Hi everyone!

Hope you had a great weekend.   Blogging has been sporadic, I realize.  I’ve taken a few days off before the holidays so I can get things done in time for Christmas…and I’ve been working on many other projects on the side here at FOX!  We have our year-end weather package that I’m helping put together, and I’ve also pitched a few ideas as a reporter.    There was a story last week about an NHL goalie that was recently diagnosed with MS, and I was so touched by it, I wanted to report on it.  You can check it out here:

So inspirational.

The other piece I did last week was the NHC’s ideas on how to improve hurricane/watches and warnings in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  There were no hurricane watches issued for the Northeast as Sandy was making landfall, and I think it sent mixed messages to both the public and officials who were trying to figure out how to prepare for the storm.  I reported on this for Happening Now, and you can check it out here:

The other fun event is I had last week was with a group of kindergarten students.   Melissa Francis from FBN has a young weathercaster in her family.  Her son Thompson LOVES watching/doing  the weather at home,  so he brought his class in with him, and everyone got their chance to do a forecast from our little studio.    Here’s a few pictures from the students of Saint Stephen of Hungary:

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(And P.S. if you are looking for a great book to read this holiday season, Melissa’s book Diary of a Stage Mothers Daughter is riveting!    She is truly an amazing lady — and I have even more respect and love for her after reading her memoir.   You can check it out HERE ^[5]

Meanwhile, in weather related news, the Upper Midwest got a pretty decent shot of winter over the last few days with over a foot of snow outside of Minneapolis.  There was also a severe component to the storm across the south with several tornadoes and damage as the cold front pushed through.

Today, weather is relatively quiet - other than some snow and a wintry mix along the Canadian Border, and a new system moving into the Pacific Northwest later today.    Next week, however, we could get a little more snow in a few “heavily populated” areas across the Northeast.  Stay tuned for more on that story!

And tomorrow I’m going to have some fun pictures to post.    Here’s a hint:  firefighters and the no-spin zone!   Have I got your attention?  Good!  See you tomorrow!

JD

UPDATE:  Here’s some great footage of our future little forecasters on Melissa’s show last night!  ADORABLE!