soaker here. Response 278 of 280: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (19:44) * 2 lines from what I have heard, you are in the midst of a serious drought...a good soaker is just what you need - no matter how inconvenient...! Response 279 of 280: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (08:19) * 1 lines and we're closed again today although some of the bridges are open..... Response 280 of 280: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (11:13) * 1 lines ...and another storm is headed for the Carolinas, so I suppose you will be in on that one, too?! Stay warm and safe, Wolfie!!! Response 281 of 283: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (11:55) * 3 lines just got a call from the office....apparantly, there was a liner on the news that we were to go back at noon today BUT, our boss called and said not to worry about it and stay home. i say good because the roads look terrible. we've got slush and everything. i thought there was another storm headed our way behind this one but i haven't heard anything about it. Response 282 of 283: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (12:34) * 2 lines Just for Wolfie I post this updating weather map and for Texas, as well... http://maps.weather.com/images/radar/regions/s_central_rad_300x187.jpg Response 283 of 283: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (12:36) * 1 lines Looks like most of your bad weather is past you and headed for Warren who is still housebound in North Carolina. Response 284 of 289: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (12:38) * 1 lines those clear skies mean one thing, cold nights! Response 285 of 289: Ginny (vibrown) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:01) * 1 lines Cold is right! We're having another arctic blast in the Northeast at the moment. Looks like that storm is going to move up here on Sunday night or Monday morning. Response 286 of 289: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:28) * 0 lines (scribbled) Response 287 of 289: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:30) * 2 lines Check it out! http://maps.weather.com/images/radar/regions/northeast_rad_450x284.jpg Response 288 of 289: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:31) * 1 lines That map updates so you can come back and check it as long as Spring is here and Geo is functioning and the WX Channel is feeding the map! Response 289 of 289: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:34) * 3 lines This is the WINTER WEATHER UPDATING RADAR WEATHER MAP http://maps.weather.com/images/radar/wintrad_450x284.jpg Response 290 of 291: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:37) * 0 lines (scribbled) Response 291 of 291: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (14:40) * 4 lines On the above map, green is rain; light color to dark is light to heavy intensity orange is ice gray to white is snow accumulation Response 292 of 294: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (17:53) * 1 lines marcia, i don't know if i accidently hit the wrong button, but the earthquake topic won't let me post (says it's frozen) :( tried to say that the map is cool! Response 293 of 294: Karen (KarenR) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (18:10) * 3 lines I think we have a winner in the all-time weird weather oddity category: A foot of snow in Jerusalem. Response 294 of 294: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (18:41) * 3 lines I guess it is frozen but I did not do it. Will create EARTHQUAKE!!! as soon as I post this. Karen, if the shepherds are watching their flocks by night out in the open they are crazy over there! Hope Chicago is above sea level and not too frozen... Response 295 of 297: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (20:58) * 3 lines is that rare in Jerusalem? marcia, maybe i clicked something but there wasn't a thaw button to undo whatever i did. (did i make one for you?) Response 296 of 297: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (23:08) * 1 lines No thaw button! Never got one or saw one, either.... Response 297 of 297: Marcia (MarciaH) * Fri, Jan 28, 2000 (23:10) * 1 lines Yup! It just about never snows in the holy land - it is desert so it freezes but does not snow!!! Response 298 of 298: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan 29, 2000 (14:44) * 43 lines WEATHER FOR THE SUPER BOWL ATLANTA (Reuters) - Residents in several Southern U.S. states woke up on Saturday to snow and freezing rain as a rare winter storm swept through the region, snarling traffic, canceling flights and complicating preparations for Sunday's Super Bowl game. The storm, part of an unusual but nasty patch of winter weather blanketing much of the Deep South, dumped up to a foot and a half of snow in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee and coated northern Georgia with freezing rain. Several weather-related deaths were reported. ``We've been seeing a lot of traffic accidents through the morning hours,'' said Ken Davis, public information officer with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency in Atlanta. ``We're telling people not to travel if they don't have to and folks are beginning to heed our warnings to stay home.'' The storm touched down as thousands of fans prepared to gather in Atlanta's Georgia Dome to watch the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans play for the National Football League championship on Sunday. Although officials in Atlanta have expressed confidence there would not be any major disruptions for fans arriving at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, at least one major airline was not taking any chances. Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N) canceled a number of its Atlanta-bound flights on Friday night and said it would likely have ``a similar schedule'' on Saturday into Atlanta, its main hub. Many Atlantans were still recovering from a severe ice storm last weekend that knocked down trees and power lines, leaving more than half a million people in northern Georgia without electricity. Although utility companies scrambled to prepare for the worst, officials reported only minor outages in the state. Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Co. (SO.N) and one of two major power companies in northern Georgia, put more than 4,000 workers on active duty this weekend. The company provides electricity to about 1.8 million residents in the greater Atlanta region. The company said it had relocated hundreds of workers throughout Georgia to cope with potential problems. Despite fears bad weather could throw a monkey wrench into Atlanta's carefully laid Super Bowl plans, city officials noted last week's storm had pushed many visitors to schedule an earlier arrival. The storm was expected to continue moving eastward into the interior of North Carolina and other eastern coastal states. North Carolina was battered this week by a heavy storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow on Raleigh. Previous Article: Bush Brings Parents, Bradley Hits Gore on Abortion Next Article: Clinton, Lawmakers to Hold Budget Meeting Tuesday Response 299 of 299: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sat, Jan 29, 2000 (20:32) * 45 lines Southern United States Digs Out After Freak Storm ATLANTA (Reuters) - Residents in several Southern U.S. states woke up on Saturday to snow and freezing rain as a rare winter storm swept through the region, snarling traffic, canceling flights and complicating preparations for Sunday's Super Bowl game. The storm, part of an unusual but nasty patch of winter weather blanketing much of the Deep South, dumped up to a foot and a half of snow in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee and coated northern Georgia with freezing rain. Several weather-related deaths were reported. ``We've been seeing a lot of traffic accidents through the morning hours,'' said Ken Davis, public information officer with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency in Atlanta. ``We're telling people not to travel if they don't have to and folks are beginning to heed our warnings to stay home.'' The storm touched down as thousands of fans prepared to gather in Atlanta's Georgia Dome to watch the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans play for the National Football League championship on Sunday. Although officials in Atlanta have expressed confidence there would not be any major disruptions for fans arriving at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, at least one major airline was not taking any chances. Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N) canceled a number of its Atlanta-bound flights on Friday night and said it would likely have ``a similar schedule'' on Saturday into Atlanta, its main hub. Many Atlantans were still recovering from a severe ice storm last weekend that knocked down trees and power lines, leaving more than half a million people in northern Georgia without electricity. Although utility companies scrambled to prepare for the worst, officials reported only minor outages in the state. Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Co. (SO.N) and one of two major power companies in northern Georgia, put more than 4,000 workers on active duty this weekend. The company provides electricity to about 1.8 million residents in the greater Atlanta region. The company said it had relocated hundreds of workers throughout Georgia to cope with potential problems. Despite fears bad weather could throw a monkey wrench into Atlanta's carefully laid Super Bowl plans, city officials noted last week's storm had pushed many visitors to schedule an earlier arrival. The storm was expected to continue moving eastward into the interior of North Carolina and other eastern coastal states. North Carolina was battered this week by a heavy storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow on Raleigh. Response 300 of 300: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sun, Jan 30, 2000 (20:18) * 52 lines Snow, Ice Disrupt Travel, Power in Eastern US CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Reuters) - Freezing rain and snow caused misery from the Carolinas to Maryland and Pennsylvania on Sunday, knocking out power, coating roads with ice and putting a damper on Super Bowl parties. Forecasters issued winter storm warnings as far south as north Georgia as a weather system that coated Atlanta with a sheet of ice on Saturday moved up the coast, leaving tens of thousands without power in the Carolinas and causing some outages in the Washington area. ``It's awful. The weather people so terrified and terrorized the residents that there's no people on the streets,'' said Bryan Watson, a former National Hockey League defenseman and owner of Bugsy's Pizza and Sports Bar in Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Tens of thousands of customers lost electric service as a wave of freezing rain and sleet passed through North Carolina, where utility crews had just finished repairing power lines downed in last week's snowstorm. Charlotte-based Duke Power reported about 52,000 customers without power, and Carolina Power & Light was working to restore power to about 9,500 customers. ``We had just completed all the ones (customers) related with that (previous storm) at noon, just in time to be ready for this next wave,'' CP&L spokesman Mike Hughes said. Last week's snowstorm dumped a record 20.3 inches of snow at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and up to two feet of snow in the Sandhills region east of Charlotte. North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt has asked for an estimated $24.4 million in federal disaster aid for the state, which is still recovering from Hurricane Floyd's devastating floods last September. In South Carolina, Gov. Jim Hodges declared a state of emergency on Friday in anticipation of widespread damage from this weekend's freezing precipitation. In Virginia, six to 12 inches of snow was reported along the Blue Ridge Mountains, and two to four inches of snow were expected around Washington, D.C., where snow alternated with sleet and freezing rain during the afternoon. Hundreds of trucks spread salt on roads in the Washington area and some schools in Maryland and Virginia districts around the capital announced they would be closed on Monday. The three major airports serving Washington continued operating although Baltimore-Washington International closed both main runways for 90 minutes for plowing and salting. Philadelphia International Airport reported a rash of delays and cancellations, particularly flights serving cities in the South. Forecasters predicted one to two inches of sleet and snow accumulation in Southeast Virginia, including Richmond, which could cause significant icing on roads and power lines. In Atlanta, conditions were clearing and temperatures rose into the high 30s F as the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans prepared to kick off inside the Georgia Dome. The storm was forecast to move into the New York area on Monday and meteorologists said Philadelphia, southern New Jersey and Delaware could look forward to a potentially treacherous mix of rain and sleet. Response 301 of 302: Ginny (vibrown) * Mon, Jan 31, 2000 (10:43) * 3 lines Nice maps, Marcia! We got a couple inches of wet, sloppy stuff in the Boston area early this morning. We finally have temps above freezing, so maybe some of the ice from the previous storm will melt... Response 302 of 302: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, Jan 31, 2000 (11:11) * 6 lines Glad you enjoy those maps! Pretty neat, huh?! I found some for earthquakes which update - only one online so far, but the rest will be put at Geo 26. I was wondering if Bahstin would get this mess heading up the east coaat. I guess you are precip-free for this time, but you're gonna be cold! All of those pretty icicles hanging on the wire in Virginia and Maryland causing power outages are going to keep us from hearing about their weather, I think! I am still waiting for Warren to check in from North Carolina. They got hurricane flooding of mammoth proportions last fall and now 5 winter storms in 2 or 3 weeks. They must be really tired of eating their Y2K leftover emergancy rations *grin* Response 304 of 305: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Jan 31, 2000 (22:56) * 3 lines Go to the new site, this one is closing. Use http://www.spring.net . . . Response 305 of 305: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Feb 1, 2000 (11:23) * 1 lines Looks familiar! February 1st and all is well on the Spring (what would we do without it?!) Response 306 of 306: Marcia (MarciaH) * Tue, Feb 1, 2000 (11:26) * 10 lines Warren wrote from North Carolina: We got ice,and there are power and phone problems, so everyone is asked to limit their time on the phone or on-line. I'm here now only because it is late, and traffic is down. We're OK. No damages, and thawing out nicely, but others weren't as lucky. Don't know when I'll be on again, as they want the restictions followed for another couple of days. **************************** back to regular programming *smile*

Reposting updating weather maps:

This is the WINTER WEATHER UPDATING RADAR WEATHER MAP

There! I think we are back up to speed with just one or two glitches of my own...

Another overcast day in Austin, it's been wet lately.

I noticed! Do you tend to flood? Or, does it soak in, like a good rain should? I also noticed you get a lot of wind and haze with your rain. Can't quite figure why it does not blow the haze away or at least wash it out of the air with all of that going on. But, Texas is a whole nuther world, isn't it?! Thanks for the report.

The day turned out to be sunny and warm in the afternoon.

Back to cracks in the ground? Where does your drinking water come from? (How does it taste?)

My water comes from a well out in Cedar Creek. It tastes ok. If only Alcoa would stop sucking obscene amounts of water out of the ground. See http://www.bioregion.com for some notes on the Bastrop Country Environmental network and other water issues related to Texas.

Pretty terrible...and wasteful. My folks' water in Tucson, AZ was so high in selenium they had to drink bottled water. No dissolved baddies in your water in toxic amounts is indeed good news! I should post that in your Bioregion topic in here, huh?!

From Maggie as reported on the BBC this morning: Nepal: Wheat crop in Parsu District badly damaged by freak hailstones weighing half a kilo(over a pound). eyewitnesses said it sounded like bombs were falling on their roofs. (Shades of the ice blocks in Spain that they're still muttering on about)

From Warren regarding the current Weather in North Carolina, USA It has been in the sixties for the last two days and in the seventies today, and there is STILL snow and ice on the ground and in the parking lots!! Our high today was 71 here, but it will drop into the low 40's to upper 30's tonight, colder farther north. With the cold front moving in, if the weather boffins are wrong about how far south it will go, we could have snow flurries tonight. No accumulation, tho. We want it to rain, however. Since it takes a foot of snow to equal an inch of rain, we need some rain to fill the reservoirs. At least the ground water levels are topped off, with the slow melt of snow seeping deep. Thanks, luv! *hugs*

22 Die in Georgia Tornadoes CAMILLA, Ga. (AP) -- Tornadoes slashed through southwest Georgia early today, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 100. The Mitchell County town of Camilla appeared to be hardest hit, with a tornado cutting a five-mile path through a housing development south of town. "It's like somebody took a bulldozer and leveled it,'' volunteer firefighter Mikie Newsome said. He and his father had watched a large dark funnel cloud dip down about three miles from their house near Camilla, about 200 miles south of Atlanta. "All you heard was a roar, woo-woo-woo,'' said Johnny Jones, whose mobile home south of Camilla was lifted up and thrown on its side. He said he freed his 14-year-old son, who was pinned under a washing machine, and they crawled out a window. Newsome estimated that 50 to 60 homes were demolished, 90 percent of them mobile homes. Aerial photos showed the entire neighborhood was flattened. Fourteen people died in Mitchell County, said Liz McQueen, a Red Cross representative working at a temporary morgue in Camilla. Seven were confirmed dead in Grady County and one in Colquitt County.

Awsome - heard it on the news just recently.

Anyone from near there in here? Wolfie, are you alright?

Anne Hale informs me that the latest cyclone off the Western Coast of Australia is Cyclone Marcia. I suggested she send it back from whence it came *grin* Fingers crossed, Anne!

Added to that Marcia - the 'dead heart' of Australia is a desert no more - they are flooded out and tourists have been stranded for days. We had over 4 inches of rain over a day in January - unheard of in Perth, humidity and horrible temps mostly over 85f. But I will try and blow it away!!

...or Marcia shall...Some times you need a good gale to clear things out!

Anne reports that Marcia blew herself out and is now a tropical depression. She know all about that...Thanks, Anne!

I found two more updating weather maps for your enjoyment:

For both, this is the color index:

Checking in as requested! :-) Yes, things are ugly here. We haven't had that much snow where I live, but it's the worse kind. Ultra heavy wet stuff looking for potential coronary victims. I shoveled this morning (couldn't sweep it off the stairs...and I have a lot of stairs), then Jeff shoveled earlier this evening. But there's been more. Tomorrow is another day. Driving was awful because the side streets don't get plowed. Unfortunately, you can't always stick to main thoroughfares. Then there were those smug 4WDers. Argh, I've got ZWD. ;-) Saw the forecast and temps will be rising. Stuff should melt soon enough. Thanks for your concern, but next to last year, this is just another winter day.

Oh yeah, the airports got closed because the winds were bad and there was no visibility (I'm guessing).. ZWD=zero wheel drive

Thanks, Karen. I thought about you a lot over night with all of the news stories about the airports being closed from here to there and you can't get there from here stuff. Watch that heart, Sweetie. You are not replaceable and kids get coronaries, too. Here we sit on a warm sunny day with an AWD in the garage (AWD=All Wheel Drive). Wish I could lend it to you for the duration!

Boston got about 8-12 inches of heavy, wet snow from Friday to Saturday. The most we've had all winter, but not record-breaking. (The weather-folks have called it a "winter storm", not a "blizzard".) It was enough to cause some backaches and heart-attacks, though. Logan was still backed up, according to the news at 11. Glad I wasn't planning to go anywhere. (Planning a big vacation in Feb. is always a crap shoot around here.)

You in Boston and Karen in Chicago got the brunt of the soggy snow. Just let the little kids shovel it. Yup...excuse to play on the computer and fill in gaps on Geo for me this weekend (I am celebrating your snow-in, too!)

Snow is melting as I type. Unfortunately, I did have to shovel (even while knowing it would start melting the next day...rising temps here) in order to get in and out of the house. The stairs would've been impossible. No coronaries, but my quads are killing me. Am trying to avoid going "down" any stairs as much as possible, which is tough as I have a duplex. :-(

Please tell me your stairs are indoors from the second floor...! Get yourself a little sled and skim your way down. Haven't quite figured out how you are going to get back upstairs again, though...*sigh* Didja make any snow angels for me?

I have circular stairs (inside) going up to the third floor, which is the only renovated part of my unit. v. painful today. Around the corner I noticed a few buildings where people hadn't cleaned off their stairs. No way, I'd set one foot on those. BTW, if I tried to sled my down the front stairs, I'd go right into one of those infernal parkway trees that we've discussed on a non-eco topic before. ;-) Concussion city. Or I'd land in the street and get hit by a car.

*sigh* posted pearls of oysters rather than pearls of weather wisdom. Sorry!

scratch the sled idea. What's fun is when those snow-heaped steps do not melt clean and refreeze in the night. You have to end up chipping the stuff off and the brick / stonework with it. Stupid! Love the though of your spiral staircase. Shall we see you starring in Vertigo any time soon?!

Just heard on BBC World service that a tropical cyclone is heading towards Mozambique to add to the misery following recent severe flooding.

Gotta go check the latest africa updating weather map I posted yesterday. Thanks, Maggie!

Our winter was unusually mild. Need not be the greenhouse hop, nor the Nino mambo, just the solar cycle of 11 years, I guess.

I think you are right about that. This new jargon of el Ni�o and La Ni�a are just new manifestations of the old eleven-year solar cycle. Anyone who is interested in short wave radio or Ham radio is well aware of this. We are just climbing out of one of the longest and lowest solar flux since records were kept. Other times, mini ice ages happened as when the Thames froze over and they ice skated on it. Amazing!

Austinites, please check in with us in the morning and let us know what your night was like - weather-wise, of course *grin* Forecast for Austin, TX 400 pm CST tue feb 22 2000 .Tonight...A 70 percent chance of thunderstorms...some possibly severe before the evening is over. Low in the lower 50s. Winds stronger and gusty in and near thunderstorms...then becoming west and northwest and diminishing to 10 mph early morning. .Wednesday...Mostly sunny skies with the high in the mid 70s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. .Wednesday night...Mostly clear. Low in the upper 40s. .Thursday...Mostly sunny and breezy with the high in the mid 70s. .Extended forecast... .Thursday night...increasing cloudiness. Lows near 60. .Friday...Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers or thunderstorms. Highs in the 70s to near 80. .Saturday...Mostly clear. Lows in the 50s. Highs in the 70s. .Sunday...Partly cloudy. Lows in the 50s. Highs in the 70s.

Ricky Williams got arrested and thrown in jail for changing lanes without signaling on Mopac in his hummer. thus joing the Matthew Mcconaughey Hall of Shame.

At least he was not cracking open someone else's head with a hockey stick! We gotta do something. Guess your weather is not too terrible - but in a hummer, what is terrible weather?!

Do you know what a hummer is, Marcia?

Yup! An outrageously expensive and Ugly (with a capital U) vehicle which was origianlly created for the military. They run convoys through Hilo from the Pohakuloa Military Training Area in the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and they always have Hummers included in various shapes and forms. I think it is about the only vehicle I would ever feel truly safe in on the southern California freeways!

I never liked hockey before, but after watching the news last night, I like it even less. I hope they throw that idiot off the Bruins and out of the NHL!

By the way, the lava buttons look great! Really hot!! :-)

Geo conference again looks as we created it on July 10th. I added the buttons (which had ugly white frames around them and which took me some time to find a program to remove them after the brilliant programming magician had done one and made the rest look even worse...) some time later when I could not get the buttons I wanted ( which ended up as the default buttons and which have my heart.) You think I should leave the lava-pool buttons up or only during winter? Guess I'll change the link color if I'm gonna leave the lava buttons up...*sigh*

I think the lava-pool buttons are very appropriate for this conference; seems kind of nice for each conference to develop it's own look. By all means, do what you think best!

I guess you did change the link color! I now see blue instead of green! Very nice! (Blue is my favorite color.. :-)

I am playing with it as we speak. I wanted some sort of royal-to-navy blue but it just is plain boring where it is not emboldened. So, I tried brown - ucky. Red was worse. The forest green I used over Christmas and Thanksgiving. I really like it, but the blue is better. This is indigo and I think I need something more blue than purple. Off I go to fiddle behind the scenes again.

Guess there is no darker blue which is not on the purplish side. I really wanted a deep bluish green, but the ones on the hex color chart are electric bluein that part of the spectrum...*sigh*

Love the lava-look buttons, no doubt Pele would approve.

Thank you. It took some real intelligence and hard work on the part of a few very special people to make Geo look like this. (and I did find Navy blue!) I truly appreciate their efforts and your comments. *grin* Pele must like it - she has not paved over my computer yet with a fresh lava flow, which is the modus operandi of the Goddess when mortals do things with her property she does not like.

From AnneH in Australia: Most of the Northern Territory, the top end of Western Australia, a third of Queensland and the North Western part of New South Wales are under feet of water. All have been declared disaster areas. Movement is by boat or helicopter and people are being rescued everywhere. The phenomenon is called "the wet" this is far worse than usual and stock, i.e. cattle, horses and sheep are drowning in their thousands. As for the wild life you can see then running for their lives to higher ground.

Is it because we care for individuals who live in such different places that natural disasters seem to be more so nowadays? When it is not an earthquake in Hawaii it's a hurricane in Florida, the Wet in Australia, ecc... I hope all is well with AnneH, CatheyP, Maureen and our other Spring friends in Australia.

The world has become a very small sphere, thanks to the Internet and easy access to travel. Who'd have thought some of my dearest friends would live in places like Portugal, England and Australia (not to mention Austin, Home of The Spring)?! We need them to check in from time to time...Anne surely will keep us current on Weather because she is also interested in it. As soon as the mother board is replaced on her new computer, we have hopes that she will be able to post her own weather. Earth is a dynamic place, constantly subject to pull from the moon and sun (pulling us out of round) making us oblate (squashed at the poles) from spinning at 100,000 MPH ( 160,390KM ), and all that movement on our own - mountains erupting, plates sliding and colliding - we are a very busy place!!! It is a wonder we hold together at all.

Latest news on African floods received today from the United Nations: Southern Africa was battered by torrential rains and high winds this week as cyclone Eline moved across Mozambique and into Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern Zambia, causing extensive damage and leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Mozambique launched an international appeal to cope with extensive flooding, Zimbabwe declared a state of emergency and will launch its own appeal next week, while officials in Botswana's National Disaster Management Authority told IRIN on Friday that care for the displaced was being hampered by a shortage of tents throughout the effected region. FLOODS-MOZAMBIQUE: Appeal for international help The Mozambican government and UN agencies launched a joint international appeal on Wednesday for US $65 million to repair damaged infrastructure and carry out humanitarian operations following two weeks of floods that have left at least 70 people dead and 300,000 in urgent need of assistance. The government said several main roads, including connections with neighbouring South Africa and Swaziland were severely affected. "The national road that connects the capital, Maputo, with the rest of the country has been cut at several places, and embankments and bridges have been washed away," a government statement said. The country's railway and electricity networks, added the appeal, have also been devastated and need urgent repairs. The Ressano Garcia line to South Africa, the Goba line that goes through Swaziland to South Africa, and the Limpopo line to Zimbabwe have all been damaged. For a detailed report see: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/mozambique/20000224.htm FLOODS-MOZAMBIQUE: Floods threat to food security More than 70,000 hectares of land and a substantial amount of livestock have been destroyed in the floods that have devastated Mozambique over the last two weeks, humanitarian agencies told IRIN on Wednesday. The risk of an outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera and malaria as well as meningitis has also increased. For detailed reports see: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/mozambique/20000223.htm and: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/mozambique/20000222.htm FLOODS-ZIMBABWE: State of emergency declared Zimbabwe declared a state of emergency on Thursday as torrential rains and flooding affected an estimated 250,000 people in four of the country's eight provinces this week. Sibusisiwe Ndhlovu, the deputy director of Zimbabwe's Civil Protection Unit told IRIN on Friday the effects were "the worst we have seen" and the damage to infrastructure in the south and east of the country could "run into billions" of Zimbabwe dollars. She said Zimbabwe was preparing an international appeal over the disaster. Ndhlovu said the main problem at the moment was accessibility to people marooned by flood waters. "We are trying to rescue and provide shelter to a number of communities. There is a problem of foodstuffs, logistics, and telephones are down." The official 'Herald' newspaper reported on Friday that at least 12 people have died. For a detailed report see: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/zimbabwe/20000225.htm FLOODS-SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Province battered At least 50 people have been killed and more than 80,000 left homeless in South Africa's Northern Province since heavy rains started more than two weeks ago, government officials told IRIN on Friday. Sam Hlungwane, of the Local Government and Housing department, said many roads in the province's northern region have been washed away while power lines and bridges have collapsed. "All the rivers have been flooded after the dams started overflowing," Hlungwane told IRIN. He added that five regions in the province were affected by the floods. "The rains were heavier this week following the Eline cyclone that cut off whole communities in the Bushbuckridge area, situated east of the province on the way to Mozambique." For a detailed report see: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/sa/countrystories/southafrica/20000225.htm FLOODS-BOTSWANA: North and northeast affected President Festus Mogae put Botswana on full alert as Eline, downgraded to a tropical depression, approached the country still struggling to come to grips with last week's heavy rains. The National Disaster Management Authority told IRIN on Friday the storms hit the north and northeast of the country but their full effect were felt in Zimbabwe and southern Zambia. FLOODS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: New cyclone in Indian Ocean More rain is expected over much of Southern Africa in the next few days, but was likely to taper off towards the end of next week, a researcher from the Climatology Research Group at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg told IRIN on Friday. She said that a new cyclone, Felicia, was currently in the Indian Ocean around Madagascar and Mauritius, but might not hit the Mozambican coast as cyclone Eline did this week with devastating results. If Felicia does move towards Mozambique, it was "likely to weaken down quite a bit, not resulting in severe rain in southern Africa". The researcher said that contrary to the current perception the region is experiencing unusually heavy rainfall, these are "pretty much normal weather patterns for this time of year". The difference, she said, was the "sequencing", with storm fronts following one after the other resulting in "extreme rainfall" over large parts of the region. She added that, according to the research group, the recent torrential rains "had nothing to do with changing global weather patterns".

I noted more articles on Mozambique yesterday when I got home from Softball (we won both games!), but was too tired to post them. Thanks, Maggie. Those thirsty monkeys should move to Mozambique!

VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD HEADING FOR BRITAIN An ash cloud from a volcano is expected over the UK within hours, experts are warning. The Meteorological Office has issued warnings to aircraft about the ash which was blasted into the atmosphere by Mount Hekla, near Keflavik in south-west Iceland. The volcano's main eruption sent the bulk of the ash towards northern Norway, but a thin ash cloud is being blown across the North Atlantic towards the UK at between 10 and 15,000ft.

Thought we may have seen some atmospheric disturbance last night - colour of moon etc. But nothing visible from my area. They say air quality won't be affected.

I was hoping you would get some spectacular sunsets. At least you won't have to breathe it. I wonder where it will settle out of the atmosphere. There is nothing quite like lava grit down your neck!

It should be well into mainland Europe by now. I think they said 10-15,000 feet passing us. I wonder if there's an air traffic problem. I think the cloud level is too heavy and low just now for us to get a good sunset. We had large hail stones yesterday which covered my garden and the road, probably a quarter inch square and very white.

Oh my! Hailstones mean spring is coming. That is the up side of an otherwise messy and destructive form of precipitation! There is a place on the Weather Channel http://www.weather.com where you can check thngs like aircraft advisories and such. Texas is having severe weather. I never even knew Texas had weather before. Now, I worry about every off-looking cloud shows up over the state. High winds and hail pound TX Heavy hail and high winds create hail drifts in Texas, stranding motorists, while gusts blow down power lines and trees.

I remeber wierd weather when I was there two years ago. At least it was wierd to us visitors. Scraping ice of the car in the mornings, and stripping down to Summer clothes in the same afternoon, heavy winds, and then nothing.

YOU were in Texas? Wow!!! I'm so envious! Is is wonderful? (stupid question)

I was working!!!! We had five days of meetings. But - we did see where Kennedy was shot and the herd of bronze cattle (plus cowboys) in the centre of town. We also ate out - a lot (which we don't at home in UK). Driving was wierd, found the traffic light regulations difficult. We couldn't believe people didn't walk anywhere. We tried to walk to the local shops on our first day, and got some really wierd stares. We found out later from our host that you only walk (in their neighbourhood) if you're exercising (i.e. in full sports gear so people know you are). I did enjoy shopping, but never did understand how to add State tax on to prices. I liked seeing houses go by on the backs of lorries, and saw at least one I'd like in a take away lot. Shop assistants seemed to have real problem with my English accent and I had to get rescued a few times. MMm I had a good time.

LOL!!! Texas is a whole nuther world...I guess you found that out. They think you are hard to understand?! Likew THEY don't have an accent you can cut with a knife. How funny! You could understand Terry, though. Too bad you missed his voice-over the other night. It was wonderful to hear him like he was in the room with me. He has a voice which is well-modulated and he enunciates clearly and speaks at just the right speed for clarity without seeming hurried or too slow. He was raised in the mid-west, so that is not precisely a Texas accent with which he speaks, but it does have overtones. I have become a huge fan...!

Am trying to imagine an accent from a Southern Gentleman - Texas mix...I just might really be in trouble with that one...*sigh*

The guy we stayed with NEVER took his hat off - oh except in church, and then he held it. (security blanket?) *lol*

Did he sleep with his boots on, as well? One never knows about these things! That is really funny!

I know a guy like that, a local cinematographer who started wearing cowboy hats and now can't stop.

I guess it's addictive. *lol*

Maybe it makes one's hair fall out and he cannot take off his hat out of vanity? I never have gotten used to wearing a hat in the heat. Especially indoors... Gotta be addictive and comes with the water, though I have never seen Terry wearing one...

Space Science News for March 5, 2000 Residents of Canada and the northern United States should be on the alert for aurora borealis during the night of March 5 and morning of March 6. The best time to view aurorae is usually around local midnight. Tonight's new moon will make even faint activity easy to see. Early on March 5, 2000, the interplanetary magnetic field in the vicinity of Earth developed a significant southward-directed component. This condition often means that solar wind plasma can penetrate Earth's magnetosphere and trigger auroral activity. Data from NOAA's polar orbiting meteorological satellites late on March 5 show an expanded auroral oval. If this high level of activity continues, auroral displays could be visible as far south as the Great Lakes states and in New England. For continuing coverage of aurora and all forms of space weather, please visit http://www.SpaceWeather.com

Midnight here, but no aurora borealis visible from my back porch. :-( Looks a bit hazy or overcast. Only a miserable possum, which scared me half to death, walking on my back fence. Ugly thing. Not going back out there.

Possum??? You live where there is wild life? ! You need an almost inky dark sky (Dark of moon is great for this right now) to see the faint whisps of Aurora

If you were a pioneer woman you would catch that sucker and skin'um and cook up a mess of possum like Granny Clampett used to do.

Well, heck! Thanks for the resport. Seen: One Possum (U G L Y !)

Am glad it was an oppossum. When I first saw it last summer, sitting on my back porch, thought it was a giant rat. My neighbors told me what it was. Every agency in the city has been notified (streets & san, alderman's office, pest control) and no one has come out to deal with it. Where it came from is the big question. Catch it and skin it like Granny Clampett? ha! Threw a shoe at last summer and it went cowering behind a plant.

It likes You ! They're marsupials, you know! Be nice =) Share your veggie scraps and you may end up with many possi? possums?

I have seen an Aurora only once in 1947/8 winter - it was particularly cold that year in U.K. and we did indeed see the Northern Lights flickering across the screen - an amazing wave like green in the Northern sky - in those days there were very few street lights in my home town in Southern England and the stars were wonderful in those days. It is something I have never forgotten it was beautiful, strange and even at my young age I believe gave me my first interest in astronomy.

I'd love to see them in the far north. They make crackling and booming noises, I've heard tell. All in England are certainly are far enough to see the aurora, BTW, so go out and look at it and report back. My notice was from NASA and usually only covers North American events - but polar is polar. There is also Aurora at the South Pole - Aurora Australis!

Too much backglow, I'm afraid - unlikely to see anything unless I drove out to the country and the clouds cleared away - anyway wasn't it last night?

The solar ejections which cause aruroae arrive over several days. I'll forward any further information get about it, but I am sure if it is visible one night it will be visible it will be so for several days.

I think our cloud layer will be too heavy - as usual. Still, will look tonight.

Marcia why are the large powerful ocean storms which sometimes hit Hawaii called "hurricanes"? Shouldn't they be "typhoons"? It should be very logical "hurricanes" in the Atlantic, "typhoons" in the Pacific, and "cyclones" in the Indian Ocean". But no, the news once informed me that a hurricane hit Guam. Statistically the United States and China are hit by more large tropical ocean storms than any other countries.

Typhoons originate in the Western Pacific. Hurricanes originate in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific, It depends on which way it is going where it makes landfall. Hurricanes usually follow the island chain westward and often land on Guam. I think the large ocean distance to Guam and the large land masses available for typhoons keep them from hitting Guam...at least most of the time.

You noted that there are no stupid questions. Thank you for that. Hurricanes, et. al., is their rotation ever affected by what hemisphere they're in? Will the hemisphere affect whether it's clockwise or counterclockwise?

Oh yes...they make the cutest curls either side of the equator where they start because they need the warm water to build into such intense storms. The Coriolus effect is directly responsible for the spin!

As soon as the season begins I will post one with the curls in opposite directions on either side of the Equator. It is so cute. Same with those storms on Jupiter! Absolutely, I believe there are no stupid questions. Not so sure I do not give stupid answers, though, from time to time...*grin*

There is still data coming in on Hurricane Andrew. There were some very interesting things about that storm. Firstly, it was really small as hurricanes go. However, it did make in strength what it lacked in size, being a very high Category 4 storm. Another interesting thing which was found were pockets of devastation caused by very high velocity winds (about 240-250 mph). Andrew, it seems, had tiny tornadoes impeded in its eyewall. I'd never heard of that before. I was aware that hurricanes could spawn tornadoes, the truly spectacular ones appear as water spouts over the ocean. It would seem that Hurricane Andrew was a very compact compound storm.

Fascinating stuff! I had never heard of that before. I went through many hurricanes as a child on the East Coast, but never remember tornadoes associated with them. Thanks for the information. Something else I need to check on bye'n'bye when I get a moment. Someone is sure to make a diagram/schematic of what it looked like. Amazing !

Cyclone Steve which has formed three times is now I believe dead - it is incredible it travelled right over the whole of Northern Australia and has gone inland near Exmouth just up from Carnarvon - I hope now our weather will not be 102degreesf for the next couple of days. It was extraordinary though - because our meteorologists can stop talking about it. I hope now that is the end of it but one forecaster this morning said it was possible it could go out to sea and reform again - I hope not cause it could then hit Perth.

102�F (39� C) No wonder your computer did not want to work correctly! That is running a fever outside of your body! National Aspirin time! Cold compresses!

You mean..Steve could be resurrected ? Go away, Steve!

Careful thats my sons name!

oops....Storm, go away and leave Australia alone! *sorry!*

Space Science News for March 8, 2000 Powerful tidal forces from Jupiter have molded two of the solar system's most bizarre worlds, fiery Io and icy Europa. Images released this week reveal new details of tidal action on the two moons. FULL STORY at Jupiter's Terrible Tides CLIMATE NEWS NOTE: Without El Nino to spice up life along the Gulf Coast, it�s been "a boring year" for thunderstorm watchers, say scientists who have found an interesting correlation between El Nino and lightning. FULL STORY at The Lightning of El Nino

Does the wind ever shift directly from east to north? Many people believe the wind never shifts from north to east and back to the north again without veering around by way of the south and west. It is a well-know fact to meteorologists the wind very seldom veers from the north to the east and then, without further shift, back from east to north. However, according to the U.S. Weather Service, such changes can, and often do, occur.

Injuries, Damage As Tornado Strikes Milwaukee MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A tornado swept through part of Milwaukee on Wednesday, injuring at least 16 people, damaging a commercial area and lifting some homes off their foundations. The twister touched down on Milwaukee's far south side, damaging areas there and in the neighboring community of St. Francis, not far from Mitchell International Airport. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's office said none of the 16 injuries appeared to be life-threatening. Damage, however, appeared to be extensive. Homes were pushed off foundations and others lost their roofs. Cars were tossed about and a semi-trailer wound up on its side in an intersection. The storm damaged a line of shops. Some of the injured were inside a fast food restaurant at which the window was blown in. The storm struck at 6:10 p.m. CST (00:10 GMT) following several days of unusually warm weather across the Midwest that pushed temperatures to levels that were 30 degrees or more above normal. The storms occurred along a cold front which was sweeping across the region, bringing more seasonal late-winter temperatures and even heavy snow to the Northern Plains. A 15-square-block area was evacuated due to the possibility that natural gas leaks and downed power lines might lead to explosions.

Steve has gone inland - very little rain in Perth but oh my further up the coast. It is expected, maybe, to reform in the Great Australian Bight - but this time I think a large depression. It is still hot and horrible here. But we have escaped.

This storm is so strong that it will re-form land features? I AM impressed with this storm. I will look up more about it. That strip of land off of Florida wherein Miami is located was created by a hurricane long ago. I can just as easily be removed! Thanks, Anne.

Aurora Watch, March 10/11, 2000: Residents of northern Europe, Canada, and the northernmost tier of US states should be on the alert for possible auroral activity tonight. The interplanetary magnetic field as monitored by NASA's ACE spacecraft developed a southward-directed component earlier today. This condition often means that solar wind plasma can penetrate Earth's magnetosphere and trigger geomagnetic disturbances. NOAA space environment satellites show an expanded auroral oval at 2304 UT on March 10. To monitor developments, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com

A tornado has touched down in Fort Worth. Much damage and at least one death reported. Please be careful... Forecast For Dallas-Ft Worth, Tx 325 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 .Tonight...Thunderstorms Likely...Some Severe And With Heavy Rain. Low In The Upper 50S. Southeast Wind 10 To 20 Mph Becoming Northeast By Morning. Chance Of Rain 70 Percent. .Wednesday...Mostly Cloudy With A 40 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. High In The Lower 70S. North Wind 10 To 20 Mph. .Wednesday Night...Decreasing Clouds And Cool. Low Near 50. .Thursday...Partly Cloudy. High In The Lower 70S. .Extended Forecast... .Thursday Night...Increasing Clouds With A Slight Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms. Low In The Mid 40S. .Friday Through Saturday...Partly Cloudy With A Slight Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms. Low Near 50. High In The 70S. .Sunday...Partly Cloudy. Low In The 50S. High In The 70S. Tornado warning 640 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 ...This Is A Tornado Emergency For Fort Worth... The National Weather Service In Fort Worth Has Issued A * Tornado Warning For... Tarrant County In North Central Texas * Until 715 Pm Cst * At 640 Pm Cst...A Tornado Was Observed By Doppler Radar And Trained Spotters 5 Miles East Of Fort Worth...Moving East At 20 Mph. * Persons Along The Interstate 30 Corridor Between Arlington And Fort Worth Take Cover Immediately! Lat...Lon 3279 9734 3272 9734 3272 9707 3279 9706 Severe thunderstorm warning 533 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 The National Weather Service In Fort Worth Has Issued A * Severe Thunderstorm Warning For... Tarrant County In North Central Texas * Until 615 Pm Cst * At 533 Pm Cst...National Weather Service Doppler Radar Detected A Severe Thunderstorm 7 Miles West Of Azle...Moving East At 25 Mph. * Locations In The Warning Include Sansom Park...Saginaw...Lake Worth...Haslet...Eagle Mountain And Blue Mound * The Severe Thunderstorm Will Be Near... Eagle Mountain...Lake Worth Around 550 Pm Cst Blue Mound Around 600 Pm Cst Doppler Radar Detected Hail Up To Two Inches In Diameter With This Severe Thunderstorm. Lat...Lon 3299 9754 3277 9753 3277 9722 3299 9727 Severe weather statement 705 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 ...A Tornado Warning Continues For Tarrant County Until 715 Pm Cst... At 700Pm...Doppler Radar Detected A Tornado 5 Miles West Of Arlington Airport. This Tornado Was North Of I 20 Moving East At 20 Miles Per Hour. Persons In Arlington Take Cover Now! Nnnn Flood warning 643 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 The National Weather Service In Fort Worth Has Issued A * Flash Flood Warning For... Tarrant County In North Central Texas * Until 945 Pm Cst * At 643 Pm Cst...Weather Service Doppler Radar Indicated Very Heavy Rain Over Fort Worth And Northern Tarrant County Moving Very Slowly East. Another Storm Is Developing In Southeast Parker County And Will Move Into Tarrant County Through 730 Pm With More Heavy Rain. * Avoid Low Lying And Flood Prone Areas. Lat...Lon 3287 9740 3259 9751 3259 9707 3299 9708 Special weather statement 244 Pm Cst Tue Mar 28 2000 There Is A Moderate Risk Of Severe Thunderstorms Across All Of North Texas...Mainly Late This Afternoon And This Evening. This Includes The Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex...Waco...Temple...Sherman...Paris... And Mineral Wells. The Main Storm Threats Will Be Very Large Hail...Damaging Winds...And Heavy Rainfall. There Is A Threat Of A Tornado Or Two During The Late Afternoon And Early Evening...Mainly Northwest Of An Eastland... ...Mineral Wells...Gainesville Line. The Wind Profile Was Becoming More Favorable For Supercell Storms Within This Area. A Threat Of A Few Tornadoes May Spread Further South And East Through Mid-Evening. Scattered Thunderstorms Were Forming Between Abilene And Vernon At Mid Afternoon. A Few Of These Storms Will Become Severe As They Move Into North Central Texas Through 500 Pm...Generally North Of Interstate 20. By Evening...Thunderstorms Will Become Widespread...Mainly Across The Northern Two Thirds Of North Texas. Damaging Wind And Hail Will Occur In Some Areas. Heavy Rainfall Will Become A Threat...Mainly In Northern And Eastern Portions Of North Texas. A Flash Flood Watch Likely Will Be Issued This Afternoon. Emergency Management Officials And Storm Spotters May Be Activated...Mainly After 400 Pm And Into The Evening Hours. For Hazardous Weather/Thunderstorm Outlooks For Adjacent Areas...See Okcspsokc (Northwestern Texas...Western And Central Oklahoma)... Okcspstul (Eastern Oklahoma And Northwest Arkansas)...Newspsshv (Northeast Texas...Northwestern Louisiana...Extreme Southeastern Oklahoma And Southwestern Arkansas)...Satspshou (Southeast Texas)...Satspssat (South Central Texas)...And Lbbspssjt (West Central Texas).

Can anyone tell me the county in which Austin resides? Please.....

Travis! Bastrop is to the East and Blanco County is to the West.

Thanks, Terry. This morning I heard from a friend who lives in Arlington and works in Dallas. She reported this morning: Just got here. They have shuttled us in by police escort. We had a tornado here last night. I am scared. I have been scared; this looks like a war zone down here. They shuttled us in. It was amazing. You should see how bad things look. It is really scary. I worried all night. It was frigtening experience. Thank you, but I much prefer Tsunami and Lava flows.

I have friends there. haven't heard anything yet.

Any problems in Austin? I am also concerned about Wolfie as it was heading her direction when last I checked. Scary, indeed! Let us know what you discover when you hear from your friends, Maggie.

Nope, it's sunny. Getting up to 90 this afternoon. I went for a swim in my pool this morning.

You have two extreme season, it seems. What happened to Spring? I am more delighted than I can say that Austin and it Springizens are well and safe *hugs*

Ok, everybody sing: "Take me out to the Ball Game...." This just came through (our game starts in 3 hours) ULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 100 PM HST THU MAR 30 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 100 AM HST FRIDAY FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

I don't know all the words, so I'm humming in some places.

Thanks! It worked because it only sprinkled on the field and no time-outs were needed. However, we lost 7-17 to San Jose State University. We play again this evening, with different results, I hope!

A cyclone in far north queensland is imminent = strange name something like Tessi. Expected to increase from 1 to 2 in the near future

When does your cyclone season end? Or, are you 'lucky' enough to get them year round?

The cyclone season is supposed to end at the end of the big wet - which has been particularly wet this season. It is late ending and affects our weather down here in Perth. We will probably have a dry winter and won't start until end of May.

Does it get cold enough to snow in Perth? (How long does it take you to get over expecting July to be HOT and December to be COLD?) Guess Footie is about to supplant cricket for the duration...*sigh*

Cyclone Tessi Crosses Australia's Northeast Coast CANBERRA (Reuters) - Tropical Cyclone Tessi weakened s it crossed Australia's northeast coast early on Monday but still brought with it the threat of flooding inland rains. Tessi brought down some trees and power lines with wind gusts of up to 81 miles an hour as it crossed the coast south of Ingham, 770 miles north of Brisbane in the state of Queensland. Jim Davidson, senior meteorologist at the Queensland Cyclone Warning Centre, said Tessi was downgraded to a category one cyclone from category two just before it crossed the coast at about 9:00 a.m. Australia's far north has barely had time to recover from Cyclone Steve, which damaged homes and uprooted trees with winds of up to 106 miles when it hit the resort town of Cairns in late February. Strong winds associated with Cyclone Tessi were expected to cause more damage to Australia's sugarcane crop, industry officials said. Meteorologists are also monitoring a low pressure system near New Caledonia, which they said has the potential to develop into a cyclone off the Queensland coast within the next 24 hours.

Sotrm watch updating USA map from http://www.earthwatch.com

For the most sensational updating weather maps check http://www.earthwatch.com/SKYWATCH/ I would like to thank the Austin ARES website for pointing me in this direction!

These tropical updating maps will let you watch the hurricanes develop which may be a threat to you and yours...

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 850 AM HST MON APR 3 2000 WATERSPOUTS WERE OBSERVED OVER NORTH AND EAST HAWAII...SEVEN MILES NORTH OF HILO OVER ONAMEA BAY. IF WATERSPOUTS MOVE ONSHORE THEY CAN PRODUCE DANGEROUS WINDS. IF YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THE WAY...MOVE UNDER SOMETHING STURDY AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN THE OPEN LIE FLAT FACING THE GROUND WITH YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR WATERSPOUTS TO FORM OVER THE ISLAND AREA. THESE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO TERMINATE AROUND 1200 PM HST. THIS WILL BE THE FINAL STATEMENT UNLESS CONDITIONS REQUIRE FURTHER ISSUANCES. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION. FARRELL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

HIGH WIND WARNING NUMBER 1 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM HST FOR... THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF MAUI...THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE WEST MAUI MOUNTAINS AND THSLOPES OF HALEAKALA ON MAUI AND... THE WAIKOLOA SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND FROM WAIMEA TO KAWAIHAI ...INCLUDING WAIKOLOA VILLAGE AND... A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG AND GUSTY TRADE WINDS OVER ALL HAWAIIAN ISLANDS... A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS THAT WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH OR GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE OCCURRING. PERSONS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT PROPERTY. TIE DOWN OR MOVE LOOSE OBJECTS TO A SHELTERED LOCATION. SEVERAL TREES HAVE BEEN UPROOTED IN UPCOUNTRY MAUI AND MOTORISTS ARE LOSING CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLES IN THE OLOWALU AREA JUST PAST THE TUNNELS ON THE ROAD TO LAHAINA. ONE VEHICLE HAS OVERTURNED THIS MORNING IN THIS AREA. REPORTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH WERE RECEIVED FROM PAUKA ON THE WAIKOLOA SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH THROUGH 400 PM HST AND POSSIBLY THROUGH... TUESDAY OVER THE AFFECTED PORTIONS OF MAUI. BRISK TRADE WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ARE FORECAST TO CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY OVER THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. PERSONS IN AREAS EXPOSED TO THE STRONG WINDS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT PROPERTY. TIE DOWN LOOSE OBJECTS OR MOVE THEM TO A SHELTERED LOCATION. MOST SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS ARE MOUNTAIN RIDGES AND VALLEYS ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS. THE STRONG WINDS ARE BEING CAUSED BY A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM NORTH OF THE ISLANDS. THE NEXT WARNING ON THIS EVENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 400 PM HST OR SOONER IF NECESSARY. FARRELL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

If it's not one thing out here, it's another... HIGH WIND WARNING NUMBER 4 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 830 AM HST TUE APR 4 2000 ...A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL HAWAIIAN ISLANDS... A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS GREATER THAN OF 40 MPH OR GUSTS GREATER THAN 60 MPH ARE OCCURING. TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT PROPERTY..TIE DOWN OR SHELTER LOOSE OBJECTS. DRIVE WITH EXTRA CARE DUE TO BUFFETING AND POSSIBLE DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES. AN INTENSE 1040MB HIGH NORTH OF THE STATE WILL CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN VERY STRONG TRADE WINDS OVER THE ISLANDS AGAIN TODAY. SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS ARE OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND THRU DOWNWIND VALLEYS. THE HIGH SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN TONIGHT AND SIGNIFICANTLY SO TOMORROW. THE HIGH WIND WARNING WILL LIKELY LOWER SOMETIME TONIGHT. THE NEXT ISSUANCE FOR THIS EVENT WILL BE AT 830 PM TONIGHT OR SOONER IF NEEDED. MATSUDA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

We now have cyclone Vaughan off the Queensland coast two days after cyclone Tessi - they have so much rain it is unbelievable. It is a category 2 at present but could increase.

Is this the BIGGER Wet? Heavens...when it rains, it really rains!!! Any Ark builders busy at work yet?!

Space Weather News for April 4-5, 2000 The interplanetary magnetic field in the vicinity of Earth turned southward on April 4. This condition often creates a weak point in our planet's magnetospheric shielding against the solar wind. Geomagnetic activity is currently high. If active conditions continue, observers in northern Europe, Canada, Alaska and the northern tier of US states could be in for a display of aurora borealis around local midnight on April 5 (when April 4 turns into April 5). The Moon is just one day past New, meaning that even very faint Northern Lights could be visible against tonight's dark skies. For more information see: http://www.spaceweather.com

Here is an updating central Europe map for you to bookmark. Very Special People are in Italy from time to time, and one is there now. I shall look at this with great frequency.

Excellently useful Marcia! I shall be in the centre of this map next weekend. Your timing is flawless. :-)

Must be the vibes, Mark. Have a pleasant journey and safe return. Now, I will have two gentlemen of great esteem on that little part of this Big Blue Marble. I shall be watching closely, as well.

I should have included this bar with the above weather map

grey is cold ... deep red is coldest

NASA Science News for April 18, 2000 April's Lyrid Meteor Shower: The oldest known meteor shower peaks on the morning of April 22. Bright moonlight will reduce the number of shooting stars that are easy to see, but many meteor enthusiasts will be watching anyway because it's been over 3 months since the last major meteor display. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast18apr_1m.htm

If this updates it stay, if it does not it will disappear in the morning

we have just suffered severe cyclone Rosita - category 4-5 Broome damaged - beach devestated - winds at centre 250 k's per hour - tomorrow Alice Springs top temp will be 14degrees c. all due to cyclone - last night Perth suffered thunderstorms not predicted - due to cyclonic weather. Most unusual for this time of year. Perth 9.12p.m. 20th April

Wow, are you ok? Were you affected personally, Anne? Where is Broome, which coast?

On the NorthWest Coast of Australia is where Broome is located. That is a sizeable distance from Perth, which is the area in which Anne lives. I cannot believe the devastation you have suffered this year from one cyclone after another. Did thid one sneak up on you unaware? Anne, is your roof still intact? How much of that storm reached Perth?

I'm hoping all is well for Anne down under.

We are okay here in Perth - but not in Broome some 1000 ks to the north. It is a tourist area and has been devastated, holiday homes etc. have disappeared, the beach known as Cable beach all but destroyed. Trees down, light poles, telephone poles etc. all down. It has been an extraordinary year with cyclone Steve re-starting three times and then finishing as a depression in the Bight. Apparently the cyclone season is supposed to stop by 30th April but....... We had heavy rain here in Perth but nothing untoward re wind although we have a cold change, gales etc forcasted for the middle of next week, about a month early. Alice Springs is suffering flooding - two dry river beds are now deeply flooding rivers and much concern is being shown. Roads cut off etc. Again most unusual. Lake Eyre normally a huge salt pan is now a vast inland sea - the rains have filtered down from the North West, North East and from the North. Again most unusual - La Nina I suppose. We really shouldn't complain as we are the dryest continent and any rain is welcome.

Being utter selfish about our troubles in Oz. but will now show my concern re tornadoes in the U.S. I hope all is well with everyone and no one has been hurt.

We need you to be utter selfish about it so we can get the details we'd otherwise miss and the immediacy of the damage. Poor Broome! Anyone in the US mainland who experienced tornadoes yet? I note that there is a tornado watch in the http://www/austin360.com web site. Perhaps I should post that, here, as well.

Nothing here locally. Glad you're ok Anne, I was concerned for your welfare. Has the worst passed now?

GLOBAL WARMING FOUND AT EQUATOR Macapa -- New evidence of global warming has been found in this Brazilian city at the mouth of the Amazon River. Dr. Bruno Clinckerdinck, Professor of Climatology and Auto Repair at Gomer State University, said evidence of warming is "incontrovertible". "There's lots of palm trees and stuff, plus it's always hot and humid here." Prof. Clinckerdinck, head of an international team of scientists, has been in Macapa for a month, studying the phenomena caused by global warming. "We walk up and down the beach all day, taking air and water samples. Then we sit under beach umbrellas and analyze the results. I'm telling you, it's frightening." The professor then excused himself, mumbling something about "mai tais" and "nap". Copyright 2000 Cruddy Enterprises Blithering Idiot -=+=- SCIENTISTS RETRACT GLOBAL WARMING REPORT IN LIGHT OF COLD FRONT A report validating global warming by a National Academy of Sciences panel retracted their findings only a few days after it was issued in light of the current cold front blanketing much of the country. "Never mind," said one of the researchers who worked on the study. A skeptic of the report, Professor Marvin Lynch of the University of Southern North Carolina School of Atmospheric and Animal Husbandry Sciences, felt vindicated. "I told them to wait just a few more days before concluding their report because it was going to get colder than Hillary Clinton on her wedding anniversary, but they went ahead and rushed it out," he said. The 11 members of the panel were unavailable for further comment on the report. "They're out buying winter clothing," said an administrative assistant at the academy offices. Breaking News Beyond Repair

More seriously, Wolfie's home town got pasted with 2-4-inch hail stones yesterday and was a near-miss for a Tornado. I wish she would check in and let us know how she fared. It looked really scary. Guess Texas got some of it, as well, but I do not know anyone in that part of Texas...

She did while Spring was frozen. She is fine (aren't you?!) *hugs*

While we wait for Wolfie's pix of the black menacing clouds here's some weather news from Ginny's neck of the woods: Flattening of Radar Antenna Delays Boston Flights BOSTON (Reuters) - Flight delays and cancellations plagued Boston's Logan Airport on Sunday after the flattening, apparently by high winds, of a radar antenna that handled incoming flights, aviation officials said. A replacement antenna was loaded onto an Air Force C-17 in Oklahoma City and was expected to arrive at Logan on Sunday, replacing the antenna knocked over on Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Installing and testing the new antenna were expected to take as long as four days, snarling plans for travelers returning from April school vacations, airport officials said. Logan is the nation's ninth busiest airport. Planes were landing at the rate of about 22 to 28 an hour on Sunday, compared with an average of 35 to 40 in inclement weather and more than 60 in clear weather, officials said. New England has been soaked by rain in recent days. About 210 flights were canceled on Saturday, with 130 others canceled on Sunday by early afternoon, officials said. Some airlines were diverting flights to airports in Manchester, New Hampshire, and Providence, Rhode Island. US Airways Group Inc (U.N) and its US Airways Express and MetroJet subsidiaries announced late on Sunday that they were canceling selected flights out of Boston on Monday to minimize the effect of the continuing outage of the radar system. US Airways Express regional flights, operated by Allegheny Airlines, Colgan Air and CommutAir under the US Airways Express brand, were canceled until 5 p.m. (2100 GMT), while Mesa Airlines, another US Airways Express carrier, would operate a single morning flight from Boston to Washington-Dulles. US Airways said it was also canceling 10 departures and arrivals at Boston to and from Baltimore; Charlotte, North Carolina; Buffalo and Atlanta. But US Airways Shuttle would fly a normal schedule on Monday, servicing airports in Boston, New York and Washington.

Looking for a wolfie check in and update!

I think it will not till after work this afternoon...

Sorry I did not reply to your query Terry but have been unindated with relatives over the Easter Period. The weather here in Perth, Western Australia is still very strange - Friday we had winter gales unheard of in April, and it has been wet and horrible ever since. Our bad weather usually occurs between late May and early August - I suppose it must be the La nina effect? Do any of you think so.

Hi Anne, we've had really strange weather in the southern England recently too. In the recent week or so we've had snow, large hailstones, Rain, rain and more rain, and bright enough sunshine to go out in shorts!

Probably, Anne, but theories are just that. subject to chance to the newest thought on the subject. Do we really know?! Hawaii is still pretty much Hawaii

NASA Science News for May 1, 2000M One year ago this week killer tornadoes raged across Oklahoma. Now, NASA scientists are figuring out how to predict such storms using lightning data from Earth-orbit. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast01may_1m.htm

Space Weather News for May 1, 2000 A coronal mass ejection (CME) from a small sunspot group was recorded by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on April 30, 2000. If material from the eruption is heading toward Earth, as animations of the CME suggest, then the shock wave will probably arrive late on May 2nd or sometime on May 3rd. Forecasters estimate a 30% chance of active geomagnetic conditions at middle-latitudes on May 3, 2000. For more information, please visit http://www.spaceweather.com

We're getting heavy thunderstorms and lightning this morning, it's been going on since at least 3 am, I unplugged all my systems at one point.

I am glad you did unplugged. I trust you also disconnected your antennas from your rigs. A solid-soldered interior is NOT a good thing for a boat anchor! Guess when it is done tearing up Texas, that storm system will be heading for Wolfie. You guys, be careful, please! None of you are expendable.

I didn't but everything survived.

Good to know. Thanks! The Hams here disconnect the antenna and throw it out the window as far away from the house as they can do easily and in a hurry through a window. Lightning can jump gaps, but you know that!

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000502/sc/science_tsunamis_1.html Tuesday May 2 4:45 PM ET Tsunamis Seen Possible Along U.S. East Coast By Patrick Rizzo NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tsunamis, the sometimes devastating tidal waves produced by undersea earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides, are not normally the kind of geologic activity people on the U.S. eastern seaboard worry about. But newly-discovered cracks in the continental shelf off the Mid-Atlantic may change that. Researchers writing in the May issue of the journal Geology said that cracks in the continental shelf off Virginia and North Carolina, if geologically active, could produce landslides that may trigger a tsunami along the heavily populated coast in those states and the lower Chesapeake Bay. A tsunami could generate two to 20 foot (.06 to 6.1 meter) high waves, equivalent to the storm surge of category three to four, or extensive to extreme, hurricanes. Hurricane Andrew, a category four storm that hit Florida in 1992, caused over $25 billion in damage, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. In 1998 two strong earthquakes caused a series of tsunamis to hit the north coast of Papua New Guinea, killing 2,500 people. The researchers, Neal Driscoll of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, Jeffrey Weissel of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and John Goff of the University of Texas at Austin, discovered the cracks after examining National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maps of the continental shelf. Weissel said when he first saw the data, the escarpments ''looked like they could be the headwalls of future large scale submarine landslides.'' He said that he and his colleagues would be leaving from Woods Hole Saturday morning to look for signs of whether the cracks, shaped like a series of tilted roof shingles, are active and likely to trigger a landslide in the future. ``We need to understand whether these crack-like features are active or recently active, in which case we should be concerned,'' Weissel said in a telephone interview. If they are active and a large chunk of the escarpment were to slump into the deep water off the continental shelf, it would push huge volumes of seawater ahead of it. Water along the coast would rush in to take its place and the water would then rush back toward land, possibly causing massive flooding in low-lying towns along the coast. ``You could expect a tsunami hitting the coast ... about 20 minutes after the slide,'' Weissel said. The last major tsunami to strike the Eastern Seaboard was in 1929, when an earthquake triggered a landslide and a tidal wave that killed 51 people on the Grand Banks along the Newfoundland coast.

Thanks, Maggie. I was hoping you would put this in here where others might see it linked with News. Lotsa relatives there and Autumn lives in the area. This is just an IF scenario...it is not necessarily going to happen. Stay tuned!

Last week, while the rest of her state and neighboring Texas was getting hammererd by huge hailstones and tornadoes, Wolfie took this image of the distant storm. These cloud formations are known as mamatocumulous... Splendid job and thanks!

Oh wow! that's a fantastic photo Wolfie!

What a spectacular, mind blowing picture! I'm going to print it on glos

I can send you the original which is quite large if you would like to have it to work with.

These GOES satellites are the ones I use to get some of the updating weather maps of the USA To: Geostationary Satellite Server Users: NASA Press Release: "The fourth in a series of five of the most sophisticated weather spacecraft ever built, soared into space this morning at 3:07 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-L spacecraft was carried in space aboard aLockheed Martin Atlas IIA rocket. Twenty-seven minutes later, the spacecraft separated from the Centaur stage. At approximately 4:22 a.m., controllers successfully deployed the outer panel of the solar array, making the spacecraft power positive and allowing the batteries to charge". GOES-L will be called GOES-11. More info will be at http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov and http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/earth/goesl/goesl.htm.

To Be or Not to Be, La Nina? NASA Science News for May 18, 2000 Just last month, scientists were predicting that current La Ni�a conditions would persist, but now data from Earth-orbiting satellites show that it may be on the decline. Is it too soon to revise the 2000 hurricane forecast? FULL STORY at http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast18may_1m.htm To Be or Not to Be, La Ni�a?

Hurricane season is back. Bookmark this url - it beats wading through the entire topic to get to this excellent map Looks like Arleta has disappeared: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/14.69 Unplug your computers Terry! Forecast For Austin, Tx 400 Pm Cdt Sat May 27 2000 .Tonight...Mostly Cloudy With A 50 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms...Some Possibly Severe Later Tonight. Lows In The Middle 70S. Southeast Winds 5 To 10 Mph. .Sunday...Cloudy Morning With A 30 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. Partly Cloudy Afternoon. Highs In The Lower 90S. Variable Winds 5 To 10 Mph. .Sunday Night...Mostly Clear. Lows In The Lower 70S. .Memorial Day...Mostly Sunny And Hot. Highs In The Middle 90S. .Extended Forecast... .Tuesday Through Thursday...Some Brief Early Morning Clouds... Otherwise Mostly Clear And Hot. Lows In The 70S. Highs In The Middle 90S To Near 100. Special weather statement 734 Pm Cdt Sat May 27 2000 ...Thunderstorms Moving Across Northern Hill Country This Evening... A Line Of Strong Thunderstorms Will Move Across The Northern Hill Country This Evening. Some Of These Storms May Become Severe And Capable Of Producing Very Heavy Rain...Deadly Lightning...Strong Damaging Winds...And Large Hail. Campers And Persons In The Outdoors Should Take Precautions For The Storms Later This Evening By Securing Loose Objects...And Having Safe Shelter Available. Boaters Should Be Ready To Seek Safe Harbor And Tie Boats Down Securely. Most Lightning Fatalities And Injuries Occur In Open Fields Or Under Trees. If Outdoors...Seek Shelter In A Sturdy Building Or Car. Do Not Take Shelter In Small Sheds...Under Isolated Trees...Or In Convertible Automobiles.

For Lance - no wonder I have not heard from him... Forecast For NC 937 Pm Edt Sat May 27 2000 ... Severe Thunderstorm Watch In Effect Until 2 Am... .Tonight...Showers And Thunderstorms Likely. Some Storms May Be Severe With Damaging Winds And Large Hail. Low In The Mid 60S. Southwest Wind Near 10 Mph. Chance Of Rain 60 Percent. .Sunday... Showers And Thunderstorms. High 75 To 80. West Wind Around 10 Mph. Chance Of Rain 80 Percent. .Sunday Night...Showers And Thunderstorms Likely. Low In The Upper 50S. Chance Of Rain 60 Percent. ***If I am lucky I might hear from him for my Birthday but not before, I fear... For Wolfie who is also unplugged, I hope: LA 911 Pm Cdt Sat May 27 2000 ...Severe Thunderstorm Watch In Effect Until 100 Am Cdt Sunday... .Tonight...Cloudy With Showers And Thunderstorms Likely. Some Storms Possibly Severe. Locally Heavy Rain Possible. Low Near 70. Southwest Wind Near 10 Mph. Chance Of Rain 70 Percent. .Sunday...Mostly Cloudy In The Morning With A Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms. Mostly Sunny During The Afternoon. High Near 90. West Wind 5 To 10 Mph Becoming North Near 10 Mph. Chance Of Rain 30 Percent. Severe thunderstorm warning 909 Pm Cdt Sat May 27 2000 * Severe Thunderstorm Warning For... Bossier Parish In Louisiana Caddo Parish In Louisiana * Until 1000 Pm Cdt * At 909 Pm Cdt...The Shreveport National Weather Service Doppler Radar Indicated A Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Developing Over The Area...Moving East At 30 Mph. This Thunderstorm Will Produce Large Hail And Strong Damaging Winds. Do Not Remain Outside...This Is A Dangerous Weather Situation. Repeating...The National Weather Service Has Issued A Severe Thunderstorm Warning For... Xxxxx Parish In Louisiana Xxxxx Parish In Louisiana Until 1000 Pm Cdt. Special weather statement 822 Pm Cdt Sat May 27 2000 Thunderstorms Are Rapidly Forming This Evening. At 820 Pm...Thunderstorms Were Over Northwest Shreveport And Northern Caddo Parish...Moving Northeast At 30 Mph. A Thunderstorm Outflow Boundary Moving Southwest Out Of Southwest Arkansas...

Lance checked in with me this evening: Our problem sprang up unexpected on Thursday and caught the weather weenies totally by surprise. No hail, 1/3 to 1/2 inch of rain, but winds!!!! Clocked at 82 MPH here in Burlington! Trees, lines, everything possible. Signs gone, and they blocked the Interstate for hours with downed lines. I sat and watched it blow thru. We are fine, just a couple of downed branches for us. Neighbors on each side lost trees. Our weenies caught it with about an hour's warning. Didn't do me any good. I slept in until shortly before. I sat down and saw the warning on TV that it was about ten miles away and coming. Got all of one minute of TV when the power went off. They don't want too much power going too quickly into use and the phone lines getting jammed. You are the only one I'm letting know about this tonight. Take care and I'll write again when I can. Thank goodness...I hope Wolfie checks in when she can...

Terry, where are the fatalities in Texas due to flooding? Houston area? Please, not in Austin!!!

What flooding and fatalities? Not heard about this - or from friends in the area.

No, we haven't had any flooding lately. I've been pretty isolated from news sources the last 2-3 weeks, buried in work.

At least no flooding in the Austin area. It's been pretty dry and hot. Only tinges of rain here and there.

I seem to rememeber it as being in "the Houston Area" which is far to the south of Austin. Still, I worry!

GO OUTSIDE AND LOOK AT THE AURORA TONIGHT!!!

June 8-9 Aurora Update Space Weather News for June 8-9, 2000 Geomagnetic disturbances are finally subsiding after an interplanetary shock wave struck Earth's magnetosphere around 930 UT on June 8. The event triggered intense aurora over sparsely-inhabited regions of northern Asia and the Pacific. However, by nightfall over North America conditions had quieted. There is still a chance for isolated auroral substorms that might be visible tonight (June 8-9) at middle latitudes. The next opportunity for viewing aurora borealis may arrive as soon as June 10, when another solar wind disturbance is expected to reach Earth. For more information and updates please visit http://www.spaceweather.com SpaceWeather.com

(Oh drat!!! I was too busy and fogot to look - but there was heavy cloud cover when I looked earlier)

Austin's been getting some flooding and it's been raining solid for the last day or two. And no end in sight. What a change!

Is there no moderation in Texas? Your droughts are bigger, your floods deeper...and now there are people I truly care about and am now worried - REALLY worried! Wish there was some way to know if "they" are ok...

No one saw the aurora that I am in contact with...Pennsylvania was under clouds, Mike fed the mosquitoes for naught, and England had clouds....*sigh* And, I am way too far south...

Listening to the flood reports on Terry's main page... They did not mention Cedar or Quail creek...does anyone else live near a creek that I should worry about? Forecast For Austin, Tx - 911 Pm Cdt Sat Jun 10 2000 ...Flash Flood Watch In Effect Tonight... .Tonight...Cloudy With A 50 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms...Locally Heavy Rainfall And Flooding Possible. Lows In The Lower 70S. Southeast Winds 5 To 10 Mph. .Sunday...Continued Cloudy With A 60 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms...Locally Heavy Rainfall Possible. Highs In The Mid 80S. Southeast Winds 10 To 15 Mph. .Sunday Night...Cloudy With A 40 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. Lows In The Lower 70S. .Monday...Mostly Cloudy...Becoming Partly Cloudy During The Afternoon. A 30 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. Highs In The Upper 80S. .Extended Forecast... .Monday Night...Partly Cloudy. Lows Near 70. .Tuesday...Mostly Cloudy With A Slight Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. Highs In The 90S. .Wednesday And Thursday...Mostly Cloudy With A Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms. Lows In The 70S. Highs Near 90.

Lots of rain in the forecast, esp. Monday. Well, all week really.

Looks like the worst of it has gone through Dallas from what the Wx Channel is showing. Is it Very flat in central Texas or is there a impervious layer under the soil as there is in Arizona? Whatever, your 7 inches it way more than baked hard ground can absorb so quickly! Everything up on tables and lashed down!

The rain's let up. It's been pretty mild the last couple of days.

From my son who lives there: From: San Francisco Office of Emergency Services The Pacific Gas and Electric Company has notified the City of San Francisco that PG&E will begin involuntary curtailment of electrical service to portions of San Francisco. These outages are necessary to prevent collapse of the electrical power grid. Parts of San Francisco are expected to be without power for at least an hour to an hour and a half.

More from Iki: URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 345 PM PDT WED JUN 14 2000 CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA- ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED AN EXCESSIVE HEAT ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY... A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COMBINED WITH BREEZY NORTH WINDS IS PRODUCING WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN PARTS OF THE CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA. AS A RESULT AN EXCESSIVE HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED. THIS IS DEFINED AS TWO OR MORE DAYS WHERE DAYTIME HIGHS EXCEED 105 FAHRENHEIT AND OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE 80 OR GREATER. LOWS IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 80S WERE COMMON ACROSS THE DELTA THIS MORNING. HIGHS TODAY WILL TOP OUT WELL ABOVE 105 AT MANY LOCATIONS ...AND LOWS TONIGHT ARE ONCE AGAIN EXPECTED TO ONLY COOL INTO THE UPPER 70S AND 80S. ON THURSDAY...THE MERCURY WILL ONCE AGAIN SOAR ABOVE 105 IN MANY AREAS OF THE DELTA. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WITH LOWS IN THE 70S AND HIGHS IN THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 103. GREATER COOLING IS EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND AS MARINE AIR MOVES INLAND. AVOID PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND USE SUNBLOCK WHEN OUTDOORS. ALSO IT IS ADVISED TO CHECK ON THOSE SENSITIVE TO HEAT...SUCH AS THE ELDERLY... CHILDREN...AND PETS. TUNE TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE FOR THE LATEST FORECAST PERTAINING TO THIS HEAT WAVE. THE INTERNET SITE IS HTTP://WEATHER.NOAA.GOV/SACRAMENTO. BE SURE TO USE LOWER CASE.

does this have anything to do with the sun's acting up here lately?

No... Not directly... and not yet. They are still figuring out the dynamics of weather systems but seems to be La Nina this time....which is sort of nebulous at best. Will post some information when I find a clear explanation....

(i couldn't think of what the sun has been up too besides shining brightly, *grin* the SOLAR WIND)

Check the sunspots with this amazing little updating image:

One of the days this past week, it was reported that San Francisco reached a temperature of 103 degrees F. That is extremely unsual. San Francisco is noted for having a very temperate climate, being not very cold in winter or hot in summer. The penninsula it sits on is said to keep "air conditioned" as it were.

Yes, Indeed. A few posts back are two reports for my son who lives there. It was actually 109�F (42.7� C) and that is not fit for human consumption. Rolling brown-outs are the order of the day. It is gonna be a bad fire season.

and the U.K. this morning was complaining about a heatwave all of 27c. or about just over 80f. Well San Francisco is experiencing Western Australian temps. In the summer we often have over 42c. but strangely this year we didn't exceed 40degrees c. once. It must be terrible over there. I hope they don't have awful forest fires - but the ground will be tinder dry won't it.

You can bet this will be a very active fire season with it being so hot and so dry this early in the year.

i believe fire in colorado is under control now since the weather has taken a turn toward cool. someone correct me if i'm wrong (but be nice about it *grin*)

From what I head on the Weather Channel the Colorado fire was mostly contained and just about out. The wildfires are now in New Mexico.

UK heatwave hit 35C yesterday. Hottest day for 40 years Supposed to be 32C today. And we forgot to take the fan away with us .....!

Don't be tempted to acquire an all-over tan; your skin and mine was never intended to be exposed to such radiation and is ill equipped to deal with the resultant damage.

My father was of French and Scotch/Irish ancestry, and he never got a tan. He got freckles, he got sunburn. He even claimed to have once bought this product called Man Tan, (no kidding), which he said turned him orange. My maternal grandfather was Greek-Cypriot and had blond hair. I have slightly olive skin and I do get sunburn in really obvious places, like my nose.

Your Dad and I share much in common genetically. Though eschange the french for English and you have it. We do not tan either. I can remember ManTan. The funniest part of that was the orange palms it gave you...not the usual color! My son, of the same general heritage as mine with some Teutonic thrown in had blond hair (which has since darkened to brown from being not in Hawaii and in an office), green eyes and a perpetual tan - born that way actually - from who knows where. Maybe a travelling salesman of the swarthy kind visited my ancestress some where way back???

No problems with tans, we all have perpetual tans and never burn - more like David I spose (and I have green eyes!), unlike the rest of either of our families. All the men in my family have reddish hair from our Scots inheritance with fairish complexions, don't know where I dropped in from!

The Gypsies??!!

Weeelll, there was a rumour ....

*grin* There are some of those waaaaaay back in all of our ancestries if we'd only admit it. I am sure my Viking ancestors were not all that choosy where they left their DNA...

Why are so many umbrellas black? When umbrellas first came into greater use during the 18th century, they were made of oil-soaked cotton cloth that was stretched over a whalebone. The purpose of the oil was to make the cotton cloth water proof, but it also gave the cloth a black-looking color. While this type of umbrella was very waterproof, it wasn't very durable. Soon, newer and better umbrellas were made, and since the color black was associated with effective waterproofing, most of the newer models were dyed black.

Mini Tornado just outside Melbourne today. There was significant damage.

Was it a waterspout which came ashore or a real tornado? Amazing! Thanks, Anne

It was a genuine tornado - so much so the Victorian Government are paying out $750 per household and some $500odd per week in compensation.

Amazing. Is this unusual for Sydney? I do not recall hearing of one before this one you reported. Thanks!

THE GO TEAM (from weather.com) In September 1998, Hurricane Georges rampaged across 17 Caribbean islands. The storm killed over 500 people, flooded out roads and bridges, and tore apart thousands of houses. In its wake, the number of homeless was staggering - more than 100,000 in the Dominican Republic alone, with thousands more in Haiti, Puerto Rico, and St. Kitts. Those who lost everything to Georges urgently needed food, clean water and medical supplies, which were often slow to arrive. A new international response team sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) plans to provide much more rapid relief following a hurricane strike. The GO (Ground Operations) Team, made up of disaster response professionals from Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue and USAID, is set up to deploy immediately. While typical response to a disaster can take as long as 72 hours, GO is on the move within 12 hours, airlifting emergency supplies such as plastic sheeting, water, blankets and hygiene kits. "From now on these GO Teams, with pre-packaged supplies, will allow us to provide assistance almost immediately," said USAID administrator J. Brady Anderson. The teams are able to arrive on the scene so quickly because of the preparation that goes on ahead of time, says Ruben D. Almaguer, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's division chief of special operations. Almaguer has a team of 300 specially trained urban search and rescue task force members, 50 of whom have also been trained as part of USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) in humanitarian relief. Even before hurricane season (which runs from June 1 to November 30) began, the GO Team was in full operation, readying a stockpile of supply kits, which are stored in two warehouses at Homestead Air Reserve Base. When a request is made, the team quickly loads the kits onto commercial or military aircraft and is on their way to the country in need. Almaguer says that beyond the satisfaction of helping those in need, the program is also useful to his department. "The benefit of it is the value of having county personnel responding all over the world, getting a lot of training, a lot of experience which will better allow us to handle our own disasters," he says. The GO Team's ultimate goal is to train small islands to better respond to their own needs. But, he says, making them completely self-sufficient is still far in the future.

Destructive storm in Western Australia including a tornado in Fremantle some 13 miles south of Perth, much damage. One person killed in Safety Bay some 20 miles south of Perth during severe thunderstorm. Destuctive winds still blowing and heavy rain, hail and sleet. Most unusual - okay we get winter storms but this is something else.

Has anyone done a study of recorded weather history for your area? This past 12 months have sounded more stormy and extreme than any I have ever heard of before. Hang in there, Dear. Cannot lose you!

Time to post the updating severe weather map again http://www.weather.com/

Bill Hecke, the Channel 42 Meteorologist, came by and looked in to renting tyhe Cedar Creek house. He's a true weatherman and nearly full blooded Indian to boot. Nice guy.

We need him in Geo!!! Yay, Terry!!!

Just in time for the 2000 Cape Verde season, a resident in central Florida has came up with an idea to break up hurricanes by dropping Soil Moist, a substance used by gardners to soak up moisture from the surrounding ground and keeping it near plants, into the storms. Soil Moist can absorb 250 times its weight in water-sounds similar to soak up used to absorb oil. The idea is that dropping massive amounts of the absorber into the storms would caus them to fall harmlessly into the ocean. The govt is seriously considering the idea. (from the Hurricane Team)

'HEATWAVES' In Abadan - Iran - the temperature has risen to 53c. over the last four days. Drinking water has been cut off and caused riots in the town. In Italy one of the green lungs of Rome is burning and Italy is suffering Heatwave contions.

Typhoon Kirogi is heading for Japan, after taking the lives of at least 12 people in the Philippines. It is expected to brush the country, near Tokyo, this weekend. Flooding and mudslides triggered by Kirogi's torrential rains are blamed for many of the deaths. The heavy rainfall worsened as a tropical depression, now Tropical Storm Kai-tak, also soaked the Philippines this week. That storm is forecast to grow to Category 4 hurricane strength and is forecast to make landfall near Shantou, in eastern China, this weekend. The rains forced more than 16,000 families to flee their homes as floodwaters across the northern island of Luzon climbed to 10 feet. Now, residents of Tokyo are on alert, as Kirogi is expected to strike there Saturday morning. Kirogi weakened during the last 24 hours, and was packing winds of 97 mph at 8 a.m. EDT Thursday. Courtesy of Weather.com

I heard a friend in Tehran that it was 108� when he was talking with me last evening my time (they are 14 hours ahead of us) No rain in sight for months. It must be stiffling! Thanks for reminding me, Anne!

Typhoons force 400,000 to evacuate In the Kanto Plain, winds have been running at about 40-60 kph sustained (10 minute average) with the pressure down to 976 hPa in Tokyo. Lowest pressure along the coast I saw was 974 hPa and winds of 77 kph so we are probably seeing 60-80kph winds along the coast. Heavy rain showers are occurring throughout the area and gusts are probably approaching 100 kph in the Tokyo area and exceeding 100 kph along the coast.

As if the flooding from heavy rains and tidal flooding which have killed 27 people on Luzon so far weren't enough... A tornado struck San Fernando La Union on the 7th damaging a number of homes. A rain induced secondary explosion in the Sacobia pyroclastic deposit zone of Mt. Pinatubo caused a muddy rain and moderate ashfall on the former Clark AB and surrounding towns. Fortunately, so far lahars have been minimal.

Help Plant A Tree With Just A Click One click a day. It'free. http://www.webreleaf.com/

Tornado in Perth Western Australia yesterday. The suburb Thornlie was hit by a tornado yesterday morning - early. Although there is much damage no one was hurt. Another bad wind day is forecast for later today. Hopefully less destructive.

Pacific Lunar Eclipse NASA Science News for July 14, 2000 This weekend the Moon, the Sun and the Earth will align for the longest total lunar eclipse in 140 years. The best places to see the event are in and around the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii and Australia. Observers along the west coast of North America will be able to see a partial eclipse just before the Moon sets on Sunday morning. During totality skywatchers may also be able to spot the asteroid 4 Vesta, which coincidentally makes a rare appearance as a naked-eye object during the days around the eclipse. FULL STORY at http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14jul_1m.htm?list

Saturday July 15, 9:19 AM Tornado kills 7, injures 79 in Alberta, Canada MONTREAL (Reuters) - A tornado obliterated a popular mobile home campground near Red Deer, Alberta, Canada on Friday evening, killing seven people and injuring 79 as it flipped dozens of trailers in its path, authorities said. "We're at seven fatalities and the number of injured is now 79 and may rise some more," Jim Squire, a public information officer for the county of Red Deer, told Reuters early on Saturday morning. Squire said rescue and medical crews continued to work into the early morning hours at the Green Acres campground site at the edge of Pine Lake, about 36 miles (60 km) southeast of Red Deer. The tornado destroyed 400 trailer camp sites in the campground. In addition to the dead and injured, 325 people had been evacuated to a nearby community centre and college in Red Deer, he said. Squire added that county officials were beginning to obtain information on the scope and severity of injuries inflicted when the funnel cloud touched down mid-evening on Friday. The twister ripped through the camp ground, flipping trailers, tossing cars and uprooting trees. Although some victims escaped with small cuts and bruises, others suffered broken limbs and gouges from flying debris. "Some of the injuries are life threatening," he said. Crews were continuing their search of the campground as rescue personnel reported finding trailers stacked one on top of the other, Squire said. The tornado also blew several trailers into the lake. WATER SEARCH HALTED Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Patrick Webb told Reuters that divers had searched trailers found in the water, but had to halt their efforts because of darkness. The lake search was to resume at daylight. Webb said people were frantically calling the police and other authorities hoping to learn whether friends and family had been caught in the tornado. One problem, however, was that authorities did not know how many people had checked into the campground or how many others had been headed there for the weekend. That made it difficult to determine the number of missing, he said. Louise Martin, producer for RD-TV, said the television station's video footage from the scene showed injured victims sitting amid the wreckage of the campground. "It's like a war zone, mobile homes and cars upside down, people walking around covered in blood or sitting down wrapped in blankets," she said. The Green Acres campground was a permanent summer recreation area used by vacationers, including many families with children. A baseball tournament had been planned for this weekend, Martin said. Television pictures on the CTV network showed a substantial amount of debris strewn by the lakeside where many trailers had been parked. A nearby house was in ruins and several cars and trailers were upended. The injured were being taken to hospitals in Red Deer and the nearby community of Three Hills. At least two energy companies had provided disaster relief crews to assist the rescue effort. Rescue crews were called in from surrounding communities, including the cities of Calgary and Edmonton. Citizens from neighbouring communities and farms also rushed in to help, but some had to be turned back because of the crush of vehicles and personnel. Red Deer County's Squire said Ralph Klein, premier of the western Canadian province, was headed to the campground.

An Extreme Geomagnetic Storm is Underway Space Weather News for July 15, 2000 A powerful shock wave from the fast-moving July 14th coronal mass ejection has arrived in the neighborhood of Earth. An extreme geomagnetic storm was underway at 1900 UT (3:00 p.m. EDT) on July 15th. If conditions persist as they are now, aurora could be visible at middle (and possibly even equatorial) latitudes. The best time to view aurora is usually near local midnight. In this case, sky watchers are advised to look for aurora as soon as night falls. For more information and updates please visit http://www.spaceweather.com Readers are invited to send pictures of tonight's aurora and the July 16, 2000, total lunar eclipse (visible across the Pacific Ocean) as an email attachment to phillips@spacescience.com for possible posting on spaceweather.com and/or spacescience.com. For more information about the lunar eclipse: Pacific Lunar Eclipse http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast14jul_1m.htm

For those checking the progress of Daniel (once hurricane and not tropical storm)

have been ordered offline by our civil defense leaders. Storm intensifying. check in in the morning...wish me luck.

This from California from whence I just returned: The Independent System Operators (ISO) may declare a Stage 3 electrical power emergency for State of California. During a Stage 3 power emergency electrical power around the state would be shut off for a period of time and then restored. Areas of San Francisco may be affected by the blackout. During a Stage 3 alert, the blackout could last from one to two hours. California ISO declared a Stage 1 at 11 a.m., and a Stage 2 at Noon. Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. has directed all City agencies to take immediate steps to reduce their electrical power use and is requesting help from the public to minimize the effect of this possible outage. City services report the following developments in association with apossible blackout:- Fire and Police expect no disruption in 911 service or emergency dispatching capabilities.- MUNI anticipates minimal loss in service - The Department of Parking and Traffic has dispatched parking control officers to major intersections that might be affected - Department of Public Health reports hospitals affected by the blackout will run on emergency generator power and that they do not anticipate any disruption in service - Recreation and Parks Department expects that some of their facilities will be affected by the blackout Citizens should expect traffic delays and difficulty with the evening commute, as traffic signals may be affected. PG&E may interrupt power to the following areas:The Van Ness Avenue Corridor Fisherman's Wharf North Beach Chinatown/Portions of the Financial District Portions of Civic Center Upper Market:Portions of the Haight and Inner Sunset Portions of the Richmond DistrictPortions of the Outer Sunset District For further information contact: Kent Paxton, San Francisco Office of Emergency Services 415-558-2790.

There is a disturbance off the coast of Africa tonight. The same place that spawned Andrew. Those that start there are always so much worse than the ones that form in the Caribbean. the one that they were watching off Cuba seems to have disappeared.

This is true, Lucie! There are several good updating weather maps in this topic though some are back a way and should be bookmarked for reference (even by me - or especially by me!) We will be watching it closely. You are in a very vulnerable place! *Hugs* and warm thoughts go out to you!

Where a dear freind lives: * TORNADO WARNING FOR... ALAMANCE COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA * UNTIL 500 PM EDT * AT 423 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTH OF ALAMANCE...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF BURLINGTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. ---------------------------- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 15 PM EDT FRI AUG 18 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... ALAMANCE COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA * UNTIL 445 PM EDT * AT 415 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTH OF ELON COLLEGE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BURLINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL PASS SOUTH OF BURLINGTON AND NEAR ALAMANCE AT 420 PM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LAT...LON 3614 7952 3605 7956 3601 7957 3589 7928 3606 7927

Heard from my friend and he is well and safe but the storms were fierce and dangerous. I waas delighted to hear that he was well. Nothing else in the world is happenig except that my ISP did not work most of the day and kept me from my usual posts. Sorry!

Maggie reports: We had SNOW in Humberside (N England) today. 4-6 inches!!! and hail, and a tornado off the coast of scotland. I asked her if this was usual for August in England. She said, definitly not. May, maybe but never August!

Meanwhile we are enduring squalls from the remains of Hurricane Hector and are pretty tired of the sogginess of it all.

From Puerto Rico via Yahoo club: Hurrican Team At 7:30pm WEare on tropical storm warning we expect a lot of rain tonite but not wind.We expect everything will go back to normal tomorrow.The public schools have classes tomorrow and the majority of the people is working.The authorities have problems with the surfers that are practicing this sport today.They had to rescue a surfer in Ocean Park,a sector in San Juan).The damage is minimal.One death reported in Guaynabo when a man was removing his antenna in his roof and fell off andd died instantly.The eye just passed north of our island we were saved by the majority of the rain and wind was in the north of the system.

I'd heard that Debby had been downgraded to a tropical storm and might even be downgraded further to a tropical depression.

Yup but the gulf states have such a high water tables and the land is so flat that runoff from tropical deluges can lead serious flooding. That is the problem now. That, and whatever storm surges are left...

That's true. The storm category is largely determined by wind velocity, but when the winds slow the rain is still left. That's how hurricanes disipate, by raining themselves out.

Yup, and without the wind to move it, it just hangs arund and hangs and hangs... we are still getting wet from Hector's remnants. That does not bode well for those states bordering the Gulf.

Oh dear, now I know people in India and worry about them: Helicopters Rescue Marooned in India Floods; Toll 93 HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - Helicopters plucked people from flooded apartments in the inundated south Indian city of Hyderabad Friday as the number of people killed by the heaviest rains in more than 40 years rose to 93. More than 35,000 people had been affected by the floods in Hyderabad and thousands of homes have been destroyed, said the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh state, Chandrababu Naidu. Hyderabad, the state's capital, which has been trying to become the new center of India's booming software industry, was among the worst-affected areas after it was hit by the heaviest rains in more than four decades, officials said. Hundreds of people, including some marooned in city apartments, were being evacuated by air force helicopters and boats were also deployed to rescue stranded people, officials said. More than 20 localities in the city remained heavily water-logged although there has been no fresh rain since Thursday morning, they said. Hyderabad Meteorological Center Director C.V.V. Bhadram said the rains this week were the heaviest in history, with the city receiving around one third of its normal annual rains in just 24 hours to Thursday morning. Officials said more than 10,000 houses were flooded, forcing residents to flee to the roof-tops to escape the raging waters. ``We sent away our sons and daughters-in-law and the kids to the first floor as soon as waters entered into our house soon after midnight Wednesday,'' said Mohammed Barkatullah, a resident in one of the worst-affected areas. Several complained that their food items had been washed away and drinking water contaminated by the flooding. ``We have nothing to eat or drink. The food packets dropped by the helicopters missed the target. Please rescue us somehow,'' another resident Sajid told chief minister Naidu on a cellular phone. Officials said rescue efforts would become more effective with the waters receding as there had been no rains since Thursday and more areas were now accessible. The floods in the south followed catastrophic monsoon season flooding in north and northeast India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh in which about 300 were feared killed and millions left homeless. DROUGHT IN NEIGHBORING STATE But in the eastern state of Orissa, which borders Andhra Pradesh, authorities are battling drought. Half of Orissa's 30 districts were faced with a grim situation because of the shortage of rain, the state's revenue minister Biswabhushan Harichandan said. State officials said 500 water pumps were being rushed to the worst-affected districts.

UP AND AWAY: Visitors watch the twister off Llandudno Twisted out of another sunny Bank Holiday by Sarah 0'Grady IT WAS your average British bank holiday - rain, plummeting temperatures and...tornadoes. A "twister" was spotted spinning off the North Wales coast yesterday afternoon. John Reay watched it for 20 minutes by the West Shore at Llandudno with hundreds of astonished holidaymakers. "It was really spectacular and lasted a long time," he said. "It was followed by an almighty downpour. It was several hundred feet high and amazing." Another tornado levelled two marquees in Scarbor- ough, trapping a local show organiser inside. Margaret Pitts, who escaped uninjured, said: "Fortunately the marquee poles missed me and I was able to crawl my way out after being trapped for a time. It was scary and I was extremely lucky." Rain also hit rail travel. Flooding at Granthouse in Berwickshire blocked the East Coast main line, causing trains from Scotland to the south of England to be diverted via the west coast. But the weather failed to dampen spirits when up to a million revellers flocked to west London for the final and busiest day of the two-day Notting Hill Carnival. There were 57 arrests on Sunday, a slight increase on last year. Most were for drunken behaviour and public order offences.Today's forecast is for further showers across the country. However, Northern Ireland can expect a largely dry day. � Express Newspapers, 2000

What Lies Beneath A Hurricane NASA Science News for September 11, 2000 Two NASA satellites can see things beneath the cloud tops of hurricanes that have been hidden from traditional weather satellites. The new data are helping scientists understand and predict dangerous storms. FULL STORY at http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast11sep_1.htm?list

Thursday September 14 2:44 PM ET Tropical Storm Florence Weakens But Eyes Bermuda http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000914/ts/weather_florence_dc_8.html MIAMI (Reuters) - Bermuda was placed under a storm alert on Thursday as Tropical Storm Florence hovered and lost steam in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles from the British colony. The weather service of Bermuda issued a tropical storm watch for the islands, alerting residents to possible storm conditions within 36 hours. At 2 p.m. EDT, the center of Florence was about 540 miles west-southwest of Bermuda near latitude 29.3 north and longitude 73.1 west, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (news - web sites). Its top winds were measured at about 50 mph, down from 60 mph earlier Thursday. Florence was a hurricane with 75 mph winds on Wednesday. The storm was drifting to the southeast and was expected to begin heading east in the next 12-24 hours. Three cruise ships and a pair of cargo ships that had been scheduled to sail from Bermuda on Friday moved their departures up by a day to steer clear of the storm, which was expected to skirt the island late on Friday. ``After 6 p.m. this evening, the Bermuda ports will be empty,'' harbor radio officer Joe Pagnam said by telephone from St. George. ``The ships that normally sail tomorrow -- a couple of cruise ships and a couple of cargo ships -- are sailing today.'' The storm was not expected to have a major impact on Bermuda, where homes, resort cottages and hotels are built to withstand much stronger wind and rains than a tropical storm can kick up. ``We're just keeping a close watch, (but) it's not even a threat to us,'' said Annmarie Malcolm, manager at the Cambridge Beaches resort along Somerset Long Bay on the island's west end. The Bermuda Reservations Service and several hotel managers reported no calls from tourists canceling plans to visit the island in the coming days. The National Hurricane Center also warned that Florence was stirring up dangerous surf and rip tides along parts of the southeastern U.S. coast, particularly in North Carolina. Rip tides kicked up by Florence were blamed for at least two deaths on North Carolina beaches on Tuesday. U.S. hurricane forecasters also were watching a tropical depression -- the forerunner of a tropical storm -- that formed along the coast of the Yucatan peninsula. It had winds of about 30 mph.

Saturday September 16 10:31 AM ET Florence Skirts Bermuda; Gordon Threatens Gulf http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/nm/20000916/ts/weather_storms_dc_3.html By Jenny Miller MIAMI (Reuters) - Parts of Florida's west coast were on a hurricane alert on Saturday as Tropical Storm Gordon trekked through the Gulf of Mexico while another big storm skirted Bermuda and headed out safely into the Atlantic Ocean. Gordon was moving at 60 mph and was expected to become a hurricane sometime on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. ``Heavy rain can be expected on the Florida coast and people in the watch area should be making preparations,'' said NHC meteorologist Eric Blake. A hurricane watch was in effect along Florida's Gulf Coast from Bonita Beach north to the Suwanee River. At 8 a.m. EDT, the storm's center was about 310 miles west-southwest of Key West, Florida, near latitude 23.7 north, longitude 86.6 west. The storm was moving north-northeast near 9 mph. Sections of western Cuba were doused with 7-10 inches of rain from the developing storm, and 2-5 inches of rain were forecast for south Florida and the Keys. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds near 60 mph, with tropical storm force winds extending up to 105 miles from its center. Residents along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana were advised to keep track of Gordon's progress through the weekend. The storm could make landfall by late on Sunday or early on Monday, depending on its track through the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said. Meanwhile, the other big mid-September storm, Hurricane Florence, brushed past Bermuda with gale-force winds that did not appear to have caused serious damage on the storm-hardened resort in the mid-Atlantic. ``I think the worst has past,'' Bermuda Weather Service meteorologist Declan O'Connell said shortly after driving to work in St. George on the island's east end. ``There was nothing more than light branches down, maybe some palm fronds.'' At 8 a.m. EDT Florence was centered about 125 miles north of Bermuda and was racing to the northeast and out into the open Atlantic at 25 mph with maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph. It only dumped about half an inch of rain on the islands as it passed by overnight. Forecasters were also watching the 12th tropical depression of the season, a poorly organized system expected to become a tropical storm later on Saturday. Tropical storm watches were raised for Antigua, Anguilla, Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis and St. Kitts, and remained in effect for St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. Tropical storm warnings could be raised for portions of the Leeward Islands later in the day as it moved west. The tropical depression was centered about 395 miles east of Guadeloupe in the Leeward Islands, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph and higher gusts.

Sunday September 17, 9:18 AM(UK) Gordon becomes hurricane, targets Florida coast http://uk.news.yahoo.com/000917/80/ajjjp.html By Angus MacSwan MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Gordon churned toward Florida on Saturday, prompting a hurricane warning along the state's Gulf coast, and forecasters predicted it could hit land sometime late on Sunday or early Monday. Gordon reached hurricane strength on Saturday afternoon while ploughing through the Gulf of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and higher gusts, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. Gordon previously had been classified as a tropical storm. Authorities called for a voluntary evacuation along parts of Florida's western coastline and urged residents to make preparations for Gordon's arrival, as forecasters said the hurricane could make landfall somewhere between Tampa and Tallahassee. Meanwhile, the other big mid-September storm, Florence, weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm over the Atlantic on Saturday night after brushing past Bermuda with gale-force winds that did not appear to have caused serious damage on the storm-hardened resort. Rains from Gordon already have caused death and mayhem in Guatemala, where 19 people were killed and more than 50 hurt over the past two days. Hundreds of people in the Central American country have fled their homes for fear of landslides or flooding. Hurricane or tropical storm warnings were in effect along Florida's Gulf Coast from Bonita Beach to Apalachicola -- around 400 miles (650 km) of coastline -- and communities as far west as Alabama were advised to keep an eye on the storm. A forecaster at the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said that if Gordon stayed on its present track it was likely to spare towns and cities and lurch ashore at a thinly populated area. "Right now it looks like it will land in north Florida on the West Coast somewhere between Tampa Bay and the 'Big Bend' south of Tallahassee," National Hurricane Centre specialist Stacy Stewart said. "We're zooming in on a remotely populated area." he said, adding that the storm could still deviate from that course. If Gordon stayed on course it was expected to hit on Monday morning although as of late Sunday night landfall was still a possibility, Stewart said. Although a minimal hurricane, Gordon is packing lots of rain, forecasters added. GORDON IS STRENGTHENING Gordon was picking up strength as it moved to the northeast. At 10 p.m. EDT (3 a.m. BST on Sunday), the storm's centre was located about 235 miles (375 km) southwest of Tampa and 275 miles (440 km) south of Apalachicola, near latitude 25.7 north, longitude 85.3 west. The storm was moving northeast at about 12 mph (19 kph). Communities along the coast were bracing for the storm. "We have our emergency operations centre open and operating, and issued a voluntary evacuation at 5 p.m. to citizens who don't feel comfortable staying in homes along the coastal areas," said Karen Windon, public safety director for Manatee County. "We always encourage people to reinforce their homes. It's easier to do it before the winds start blowing." Sections of western Cuba were doused with seven to 10 inches (17 to 25 cms) of rain from Gordon and two to five inches (five to 12 cms) of rain were forecast for south Florida and the Keys. Gordon already has lashed Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and the Guatemalan coast with heavy rains. Mexico's National Weather Service said on Saturday another 3 inches (7 cm) was forecast in some parts of the south, with wind gusts of up to 66 mph (110 kph) expected. The storm forced authorities to shut the port of Campeche on the Yucatan peninsula to all shipping, according to the transport ministry. As of earlier on Saturday, Mexico's main oil ports were unaffected by the storm. In Guatemala, two days of pounding rains left 19 dead and 50 injured, with hundreds more forced from their homes over fears of flooding, cave-ins and landslides, authorities said. FLORENCE HEADS OUT TO SEA Forecasters said Florence weakened after brushing past Bermuda, where local weather officials said the effects of the storm appeared light. "I think the worst has past," Bermuda Weather Service meteorologist Declan O'Connell said shortly after driving to work in St. George on the island's east end. "There was nothing more than light branches down, maybe some palm fronds," said Bermuda Weather Service meteorologist Declan O'Connell. The storm packed sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) and was on a course that would take it near eastern Newfoundland on Sunday afternoon. A tropical storm in the Pacific, meanwhile, moved closer to the Mexican coast on Saturday, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in the northwestern state of Baja California. Tropical Storm Miriam was centred 125 miles (200 km) southeast of Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula late on Saturday. It was moving northwest at six mph (9 kph) and was expected to make a gradual turn west-northwest in the next 24 hours, bringing it near the southern Baja peninsula. Miriam was packing winds of up to 45 mph (75 kph) and brought heavy rains to Baja California Sur and the northern state of Sinaloa on Saturday.

I heard this morning form Pennsylvania concerning the remnants of Gordon. It was supposed to stay along the coast, but central Pennsylvania got some really heavy rain from this system.

California Heatwave http://www.mercurycenter.com/premium/local/docs/power20.htm Published Wednesday, September 20, 2000, in the San Jose Mercury News Gradual cooling is expected for the rest of the week CONSERVATION AND WEATHER LUCK HELP THE STATE AVOID BLACKOUTS, BUT BAY AREA HEAT RECORDS FALL FOR SECOND DAY BY GLENNDA CHUI AND STEVE JOHNSON Mercury News California appears to have dodged the danger of rolling blackouts -- at least for now -- despite record temperatures across the Bay Area for the second day in a row Tuesday. Cooling through the rest of the week should diminish the immediate threat of the lights going out. Although the people who control California's sprawling power grid had predicted that electricity use would rise on Tuesday, possibly triggering blackouts, it didn't happen; in fact, power use declined. Conservation had something to do with it, according to the Independent System Operator, which manages most of the state's power grid. But the biggest factor was that the weather statewide was not quite as hot as expected, especially in Southern California. Temperatures in Los Angeles were five to 10 degrees cooler than anticipated, leading to a drop in energy use of about 1,900 megawatts. That's enough to power about 1.9 million homes. ``What's making the difference is the weather,'' said ISO spokeswoman Stephanie McCorkle. ``Now, tomorrow it could be a whole different story.'' However, for the time being, state energy experts said they expect power usage to remain level today. ``It should get better'' for the rest of the week, McCorkle said. The heat set records Tuesday in San Jose, at 99 degrees; Gilroy, at 101; Redwood City, 98; and Oakland, 96. Downtown San Francisco reached 86 degrees; the record is 93. Forecasters expect cooler temperatures today, with San Jose reaching a projected high of 94, Santa Cruz 74 and San Francisco 77, as a sea breeze continues to push cool marine air over the land. And Thursday should see a dramatic cooling to seasonally normal temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. The threat of blackouts has worsened this year because the demand for electricity has increased dramatically but construction of new power plants has lagged. With increasing frequency, demand for power has come close to outstripping supply. Although the danger of blackouts appears to have eased this week, state energy officials warn that California will struggle until new power plants are built. The threat of outages has led to growing angst among Silicon Valley companies. ``There were several companies that feel that they've dodged the bullet so far,'' said Justin Bradley, director of environmental programs for the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. ``It's like a game of roulette.'' He said several large firms, including Sun Microsystems Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., 3Com Corp. and Intel Corp., have been meeting to discuss the challenges presented by the state's continuing power shortages and the cost of conserving power. Some companies, including Solectron Corp., a major contract manufacturer of circuit boards, don't have backup generators to protect them if the power goes out. Companies are hard-pressed to calculate exactly how much damage a blackout causes. But Sun Microsystems has estimated that a blackout costs ``up to $1 million per minute,'' says Larry Owens, division manager of customer services for Silicon Valley Power, the utility that manages power for many large Santa Clara County companies. Chuck Mulloy, spokesman for Intel, says that if one of its fabrication plants shuts down ``it could cost millions, depending on the circumstances.'' The Independent System Operator declared a Stage 2 electricity emergency Monday, reflecting the fact that more than 95 percent of the power generated in California was being used. During a Stage 2 alert, some businesses are urged to go on backup power. On Tuesday, however, the ISO only had to declare a Stage 1 alert, meaning that 93 percent of available power was in use. In such cases, consumers are urged to conserve electricity. If a Stage 3 alert had been issued, utilities would have temporarily cut power to groups of customers according to prearranged plans. Helping to ease the situation Tuesday, some power plants that had been shut down for routine maintenance earlier in the week were able to reopen, increasing the available power by about 500 megawatts, McCorkle said. The ability of the ISO to deal with these recurring emergencies varies from moment to moment, said Kellan Fluckiger, the ISO's chief operating officer. ``Every day is dynamic and different, and it's a mess,'' he said. But, he added, the agency has become better in recent months at finding sources of power to pump into the grid. California generates about 75 percent of the electricity it uses. It imports the rest -- mostly from the Pacific Northwest, funneled into the state along high-voltage lines that can carry nearly 7,000 megawatts. With 17 Stage 2 alerts issued so far this year, Fluckiger said, the stress on ISO officials is acute. ``To have this level of crisis every day,'' he said, ``trying to desperately avoid Stage 3, it's clearly a difficult thing for folks.'' Schools remained open. Teachers and students at San Jose's Leland High School were among those sweating out the heat wave. Although a school bond has brought new air conditioning to many San Jose schools, Leland is not yet among them. To help wilting students and teachers, some classes were held in the library, where the air conditioning was cranking. At area nursing homes, workers urged elderly patients to drink extra fluids and stay inside. At San Jose and other area city halls, employees were urged to conserve energy by turning off lights in kitchens, utility rooms and work areas not being used and by turning off computers, printers and other appliances not in use.

Yes, my son sent me the weather bureau warning and a friend in high school there had marching band practice for 2 hours in 110�F (43.3�C) sun on a football field! That is down right dangerous!

La Ni�a's Ghost NASA Science News for September 15, 2000 La Ni�a has faded away, but will weather patterns change? Some scientists expect the Pacific Decadal Oscillation to pick up where La Ni�a left off. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast15sep_1.htm?list

About the heavy rains in Central Pennsylvania, I spoke to my Mom and she said that the remnants of Gordon really were torrential.

Bet they are monitoring the flood gauges on the Susquehanna River.

No doubt.

Was going to mention something about going out with a guy from Johnstown while at Penn State. He seemed determined to practice his swimming every time we went out. Extra points for you if you can guess his favorite stroke...

Oh, let's see, was it the breast-stroke?

You knew that guy, too??!! *lol*

I think it might have been his son, a family trait, it might be said.

From: Meteorologist1 Subject: Hurricane Keith Discussion #9 - 5pm/est [Yahoo! Clubs: The Hurricane Team] HURRICANE KEITH DISCUSSION NUMBER 9 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT SAT SEP 30 2000 KEITH IS BECOMING A LARGE AND DANGEROUS HURRICANE. DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT KEITH IS STRENGTHENING. THE MINIMUM PRESSURE DROPPED TO 970 MB...FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS AT 850 MB REACHED 98 KNOTS FROM THE NORTHWEST AND DVORAK T-NUMBERS... OBJECTIVES AND SUBJECTIVE ARE INCREASING. ALTHOUGH 98 KNOTS AT FLIGHT LEVEL CORRESPOND TO 80 KNOTS AT THE SURFACE....THE INITIAL INTENSITY HAS BEEN SET AT 85 KNOTS ASSUMING THAT SOME STRENGTHENING HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE PLANE SAMPLED THE AREA OF MAXIMUM WINDS AND AS SUGGESTED BY OBJECTIVE T-NUMBERS. THE HURRICANE IS OVER A TREMENDOUS RESERVOIR OF WARM WATER OR LARGE HEAT CONTENT AND THE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS SEEM IDEAL FOR STRENGTHENING AT THIS TIME. THE EFFECT OF LAND IS THE ONLY APPARENT INHIBITOR FACTOR. IN ADDITION...EVERY AVAILABLE INTENSITY GUIDANCE INTENSIFIES KEITH. THEREFORE...FURTHER STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST ALTHOUGH MANY TIMES...INTENSITY FORECAST TURN OUT TO BE WRONG ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. KEITH HAS BEEN MOVING VERY LITTLE... AND SO FAR...THIS HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING JOB DONE BY THE GFDL AND THE NCEP GLOBAL MODEL. IN FACT...THE GFDL SUGGESTED A SMALL LOOP AND THE HURRICANE APPEARS TO BE DOING SO AT THIS TIME. TRACK GUIDANCE INCLUDING GLOBAL MODELS... WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NOGAPS AND ITS DERIVED GFDL WHICH TAKES KEITH WESTWARD...SUGGEST THAT THE HURRICANE SHOULD BEGIN TO MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST OVER THE EASTERN PORTION OF YUCATAN OR THE YUCATAN CHANNEL AND THEN INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. LATEST LONG RANGE GFDL MODEL RUN MAKES KEITH AN EVEN STRONGER HURRICANE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE VESSEL C6YC JUST WEST OF THE EYE OF KEITH REPORTED NORTHWEST WINDS OF 60 KNOTS. FORECASTER AVILA FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 30/2100Z 18.0N 86.8W 85 KTS 12HR VT 01/0600Z 18.4N 87.0W 95 KTS 24HR VT 01/1800Z 19.5N 87.2W 105 KTS 36HR VT 02/0600Z 20.3N 87.4W 105 KTS...INLAND 48HR VT 02/1800Z 21.0N 87.5W 75 KTS...INLAND 72HR VT 03/1800Z 23.0N 88.0W 85 KTS

*** Hurricane Keith *** Keith is now a category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100mph. It is nearly stationary off the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Its minimum pressure is sitting at around 966mb. Keith has a very well defined eye and eye wall. It is bringing some heavy rain to parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Hurricane warnings are posted for a good chunk of the coast on the peninsula. There is no external systems to influence Keith's movement, so it is hard to track where Keith will be going. Right now the forecast calls for Keith to landfall on the northeastern part of the peninsula as a category 3 hurricane and drift north-northwest into the Gulf of Mexico. The whole U.S. Gulf Coast needs to monitor the storm as it enters the gulf in 60-72 hours. If there are any significant changes to the storm's movement, it will be posted at the club. *** Tropical Storm Joyce *** Joyce is now bearly a tropical storm and moving west. It is expected to enter the Carribean Sea and slowly intensify over the next couple of days. More later on this storm. *** Hurricane Isaac *** Isaac's winds are down to 75mph and is quickly moving to the northeast. No threat to land.

Subject: ARLB040 Hurricane Watch Net Activated for Hurricane Keith Organization: American Radio Relay League Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 16:25:05 EDT Hurricane Watch Net Activated for Hurricane Keith ARRL Bulletin 40 From ARRL Headquarters October 2, 2000 Hurricane Watch Net Activated for Hurricane Keith The Hurricane Watch Net and W4EHW at the National Hurricane Center activated on 14.325 MHz over the weekend to monitor Hurricane Keith. Right now, the storm remains stalled along the coast of Belize in Central America with 80 MPH winds and is weakening slowly. Reminiscent of Hurricane Mitch last year, the storm is dumping a lot of rain on the region. The National Weather Service is advising those in the northwestern Caribbean and southern Gulf of Mexico to monitor the storm's progress. Hurricane Keith could be downgraded to a tropical storm by later today if it remains in place, but Hurricane Watch Net Manager Jerry Herman, N3BDW, says the National Hurricane Center has been relying on Amateur Radio field reports indicating the storm still retains hurricane-force winds. The Hurricane Watch Net activated September 30 at 1700 UTC to collect reports via Amateur Radio for the National Hurricane Center. Operators at the center gather the reports via W4EHW at the Center. ''Reports from Belize indicate extensive damage from wind and flooding,'' Herman said October 2. ''Since the storm is sitting almost stationary, I expect the full extent of the damage is not yet known but that it will be catastrophic.'' He said the Net already has gotten reports of homes and businesses destroyed. Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4JR, at the National Hurricane Center, reports the Center continues to hear from amateurs in Belize and Mexico. Herman said the Net is attempting, whenever possible, to take advantage of bilingual amateurs. The Salvation Army Tactical Emergency Radio Network--SATERN--has activated on 14.265 MHz to handle health-and-welfare requests and to assist with relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Keith. A Health and Welfare Network also will use the Web site http://www.go.to/satern. This will provide a common area for Health and Welfare information that all can use through the internet. A VHF and a 40-meter net have been active in Mexico.

For a VPC... A Very Special Canadian:

This may allso be helpful...I hope the upper one updates...

Severe Weather Statement - Contra Costa, CA Oct SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 258 PM PDT TUE OCT 10 2000 ...FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR ISLETON IN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS... AT 258 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR ANTIOCH NORTHWARD TO NEAR WALNUT GROVE. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS PRODUCED AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF A FUNNEL CLOUD. THE STORMS ARE ALSO PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...LIGHTNING...STRONG WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL. THE STORMS APPEAR TO BE WEAKENING AND SHOULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE AREA BY 400 PM.

Sorry, but I had to move that one updating North American weather map. The Canadian Flag was far too distracting. The above maps are from http://www.theweathernetwork.com/ The Canadian Weather map DOES update. Yes!

So does the Temperature map for Canada! Again, thank you, John!

How about Mali???? (Has anyone looked at my postings in Travel or cultures???)

Thursday October 12, 6:40 PM http://uk.news.yahoo.com/001012/4/am3ux.html Worst floods in decades bring chaos to the south Much of southern England is in chaos after heavy rain caused the worst flooding in decades. Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused to homes and businesses as flood waters deluged property, blocked main roads and disrupted and in some cases halted rail services. Lifeboat crews were drafted in to rescue stranded residents and workers in Uckfield, East Sussex, after 6ins of rainfall in just 12 hours left the town virtually under water. A shopkeeper in the town was swept away by fast flowing floods earlier in the morning. Twenty minutes later he was spotted in the River Uck desperately clinging on to the bank, cold and shivering. He was pulled to safety by coastguards and then airlifted to the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath where his condition is described as stable. In the town centre, cars once parked neatly on a garage forecourt lay scattered close to the railway station. A 400-unit industrial estate and around 30 shops were completely flooded. Residents from low-lying areas of the historic town of Lewes were also evacuated as the River Ouse threatened to burst its banks. RNLI lifeboat crews are making regular trips to carry stranded home owners to safety. More than 20 staff at the brewery were also carried to safety. None were injured when a wall collapsed inside. A health centre, the magistrates court, supermarkets including Tesco and Safeway and hundreds of shops and homes are under several feet of water. The police said they will be working hand-in-hand with the Environment Agency and the fire brigade in a bid to minimise problems caused by the flooding. The whole town is without electricity. The Environment Agency issued Severe Flood Warnings, which alert of imminent threat to life and property, for 10 rivers in Sussex and Kent. By 4pm, the agency had issued 42 flood warnings, advising that flooding is expected, across the country from Devon to Yorkshire and Shropshire to Kent. Sussex Police urged all drivers to stay at home as main roads, including the A21, A22, A26, A27, A227 and A272, were flooded. Weather forecasters from the Met Office warned that there was more rain to come in south east England during the evening but added that showers would ease on Friday.

Latest update:Hundreds flee floods in southern England By Mark Herlihy LONDON (Reuters) - Large areas of southern England were on full-scale flood alert on Friday after heavy rains raised river levels, swamped towns and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes. "We are saying there is an imminent threat to life and property," an Environment Agency spokesman told Reuters late on Thursday. Some insurance experts said Britain could be facing its biggest bill for a natural disaster. The bill could run to four billion pounds, Jeffrey Salmon, of Salmon Assessors, was quoted as saying by the BBC. Officials estimated that several hundred people had left their homes after rivers broke their banks and flooded towns, villages and roads in the counties of Sussex, Kent and Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. Some unconfirmed reports said the figure for the number of homeless could run into thousands. Helicopters and lifeboats were rushed in to help rescue people stranded by the floods caused by several days of heavy rain. A man in East Sussex was swept away by floodwaters outside a supermarket and was carried downstream clinging to a door. He was plucked from the water and airlifted to hospital by a coastguard helicopter. SEVERE FLOOD WARNINGS "We have currently 16 severe flood warnings in effect -- all in East Sussex and in Kent," the Environment Agency spokesman said. "We have a total of 40 flood warnings, which means people in those areas should prepare now, and 89 flood watches currently in force across the south, southwest, midlands, central and eastern England." The Environment Agency said it expected the severe flood warnings in Kent and East Sussex to remain in place for the next few days. "Even though the rain has been easing off, the rivers are at very high levels. It will take a long time to return to normal," the spokesman said. Kent police said on Thursday they had started to evacuate whole villages because of the rising waters. A spokesman said emergency centres had been set up in the affected areas. "The number of people evacuated from their homes is in the hundreds," he said. A Sussex police spokesman said: "The general situation in the south is very bad and every road in the area is affected. "We are warning people not to drive if they don't have to." Sussex police said about 200 people had been evacuated from their homes in the county, mainly from the town of Lewes. Rail services from London to the English south coast have been disrupted by the weather and some stretches of line have been closed. "There are some delays in the region, where parts of the track are under as much as four feet (1.3 metres) of water," said a spokeswoman for railway network operator Railtrack. Police in northern England plan to resume a search on Friday for a teenage girl swept away by a fast- flowing river. North Yorkshire police recovered the body of 14-year-old Rochelle Cauvet on Wednesday and have widened their hunt for her friend Hannah Black, 13. The pair were swept away by the swollen waters of the Stainforth Beck river while on a school walking trip along its banks.

...and I thought we had a lot of rain... At least our ground is so porous that it runs straight through seldom flooding anywhere for very long and only in minor ways. Maggie, please be careful...and all those on that very special Island...

*** Hurricane Michael *** Michael has intensified quickly over the last 12 hours. Now it has winds of 75mph, moving slowly north. Michael is expected to pick up speed and head northeast. There is a slight chance for the hurricane to brush the island of Bermuda. The hurricane force winds only extend out about 25 miles from the center. Most of the hurricane force winds are on the northeast side of the storm. Pressure are down into the 980s mb.

Earth's Fidgeting Climate NASA Science News for October 20, 2000 Is human activity warming the Earth or do recent signs of climate change signal natural variations? In this feature article, scientists discuss the vexing ambiguities of our planet's complex and unwieldy climate. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast20oct_1.htm?list89800

If this is what we got earlier, you are gonna need water-wings! Good Luck, Texas! BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 400 AM CDT SAT OCT 21 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE THROUGH TONIGHT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON... REAL...BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS... DIMMIT...LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA... MAVERICK...BANDERA...LEE...LLANO...EDWARDS...KINNEY... GUADALUPE...FRIO...UVALDE...CALDWELL...ZAVALA...FAYETTE...VAL VERDE AND KARNES THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY. ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE PACIFIC WILL PERSIST ACROSS MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL THIS WEEKEND. A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE FROM NORTHERN MEXICO ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE INTO PORTIONS OF THE EDWARDS PLATEAU AND TEXAS HILL COUNTRY TODAY AND TONIGHT. THESE DISTURBANCES WILL BE THE TRIGGERING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...SOME OF WHICH COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING. SINCE THE GROUND HAS BECOME NEARLY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS...AND THESE NEW STORMS WILL "TRAIN" ACROSS THE SAME AREAS PRODUCING HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAIN...FLOODING IS LIKELY. TOTALS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IN ADDITION...A RIVER FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR THE RIO GRANDE RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES ABOVE LAKE AMISTAD...THE PECOS RIVER FROM SHEFFIELD TO THE RIO GRANDE...AND THE DEVILS RIVER NEAR JUNO TO LAKE AMISTAD. NO IMMEDIATE END IS IN SIGHT FOR THIS WET WEATHER PATTERN. IT APPEARS THE UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE TO THE WEST WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES HIGH INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AT LEAST. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED BEYOND TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING THREATENS.

Houston Hurricane Evacuation Plan (1) Hispanics take I-10 west to San Antonio (2) Yankees take I-45 north to Oklahoma (3) Cajuns take I-10 east to Lafayette (4) Aggies take the 610 Loop

My son just sent this - he reported gusts up to 36 MPH on his wind gauge! URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA 930 PM PDT SUN OCT 22 2000 ...GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE BEGUN TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN OVER MOST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT... HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE NORTH TO EAST WINDS OVERNIGHT. THE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THIS EVENING WITHIN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...HOWEVER LOCAL STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT IN THE SIERRA NEVADA AND PARTS OF THE COASTAL RANGE. THE GUSTY WINDS IN THE SIERRA AND ALONG THE COASTAL RANGE WILL DECREASE MONDAY MORNING. SOME WIND REPORTS AS OF 9 PM... HELL HOLE / 5249 FT ..33 WITH GUSTS TO 61 MPH (PLACER COUNTY) BALD MTN / 4600 FT ..18 WITH GUSTS TO 42 MPH (EL DORADO COUNTY) KNOXVILLE CRK / 2550 FT ..24 WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH (LAKE COUNTY) HAWKEYE / 2000 FT ..37 WITH GUSTS TO 71 MPH (SONOMA COUNTY) SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL..20 WITH GUSTS TO 28 MPH SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE......18 WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH VACAVILLE.................20 WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH FAIRFIELD.................22 WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH

Wow, 71 mph winds in Sonomo County. Wonder where hawkeye station is located?

Published Monday, October 23, 2000 Wind, fires cut power Outages affect 80,000 across the Bay Area Raging winds and dry weather merged into a violent force this weekend, knocking out power and igniting brush fires from Lake County to San Jose and in the Oakland hills on the nine-year anniversary of a blaze that killed 25 people on those same slopes. In Contra Costa County, crews scrambled Sunday to put out blazes that erupted from Bay Point to Port Costa to Orinda. PG&E crews also worked throughout the day to restore power to about 80,000 customers in the Bay Area. No local damage or injuries were reported, although flames destroyed a hillside house in San Jose. The high winds forced the postponement of the passage of four of the world's biggest cranes underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge on Sunday afternoon. The ship carrying the cranes pulled anchor and headed south -- nearly to Santa Barbara -- to try to get out of the winds, said Harold Jones, a spokesman for the port. The Oakland hills fire erupted when a eucalyptus tree fell onto power lines at 11:32 a.m. on Clarewood Drive, knocking down power lines and sparking the flames. The fire quickly moved east along land belonging to the Mountain View Cemetery and burned 10 acres before it was contained, said Oakland Fire Department Capt. Vicky Evans-Robinson. It was expected to take all of Sunday to completely knock out the flames, she said. Two small planes from the California Department of Forestry dumped retardant on the three-alarm fire while 150 firefighters fought it from the ground, she said. No one was evacuated. Adrienne Kohler, who rents a house on Truitt Street, said she lost her home in the Oct. 21, 1991, fire and was ready to evacuate when she saw smoke. "I packed the car a lot faster than the first time," Kohler said as she stood outside with her 6-year-old daughter, Haley, watching the billows of black smoke above the Mountain View Cemetery. Although the fire did not spread as the 1991 blaze did, authorities were worried enough to open up the Alameda County Emergency Operations Center. Kohler said after the fire started, "the power kept flickering in and out and all of a sudden, we heard a loud pop." She said fire department officials came by and told her everything was OK. "I've heard that before and I didn't have a house later." Only hours earlier, a San Jose hillside fire, one of at least five in the city Sunday, burned 25 acres. It was started about 1 a.m. when a power line fell into a pine tree on top of a hill in eastern San Jose. Winds gusting to 45 mph pushed the flames toward homes. People living in the area near Penitencia Creek Road were forced to make split-second decisions about whether to flee or stay and fight the fast-moving flames in the dark. Joseph Gallo, a retired English teacher from Foothill Community College, chose to fight. Seventeen years ago, a mudslide destroyed his house in the same hills. Neighbors saw that Gallo's roof was on fire and ran over to help him spray it with garden hoses, but Gallo's single-story ranch house was gutted, destroying two pickup trucks and his Model A. Thirty-six people were evacuated, some of whom gathered at a temporary shelter at a nearby middle school. The fire still smoldered into the late afternoon, and fire Capt. Mark Mooney said officials were concerned that the gusty wind could re-ignite lingering hot spots. Late Saturday, a fire erupted in Lake County and quickly engulfed 3,000 acres by Sunday morning, thanks to the high-speed winds. About 1,000 firefighters -- some from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District -- worked through the weekend to control the blaze. By Sunday, the fire was only 10 percent contained, with full containment not expected until Tuesday. Houses were threatened in Lake County, but only four rural structures were reported damaged. In the East Bay, the weekend was capped off by a string of small fires and downed trees. One grass fire ignited a hillside near Cal State Hayward, and 6 acres burned in another grass fire at Wildcat Canyon and Inspiration Point in Orinda. Early Sunday morning, about 100 firefighters battled a blaze on Evora Road in Bay Point that was caused by electrical wires "swinging in an arc," said Contra Costa fire Capt. Dave George. "A shower of sparks occurred (between the wires) and rained down," George said. In Port Costa, a grass fire that raged for most of Sunday afternoon was under "shaky containment" by early evening, said Lt. Dean Colombo of the Crockett-Carquinez fire department. The fire, which went to three alarms, burned more than 100 acres about half a mile outside town along McEwen Road, Colombo said. No one was injured in the fire, which began around 1:45 p.m. and at one time threatened a ranch and a ranch house off McEwen Road. "We'll have crews out there all night," Colombo said. As of Sunday afternoon, fire officials did not know the cause of the fire. A California Department of Forestry plane dropped fire retardant, while two forestry department helicopters scooped water from the Carquinez Strait and dropped it on the fire. Firefighters from the Rodeo-Hercules, Contra Costa County and East Bay Regional Park District fire departments also assisted. The fire sent smoke wafting across the Franklin Canyon Golf Course along Highway 4 outside Hercules. "We could smell it inside the pro shop," said Sung Kwon, an employee. "It lasted a long time. At one point it looked like there was fog all over the golf course." Acrid as it was, the smoke apparently did not prompt anyone to leave the course. "No one came in for a rain check or anything," Kwon said. "I'm sure they all kept playing. They just kept going." In San Ramon, firefighters battled a roof and attic fire that caused $200,000 in damage to a house on the 2700 block of Sherbear Drive. Battalion Chief Mike Brown said the wind helped spread the fire across the roof, although he did not know if the wind played a role in starting the fire. The cause is under investigation. No injuries were reported in the blaze, which burned the roof and caused some smoke and water damage inside the house. On Mount Diablo, winds carried embers from a fire pit being used by campers to nearby grass, where flames charred about 2 acres, said San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Mike Brown. In Danville, the police blocked off all lanes of Diablo Road on either side of the city's 60-foot-tall valley oak tree for most of the day. Arborists recently discovered decay in the tree's roots. Town Manager Joe Calabrigo said the street was closed about midnight. He said that while a few branches had fallen, and no one had been injured, he wanted to err on the side of caution. "It was just the prudent thing to do," Calabrigo said. "We want to make sure nobody is injured." Felled trees, downed lines and snapped utility poles caused scattered power outages all over the Bay Area, but the East Bay was hit hardest. There, some 64,000 customers, including 20,000 in Concord alone, lost power at some time or other during the period of high winds, according to Maureen Bogues, PG&E spokeswoman. Other Contra Costa communities that suffered outages included Antioch, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Walnut Creek and San Ramon, Bogues said. In Alameda County, most of the outages were in the Dublin-Livermore-Pleasanton area and in the Fremont area. Berkeley suffered scattered outages as well. Lights were out for about 12,000 customers in Berkeley and Oakland. In San Jose and Peninsula communities to the north, some 12,000 customers lost power, Bogues said. Bay Areawide, more than 80,000 customers were without power for a time, she said. By 8 p.m. Sunday, some 3,500 East Bay customers were still in the dark, Bogues said. The strongest gust of wind ripped through Las Trampas Regional Wilderness on Sunday at 92 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Such powerful gales were created by two key ingredients: cold air in the Great Basin and a low-pressure system in Southern California, say weather officials. But there's little chance of rain for this week's forecast, which would help subdue any smoldering fires, said Jim Carrol, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. "It doesn't look like we're going to see any wet weather soon," he said. Staff writers Ethan Rarick, Yvonne Condes, Tom Lochner and San Jose Mercury News and Associated Press contributed to this story.

My son says the weather is exciting and is sending these accounts. I'lll check with him about there the hawkeye station is. I know I have seen an internet map of them and will post either it or the URL for it as soon as I find it. THAT is scary weather!

While California endures hell, Texas has the high water. How's it going, Austinites??? FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 1030 AM CDT MON OCT 23 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS EXPANDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH ISSUED EARLIER THIS MORNING AND EXTENDED THE WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...KENDALL...WILSON...BASTROP... BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS...BURNET...WILLIAMSON... ATASCOSA...BANDERA...LEE...LLANO...GUADALUPE...FRIO...REAL... CALDWELL...AND UVALDE...VAL VERDE...EDWARDS...KINNEY... MAVERICK...ZAVALA AND DIMMIT THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES MOST ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY AND NOW INCLUDES THE WESTERN PLATEAU AREA. ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE PACIFIC WILL STREAM ACROSS MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES OVER MEXICO WILL TRAVERSE OVER THE AREA LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE GROUND HAS BECOME NEARLY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS OVER THE WEEKEND AND THIS MORNING... AND THESE NEW STORMS WILL TRAIN ACROSS THE SAME AREAS PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAIN AND FLOODING. ADDITIONAL HEAVIER TOTALS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 1 AND 3 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING THREATENS. MOTORISTS SHOULD ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON COMMUTE AS SOME ROADS WILL BE BARRICADED AND TRAVEL WILL BE SLOW. PARENTS SHOULD KEEP CHILDREN INDOORS AND AWAY FROM DRAINAGE DITCHES...STREAMS AND CREEKS. BANKS WILL BE SOFT...UNSTABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS.

Flash flood watches continue - was just notified that they have been extended.

It's pretty dry today so far, yesterday wasn't that bad. I'm in Bastrop and Travis counties. I wonder if this is extended today? No rain in the forecast today, just clouds and 82 degrees. Rain forecast for Wedsday and Thursday with low 80s and high 70s. I'm still going swimming every day, the water temperature's staying at a constant 70 pretty much.

I just got notice that it was extended until further notice - 323 PM CDT TUE OCT 24 2000

This is frightening. So many of those special and dear to me live here: Gales Batter Southern England And France, One Dead LONDON (Reuters) - Gales and heavy rain have battered southern England and northern France, killing one person, endangering shipping, raising the specter of flooding, and leaving thousands without electricity. Police in Surrey, south of London, said one person died on Sunday and two had been seriously injured when their car was hit by a tree. Earlier the Meteorological Office had told people in southern England, Wales and parts of Scotland to prepare for heavy rain and damaging winds. "In the coming 24 hours, the southern part of England and Wales are expecting very windy weather with gusts of 70 to 80 mph," a national forecaster said. "Gusts of 90 mph would be possible on exposed parts." Also in Surrey, a train collided with a tree that had fallen onto the line near Guildford. Another train hit a tree in Worcestershire. Transport police said no one had been injured. Britain's Environment Agency said it expected storms to rage through the night and warned there could be serious flooding on Monday. The agency said up to 40 millimeters of rain was expected overnight and that rivers in southern England and Wales might burst their banks. Storms also left thousands of homes in southern England without electricity, one power company said. Southern Electric said some 8,000 customers had been cut off in the late afternoon, after winds of 90 mph brought trees down, cutting through power lines. "We've been hit fairly hard all over our area and we're expecting a hard night," Southern Electric spokesman Bob Major told Reuters. Sunday's severe weather comes as families in the southern English seaside resort of Bognor Regis were cleaning up after a tornado that struck on Saturday, injuring five people as it ripped roofs from hundreds of houses and overturned cars and caravans. STORMS HIT NORTHERN FRANCE, SHIPPING ENDANGERED Severe storms were also battering Northern France and the French Meteorological Office recommended "the greatest prudence" in coastal areas. Inhabitants along France's northern coastline were told to expect winds of up to 85 mph while the Paris area could see gusts of 60 to 75 mph. Twenty to 23 foot waves were forecast for the Gironde estuary in southwestern France. The BBC said the six crew of a Norwegian cargo vessel that was being towed to Liverpool had abandoned ship off Scotland in force 10 to 12 gales and been winched onto a rescue helicopter. The 1,600-ton Elektron was continuing its journey to Liverpool under tow from a Russian tug, the BBC said. The ship was refloated on Friday night after spending 12 days aground off St Kilda, an island west of Scotland. In the early hours of Sunday two ships had also been troubled by the weather on the French side of the Channel. One was towed back to harbor and a small oil tanker that had been stranded in heavy seas near Boulogne managed to push clear of the coast and head toward Britain on Sunday afternoon. Gale force winds at London's Heathrow Airport forced a Dubai-bound Emirates plane carrying 376 passengers to return to the airport, after the rear of the plane hit the runway on take-off, the Daily Telegraph said. Northern France experienced hurricane strength winds in a storm last December. The French Meteorological Office said it did not expect the approaching storm to be as intense.

Weather has continued all night long - am not expecting many people into work on time.

A friend who works in London finally got to work from the suburbs at 1:30pm since the rail lines and electricity were down. He had time to replant the bushes uprooted and blocking the entry to his home, and other things which needed doing immediatley. All were safe bue the downed trees were plentiful! Thanks Mark! Happy you checked in safe and sound. How is your garden???

Have no garden :-(

*Hugs* Mark...neither does anyone else in Britain at this stage of the year and after that gale. May I set aside part of mine for you and think of you as I pluck slugs from it, feed the mosquitoes, remove unwanted over-night-appearing sword ferns and begonias? My roses are worse than none here but I have leaves on everything else the size of those salvers in the Tower Of London Jewel Vaults. Rose beds are nice...especially in Britain. I wish you a garden. Enghishmen just do not seem complete without one...! I'd even weed an infernal rock garden for you! Now, that's devotion!!!

This image will not post but it is excellent for Europe: http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/Satellite/Europe/ This image will not cpost either, but it is amazing for the entire world! http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/Satellite/World/

from http://www.weathersite.com/

If they do not update they are gone. Map projection is distorted but you can see the patterns of the weather which hit Britain...and the storm over the Rockies. As for us, we are under those mid-Pacific clouds, as usual!

Storms due to return to the UK tonight - but still no sign of bad weather outdoors.

Oh Mark, Please take care! You too, Steven! Austinites are gonna get another flood... URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 1015 AM CST WED NOV 1 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GONZALES...WILSON...BASTROP...TRAVIS...BEXAR...HAYS... LAVACA...DEWITT...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...LEE...GUADALUPE... CALDWELL...FAYETTE AND KARNES THE WATCH IS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF AN INTERSTATE 35 LINE FROM SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO TO NORTH OF AUSTIN...AND INCLUDES AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO. A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAINS TONIGHT. MOIST TROPICAL AIR WILL FEED INTO THE COLD FRONT...RESULTING IN SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE COMBINATION OF STORMS TRAINING ALONG THE SLOW MOVING FRONT AND A GROUND THAT IS NEARLY SATURATED...WILL RESULT IN THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WATCH AREA WITH LOCALLY HEAVY AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. IT APPEARS THE CHANCES OF RAIN AND HEAVY RAIN WILL REMAIN HIGH AND MAY PERSIST FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS SOUTH TEXAS POTENTIALLY GETS LOCKED INTO A VERY WET WEATHER PATTERN. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING THREATENS. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL OR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDERS...COMMERCIAL OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS OR OTHER MEDIA FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS ON THIS FLASH FLOOD THREAT.

It's biting at our heels, nothing yet, scheduled a concrete pour tomorrrow (sidewalks), trying to get the garage roof on also. Nothing but rain, rain, rain an d more rain in the forecast. I'm going to settle down, eat dinner while watching the last two nights opening skits on Leno via tivo, and wait for the raindrops. I'll stay tuned. thanks for the heads up Marci.

Happy to be of help. Humidity is good for curing concrete, but floods you do NOT need! Your forecast: Txz173-191/194-208-012200- Bastrop-Caldwell-Hays-Lee-Travis-Williamson- Including The Cities Of...Austin...Bastrop...Georgetown...Giddings... Lockhart...San Marcos 1039 Am Cst Wed Nov 1 2000 ...Flash Flood Watch In Effect Through Tonight... .This Afternoon...Mostly Cloudy With A 60 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms...A Few Possibly Severe With Heavy Rain. Highs In The Lower 80S. South Winds 10 To 15 Mph...Stronger And Gusty In Thunderstorms. .Tonight...Mostly Cloudy With A 70 Percent Chance Of Showers Or Thunderstorms...Heavy Rainfall And Flooding Possible. Lows In The Lower 60S. Winds Becoming Northwest 10 To 15 Mph. .Thursday...Mostly Cloudy With A 40 Percent Chance Of Rain Or Thunderstorms. Highs In The Lower 70S. Northeast Winds Near 10 Mph. .Extended Forecast... .Thursday Night And Friday...Cloudy With Rain Or Thunderstorms Likely. Lows In The Lower 60S. Highs Near 70. .Saturday Through Monday...Mostly Cloudy With A Chance Of Rain Or Thunderstorms. Lows Near 60. Highs Around 70. .Tuesday...Partly Cloudy. Lows In The 50S. Highs In The 70S. Extended Forecast... .Thursday Night...Increasing Clouds West And North. Mostly Cloudy With A Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms South And East. Lows In The 50S. .Friday Through Sunday...Mostly Cloudy With A Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms. Highs In The 60S. Lows In The 50S.

The first thunder of the winter season heard just a few minutes ago in Hilo. That means it is snowing on the mountains!

Still no rain to speak of, that 5 inches never came last night, whew! There's still hope for my concrete pour (sidewalks) today. Hoping to get the roof on the garage and those sidewalks around the pool and house poured before the heavy stuff comes.

We had 20 inches of rain overnight, many thunder-and-lightning strikes so close that they seemed simultaneous. Did not sleep much. One area above us got 5 inches of rain an hour! Power is on and off. 450 AM HST THU NOV 2 2000 * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...HILO PUNA AND KAU AREAS BIG ISLAND * UNTIL 750 AM HST THURSDAY * AT 450 AM HST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS PERSISTENT RGENERATING THUNDERSTORM CELLS OVER THE HILO PUNA AND KAU. * THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN THE HILO PUNA AND KAU. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUS FLOODING IS ALREADY OCCURRING. TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY AND CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS UNTIL THE THREAT AND WARNING ARE OVER. HILO IS STILL RECEIVING ITS HEAVIEST RAINFALL EVER IN 24 HOURS OF OVER 24 INCHES SO FAR. THE HEAVY THUNDERSHOWERS ARE STATIONARY APPEARING ANCHORED TO THEIR LOCATIONS. THESE CELLS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN LATER THIS MORNING. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER...MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN A FLOOD EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION. MATSUDA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

Worst Floods for 50 Years Drench Britain BEWDLEY (Reuters) - Britain's worst floods in more than 50 years forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes on Thursday as the rain kept falling and meteorologists warned worse was yet to come. The Environment Agency said initial estimates suggested that about 3,000 properties had already been flooded. It warned river levels had yet to peak. "There is no light at the end of tunnel. We are expecting rain to continue for at least the next few days," said a spokesman for the Meteorological Office. Prime Minister Tony Blair visited some of the towns worst affected by the floods, including Bewdley, Shrewsbury in central England and York, in northern England. Dressed in a long raincoat and rubber boots, he surveyed Bewdley from the main bridge over the River Severn. He was confronted by activists trying to save a local hospital from closure. After being constantly heckled by them, he finally turned and said "I've got the message." Evacuations of homes were ordered from Yorkshire in the north to Kent in the south. Severe flood warnings were issued for 14 areas in England and Wales. Rivers in Yorkshire and the river Severn in south west England were the main concerns. The Severn river had already swollen to 10 times its normal level. In Yorkshire the Environment Agency, the official body that deals with natural disasters, said water levels on two rivers were continuing to rise. Residents of three villages in the area were preparing to evacuate their homes for the second time in 18 months. Last year Malton, Norton and Stamford Bridge were hit by floods that caused 20 million pounds ($29 million) of damage. The agency said up to four centimeters of rain was expected to fall on the region on Thursday. People in more than 10,000 homes in Dover, on the south coast of England, were told to boil their water after bacteria was found in the supply as a result of the flooding. Folkestone and Dover Water Services warned they could be forced to introduce water rationing to conserve supplies if the flooding continued.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HILO HI 730 AM HST THU NOV 2 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... HAWAII... INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF...VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK * UNTIL 815 AM HST * AT 730 AM HST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST TO THE WEST OF KILAUEA CRATER * THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK FOR THE NEXT 30 TO 45 MINUTES PERSONS IN OR CLOSE TO THE WARNED AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN BASEMENTS OR STURDY STRUCTURES. PERSONS ON SOUTH HAWAII SHOULD MOVE TO SHELTER AND BE READY FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAIN...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MAY GIVE RISE TO A TORNADO. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT USE YOUR CAR UNTIL THE DANGER HAS PASSED. IF YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR...LEAVE YOUR CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF CAUGHT IN THE OPEN...LIE FACE DOWN IN A DITCH OR FLAT ON THE GROUND WITH WITH YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD. BE AWARE THAT HEAVY RAINFALL MAY GIVE RISE TO FLASH FLOODING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION.

The entire island is involved om this storm comingup from the south. In Kona, on the other side of the island, a tree collapsed on a restauranrt full of people. One has died so far in Hilo when his truck flipped over. Power outages common so I keep my candles lit in votive holders just in case...

To give you some idea how bad it is, this is the current update for the Kilauea Volcano: 0550 November 2, 2000 There is no update this morning, because exceptionally heavy rain makes it too dangerous to venture onto the dark roadways. At your observer's home in Hilo, a rain gage re- corded more than 20 inches (50 cm) between 1945 last night and 0405 this morning, and the water still cometh down as this is written. Lightning and thunder serve as garnish for the storm. During the day yesterday, more than 5 inches (12.5 cm) of rain fell near HVO, and it now totals 16 inches (40 cm) since yesterday morning and is still rising. At Pu`u `O`o the total since yesterday morning is higher; more than 18 inches (45 cm). All tiltmeters are showing de- flections because of the added mass of water to the ground. This is one whale of a storm. Volcanic tremor near Pu`u `O`o is at a moderate level. Earthquake activity is low across the island. The tilt at Kilauea summit is rather flat (actually continuing the long-term slow deflation underway since the eruption began in 1983), as it is near Pu`u `O`o and everywhere else along the east rift zone.

Good News for Bastrop! ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BASTROP AND TRAVIS COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...AT 400 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THE STORMS THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING NO LONGER POSE A THREAT AND THE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS With local flooding, rain, winds and storm activity occurring around the island, here are some last minute pointers to consider in emergency preparedness: East Hawaii has severe damage and West Hawaii is expected to experience more heavy rains in the very near future. Flooding is impacting the roads - Various roads are closed around the island - Stay off the roads - Flooding occurring around the island. - Locate your battery operated radios and flashlights now - don't wait until dark. - Listen to the radio for Weather Service and Civil Defense Warnings & Advisories. - Use the telephone only for emergency purposes. - Don't go sightseeing. - Unplug unnecessary appliances. Most people have plenty of food in their refrigerators and pantries to last a couple of days - stay at home, you already have enough food - don't worry about food. If power goes out - use your refrigerator and freezer sparingly - eat perishables first, then pantry/canned goods. If wind and rain continue we should expect the possibility of prolonged power, water and telephone outages. Use a battery operated radio to get weather updates. Start to collect water NOW - two needs: 1. Drinking water - start to collect and store in clean containers - NOW. 2. If water goes out, your toilets won't work - put empty garbage cans under your gutter drain pipes to collect water to use to flush the toilets. Remain Calm - once the storm passes, we will work together to get things back to normal. Red Cross volunteers are standing by to help. If you need to be evacuated follow the evacuation advisories. Reminders: Stay at home - Use telephones for emergencies only - Listen to the Radio - Prepare while it is still light, power is on, water is on and things are relatively normal.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 634 PM CST THU NOV 2 2000 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS EXPIRED... ...A TORNADO WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM FOR COMAL BLANCO AND HAYS COUNTIES... DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN MOST HAYS COUNTY MOVING EAST TOWARD WIMBERLY. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH REPORTS OF PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL WERE REPORTED IN KENDALL COUNTY AND THE CITIES OF OTTINE AND KERRVILLE. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER MOST OF THE AREA THROUGH THE NIGHT. GUSTY WINDS...DEADLY LIGHTNING... HEAVY RAINS AND HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED.

Austinites you are not out of the woods yet... BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 816 PM CST THU NOV 2 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... BASTROP COUNTY LEE COUNTY GUADALUPE COUNTY CALDWELL COUNTY * UNTIL MIDNIGHT * AT 816 PM CST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN SEGUIN AND NEW BRAUNFELS...MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

The above has been extended until 5 AM CST Friday.

We got the heavy rains! But we got the sidewalk poured just before they came, so it should have an interesting mottled pattern when it finishes setting up. It rained hard, probably about 4 inches. And today it has settled down, but like you say, we still in the woods.

It will be textured and a non-skid surface which will not be unpleasing. We had that happen to us one time, too. Four inches? That's a heavy dew, here! National Weather Summary - Morning Edition Friday, November, 2000 Hawaiian Deluge Ends Heavy tropical rains finally taper across the Hawaiian Islands. Over thirty inches of rain has fallen across Hawaii over the last several days. A persistent flow of tropical moisture is finally diminishing, but not before causing flash-flooding, mud slides, and hundreds of thousands dollars worth of damage.

Cover your sidewalk, Terry! This just in: BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 523 AM CST FRI NOV 3 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH...NOW EFFECTIVE THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON... REAL...BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS... LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BANDERA... LEE...LLANO...EDWARDS...KINNEY...GUADALUPE...FRIO...UVALDE... CALDWELL...FAYETTE...VAL VERDE AND KARNES

FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 1143 AM CST FRI NOV 3 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... BASTROP COUNTY * UNTIL 245 PM CST

RIVER FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 354 PM CST FRI NOV 03 2000 THIS PRODUCT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING RIVERS: COLORADO RIVER. FOR THE COLORADO RIVER, INCLUDING BASTROP, MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURING AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. BF FLD OBSERVED FORECAST LOCATION STG STG STG DAY TIME 6 PM MIDNIGHT 6 AM COLORADO RIVER BASTROP 14 25 12.01 FRI 2 PM 13 15 18 FOR THE COLORADO RIVER AT BASTROP, THE LATEST STAGE IS 12.01 FEET AT 12 PM FRIDAY. THE RIVER WILL CREST BETWEEN 18 AND 19 FEET LATE TONIGHT. AT 18 FEET RIVER FLOW EXCEEDS BANKFULL INTO THE LOWEST AREAS OF THE FLOOD PLAIN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TONIGHT WILL CHANGE FORECAST RIVER LEVELS.

You are not out of the woods yet. Please be careful! A NEARLY STATIONARY COLD FRONT HAS STALLED OVER THE HILL COUNTRY. TROPICAL AIR WAS FEEDING INTO SOUTH TEXAS AT THE LOWER LEVELS WHILE MOIST AIR FROM THE PACIFIC WAS STREAMING INTO TX ACROSS MEXICO. UPPER LEVEL ENERGY IS ALSO PROVIDING ADDITIONAL LIFT THAT IS HELPING TO PRODUCE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING. THE UPPER STEERING WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR THE TRAINING OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SINCE THE SOILS ARE ALREADY SATURATED...THIS WILL RESULT IN THE THREAT OF SIGNIFICANT FLOODING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES HAVE FALLEN ACROSS MOST OF THE WATCH AREA WITH SEVERAL AREAS RECEIVING 4 TO 6 INCHES OVERNIGHT. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WITH SATURATED GROUNDS...SOME AREAS WILL BECOME FLOODED WITH ONLY AN INCH OF RAIN IN AN HOURS TIME. THE CHANCES FOR RAIN AND HEAVY RAIN WILL REMAIN HIGH AND MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS SOUTH TEXAS GETS LOCKED INTO A VERY WET WEATHER PATTERN. SEVERAL RIVERS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS ARE ALREADY OUT OF BANKS...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS COULD RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS FLOODING SITUATION. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING THREATENS.

OH NO...NOT AGAIN!!! BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 915 PM HST FRI NOV 3 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...THE PUNA DISTRICT OF EASTERN HAWAII INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF...PAHOA...KEHENA...KALAPANA AND KAPAAHU * UNTIL 1215 AM HST SATURDAY * AT 915 PM HST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG AND INLAND FROM THE COAST FROM CAPE KUMUKAHI TO APUA POINT * THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ARE ALREADY OCCURRING IN] THE PUNA AND VOLCANOES AREA. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN NORMALLY DRY STREAMBEDS DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS. PERSONS IN LOW-LYING OR FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR ALREADY OCCURRING. TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY AND CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS UNTIL THE THREAT AND THE WARNING ARE OVER. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER...MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN A FLOOD EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LIGHTING IS A LEADING KILLER AND PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTING. STAY OUT FROM UNDER TALL TREES AND AWAY FROM THE OCEAN AND BEACHES IF LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. DO NOT TOUCH OR REMAIN CLOSE TO METAL POLES OR FENCES. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV OR RADIO FOR FURTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION. FARRELL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... NORTH AND EAST HAWAII INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF...LEEWARD AND WINDWARD KOHALA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH... NOW EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM HST SATURDAY EVENING... FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... ON MAUI...AND THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

The warnings are showing up in my inbox faster than I can read them. More now on the mountains!!! http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/UnitedStates/Southwest/Hawaii/Hilo/BaseReflectivityLoop/

HILO -- In addition to $20 million in damage to Big Island bridges, roads, homes and businesses, this week's flooding could mean snarled traffic and isolated communities for a month. Mayor Stephen Yamashiro and Gov. Ben Cayetano have declared a state of emergency for the entire island. The governor also declared Maui a disaster area and said officials from state Civil Defense and Federal Emergency Management Administration will make assessments on the Big Island to determine if federal funds will be made available. Yamashiro put initial damage estimates at $10.5 million to private property and $8.4 million to public facilities. He added that the total will likely rise to $20 million. Civil Defense Deputy Bruce Butts said 77 businesses and as many as 300 homes were damaged. At Pahala in the Kau District, two bridges on the Hawaii Belt Road were severely damaged, he said. Traffic can now go only to Kona. Kapapala Ranch owner Gordon Cran said remote Wood Valley is also isolated from Pahala by a bridge washout. Cran bulldozed a temporary road across his land so residents can get to the highway. In Hilo, a culvert underneath Komohana Street washed away. "This is really major," Butts said. Repairs in both Hilo and Kau could take a month, he said. Kamehameha Avenue, still covered with slick mud, remained closed yesterday but might open today, he said. A flood control project done in 1996-97 deliberately dumps flooding onto Kamehameha Avenue. Yamashiro said extending the project to the bay would have required two more bridges with no federal money to pay for them. With Kamehameha and Komohana closed, traffic in the downtown Hilo area turned bumper-to-bumper yesterday, moving at a crawl. Yamashiro said he was happy that it was moving at all. Some lose food, art collections He said several more flood control project are planned, but they may cost $15 million each. In his downtown Hilo office attached to the Hawaiian Arts T-shirt store, artist Regie Koyama had his mind on a smaller sum: $90. That's the value of just one of his art books that was destroyed when 27 inches of water flowed into his office. Koyama had been collecting books, art clippings and other objects to help in designing T-shirts and other art for 35 years. Much of it was destroyed. An inlet to an underground drain is right outside his doorway. He said the owner of his building tried to control the flooding with sandbags. When the street was filled with two feet of water, it came into the shop anyway.

..and you thought you had a bad day... From Bizarre News: I am a news junkie. I am so twisted, C-Span is on my remote memory. I ran across a story last week and have been waiting for CNN, MSNBC, or other networks to make mention of this frightening story. There is a village in India called Gauhati that had suffered through the worst summer drought in their recorded history. Crops were devastated. Villagers had an idea. They decided to hire a rainmaker to perform a ritual designed to break the devastating grip of the drought. After performing his duty, the skies opened and a downpour ensued. It rained...and rained...and rained some more. For 10 days, straight, rain pounded the area. Floods washed away half of the village. Now this might sound bizarre, but the story takes an even more tragic and bizarre turn from here. On the tenth day of the flood, angry villagers attacked the "Rainmaker" and killed him for causing the disaster. Within hours of the killing the rain suddenly stopped. The final chapter of this story ends with the police. They made no arrests in the murder because they said that villagers were simply protecting their personal property from the ravages of an evil "Rainmaker." Now I ask every single one of you; isn't this newsworthy? Well, I can say that Bizarre News picks up where the other news organizations leave off.

Wehave a brilliantly sunny day...finally! Texas is still getting rain: FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 455 AM CST SUN NOV 5 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH...NOW EFFECTIVE THROUGH TONIGHT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON... REAL...BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS... LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BANDERA... LEE...LLANO...EDWARDS...KINNEY...GUADALUPE...FRIO...UVALDE... CALDWELL...FAYETTE...VAL VERDE AND KARNES THIS WATCH COVERS MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND ALL OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AUSTIN...SAN ANTONIO...DEL RIO AND KERRVILLE. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS TEXAS TONIGHT. AT THE SURFACE A STALLED OUT FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIFT NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TODAY WITH NUMEROUS STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT. THEN...AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINFALL TOTALS TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE 1 TO 2 INCH RANGE OVER A LARGE AREA...WITH ISOLATED 3 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SOILS REMAIN FULLY SATURATED FROM RECENT HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING...SO FLASH FLOODING RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG BOTH THE WARM FRONT AND THE COLD FRONT. IN MANY PORTIONS OF THE WATCH AREA...IT MAY TAKE AN INCH OR LESS OF RAINFALL IN AN HOURS TIME TO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. SEVERAL RIVERS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REMAIN SWOLLEN...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL RIVER FLOODING. A BRIEF BREAK IN THE RAINS IS EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY. HOWEVER... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL THREATEN TO BRING ANOTHER POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAIN EVENT ON WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 834 PM CST SUN NOV 5 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... GONZALES COUNTY BASTROP COUNTY LAVACA COUNTY DEWITT COUNTY LEE COUNTY CALDWELL COUNTY FAYETTE COUNTY * UNTIL 1 AM CST * AT 834 PM CST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY MOVING EASTWARD INTO THE AREA. RAIN ALSO WAS INCREASING FROM THE SOUTH. DUE TO THE SATURATED SOIL THIS HEAVY RAIN WILL PRODUCE RAPID FLOODING OF LOWLYING AREAS AND ROADWAYS AND CAUSE STREAMS TO SWELL OUT OF THEIR BANKS. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 848 PM CST SUN NOV 5 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN TEXAS... BASTROP COUNTY * UNTIL 945 PM CST * AT 848 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF ROSANKY...OR ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SMITHVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH.

A thunderstorm moving at 65 MPH?! That is 105 kph??

aha!!! 848 PM CST SUN NOV 5 2000 ...CORRECT THUNDERSTORM SPEED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN TEXAS... BASTROP COUNTY * UNTIL 945 PM CST * AT 848 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF ROSANKY...OR ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SMITHVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. LAT...LON 3009 9761 2983 9733 3006 9708 3026 9712 3039 9737 3021 9747

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BASTROP COUNTY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 CST. AT 915 PM...THE THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR MCDADE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. REMAIN IN A SECURE SHELTER UNTIL THE THREAT ENDS.

It was a pretty heavy storm last night, I had to fish a chair out of the pool this morning. And the Directv dish was nearly blanked out for periods due to the heavy clouds and rain. Hopefully, it will be clear today so Duane can finish the garage roof.

I'll continue to post the storm alerts as soon as they arrive in my email. I know about fishing stuff out of odd places. One of our trash cans ended up in the "moat" around the property. We have no idea how it got out of the garage!

FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 300 PM CST TUE NOV 7 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GILLESPIE...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON... REAL...BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...KERR...BEXAR...HAYS... LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BANDERA... LEE...LLANO...GUADALUPE...FRIO...UVALDE...CALDWELL...FAYETTE AND KARNES THE METROPOLITAN AREAS OF AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO ARE INCLUDED IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA.

It rained hard last night but I was still able to get by the low water crossing this morning and make it in to Austin.

more bad news for you.... FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 448 AM CST WED NOV 8 2000 THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...MEDINA...GONZALES...KENDALL...WILSON... BASTROP...BLANCO...TRAVIS...BEXAR...HAYS... LAVACA...DEWITT...BURNET...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA... LEE...GUADALUPE...FRIO.... CALDWELL...FAYETTE AND KARNES THIS WATCH COVERS MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE EASTERN HILL COUNTRY AND INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AUSTIN...SAN ANTONIO...HONDO AND LA GRANGE. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS TEXAS TODAY. AHEAD OF IT...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE WITH A MIX OF SLEET ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH WHILE THE STORM SYSTEM SHIFTS EAST AT 30 MPH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE WATCH AREA IS POSSIBLE TODAY. SOILS REMAIN FULLY SATURATED FROM RECENT HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING... SO FLASH FLOODING RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN MANY PORTIONS OF THE WATCH AREA...IT MAY TAKE AN INCH OR LESS OF RAINFALL IN AN HOURS TIME TO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. SEVERAL RIVERS IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REMAIN SWOLLEN...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL RIVER FLOODING. A BRIEF BREAK IN THE RAINS IS EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY. HOWEVER... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL THREATEN TO BRING ANOTHER POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAIN EVENT ON WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY.

Our entire island-county of Hawaii has been declared a disaster area, so at least we will see some federal funds (and the bureaucrats who come with them) to help rebuild our infrastructure. It takes hours to just get from one side of Hilo to the other!

Storm damage in Hilo: Where I was standing was under water just a few hours previous to taking this photo. This is the baseball field. What those brown things are in the grass are huge boulders washed over? under? the chain link fence in the outfield.

Why are the images so bad? The first one was taken at midday. It WAS that dark!!! That is a drop of about 8 feet (2.4 M). Fortunately, just when the water is at house entry level it crosses the road and flows into drainage over there. The second picture was a foggy lens of which the photographer was unaware. What you cannot see is the chain-link fencing to the right. Mashed flat on the ground by the force of the water. Amazing!!!

Winter (whatever that is) has hit California: *** STATE WEATHER WARNINGS *** CAZ017...019-121700- SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY-CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA- NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- ...FROST ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING... TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO MIDDLE 30S ACROSS THE REGION. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT OR BELOW FREEZING FOR SEVERAL HOURS LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING FOR MOST OF THE AREA. PLANTS THAT ARE SENSITIVE TO FROST SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND ACCOMMODATIONS MADE FOR PETS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD WARM ABOVE FREEZING BY 8 AM SUNDAY MORNING.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED * TORNADO WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN TEXAS... BASTROP COUNTY FAYETTE COUNTY * UNTIL 210 PM CST * AT 107 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG SIGNS THAT A TORNADO IS DEVELOPING 7 MILES WEST OF ROSANKY...OR ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BASTROP...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. * THE TORNADO PRODUCING STORM IS EXPECTED TO BE... 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BASTROP AT 130 PM CST OVER CIRCLE D-KC ESTATES AT 145 PM CST

...TORNADO WARNING FOR CALDWELL COUNTY UNTIL 200 PM... ...TORNADO WARNING FOR BASTROP AND FAYETTE COUNTIES UNTIL 210 PM... AT 124 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NIEDERWALD...OR 7 MILES EAST OF LOCKHART...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* AT 218 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION THAT MAY PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY TIME 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ROSANKY...OR ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SMITHVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. A SECOND THUNDERSTORM WITH A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER BASTROP...MOVING IN THE SAME SPEED AND DIRECTION.

...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT TIL 3 PM CST FOR FAYETTE COUNTY... ...A TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT TIL 330 PM CST FOR HAYS COUNTY... ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 7 PM CST... DOPPLER RADAR WAS INDICATING TORNADOES OVER HAYS AND FAYETTE COUNTIES AT 250 PM CST. OVER HAYS COUNTY...THE TORNADO WAS BETWEEN SAN MARCOS AND WIMBERLEY...ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF SAN MARCOS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. PERSONS IN SAN MARCOS NEED TO BE ALERT AND READY TO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AS THE TORNADO WILL BE IN THE SAN MARCOS VICINITY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. OTHER TORNADOES WERE INDICATED JUST NORTHEAST OF CISTERN AND IN THE WINCHESTER WARDA AREAS OF FAYETTE COUNTY. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE IN THESE AREAS.

Please Texas, Take cover and report back when you can!

Ther alerts are coming in as fast as I can post them ...TORNADO WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR GONZALES...LAVACA...FAYETTE AND CALDWELL COUNTIES TIL 4 PM CST... ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 7 PM CST... DOPPLER RADAR WAS INDICATING TORNADIC STORMS JUST SOUTH OF LA GRANGE IN FAYETTE COUNTY AND BETWEEN SHINER AND MOULTON OVER LAVACA COUNTY AT 330 PM CST. ALSO A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM BETWEEN LOCKHART AND MENDOZA IN CALDWELL COUNTY APPEARS TO HAVE SOME ROTATION. THESE STORMS APPEAR TO BE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. A WALL CLOUD HAS JUST BEEN REPORTED TO THE WEATHER OFFICE JUST SOUTH OF LAGRANGE AT 325 PM CST. IF YOU ARE IN THESE AREAS....TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY..

342 PM CST SUN NOV 12 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN TEXAS... BASTROP COUNTY * UNTIL 445 PM CST * AT 342 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG SIGNS THAT A TORNADO IS DEVELOPING 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR CREEK...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF LOCKHART...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. * THE TORNADO PRODUCING STORM IS EXPECTED TO BE... 7 MILES SOUTH OF CEDAR CREEK AT 350 PM CST 5 MILES NORTH OF ROSANKY AT 410 PM CST 7 MILES SOUTH OF BASTROP AT 415 PM CST OVER SMITHVILLE AT 430 PM CST IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 930 AM HST TUE NOV 14 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM HST FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... ON HAWAII...ALL AREAS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING. FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT... BUT PERSONS ON HAWAII SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NOW TO PROTECT PROPERTY AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN IS OBSERVED OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. MOISTURE MOVING INTO THE BIG ISLAND FROM THE EAST IS COMBINING WITH AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE DUE TO COLDER AIR ALOFT TO PRODUCE HEAVY SHOWERS. THESE WILL LIKELY CONTINUE OVER THE NORTH AND EAST PORTIONS OF HAWAII...AND AFTERNOON HEATING COULD SET OFF LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER OTHER SECTIONS OF THE BIG ISLAND THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUS THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF HAWAII.

Move over, Mt Waialeale, we gotta be the wettest place on earth. I never saw rain this hard for this long...

Three more flood warnings have come in in the last few moments. Check the loop for the weather patterns; http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/UnitedStates/Southwest/Hawaii/Hilo/BaseReflectivityLoop/

WINTER WEATHER WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 1115 PM HST WED NOV 15 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 AM HST THURSDAY FOR THE SUMMITS AND UPPER SLOPES OF MAUNA KEA AND MAUNA LOA. A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THAT WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS... INCLUDING BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES...SNOW...SLEET AND STRONG WINDS...ARE POSSIBLE...BUT NOT IMMIMENT ATOP MAUNA KEA AND MAUNA LOA. PERSONS ATOP THESE SUMMITS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THE ONSET OF HAZARDOUS WINTERLIKE CONDITIONS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 AM HST THURSDAY FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH AND EAST HAWAII A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING. FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT... BUT PERSONS ON NORTH AND EAST HAWAII SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NOW TO PROTECT PROPERTY AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN IS OBSERVED OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING ON NORTH AND EAST HAWAII... ESPECIALLY IN THE HILO AND PUNA DISTRICTS. SOME STREAMS ARE REPORTED HIGH AND SOME OVER THEIR BANKS AND SOME ROADS ARE REPORTED WITH WATER OVER THE ROAD SURFACES. SATELLITE AND RADAR INDICATE THAT MORE HEAVY SHOWERS ARE MOVING INTO THE BIG ISLAND FROM THE EAST AND WILL BRING HEAVY SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS TO THAT AREA OVERNIGHT. WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING CONDITIONS.

Hope you're staying as dry as possible. The boulders on the baseball field along with the flattened chain link fence do not make a reassuring picture.

Yup, I am fine and joining those wondering what do do about removing all those huge boulders on the outfield without tearing up the turf. Meanwhile for someone I care deeply about: URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 335 PM EST SAT NOV 18 2000 ...ACCUMULATING SNOW LIKELY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS... .ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL STREAM NORTH FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF COAST TO THE GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS BY SUNDAY. THESE WEATHER FEATURES WILL COMBINE WITH THE UNSEASONABLY COLD AIRMASS CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO CAUSE SNOW TO FALL TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE MEDIA FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS WINTER WEATHER SITUATION. GAZ010-017-NCZ051053-058-059-062065-SCZ001003-190321- CORRECTED BUNCOMBE NC-GRAHAM NC-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-HABERSHAM GA- HAYWOOD NC-HENDERSON NC-MACON NC-NORTHERN JACKSON NC- OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-RABUN GA- SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON GA...CLARKESVILLE GA... CHEROKEE NC...WAYNESVILLE NC...ASHEVILLE NC...SYLVA NC... FRANKLIN NC...BREVARD NC...HENDERSONVILLE NC 335 PM EST SAT NOV 18 2000 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THROUGH SUNDAY... SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY...SNOW MAY MIX WITH RAIN AT TIMES IN SOME SOUTHERN VALLEYS. AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK...WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. The Almighty is gonna get tired of hearing for me as winter progresses.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 959 PM EST SAT NOV 18 2000 ...ACCUMULATING SNOW LIKELY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS... .UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM...ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL STREAM NORTH FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO OVERNIGHT AND SUNDAY. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF COAST TO THE GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS BY SUNDAY. THESE WEATHER FEATURES WILL COMBINE WITH THE UNSEASONABLY COLD AIRMASS CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO CAUSE SNOW TO FALL LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS WINTER WEATHER SITUATION. GAZ010-017-NCZ051053-058-059-062065-SCZ001003-190936- BUNCOMBE NC-GRAHAM NC-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-HABERSHAM GA- HAYWOOD NC-HENDERSON NC-MACON NC-NORTHERN JACKSON NC- OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-RABUN GA- SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON GA...CLARKESVILLE GA... CHEROKEE NC...WAYNESVILLE NC...ASHEVILLE NC...SYLVA NC... FRANKLIN NC...BREVARD NC...HENDERSONVILLE NC 959 PM EST SAT NOV 18 2000 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THROUGH SUNDAY... SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY...SNOW MAY MIX WITH RAIN AT TIMES IN SOME SOUTHERN VALLEYS. AN INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK...WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 354 PM CST WED NOV 22 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH EFFECTIVE FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY EVENING FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS GONZALES...BASTROP...TRAVIS...HAYS...LAVACA...DEWITT... WILLIAMSON...LEE...CALDWELL AND FAYETTE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING THREATENS. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL WEATHER SYSTEM WILL INTERACT WITH A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW TO TRIGGER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP WHICH COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. WITH SOILS STILL SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS...THE RAINFALL WILL RUN OFF CAUSING FLOODING OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND SMALL STREAMS. THE WEATHER SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL FOLLOW THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT RAIN AND CONTINUE BREEZY WEATHER ARE IN STORE FOR FRIDAY.

Despite the threat of floods, Happy Thanksgiving to Austin... FLASH FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 358 AM CST THU NOV 23 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMAL...GONZALES...WILSON...BASTROP...TRAVIS...BEXAR... HAYS...LAVACA...DEWITT...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...LEE... GUADALUPE...CALDWELL...FAYETTE AND KARNES THE WATCH COVERS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35...THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AUSTIN...SAN ANTONIO AND LA GRANGE. LIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS TEXAS LATER TODAY...TRIGGERING THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 4 INCHES IN STRONGER STORMS.

...TORNADO WARNING FOR DIMMIT AND ZAVALA COUNTIES EXPIRED AT 930 PM CST... ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CST FRIDAY FOR PARTS CENTRAL TEXAS AND EAST PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR FRIO COUNTY UNTIL 10 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON...BASTROP... CALDWELL AND GUADALUPE COUNTIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR HAYS...COMAL...BEXAR AND MEDINA COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 PM... TORNADO WARNING FOR DIMMIT AND ZAVALA COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON... BASTROP...CALDWELL...GUADALUPE...HAYS...COMAL...BEXAR AND MEDINA COUNTIES. IN THESE COUNTIES...HEAVY RAIN...SOME HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING THE NEXT FEW HOURS WILL CAUSE SOME FLOODING AT LOW WATER CROSSINGS. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM CST FOR LLANO...BURNET... WILLIAMSON...LEE...GILLESPIE...BLANCO...KENDALL...TRAVIS...BASTROP... FAYETTE...COMAL...HAYS...GUADALUPE...CALDWELL...GONZALES... AND LAVACA COUNTIES. THIS INCLUDES THE AUSTIN METRO AREA. OCCASIONAL RAIN WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THE NEXT FEW HOURS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...PLUS THE HILL COUNTRY THE NEXT FEW HOURS. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD FORM. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...SOME HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. SOME FLOODING AT LOW WATER CROSSINGS OR OTHER LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE WHERE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN FALLS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH TONIGHT OVER SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS ALONG AND EAST OF I35. ON FRIDAY...A WINDY DAY IS EXPECTED...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS IN THE 60S AND NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH...DIMINISHING LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO FRIDAY EVENING.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 925 PM CST THU NOV 23 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... BASTROP COUNTY (Terry and Geo's instigator are both in Bastrop county) TRAVIS COUNTY WILLIAMSON COUNTY GUADALUPE COUNTY CALDWELL COUNTY * UNTIL 1200 AM CST * AT 925 PM CST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICTED BANDS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM LAGO VISTA TO GEORGETOWN AND FROM SEGUIN TO NEAR BASTROP MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HOURLY RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. THESE RAINS WILL PRODUCE FLOODING OF URBAN AREAS...LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND SMALL STREAMS. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. LAT...LON 2962 9814 2957 9783 3008 9730 3067 9744 3083 9785 3033 9798 2998 9768

Wow, and it's such a nice pleasant day today. That front's done gone I think.

Thank goodness! It has been a pretty bad couple of weeks for you guys!!! Thanks for checking in!

well, parts of texas, arkansas, louisiana, and oklahoma are in for some nasty weather. we're currently under a winter storm watch and the temp here has dropped 20 degrees since i went to work this morning! (it's 40)

Hmmmmmm... wonder why my weather alerts are not arriving? Bad weather??? Take care you guys!!!

we're currently under a winter storm watch Ha! We've been in the winter storm all day and it doesn't show any signs of easing up. How many times can one shovel in a given day? :-(

our ice and snow is supposed to arrive late this afternoon and tonight....

We're waiting for a big ice storm, I'm going to check the http://www.kvue.com site for Doppler radar to see when it will hit. I just bought 20 gallons of reserve spring water, just in case the well goes out due to power outages.

thankfully our power lines are buried! but, we have lost power before. it's early for us to have weather like this!! thanks for the link to doppler radar.

The ice storm is subsiding, at least for now, but the branches are hanging low around Austin.

yeah, we were sent home from work. lots and lots of tree limbs down and now the sun is coming out. but, a low of 28 overnight so those roads are gonna freeze. be careful out there, esp. those not used to this type of weather!!

It's bright and sunny outside now! What a change.

Happy me and envious, too. Sam old same old here. Looks and feels like June!

Anyone want to help me flock the lawn???

You're doing this?

No, I didn't but had flapole garlanded illuminated with tiny lights!!! URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 423 PM CST TUE DEC 26 2000 BANDERA-BASTROP-BEXAR-BLANCO-BURNET-CALDWELL-COMAL-EDWARDS-GILLESPIE- GUADALUPE-HAYS-KENDALL-KERR-KINNEY-LEE-LLANO-MEDINA-REAL-TRAVIS- UVALDE-VAL VERDE-WILLIAMSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUSTIN...BANDERA...BASTROP...BOERNE... BRACKETTVILLE...BURNET...DEL RIO...FREDERICKSBURG...GEORGETOWN... GIDDINGS...HONDO...JOHNSON CITY...KERRVILLE...LEAKEY...LLANO... LOCKHART...NEW BRAUNFELS...ROCKSPRINGS...SAN ANTONIO...SAN MARCOS... SEGUIN...UVALDE ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE ADVISORY AREA IS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A DEL RIO TO SAN ANTONIO TO GIDDINGS LINE. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LIGHT WINTER-TYPE PRECIPITATION TO OCCUR. IN THIS INSTANCE...THE BEST CHANCE IS FOR A MIX OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. PERSONS IN THE ADVISORY AREA SHOULD CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS AT ONCE...REMAIN INFORMED OF THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST AND ADVISORY...AND BE PREPARED TO SAFEGUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY IF WINTER WEATHER IS OBSERVED. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ADVANCE PLANNING...TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY COULD BE TOO LATE. COLD ARCTIC AIR CONTINUES TO INFILTRATE SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. MUCH OF THE AVAILABLE MOISTURE HAS MOVED EAST OF THE AREA IN ADVANCE OF THE SURFACE LOW. HOWEVER...SOME MOISTURE REMAINS. THE COLD AIR AND REMAINING MOISTURE WILL COMBINE WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO PRODUCE A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN...FREEZING RAIN... SLEET AND SLOW. MINOR ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE AND SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE ICE AND SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE MAINLY ON EXPOSED SURFACES SUCH AS TREES AND POWER LINES...AND BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BULLETINS...OR CONTACT THE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION CONCERNING YOUR LOCALE. WEATHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS BY TUNING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTING ON FREQUENCIES RANGING BETWEEN 162.400 AND 162.550 MHZ. THE INTERNET ADDRESS FOR TEXAS WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IS HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV. TEXAS ROAD INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT 1-800-452-9292. WEATHER INFORMATION IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS MAY BE OBTAINED BY DIALING 830-609-2029 OR 830- 606-3617.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 945 PM CST TUE DEC 26 2000 BANDERA-BASTROP-BEXAR-BLANCO-BURNET-CALDWELL-COMAL-EDWARDS-GILLESPIE- GUADALUPE-HAYS-KENDALL-KERR-KINNEY-LEE-LLANO-MEDINA-REAL-TRAVIS- UVALDE-VAL VERDE-WILLIAMSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUSTIN...BANDERA...BASTROP...BOERNE... BRACKETTVILLE...BURNET...DEL RIO...FREDERICKSBURG...GEORGETOWN... GIDDINGS...HONDO...JOHNSON CITY...KERRVILLE...LEAKEY...LLANO... LOCKHART...NEW BRAUNFELS...ROCKSPRINGS...SAN ANTONIO...SAN MARCOS... SEGUIN...UVALDE ...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...BANDERA...BASTROP...BEXAR... BLANCO...BURNET...CALDWELL...COMAL...EDWARDS...GILLESPIE... GUADALUPE...HAYS...KENDALL...KERR...KINNEY...LEE...LLANO...MEDINA... REAL...TRAVIS...UVALDE...VAL VERDE...WILLIAMSON... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LIGHT WINTER-TYPE PRECIPITATION TO OCCUR. IN THIS INSTANCE...THE BEST CHANCE IS FOR A MIX OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT COUNTIES ALONG THE ESCARPMENT ARE DANGEROUS AND TRAVEL IS NOT ADVISED. ACCUMULATION OF SLEET...ICE AND SNOW IS POSSIBLE OVER HILL COUNTRY ROAD TONIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. COLD ARCTIC AIR CONTINUES TO MOVES INTO AND ACROSS THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AS A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER LUBBOCK TEXAS MOVES SLOWLY NORTHEAST. THE COLD ARCTIC AIR MOVING OVER THE REGION WILL INTERACT WITH THE MOISTURE FROM THE GULF TO PRODUCE LIGHT RAIN MIXED WITH FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW. PERSONS IN THE ADVISORY AREA SHOULD CHECK WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS. REMAIN INFORMED OF THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST AND ADVISORY...AND BE PREPARED TO SAFEGUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS SHOULD MONITOR FORECASTS AND BULLETINS. WEATHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS BY TUNING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO TRANSMITTING ON FREQUENCIES RANGING BETWEEN 162.400 AND 162.550 MHZ. THE INTERNET ADDRESS FOR TEXAS WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IS HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV. TEXAS ROAD INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT 1-800-452-9292. WEATHER INFORMATION IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS MAY BE OBTAINED BY DIALING 830-609-2029 OR 830- 606-3617. ADVERSE WINTER WEATHER EXTENDS INTO NORTH AND WEST TEXAS. MOTORISTS AND TRAVELERS SHOULD CHECK WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE INTO THESE AREAS OF THE STATE. TRAVEL AND HIGHWAY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HAZARDOUS DUE TO ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION. IN ADDITION...AIRLINE TRAVEL MAY BE DELAYED OR INTERRUPTED AT SOME AIR TERMINALS AND MAJOR HUBS...SO BE SURE TO CHECK BEFOREHAND WITH YOUR AIRLINE OR TRAVEL AGENT. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED PERIODICALLY TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE VERY LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE BROADCAST OVER LOCAL RADIO...TV...CABLE TV STATIONS AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO. LISTEN FOR THESE BROADCASTS...AND HEED THEIR ADVICE!

Yep, I went to the hockey game last night (Ice Bats won) and saw impending signs of a freeze on the roads as I traversed the back roads to Cedar Creek from the Expo Center. It will be interesting to see what the roads are like in the morning.

Ice Bats?!!! URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 445 AM CST WED DEC 27 2000 BANDERA-BASTROP-BEXAR-BLANCO-BURNET-CALDWELL-COMAL-EDWARDS-GILLESPIE- GUADALUPE-HAYS-KENDALL-KERR-KINNEY-LEE-LLANO-MEDINA-REAL-TRAVIS- UVALDE-VAL VERDE-WILLIAMSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUSTIN...BANDERA...BASTROP...BOERNE... BRACKETTVILLE...BURNET...DEL RIO...FREDERICKSBURG...GEORGETOWN... GIDDINGS...HONDO...JOHNSON CITY...KERRVILLE...LEAKEY...LLANO... LOCKHART...NEW BRAUNFELS...ROCKSPRINGS...SAN ANTONIO...SAN MARCOS... SEGUIN...UVALDE ...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TODAY... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CONTINUES TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...BANDERA...BASTROP...BEXAR...BLANCO...BURNET...CALDWELL... COMAL...EDWARDS...GILLESPIE...GUADALUPE...HAYS...KENDALL...KERR... KINNEY...LEE...LLANO...MEDINA...REAL...TRAVIS...UVALDE... VAL VERDE...AND WILLIAMSON. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LIGHT WINTER-TYPE PRECIPITATION TO OCCUR IN THE COLD WEATHER TODAY. IN THIS INSTANCE...THE BEST CHANCE IS FOR A MIX OF RAIN OR LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WITH SLEET AND SNOW FOR TODAY. IN ADDITION...DAYTIME HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 30S ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY TO 40S OVER THE WARMEST PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...SOME 20 TO 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. FINALLY...COLD NORTHWEST WIND AT 10 TO 20 MPH TODAY WILL KEEP THE WIND CHILL INDEX BETWEEN 5 AND 30. AS A RESULT... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE TODAY. DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT COUNTIES ALONG THE ESCARPMENT COULD POSSIBLY BECOME DANGEROUS. TRAVEL WILL BE MORE HAZARDOUS THAN USUAL. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY LIGHT. A MIX OF SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW IS POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN PARTS OF THE ADVISORY AREA...WHILE MOSTLY A MIX OF RAIN OR FREEZING RAIN WITH SLEET AND A FEW SNOW FLURRIES...IS POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE ADVISORY AREA. MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF DEL RIO TO JUST NORTH OF SAN ANTONIO TO NEAR THE AUSTIN AREA TO TAYLOR IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY...LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET...ICE AND SNOW COULD FORM ON ELEVATED ROADS...BRIDGES AND OVERPASSESES...WHERE TEMPERATURES BE BELOW FREEZING PART OF THIS MORNING. FROM DEL RIO TO SAN ANTONIO TO BASTROP AND GIDDINGS IN LEE COUNTRY...PATCHY ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN...MIXED WITH RAIN...COULD FORM ON BRIDGES...OVERPASSES AND EXPOSED OBJECTS. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL CLOSE TO OR REMAIN SLIGHTLY ABOVE FREEZING...THEN RISE SLIGHTLY LATER THIS MORNING. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING OVER NORTHERN PARTS OF THE ADVISORY AREA BY LATE MORNING TO NOON. OVER SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE ADVISORY AREA...TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGTLY ABOVE FREEZING...THEN RISE BY LATE MORNING. DRIER CONDITIONS WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE ADVISORY AREA LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...DIMINISHING AND FINALLY ENDING THE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE EXPECTED NEAR TO BELOW FREEZING TONIGHT...THEN RISING TO MOSTLY 50S THURSDAY...UNDER SUNNY SKIES.

945 AM CST WED DEC 27 2000 ...THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED FOR THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS CANCELLED... VERY LITTLE PRECIPITATION IS CURRENTLY BEING REPORTED ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER WESTERN TEXAS WILL PRODUCE A FEW RAIN...SLEET OR SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA AS IT MOVES THROUGH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HOWEVER...AMOUNTS WILL BE VERY LIGHT AND NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS ACROSS THE AREA.

More Travel Chaos Expected As UK Freeze Goes On Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000 LONDON (Reuters) - Bitterly cold and icy weather is expected to cause more travel chaos on Friday as Britain endures its worst winter for six years. Police and motoring organizations told Britons to stay at home unless their travel was necessary. They warned that driving conditions would remain treacherous with black ice on many roads after overnight temperatures plummeted to minus 14F. The Meteorological Office said the arctic conditions would continue throughout Friday, with the maximum temperature expected to be just 2C 36F. A spokesman for AA Roadwatch said its message to drivers had been "try and enjoy the rest of Christmas and don't go out unless it's absolutely necessary." Heavy snowfall of up to 6 inches fell across most of the UK on Thursday causing severe disruption to air travel with flights in and out of many airports canceled. The Met Office said it was the most widespread snowfall to hit the country since February 1994. More snow showers are forecast for coastal regions on Friday with another very cold night in store and a severe frost in places. The freezing weather was set to continue over the weekend, the Met Office said.

I wonder if Mike is in the UK or US? (Mike Griggs). Who else on Spring is in the UK? I wonder how Aishling Hall and Ann Whittle are doing? I hope they're ok!

And it's New Year's Eve and NW Louisiana has snow!!

I heard that on the way home from a New Years eve party. My friend Mickey said he wished he were in Shreveport.

we got about 2 inches. the roads are pretty good now but earlier today, it was rather slick out. we usually don't get snow until late jan/feb!

Shreveport' sgame was amazing. Wish I could have made snow angels all over the field. Talk about a boring half time show... It was lovely to watch, but I was rooting for the team who almost won...*sigh*

Sorry that your team didn't win, Marcia. Too bad the half time show didn't feature people making snow angels on the field. On the subject of college football, I'm sorry that Penn State had such a dismal season. Maybe next year, Marcia?

Thanks! Yup! Wait'll next year, as they say!!! I like that idea for half time - would have been seasonal and pretty, too!

In front of a Chinese restaurant just outside of Pittsburgh some of the employees made snow pandas, instead of snowmen. They even colored some of the snow black so that the life-size giant pandas looked very life-like. People would stop and take pictures of, or have their pictures taken with the snow pandas, while they lasted.

How cute!!! I love that idea! Next snowfall we get I'm gonna do that, too!

California where there is now power and plenty of cold: LOCAL STORM REPORT...ADDITIONAL REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1030 AM PST THU JAN 11 2001 TIME(PST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS... ....COUNTY LOCATION.... 0700 AM AGNEW PASS 9450' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MARIPOSA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 39 INCHES 0700 AM MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MADERA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 30-36 INCHES 0700 AM UPPER BURNT CORRAL 9700' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MADERA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 33 INCHES 0700 AM OSTRANDER LAKE 8200' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MARIPOSA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 20 INCHES 0700 AM HUME LAKE CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 FRESNO 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 17 INCHES 0700 AM GIN FLAT 7050' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MARIPOSA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 16 INCHES 0700 AM TUOLUMNE MEADOWS CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 22 INCHES 0700 AM BIG MEADOWS 7600' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 22 INCHES 0700 AM TUNNEL GUARD STATION 8950' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 20 INCHES 0700 AM CHAGOOPA PLATEAU 10300' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 20 INCHES 0700 AM MITCHELL MEADOW 10375' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 20 INCHES 0700 AM BENCH MEADOWS 7650' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 17 INCHES 0700 AM QUAKING ASPEN 7200' CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 TULARE 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 12 INCHES 0700 AM FISH CAMP CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 MARIPOSA 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 12 INCHES 0800 AM TEHACHAPI CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 KERN 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 6 INCHES 0900 AM FRAZIER PARK CA HEAVY SNOW 01/11/01 KERN 24 HOUR TOTAL OF 9 INCHES

Coral Reef Exposes Worst El Ninos Ever Are Now WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An ancient coral reef in Papua New Guinea has let scientists check up on the history of El Nino and suggest the weather pattern, blamed for droughts, floods and storms, has never been stronger than it is now. Other experts said their findings show that El Nino, which can disrupt weather around the world, is probably unpredictable and affected by subtle changes in climate -- bad news for people trying to forecast El Nino influences. The international team of scientists was able to track El Nino going back 130,000 years by reading annual bands in the fossilized coral much like scientists read the annual bands in sawn-off tree trunks. Coral reef terraces in the Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea lie in the north coast of the island in an area particularly affected by the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a pattern of weather and currents named after the Christ child by Pacific fishermen who noticed it around Christmas time. Corals are small animals that build themselves a hard skeleton and live in colonies that eventually form reefs. As they slowly grow, they build into their skeletons a record of the current sea surface temperature and salinity. Geological forces are pushing the ancient coral upwards to where it can be seen and sampled. "This situation makes it possible to sample corals which grew during periods when climatic boundary conditions were substantially different to those today," the researchers wrote in their paper, published on Friday in the journal Science. They traced oxygen isotopes in the coral. Isotopes, or chemical variants, can be detected using special equipment. "The samples indicated that El Nino was never more intense than the events of the last hundred years," David Lea, a professor of geological sciences at the University of California Santa Barbara who helped write the study, said in a statement. "Over the last 100 years we have very accurate records of El Nino, with 1982-83 and 1997-98 being the largest events on record." Lea said global warming may be to blame but this is not certain from his team's study. "Of course, everyone wants to know if the intensity of these large events is somehow related to global warming. Our data suggest that the behavior of the tropical Pacific over the last 100 years is atypical, but it does not pinpoint which factors modulate El Nino," he said. But Julia Cole of the University of Arizona, who studies El Nino and ancient climate patterns, said the study fits in with other studies that show background climate change -- whether caused by people or other forces -- can affect El Nino. "Their data show really clearly that in the early part of the 20th century, before you had global warming, you still had very strong El Ninos," Cole said in a telephone interview. "From their data alone you cannot blame warming. But ... what that suggests is that background climate change in the future, whatever the cause, is also likely to have an influence on El Nino. We can't assume that El Nino will keep on ticking along in the same way that it has." And that is a frightening thought for weather experts and government officials who would like to be able to anticipate and prepare for weather chaos wrought by El Ninos. Centuries ago El Nino occurred every two to 15 years, but recent research shows the pattern has become more frequent. It is blamed for causing much of the $89 billion in weather-related damage in 1998.