Overall, a nice weekend. Quite a temp. swing for Sat. with afternoon temps. that will be 20+ degrees warmer than Fri. with highs well into the 80s & within 5 or so degrees of record highs. Winds will offset the very warm temps. some with sustained afternoon winds of 15-25 mph with higher gusts. Those will be west/southwest offshore winds, so even the beaches will reach the 80s -- 20 degrees warmer than the water!
A weakening front will move through the area Sat. night with little if any rain & will be followed by gusty northwest winds Sun. & cooler temps. but still not bad with afternoon highs reaching the 70s.
Atlanta was hit by a severe thunderstorm Fri. evening with highs winds & a possible tornado moving through downtown Atlanta damaging the Georgia Dome, the CNN media building & nearby Omni Hotel. Injuries have been reported. This will be the beginning of a stormy weekend with widespread severe weather likely to occur Sat. from Arkansas & Louisiana to Tennessee, Georgia & the Carolinas.
John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel, appeared on FOX News Fri. morning. He believes Al Gore should be sued for his alarmist approach to global warming. Whether or not he's correct, Coleman makes some good points (click here)regarding both global warming (debate from both sides) & The Weather Channel (just the weather please).
Earth Gauge: River Reversal
Did you know that the north-flowing St. Johns River reverses its flow twice per day? The reversal is caused by the Atlantic Ocean's incoming tide, and when there are strong, sustained northeasterly winds, the flow can stay reversed for many days. This flow reversal, combined with the slow-moving nature of the St. Johns, means that it can be difficult for the river to flush pollutants out.
Tip: When rain water enters a storm drain, it is transported directly to local streams and the St. Johns through pipes, carrying along trash and pollutants picked up during the journey. It is important to remember that dumping yard clippings, trash, oil, and other wastes outside or in a storm drain can directly impact our surface and groundwater supplies. Litter and yard wastes can also clog storm drains, making them less effective at handling rain water. Lend a hand by making sure to properly dispose of your wastes - either in a trash can, or for chemicals, at a household hazardous waste collection site. Visit here or call 1-800-CLEANUP to find one in your area.
(Sources: Lower St. Johns River Basin. The St. Johns: It's Your River. "Water Quality. and "Minimize Harm from Stormwater Runoff."
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Climate Fact: Parasite Populations
From the time of its discovery in the 1940's until about 1990, a single-celled marine parasite (Perkinsus marinus) was rarely spotted north of the Chesapeake Bay. Perkinsus marinus is best known for causing large-scale die-offs of the commercially important Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Since 1992, however, outbreaks of the parasite have been occurring as far as 310 miles north of the Bay. The winter water temperature off of the East Coast is an important predictor of the parasite’s success. If the winter water temperature falls below 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the parasite does not reproduce as readily and its numbers become limited. Since the 1960’s, this temperature has been increasing, and years when it drops below the 37.4 degree threshold have become rarer. Also during this period, the parasite’s range has expanded to the north.
(Sources: Cook, T et al (1998) “The Relationship Between Increasing Sea-surface Temperature and the Northward Spread of Perkinsus marinus (Dermo) Disease Epizootics in Oysters.” Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 46(4): 587-597 and Blander, K.M. 2007. “Global fish production and climate change.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(50): 19709-19714.)
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Climate in the News: "Invasion of the giant oysters" – The Independent, 8 March 2008 A string of mild winters and a general trend of warming waters have enabled the Pacific Oyster to escape from oyster farms and dominate the floor of the North Sea.
Monarch butterflies are on their annual migration northward from their winter roosts in Mexico. Click here for info. And after a rough winter in the midwest, some signs of spring ... my dad reports spotting 2 robins!! Those mounds of snow should be gone within the next week or two (with any luck!).
I mentioned a couple of days ago that I'd be one of the celebrity chefs for the Salvation Army annual fundraiser Thu. I was serving up delicious Cheeseburger Quiche -- a dish my wife makes very well -- a hand-me-down recipe from friends. Well, the chef that made our quiche for the fundraiser liked the dish so much that he's going to make it a special on his lunchtime menu during the upcoming week. Chef Johnnie Jones at "Genesis Cafe & Catering Inc." serves up lunch Mon.-Fri. 11am-2:30pm. Give it a shot & tell 'em I sent ya'.
Have a great & safe weekend!
