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What are you guys up to this weekend?

Doing anything to celebrate the first official weekend of summer?

Any vacations you are looking forward to?

Hey everyone! My good friend Jeff Goldblatt just posted a blog on his experience in Iowa and that incredibly destructive, deadly tornado that tore through Parkersburg, New Hartford-Dunkerton:

http://onthescene.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/05/27/deadly-tornados-rip-through-iowa/

This is from the NWS - they should have a final assessment out this afternoon.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

…PRELIMINARY DAMAGE SURVEY RESULTS FOR BUTLER AND BLACK HAWK
COUNTIES…

THE STORM SURVEY INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING AND WILL CONTINUE
ON TUESDAY. FINAL RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED LATE TUESDAY
AFTERNOON.

……

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT FOR THE DAMAGE THAT
OCCURRED OVER BUTLER AND BLACK HAWK COUNTIES ON MAY 25TH.

* EVENT DATE: MAY 25TH

* ESTIMATED START TIME: 4:48 PM CDT

* EVENT TYPE: POTENTIALLY GREATER THAN EF3 PENDING FURTHER
ASSESSMENT ON TUESDAY.

* EVENT LOCATION: 2 MILES S APLINGTON TO PARKERSBURG TO NEW
HARTFORD AND ACROSS NORTHERN BLACK HAWK COUNTY.

* PEAK WIND: POTENTIALLY GREATER THAN 165 MPH PENDING FURTHER
ASSESSMENT ON TUESDAY.

* AVERAGE PATH WIDTH: PATH WIDTH RANGED FROM 0.6 TO 0.7 MILES NEAR
PARKERSBURG TO JUST NORTH OF NEW HARTFORD. THE PATH CONSTRICTED
TO NEAR ONE QUARTER MILE WIDE EAST OF NEW HARTFORD TO NORTH OF
WATERLOO. PATH INCREASED TO NEAR 1.2 MILES WIDE NORTH OF
DUNKERTON BEFORE DISSIPATING NEAR THE BLACK HAWK AND BUCHANAN
COUNTY LINE.

* PATH LENGTH: 43 MILES

* INJURIES: PRELIMINARY 70

* FATALITIES: PRELIMINARY 6

* DISCUSSION/DAMAGE: SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN END OF PARKERSBURG AND ALONG A PATH TO JUST NORTH
OF NEW HARTFORD. NUMEROUS STRUCTURES COMPLETELY DESTROYED FROM
PARKERSBURG TO NEAR NEW HARTFORD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EASTWARD
TO JUST NORTH OF THE WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS AREA. SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED NORTH OF DUNKERTON WHERE THE TORNADO
INCREASED TO ITS GREATEST PATH WIDTH. THIS STORM ALSO PRODUCED
SUBSTANTIAL STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE ALONG THE SOUTHERN
PERIPHERY OF THE STORM JUST SOUTH OF THE TORNADO TRACK.
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES THAT STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OF 90 TO 100 MPH
OCCURRED WITH THIS STORM. AT 537 PM CDT THE WATERLOO AIRPORT
RECORDED A 93 MPH WIND GUST. INITIAL SURVEY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT
STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SEVERE DAMAGE AT
THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE DEALERSHIP NORTH OF CEDAR FALLS.

ADDITIONAL DETAIL WILL BE ADDED TO THIS REPORT ON TUESDAY ALONG
WITH FINAL EF SCALE RATING RESULTS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDING IMAGES WILL BE POSTED AT THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES WEBSITE LATER TODAY AT:

WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DMX

&&

FOR REFERENCE…THE FUJITA TORNADO SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0…WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1…WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2…WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3…WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4…WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5…WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

We’re here!  Got here this morning.  Flight was on time, easy - quick (how often do you hear that about the airlines lately??) We took the ferry over to the Island and toured around in our Golf Cart (there are NO CARS allowed on this island which is just so cool!   I wish every city had electric golf carts to get around in)   Jon Scott’s place is absolutely gorgeous (and his “crib” deserves to be in some kind of fancy home decorating magazine)…It is so peaceful with just the sounds of birds, crickets and the ocean.  Heaven.

We went to the little market area as soon as we arrived and got a few things to keep us fed for the next few days.  I looked at the forecast, and tomorrow we are in for some pretty wicked thunderstorms.  The rest of the week looks spectacular with temps in the 70s and partly sunny skies.  I’m kind of looking forward to seeing some good thunderstorms close to the Ocean.  I also plan to park myself on the comfy Scott family couch and read a whole book.

Anyhow, wanted to check in and say hello.  We’re taking pictures, so we’ll post them soon.  And by the way, D.O.C - you were right about the bug spray!  Much needed out here!  ;)  I might have to bathe in it at night.

Hope everyone is doing well — Happy Mother’s Day to all you mom’s out there…the hardest and most important job there is!  :) 

(Photo courtesy of Clipart)

jd

Our good friend Margie Gacki from Cumberland took these pictures before storms rolled in across Maryland…

Gorgeous photos as usual, Margie!

Close encounter at Niagara Falls (with Photo-Shop from Margie Gacki of Cumberland MD!)

Our friend Bill Starr sent us this gorgeous picture on U-Report.  Here’s what he wrote:

Hey JD,

Here is the picture of the apple blossom I spoke of in my post. I could have taken a picture of the whole tree, but it was not yet fully in bloom. Although I was more interested in getting the detail of a single blossom. I think it’s nice, but maybe not. What do you think?

I think it looks fantastic Bill!

What do you guys think?

Hey Good Morning!

And Happy Friday!  We made it through another workweek…and a busy weather week as well.  Lots to talk about - first off, I have to vent a little bit…

I was in the elevator this morning getting ready for my first weather hit with Megyn and Bill — I was joined by someone that works in the building, and who I see time to time (I don’t know him too well though, so maybe be was just having a bad day).  I say hello - and he launches into “ It’s your fault that my weekend is ruined!  Why does it always rain on the weekends????”  I didn’t quite know what to say except “It was beautiful here all week long — and last week as well!”  and then he says: “Yeah - well I’m in a building all day - so it doesn’t count!” 

What the????????????????????

Anyway, I know fellow local weather forecasters can commiserate about people like this – I’ve heard and seen actual letters/emails they get every week about how it’s the forecasters fault that social events/weddings/outdoor activities were ruined.  It’s something that goes with the territory I guess! 

Ugh.  I digress.

We had another bad night last night of severe weather.  9 reports of tornadoes.  Most of them in Northern Kansas where one tornado was reported to be 1/2 a mile wide.  We unfortunately are going to see more dangerous storms today and tonight from Texas up to the Great Lakes.   The flooding is widespread as rivers just can’t take anymore rain.   On the cold side of this storm, 6-12 inches of snow will fall from the Eastern Dakotas into Minnesota!  Winds of up to 40 mph will also cause blizzard-like conditions.  Eeeek!

Once again, here’s a peak at all the weather advisories in effect right now.

Ok - one more thing to share.  A couple of you have mentioned Scott’s blog.  Scott is racing in the MS 150 race in Dallas in honor of myself and others that suffer from MS.  I was going to join him next week to meet him in person and cheer him on along the route since he is doing such a great thing for all those who have or know someone with this crazy disease.  Unfortunately something has come up and I have to go back home next week.  A very dear friend of mine has gotten very sick, and is not doing very well, so I’m going to go and visit with him instead during my time off.    As I get older (and wiser) I realize life can change in an instant.   As much as I would love to be with Scott, and bring more awareness to MS, I need to go back and see my friend.   Many thanks again to Scott and his racing crew for doing such a wonderful thing each and every year for us who have joined the MS Club…

Ok - that’s all for now.  I just heard a great story on Happening Now about a Chilly Penguin that I’m going to share with you shortly!  It’s adorable…

JD

Our good friend Bill Starr from Scotia New York has gotten his camera out again for us! He took some beautiful pictures of wildflowers as well as a view from the Beebe Hill fire tower in Autumn…(as requested by Dawn!)…

Thanks Bill!

Beebe Hill Fire Tower (below)

Everyone who has visited this blog enough times knows our good friend Gwen was just blessed with 2 brand new grand-babies!  I thought it was only appropriate to post a picture of her latest additions!  :)  Here’s what Gwen wrote:

Janice-

I used to laugh at old fogies with the “Let me tell you about my grandchildren” bumper stickers.  Now, I understand them perfectly.

These are the children of our 2nd oldest son, Nickolas.   Nickolas, Sr. is in the MS Air National Guard and is the one who sent me the picture of one of our planes refueling the Thunderbirds’ planes a couple of months ago.   Pictured are Nickolas, Jr. (4 years old) holding Allison (on the left) and Hunter (on the right).  Mom and babies are all doing well.

Aren’t they adorable?  I think this definitely falls in the category of a “cute break!!”

Thank you Gwen!  Congratulations to your son and daughter-in-law (and big brother Nickolas Jr!)