A warm, more humid weekend for the First Coast. A few isolated thunderstorms should pop Sat. afternoon with a east coast/west coast sea breeze not too far from the I-75 corridor -- well inland, in other words -- with a few more storms Sun. afternoon with the genesis region a little farther to the east. A few of the storms could reach as far east as I-95. Much of the weekend, however, will be dry with lots of sun.
The best chance for widespread rain will be Mon./Mon. evening as a cold front rolls through the area. While some locally heavy rain might occur with the front, it doesn't look like a widespread soaker. Much drier air will quickly follow for Tue.-Wed.
While temps. will warm well into the 80s this weekend on the First Coast...it'll be a taste of winter for the last weekend of April in parts of the Northern U.S. with unseasonable cold & even some snow from parts of Kansas to Iowa, Wisconsin & Michigan. Chicago could even have some snow by Sun. night!
My 7-yr. old didn't have school today so when asked what she'd like to do...it was off to the zoo! And our beautiful Jax Zoo & Gardens continues to grow & look more beautiful by the day. Our zoo might very well be the most improved public attraction within the last 15 yrs. between Washington D.C. & Miami & just received this award:
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Wins
Garden Club of America Award
Jacksonville, Florida – April 21, 2008 – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was honored with a Garden Club of America Zone VIII Horticulture Commendation Award at its Annual Awards Banquet held on April 9, 2008, in Birmingham, Alabama. Zone VIII is comprised of 15 garden clubs from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. The award was given “….in recognition of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ bold and successful addition and integration of botany and horticulture with zoology.” Dennis Pate, executive director and Bob Chabot, director of horticulture with the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, accepted the award at the event. The Late Bloomers Garden Club in Jacksonville nominated the Zoo for the award, and several of its members attended the banquet.
“This award recognizes the work of all departments within the Zoo for presenting a holistic approach to the interpretation, care, and exhibition of both plants and animals,” Pate stated.
“It’s a special tribute to our horticulture team for the outstanding job they’ve done in landscaping and maintaining the gardens at the Zoo,” he continued.
With additions such as the Savanna Blooms African garden, enhancements to the Zoo’s linear River of Color gardens and the new Gardens of Trout River Plaza, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is now the largest public garden in Jacksonville and one of the largest in Northeast Florida. The Asian Gardens, opening in spring 2009, will be the first of the Zoo’s botanical gardens along the Trout River and will eventually serve as the entry to the Monsoon Asia animal exhibits. Terra Design Studios, LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the architect for the Zoo’s Botanical Gardens.
And go to the zoo this weekend to enjoy "Spring into Bloom":
Celebrate Spring at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ “Spring Into Bloom” Festival
April 26 and 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 24, 2008 - Jacksonville, Fl - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be hosting its second annual Spring Into Bloom festival on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the new Great Lawn and Gardens of Trout River Plaza. Gary Alan, host of Designers’ Landscape TV Show, will headline the list of well-known local experts with plant and gardening organizations that will explain how to design, grow, landscape, decorate, and cook with plants. Alan will make his one and only presentation on Saturday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy live musical entertainment, “bubbly” flower people, children’s activity area, visits from Jazoo, prize drawing, and horticulture information stations staffed by the Zoo’s expert staff. Visit jacksonvillezoo.org for the complete event schedule.
“We moved the date of this year’s event to showcase our gardens” said Bob Chabot, the Zoo’s Director of Horticulture and Facilities. “The flowers are in bloom, and it’s a great time of the year to enjoy the Zoo, learn from gardening experts and have fun with the family.”
For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. The Zoo is open until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information on the Zoo, log on.
I did our early evening weathercasts from Municipal Stadium Fri. & talked to an interesting Jax nonprofit group "Catty Shack" which is dedicated to the rescue & care of big cats (exotic) that have been discarded or abandoned. Click here for info.
Earth Gauge: UV-Wise
This is the time of year when Americans begin spending more time outside, increasing their exposure to the sun. The stratospheric ozone layer (a protective layer of "good" ozone about six to 30 miles above the earth's surface) absorbs many of the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays. However, depending on the time of year, weather, and exposure to ozone-depleting compounds, the thickness of the ozone layer can vary, letting more UV radiation through in some areas. There are three types of UV radiation: UVA, which is not absorbed by the ozone layer; UVB, which is partly absorbed by the ozone layer; and UVC, which is absorbed completely by the ozone layer and oxygen in the atmosphere. Becase UVA and UVB rays reach the earth, they can penetrate our skin and eyes, causing adverse health effects - sunburn, skin cancer and other skin conditions, cataracts, etc.
Tip: Just five or more sunburns can double your risk of developing skin cancer. In the Southern states, the UV Index is "very high" right now, meaning that the sun is strong, and it's especially important to take protective steps. Apply sunscreen to exposed skin, and use at least SPF 15, with broad-spectrum coverage that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. If you will be near water, snow, or sand, remember that these surfaces reflect light and can increase your chance of burning.
Before you head outside, check the UV Forecast for your area at the EPA SunWise website.
(Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation. "The Sun, UV and You: A Guide to SunWise Behavior."
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Climate Fact: Japan Bloom Dates
Since 1953, the dates when Japan’s plants bloom in the spring have been arriving progressively earlier in the calendar year, and the dates when the trees change color and lose their leaves in the fall have been arriving progressively later. The average date when the country’s famous Cherry trees bloom is now arriving an average of 4.2 days earlier in the year, while Apricot trees are blooming an average of 5.4 days earlier, Camellias an average of 9.4 days earlier, and Dandelions an average of six days earlier. These trends correspond to increases in average spring temperatures. Additionally, the trends are most pronounced for plants growing in Japan’s big cities, which highlights how the Urban Heat Island Effect, or the tendency for cities to be warmer than surrounding rural areas, affects plant life. During the fall, the trends are essentially the opposite. Compared to the 1950’s, the leaves on Ginkgo and Japanese Maple trees are changing color an average of 10.7 and 15.4 days later in the year, respectively.
(Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (2007). “Long-term trends of phonological events in Japan: Summary of ‘Report on Climate Change 2005.’” Accessed Online 18 April 2008
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Climate in the News – “Global Land Temperature Warmest on Record In March 2008” – Science Daily, 19 April 2008
This March featured the Planet's warmest average land temperature on record and the 13th warmest average ocean surface temperature. U.S. temperatures were around average.
Have a great & safe weekend ... & use suncreen!
