We have our second tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic Season in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean, about 190 south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.   Bertha will continue a northwesterly track through the open Atlantic.   Maximum sustained winds are near 40mph and intensification is possibke to near hurricane strength in the next 72-120 hours. 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/031454.shtml

Hi everyone

I’m a little busy today - with some graphics training to get through, but wanted to say hello.  Quick weather update:  We’ve got a cold front draped from the Northeast back into the Plains, and that  will be the focus of showers and thunderstorms as we head into the long holiday weekend.   An isolated severe thunderstorm could also pop up with the main threat being hail, damaging winds and localized flooding.  Much of the west remains dry with the exception of the pacific northwest where a disturbance is moving in and bringing with it some unsettled weather.  Meantime, somewhat cooler and more humid air will help firefighters battle wildfires in California.  The desert southwest will remain dangerously hot into the weekend.

And something very cool has developed out in the far Eastern Atlantic:  A new tropical depression just off the coast of Africa.  This is forecast to become our 2nd tropical storm of the season.  The storm is not forecast to become a hurricane and will not be a threat to land, but will be monitored over the next several days for development.    It’s very rare to see a tropical storm form this far out in the Atlantic so early in the season.   If you’d like to check it out, you can head here: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Have a great day everyone - and safe travels if you are already heading out of town for the long 4th of July Holiday!

jd

Hey everyone

Hope you’re having a good week so far.  Half way to the weekend already…

In weather news, we’ve got a cold front dropping out of Canada that’s going to affect our weather over the Central Plains up through the Great Lakes today.    Heavy rain, some hail, strong winds and the possibilty of an isolated tornado could popl up throughout the afternoon.

The east coast looks good today…a chance of storms across the Sunshine State which is pretty routene for them.  The west coast of course is our concern again today with more wildfires igniting now in southern California.  They had the driest spring there in 114 years, and obviously that is one of the reasons we are seeing hundreds of fires to early in the season.  Along the coast, temperatures are cool with the ocean influence, but further inland it’s still hot as heck. 

Are you guys off on Friday?  I guess most people are.  I’m going to be working - but I’m curious as to what you’re up to?  I need details on all the fun, excitement and most importantly the FOOD in your future 4th of July Plans!

(Photo courtesy of Clipart)

jd

I almost forgot!  Shame on me!  Incase you’d like to read up on the history of Canada Day, you can look here:

http://www.pch.gc.ca/special/canada/11/canada_e.cfm

While I was looking for my 80’s photos I stumbled across some of my fun Rock Star pictures.  The one with Steven Tyler is my favorite.  I love that guy (even though I’m twice his size!!  — including my hair!  HA!) 

And we have Achy Breaky Heart man Billy Ray Cyrus - wearing that Mullet proud!  (Better known as Miley’s DAD these days!)

And Keith Urban (better known as Nicole Kidman’s hubby!)

Ok - I found a couple of pretty hilarious photos of myself back in the late 80s.  I forgot about my huge eyebrows that had never seen a tweaser until my mid 20’s!  haha.   And look at my CRAZY hair.  I was going through cans of hairspray a day! 

The first one was taken in California (I love teddy bears, so I had someone take this picture in front of a chocolate shop.  I think I was 19???

And the second one was at a picnic at City Hall where I used to work in the summers as a By-Law Dispatch Operator (the gals I used to work with always said that I began my career giving out calls to all of the Officers on the dispatch!!  HAHA!)

Ahhh the good old days!