The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
-Psalm 19:1

Do you know that God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?
-Job 37:15



Friday, February 01, 2008

Are you smarter than a fourth grader???

Well, the Dewvoid prevailed. Are we surprised? No. I didn't think so. Those storms really didn't produce much, except for some ferocious wind and some hail. I watched several mesos pop up during the course of the afternoon, as the system (the squall line part) moved from Louisiana to Mississippi to Alabama and then... fell apart. It did get into severe parameters with some of the decent sized hail that fell and the obviously powerful winds, with reports of trees down. I think the most interesting report was that of a situation in Panama City Beach where...

A FUEL PUMP WAS PULLED OUT OF THE GROUND AT A CONVENIENCE STORE GAS STATION. THE ICE MACHINE WAS THROWN ACROSS THE PARKING LOT
Definitely, a powerful wind event, but as I said, it fell apart well before getting here. Jay and I shared thoughts about the approaching storm through much of the evening, and he was kind to share several Level 2 captures on Gibson Ridge. I posted one on the team site. That software is extremely impressive. I like it. Anyways, when I got home... I checked the radar... to see one final TVS, but the rest of it was so unimpressive that I went on to bed after a lively chat with some folks on Steve M. OK's live chat. Unfortunately, since I sleep like the dead, I have no idea if we had any thunderstorms through the night. I did get two EAS tones though (which you should know gets me pretty pumped), when apparently marine warnings were somehow applicable to the counties programmed into my radio (raised eyebrow...) Just what I want to see on my radio at 2:22 AM... a warning. I get all energized and then hear the message: The NWS in Tallahassee has issued a marine warning... WHAT?! Why do you think I care about that?! Grr... That happened twice!

Last night was really cool. Mini-Dew had science homework, studying for her weather test. The study guide rocked. The teacher had told the students to work with their parents on the questions, but she made it very clear after the first question that she DID NOT want me to tell her the answers. Then, she verified my answer to that one to make sure it was "right". Can you believe that?! She doubted my weather knowledge... as if I don't know what a stratus cloud is. Here is the quiz. See if you're smarter than a 4th grader.












I heard from several folks that the Dewified Twister Sisters episode aired again yesterday afternoon. I wish I had some prior knowledge of when that was airing, so I could be prepared when people approach me and say... I was just watching you on TV. Holy cow.

The skies are starting to clear today, looking ahead to a beautiful weekend, a great groundhog day... it looks like Punxsutawney Phil will miss out on his shadow though... early spring? Coolness. I would love to make it up to Pennsylvania one year to see that ceremony, and possibly visit the Meteorologist Hall of Fame, located in the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center. Yes, I must go there. Their current exhibit, when they aren't closed is "The Perfect Storm" which is "positively electrifying", from what they say. Yes, I need to add that to my list of "Things-to-Dew-before-I-die".

Have a lovely Groundhog Day and weekend!
~Dewdrop

12 comments:

  1. Wow, Mini-Dew doubted you in your area of expertise? Well, us moms shouldn't forget that our kids know EVERYTHING and we're just a bunch of bumbling morons. Just ask the kids, they'll tell us! That Meteorology Museum sounds like fun. I never even knew there was such a place!

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  2. And, let me tell you, Mini-Dew knows EVERYTHING! She was so funny. She was offended when I said, I certainly know more about weather than a 4th grader. It was the dramatic, clutch the heart type thing.

    I have to go to that museum. Too cool.

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  3. I wonder why the storms lost their punch...other than the Dewvoid effect..maybe it was the timing and the lack of instability at that time of the night this part of the years, and/or some cooler, more stable air seeping down from the southern Appalachians...

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  4. Mike, are you trying to scientifically explain the Dewvoid? It's simple geography, where I am, weather does not occur. lol

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  5. Thanks for the plug! We had quite a few join up last night and look forward to more. If you're reading this and haven't yet signed up to HamWx Chaser Chat, get with the program!
    Thanks again!

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  6. You are very welcome, Steve. I had a "blissful" time. lol. It was great to chit chat and meet some new folks. I look forward to scaring away weather with y'all some day soon. ;O)

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  7. I should have known better than to try to explain that scientifically...lol...

    By the way, I posted about the Storm Alert presentation over on my blog...

    http://alabama-weather.blogspot.com/2008/02/last-nights-storm-alert-presentation-in.html

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  8. That's right, Mike... the Dewvoid is beyond reason. I will check out your entry about the Storm Alert Presentation.

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  9. How do you make that link on comments?

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  10. OK, this won't be easy... because the code itself makes it happen... so using it will make it happen. I will type it using ... where there shouldn't be anything.
    <...
    a... (put a space there)
    href...
    =...
    "... Type the website
    "...
    >... Type what you want to show up on the screen.
    Then, you close it out.
    <...
    /...
    a...
    >...

    Dewdrop rocks!

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  11. Is that a good whoa..., or is it a bad whoa...?

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Dew comment, please...