First Alert Weather Blog

Hot/Humid Weekend, More Storms... Cumberland Fire... "Bertha"... Global Warming & Wildfires... "Earth Gauge": Beach Debris, Seabird Shift

mburesh — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:25:00 GMT

It'll be a hot, humid weekend with scattered mainly inland afternoon storms Sat. then storms should be more numerous & possibly reaching all the way to the coast Sunday.
So with any luck Cumberland Island in Ga. will get some much needed rain after lightning a couple of weeks ago ignited a large wildfire. Firefighters seem to be gaining an upper hand & allowing residents back in to the north side of the island. The photo below shows firefighters taking on the blaze (doing "fuel reduction burn operations").

We're pretty much settling into a typical midsummer weather pattern for much of the U.S. That'll mean sea breeze-driven storms for the First Coast & finally a break from the wet, stormy weather for the Midwest. The mega clash of warm & cold of the last 6 months has diminished. That doesn't mean no storminess at all but less & generally not as intense or as widespread.

Speaking of storms...."Bertha" continues to move quickly west. Forecast models that were showing an early recurvature (GFS -- a typical bias) are now shifting west while models that were more west all along (EURO) remain more west. So the moral of the story is "Bertha" is not a sure bet to simply recurve.
Still...it'll be well east of the Bahamas & well northeast of Puerto Rico at midweek, but a system to carefully watch! It's interesting to note that the last 2 "Bertha's" did make a U.S. landfall. In 2002, tropical storm "Bertha" made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 4th followed by a second landfall on the Texas Coast Aug. 9th....in 1996, "Bertha" made landfall near Wilmington, NC as a Cat. 2 hurricane on July 12th then moved up the coast to New England as a formidable tropical storm (like our '08 version of "Bertha", the '96 cyclone was also an unseasonably early Cape Verde storm). "Talking the Tropics With Mike" will be updated through the weekend.

On CNN this morning, I heard the headline "Global warming causing more wildfires in the West". So I waited through the commercial break...the guest was interesting -- a photographer from National Geographic that's also a certified wildfire fighter -- Mark Thiessen. Turns out he's been photographing wildfires for a number of yrs. It also turns out during the CNN interview that Thiessen reveals research indicates global warming could be "exasperating the wildfire situation".
But there are clearly a number of forces working together as pointed out by Thiessen & the NG article:
-- the west was settled during "wetter times"
-- much higher population
-- people building in harm's way & not taking fire preventive measures (sounds like our coastlines & the hurricane problem)
-- insects
-- disease (trees)
-- too much "fuel"....up until the last 15-20 yrs. or so, fires were being put out instead of allowed to burn -- at least to some degree. Wildfires are nature's way of cleaning up, restoring & starting new life
Of course, the media -- in this case CNN -- jumps on "global warming causes..."....ya-da', ya-da', ya-da' -- I'm sorry, but the media generally does not understand global warming, does not research the phenomenon, looks for simple yet sensationalistic sound bites & generally presents one side of the story more often than not.
Read the article & look at Thiessen's photos in Nat. Geographic -- click here.

Earth Gauge: Beach Debris
Did you know that trash and debris in the ocean kills more than one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles each year? Marine animals may confuse trash for food or become entangled in debris, often resulting in death. This is especially a problem for sea turtles species, six out of seven of which are considered endangered or threatened. Jellyfish are an important food source for sea turtles, but they often mistake plastic bags for their favorite meal. When a sea turtle ingests the plastic bag, it blocks the animal’s digestive track and leads to their death. Marine debris like fishing line can also snag sea turtles underwater, entangling them and causing them to drown.
Tip: Headed to the beach over the July 4th holiday? Help protect sea turtles and other marine animals by properly disposing of your trash - if there aren't public trash cans on the beach, carry your trash out with you to throw it away. You might also consider taking some time during your beach vacation to help clean up your local beach or coastline. A beach free of debris and litter is not only safer for local animals, but creates a more pristine environment for you and your family to enjoy during the beautiful summer weather!

This information was provided through a partnership with The Ocean Conservancy. Learn more here.
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Climate Fact: Seabird Shift
Climate variability in the mid- to high-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, or the area from about 35 degrees North to the poles, is largely controlled by two naturally occurring climate oscillations, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). In 1977, both oscillations shifted from negative to positive phases, which resulted in a warming of the ocean waters in the northeastern Pacific around Alaska, and a cooling of the waters in the northeastern Atlantic around Scandinavia. This shift in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) was one of the largest ever recorded. In 1989, the opposite trend happened. The magnitude of this shift, however, was much less pronounced. The population trends of two species of seabird, the Common Murre and the Thick-billed Murre, were studied in relation to these shifts. These species thrive under essentially the opposite environmental conditions. The large magnitude shift in 1977 caused populations of both species to decline throughout the entire hemisphere, while both populations grew after the smaller shift in 1989. Because these shifts produced opposite trends in local environmental conditions, it might be expected that one species would thrive and one species would decline in number during each of the regime shifts. Since this was not the case, this phenomenon illustrates how it can be difficult for top predatory species to adapt to any rapid climatic fluctuation.
(Source: Irons, D.B. et al. “Fluctuations in circumpolar seabird populations linked to climate oscillations.” Global Change Biology 14 (2008): 1455-1463. )
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Have a great / safe weekend!

4th of July... Fireworks

mburesh — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:35:00 GMT

Our 4th of July will feature typical weather conditions for the First Coast: hot & humid with scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Afternoon temps. will soar to near 90 degrees, but it'll be in the low to mid 80s at the beaches by late afternoon thanks to the sea breeze.
Tropical moisture will continue to increase through the weekend & afternoon/evening storms will increase accordingly. Not a washout, but there will be storms that produce some very heavy rainfall.

For fireworks Fri. evening...it'll help that most displays will not begin until at least 9:30pm. Showers & storms should peak between 4 & 8pm then wind down leaving most areas "fireworks-eligible" by later in the evening.
Ever wonder about fireworks & our environment? I found this (7 yrs. old but still pertinent)from ABC's "News in Science".

Tropics... Moisture... Fl. Cat Fund "Insurance"... "Dog Days"... First Coast on Google Maps

mburesh — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:27:00 GMT

The tropics are awakening -- something touched on last week. The E. Pacific has two named storms -- "Boris" & "Douglas" with another soon to follow just off the coast of Central America. In the Atlantic Basin, a strong tropical wave is in the far Eastern Atlantic south/southeast of the Cape Verde Islands just off the coast of Africa. This should become "Bertha" -- the 2nd named storm of the season for the Atlantic Basin (remember the Pacific list of names is different than the Atlantic Basin). Initial conditions are favorable for development over the E. Atlantic but become increasingly hostile farther west across the Atlantic -- mainly higher shear. Chances for "Bertha" to make it all the way across the Atlantic are slim (though not zero!), but -- as mentioned back in June when a string of early season waves was coming off Africa -- this early season activity could be an indication of what's ahead as we get deeper into the season (a "healthy" Cape Verde season).

We also need to watch the Gulf of Mexico & Southwest Atlantic as "upward motion" (indicative of all the activity in the E. Pacific) heads eastward. A weak trough (old front) over the Northern Gulf can sometimes develop low pressure that could eventually become tropical.

Otherwise....a surge of tropical moisture will be spreading north the next few days & thunderstorms will increase accordingly from south to north Thu. & especially on the 4th through the weekend.

Our governor & cabinet passed a measure that will "insure" the state's catastrophe fund (which -- along with property insurance -- has become a catastrophe in itself). The expenses will eventually be paid by all of us -- tax payers (so you say no state income tax puts more money in our pockets??!!)This from the Orlando Sentinel "Political Pulse":

Crist pushes through deal to give Buffett $224 million for hurricane help
posted by Aaron Deslatte on Jul 2, 2008 12:37:40 PM

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet voted Wednesday to pay Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate $224 million in exchange for a pledge to provide $4 billion in cash if Florida has a devastating hurricane season this year.

But the deal favored by Crist was roundly criticized by the two other trustees on the State Board of Administration, Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, who called it a steal for the billionaire Nebraska investor.

“This is not a good deal,” said McCollum, who questioned why the state needed to buy the extra hurricane protection when the chance of a serious enough storm hitting Florida this year was about 3 percent.

“Berkshire Hathaway will wind up pocketing the money,” he said.

Sink, a Democrat, chided the GOP-led Legislature for passing on her plan last spring to reduce the size of the Cat Fund, along with her fellow trustees for not taking any longer-term steps to reduce Florida’s hurricane exposure.

“The truth of it is we’re kind of sitting here paying part of the price for the Legislature’s inaction,” she said. “I am not going to sit here next July 1 and be held hostage by just one provider.”

Because of the 2007 reforms meant to lower premiums to homeowners, the state’s hurricane catastrophe fund could have to pay out as much a $29 billion to reimburse insurers for claims this year, if a Katrina-sized hurricane struck the most densely populated regions of the state.

Because the Cat Fund only has about $8 billion in cash at its disposal, the state would have to sell bonds after a storm to raise the rest, and there’s no certainty that battered financial markets would be able to buy as much as $20 billion.

Enter Buffett.

For the $224 million taken from Cat Fund reserves (which would be repaid by consumers eventually), his investment conglomerate would pledge to buy $4 billion in bonds after a serious enough hurricane strike – at roughly 6.5 percent interest (which would also be paid be ratepayers).

So Berkshire Hathaway pockets the $224 million and would draw 6.5 percent interest on the bonds in the unlikely event that it has to buy them.

“No wonder Warren Buffett wants it. Who wouldn’t want a 6.5 percent tax-free investment?” Sink said afterward.

The Cabinet members also differed on whether the $224 million being spent would have to be passed immediately along to consumers. SBA acting director Bob Milligan said since it was an expense, insurers that buy backup coverage from the state are allowed by law to factor it into their premiums.

“There are no free lunches,” he said after the meeting.

But Crist disagreed, and cast the lone vote against a measure allowing the agency to start that process.

“We’ve already got the money in the bank. We’ll spend it. The taxpayers have already given that money,” Crist said after the vote.

However, it wasn’t clear after the morning meeting who won the vote. The Attorney General’s office thought the motion would require a unanimous vote of all three trustees – in which case, it would have failed – while Sink’s office said it only took two votes, in which the pass-through of the cost to policyholders would have passed.

The "Dog Days" of summer are here. From the Farmer's Almanac:
The Dog Days (a period of 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11) are named for the Dog Star, Sirius, which is visible with the rising Sun at this time of year. Ancients associated this sky picture with the hot days that coincided with it. Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog).

Dog Days bright and clear,
indicate a happy year.
But when accompanied by rain,
for better times our hopes are in vain.

Google maps now has metro Jacksonville & most of the viewing area plotted with "street view". Pretty cool & pretty handy (though maybe a little spooky!) -- click here to check it out...here to read the story on Jacksonville.com.

Drier... Tropics More Active... June Numbers... July Averages

mburesh — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:21:00 GMT

Our drier pattern has arrived...for awhile. Any showers & storms will be widely scattered & mostly inland Wed. & Thu. Deep moisture pushes back into the area by the 4th & into the weekend with an increase in the coverage of showers & storms.

The tropics (Atlantic & Pacific) are becoming more active....check out "Talking the Tropics With Mike".

June is in the books....at JIA rain was well above avg. -- 8.21" (including a daily record rain of 2.92" on the 25th), 2.84" above avg. -- & temps. were a bit above avg. -- 0.7 degrees above avg. Much of Northeast Fl. had a wet month, but it was drier in S.E. Ga. & (as is typical) at the beaches. Here are some June totals from our Jax N.W.S.:
JACKSONVILLE VICINITY... NORTHEAST FLORIDA...

JACKSONVILLE BEACH..... 5.48         LIVE OAK........... 5.78
WESTSIDE...............12.45                 GAINESVILLE........ 5.30
FORT CAROLINE.......... 3.53              LAKE CITY.......... 8.77
BIG TALBOT ISLAND...... 7.08             FERNANDINA BEACH... 2.86
LITTLE TALBOT ISLAND... 4.18            ST. AUGUSTINE...... 3.71
HIGHLANDS.............. 7.06                   OCALA.............. 6.08
CRAIG FIELD............ 4.33                    HASTINGS........... 5.06
GUANA RIVER STATE PARK. 4.99        JASPER............. 1.93
BEAUCLERC.............. 6.93                   FEDERAL POINT...... 5.62
SOUTHSIDE TV 4......... 5.94                 BELL...............10.51
S. PONTE VEDRA BEACH... 7.20         WHITE SPRINGS...... 4.93
                                     BUNNELL............ 7.46
                                     WASHINGTON OAKS.... 4.37
                                     FLAGLER BEACH...... 2.88
                                     STARKE............. 3.81
                                     GLEN ST MARY....... 7.23
                                     AMELIA ISLAND PL... 3.06
                                     ORANGE SPRINGS..... 7.25

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

BRUNSWICK.............. 3.41         ST SIMONS ISLAND... 1.44
HOMERVILLE............. 3.07         ALMA................1.70
PRIDGEN................ 5.22            BAXLEY............. 1.24
WOODBINE............... 4.38          HAZLEHURST......... 1.11
WILLACOOCHEE........... 2.34       NAHUNTA............ 5.70
STEPHEN FOSTER SP...... 4.49   PATTERSON.......... 5.10
WAYCROSS............... 8.58         DOUGLAS............ 2.57

RAINFALL REPORTS ARE PRELIMINARY. CO-OP SITES REPORT A 24 HOUR TOTAL
NOT BASED ON A MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CALENDAR DAY.

***********

COCORAHS...THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN...HAIL...AND SNOW NETWORK
RAINFALL. THIS PUBLIC VOLUNTEER RAIN GAUGE NETWORK IS OPEN TO ANYONE
WILLING TO MEASURE AND REPORT PRECIPITATION. GO TO THE COCORAHS WEBSITE
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP, CLICK HERE.

SOME NORTHEAST FLORIDA COCORAHS REPORTS FOR JUNE 2008...

ALACHUA COUNTY...
BROOKER 6.6 SSE.............3.62
GAINESVILLE 8.1 SW..........4.68
GAINESVILLE 7.1 SW..........5.64
GAINESVILLE 3.8 W...........8.74

BAKER COUNTY...
MACCLENNY 2.5 S.............7.20
SANDERSON 4.9 NNW...........1.35

CLAY COUNTY...
GREEN COVE SPRINGS 6.2 N....5.02
ORANGE PARK 4.8 SSW.........7.98
ORANGE PARK 4.7 SW..........6.11
ORANGE PARK 3.0 WNW.........6.26
ORANGE PARK 2.4 WNW ........3.13
LAKESIDE 2.9 S..............8.26
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 7.6 ENE....6.91
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 3.5 ENE....5.96
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 6.9 ENE....9.84
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 9.1 NE.....7.26
MIDDLEBURG 6.5 NNE..........5.76
MIDDLEBURG 6.3 NNE..........5.43
MIDDLEBURG 0.7 S............6.32
MIDDLEBURG 0.7 SSW.........10.26

DUVAL COUNTY...
JACKSONVILLE 3.8 ESE........4.83
JACKSONVILLE 6.2 ENE........2.24
JACKSONVILLE 7.5 E..........3.87
JACKSONVILLE 7.3 SW.........7.80
JACKSONVILLE 5.9 SW.........6.47
JACKSONVILLE 8.1 SSE........5.41
JACKSONVILLE 8.2 SSE........4.89
JACKSONVILLE 8.8 E..........4.52
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 4.2 WNW..4.09
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 3.9 WNW..7.84
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 5.1 W ..4.76
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 4.4 WNW..6.64
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 4.5 W....7.46
NEPTUNE BEACH 0.5 NNW.......3.83
FRUIT COVE 6.1 N............6.06

FLAGLER COUNTY...
BUNNELL 7.7 SW..............4.20

GILCHRIST COUNTY...
TRENTON 8.0 ENE.............4.38

HAMILTON COUNTY...
JASPER 5.5 S................4.11

MARION COUNTY...
SUMMERFIELD 4.9 SE..........4.09
BELLEVIEW 6.0 SSE...........6.52
BELLEVIEW 4.5 SE............4.06
LADY LAKE 4.8 WNW...........5.68
MICANOPY 3.6 SSW............4.48
OCALA 7.8 SSW...............3.69

NASSAU COUNTY...
HILLIARD 5.4 NW.............5.31

PUTNAM COUNTY...
SATSUMA 0.2 WSW.............5.12

ST JOHNS COUNTY...
ST AUGUSTINE SOUTH 2.1 SSW..4.49
ST AUGUSTINE SHORES 0.7 ESE.3.88

SUWANNEE COUNTY...
LIVE OAK 0.4 NE.............4.27
LIVE OAK 9.1 W..............8.25
LIVE OAK 10.4 NW............4.28

UNION COUNTY...
LAKE BUTLER 0.8 ENE.........4.40
LAKE BUTLER 11.9 W..........3.30

SOME SOUTHEAST GEORGIA COCORAHS RAINFALL REPORTS FOR JUNE 2008...

CAMDEN COUNTY...
KINGSLAND 2.9 NE............2.75
ST MARYS 1.4 SW.............4.12
WOODBINE 3.0 S..............2.65

COFFEE COUNTY...
DOUGLAS 2.5 WSW.............2.94

GLYNN COUNTY...
COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES 3.2 N..2.60

JEFF DAVIS COUNTY...
HAZLEHURST 1.8 N............1.07

WARE COUNTY...
MANOR 2.1 SE................7.34
WAYCROSS 6.3 ESE............3.87

Here are the avg. numbers for July at JIA:
                                             1st                         31st
Low / High                         72 / 90                    73 / 91
Sunrise / Sunset          6:29am / 8:33pm      6:45pm / 8:21pm
Rainfall: 5.97"

Stormy Pattern to Change Some... Not Everything is Caused by Global Warming!

mburesh — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:17:00 GMT

A wet, stormy weekend though with plenty of sun prior to the storm's arrival. Rainfall on my yard totaled more than 2.5" on the Southside. Lightning & wind did a number on power lines & a few trees around the First Coast. A viewer near University & Terry Rd. sent me the photo below showing a neighbor on the roof of her home inspecting damage to the home from a fallen tree. Problem is -- according to the person that sent the photo -- the "sweeper" was up on the roof while there was still lightning nearby. If you can hear thunder, stay indoors!

A funnel cloud developed offshore of Mayport Sun. Here's the observation from the automated reporting station:
KNRB 291952Z 10005KT 6SM -TSRA SCT038CB BKN050 OVC150 24/20 A3011 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD E03 AO2 SLP197 OCNL LTGICCC E TS E MOV E P0011 T02390200 $
The observation reports the funnel clouded ended at "03" or 3 minutes after the hour....in this case 3:03pm.

As for the weather pattern unfolding this week...we'll see some subtle changes but still daily chances for showers & storms. First, for Tue...some drier mid & upper level air is working into the Southeast. We'll be on the edge of this drier air which will cover much of the Northeast half of the U.S. So thunderstorms will still occur Tue. but should be more scattered across Northeast Fl. & isolated over Southeast Ga. Wed. through the rest of the week & into the weekend winds will become southeast. We'll still have lots of atmospheric moisture so afternoon showers & storms will develop but will have a tendency to move inland
on the southeast winds with much of the activity west of I-95 for most of the afternoon. The onshore winds will, however, mean the chance for some showers, possibly a few thundershowers overnight near the coast & from I-95 to the beaches in the morning. So the daily round of widespread afternoon heavy showers & thunderstorms of the last few days will become more scattered & not so easy to time.

While driving home from working out Sat. morning, I heard on talk radio the hosts mentioning the flooding in the Midwest. One of the hosts: "there's no doubt in my mind it's global warming." (She repeated this twice). Not so fast! This is relatively small scale -- Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois & Missouri were hard hit by record flooding which is now spreading down the Mississippi. To blame such an event on global warming is as ignorant as blaming "Katrina" on global warming. It becomes convenient to blame (hype) every bit of "unusual" weather on global warming (yes, the Earth is warmer than 30 yrs. ago). Remember: climate is an average of every day wild swings in weather. The "average" weather really isn't average at all! The radio hosts then went on the our economy & how it's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. "The media is making it sound a lot worse than it is". Hmmm...interesting -- see global warming!

Stormy... Watching the Tropics... Cumberland Isl. Wildfire... "Earth Gauge": Mosquito Control

mburesh — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:25:00 GMT

It'll be a stormy weekend at times. Winds aloft & at the surface are from the southwest which will promote the development of thunderstorms by midday from the Northeast Gulf into N. Central Fl. near & north of Lake City. Storms will then move swiftly northeast producing brief downpours, gusty winds & intense lightning. It's not a washout for the weekend, but there will be thunderstorms with plenty of sun beforehand & some sun after the storms depart by late afternoon/early evening. As for severe storms, no widespread severe weather, but a few isolated storms will be capable of damaging winds & maybe some
medium-sized hail.
The trough of low pressure helping our winds to become southwest is part of a pretty unseasonably strong upper level trough moving from the Midwest into the Ohio Valley & Northeast which will spawn a good deal of severe weather in a large area from the Missouri Valley to the East Coast this weekend.

Time to start watching the tropics again. Our first clue was the quick movement/development of the MJO (upward motion in simplest form) moving into the Central & Eastern Pacific followed by the development of a tropical cyclone -- "Boris" with at least one more if not 2 more systems to follow soon in the E. Pacific. This
"upward motion"/divergence aloft is spreading into the Atlantic Basin which is why we should keep an eye on the Gulf, Caribbean & Southwest Atlantic (not so much the next few days as the longer term -- 5-15 days out or so).

Cumberland Island in Ga. is partially under siege from a wildfire started by lightning & has grown to nearly 2 square miles since the press release late Thu.:
Lightning Strikes Create Wildland Fires

(St. Marys, Ga) - Two wildfires were caused by lightning strikes on the north end of Cumberland Island on Sunday, June 22nd. Late afternoon winds caused the South Cut Fire to increase to 30 acres by Tuesday afternoon. A helicopter dropped several buckets of water on the fire throughout the day. Winds from storms that moved through the area on Wednesday have caused the South Cut Fire to increase to an estimated 500 acres. A total of three helicopters have been called in to assist with the efforts.

Until further notice, the north end of the Park will be closed, starting at the south end of the Wilderness boundary and continuing all the way to the northern tip of the island.

A 20 person inter-agency fire crew arrived on the National Seashore on Wednesday, June 24th and began suppression activities. Firefighters from Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge are also assisting the national Park Service in this effort. Several more cerws are expected to arrive on the island by Friday.

Dry conditions and lightning strikes on the island have led to the recent wildfire in mid May as well as the current fires. No structures or cultural sites have been damaged thus far.

500 acres is approx a .80 of a square mile.

"Earth Watch":
This week has been declared "National Mosquito Control Awareness Week" by the American Mosquito Control Association. Remember:
Mosquitoes have been successful for millions of years in large part because they are capable of reproducing in short-lived water bodies. Empty things like flowerpot saucers, buckets, pet water bowls, and bird baths on a daily basis to reduce potential mosquito breeding areas.
Check your window and door screens periodically for holes. Mosquitoes are adept at finding small gaps through which to fly.
Patrol your neighborhood for litter! Things like used tires and soda bottles can fill up with rainwater, providing mosquitoes with places to breed.

Have a great & safe weekend!

Shelf Cloud... Heavy Rain Potential... Camping Tips

mburesh — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:22:00 GMT

Check out the photo below sent from viewers Tammy & Doug McFarland, Macclenny, FL. -- a classic shelf cloud on the leading edge (west edge) of a severe thunderstorm complex in Western Nassau & Duval County just to the east of Macclenny. Shelf clouds are caused by cooler air being pushed out in front of the storm thrusting the warm, humid air upward. Gusty winds often accompany the passage of a shelf cloud. In this case (Wed., June 25th), wind gusts reached 60 mph at Jax Int'l. Airport & rainfall across Northern & Western Duval County & Western Nassau County reach up 3"+.

A slow moving complex/line of storms will bring some locally very heavy rainfall to parts of the Jax metro area Thu. evening. There's the potential for 2"+ of rain from Macclenny to near downtown to Fernandina Beach.
Our wet, stormy pattern will continue Fri. through the weekend with rains becoming more widespread.

I mentioned Wed. that Sat., June 28th is the "Great American Backyard Campout" (which begs the question: will I be participating? Probably not -- I love the great outdoors, but I find camping to be too much trouble(!) -- o.k. call me lazy)........Below are some camping tips from the National Wildlife Federation:
#1. Decide Where You're Camping

You can go on a traditional camping trip or simply sleep out in your own backyard. You can find a campsite in your area from ReserveAmerica or join a local camping group. With gas prices being what they are, camping in your yard is a great way to have a stay-at-home vacation.

#2 Know What You're Packin':
First things first, it helps to have a thorough supply list for your campout. Don't forget to include items like your sun glasses, sunscreen and bug spray! (If you are a beginning camper, check out this list of everything you'll need.)

#3. Always Remember First Aid!
Safety is always important, and so is making sure you have a handy first aid kit. Once you create a first aid kit that includes all the essentials, you can take it with you and hopefully never use it.

#4 Be Extra Safe With Fire.
It's easy to get careless with fire. Here are some safe campfire tips to keep in mind.

#5 Camp-Friendly Recipes: Everything From Sloppy Joes to Cornbread.
Just because you're not cooking in your kitchen doesn't mean you have to miss out on delicious food. Here are some great camping recipes that also include some awesome pie iron tips. It doesn't matter if your cooking over a campfire or just your backyard grill, these recipes are sure to please.

#6 Observe Your "Neighbors"
NWF encourages people to learn about their natural surroundings and that includes your backyard or nearby park. Using great sites like Wildlife Watch and Night Watch, you can observe wildlife in a number of ways! Download wildlife lists and keep an eye, ear and nose out for fun things to spot.

#7 Camping Games and Activities:
If you're camping with kids, check out these crafts and campfire games. And don't forget to sing along to these fine camping songs!

Rainfall Record... Storms to Increase... Jags Donation to Parkersburg, IA... "Great American Backyard Campout"

mburesh — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:32:00 GMT

Jacksonville Int'l. Airport had a daily record rainfall Wed. with 2.85" of rain breaking the June 25 record of 2.15" set in 2006. Storms were not widespread but where the storms occurred, rainfall amounts were very heavy. JIA also had a 60 mph wind gust & marble-sized hail. At one point, our First Alert Doppler showed 2,000+ lightning strikes in just 10 minutes!

It still looks like storms will be more numerous Thu.-Fri. due to tropical moisture flooding northward across Fl. Storms will have a tendency to initiate fairly early & will produce extremely heavy rain & frequent lightning along with gusty winds.
Numerous storms will continue over the weekend & will be helped out by a weakening front moving into the Southeast U.S. Southwest surface winds will increase, so these storms should have an easier time of making it all the way to the coast.
This front will be the same front (but in a much weaker state) that'll roll from the Plains to New England Thu.-Sat. producing widespread severe storms & more heavy rainfall.

The Jags have announced a $90,000 donation to center Brad Meester & his hometown of Parkersburg, IA which was hit by an EF-5 tornado in late May. Click here for the story.

Sat., June 28th is the "Great American Backyard Campout" as deemed by the National Wildlife Federation. Click here for details.

Ring Around the Sun... More Severe Storms... Watermelon Time... Everglades Restoration

mburesh — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:28:00 GMT

One of our loyal viewers -- Joanna Touchton from Sanderson, FL in Baker County-- sent me the photo below of a rainbow-colored ring around the sun. It's faint but visible if you know it's there. This phenomenon is caused by ice crystals in the high level cirrus clouds which reflect & refract sunlight creating a prism effect. You'll also sometimes see this effect at night around the moon.

Severe storms will return to a large part of the Northern & Central U.S. the next few days. An unseasonably strong low pressure area will move from the Plains to the Great Lakes & eventually Northeast. A strong severe storm outbreak will likely begin to develop Wed. but especially Thu.-Sat. from west to east. This will also bring some heavy rain to the water-logged Midwest but should be limited to about 48 hrs. of extreme rain potential vs. the many days or weeks that caused the recent widespread record flooding. The First Coast will be on the southern edge of this trough of low pressure that will reach the Eastern U.S. this weekend helping to trigger quite a few heavy thunderstorms for the area.

It's watermelon time. According to the "Farmer's Almanac":
Watermelons are well named: They are 92 percent water. A 2-cup serving contains only 90 calories and is fat-free as well. Watermelon also is a good source of vitamins A and C.
Click here for info. on how to pick the perfect watermelon.

Word Tue. that the state of Florida will purchase a chunk of the Everglades for 1.7 billion dollars in an attempt to restore the flow of freshwater from Lake Okeechobee into the Everglades. In what was an ecological disaster, this is a chance for an amazing restoration though it will come at the expense of a sugar company. Click here for the story from CNN.

Heat Then Tropical Moisture... Lightning Safety Awareness Week... Blood Drive... Midwest Weather... Pest Control

mburesh — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:51:00 GMT

A little bit of a reprieve from widespread showers & storms Tue. & Wed. We'll still have a few storms, but they'll pretty widely scattered. Less rain & less cloud cover will mean hotter temps. with afternoon readings reaching the low to mid 90s.
But rains will pick up again by Thu. & Fri. as a "slug" of tropical moisture surges north into North Fl./South Ga. The combination of a weak tropical wave moving from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico & a trough of low pressure over the Gulf will spread the moisture north which should trigger widespread showers & storms with locally heavy rain. Rain may not be confined to just the afternoon/early evening due to the deep moisture + an onshore southeast wind. So it looks like our wet season will be "doing its thing".

This is "Lightning Safety Awareness Week". This from the National Weather Service:
In the United States, an average of 62 people are killed each year by lightning. Already in 2008, 8 people have died due to lightning strikes. In 2007, 45 people were struck and killed by lighting in the U.S.; hundreds of others were injured. Of the victims who were killed by lightning:

98% were outside
89% were male
30% were males between the ages of 20-25
25% were standing under a tree
25% occurred on or near the water
Click here for more info. on lightning from the N.W.S.

The "United We Care" blood drive is Tue., June 24th at the Avenues Mall. I'll be there from about 4:30-6:30pm. Click here for all the info.

So I'm coming off a beautiful week at "home" in Iowa. Despite all the national headlines about flooding, my hometown is mostly on high ground, & we had a gorgeous stretch of weather. Probably the nicest week of weather since last fall for Iowans. Crops on higher ground are actually doing pretty well, but the amount of water is amazing with some estimates that the latest flooding was a 1-in-500 yr. event. Realize there was flooding in places that were not considered to be in a flood plain. After the break from widespread rains last week, a more stormy pattern is returning to the Midwest this week. Click here for a look at Midwest rainfall for the first 15 days of June (on top of what was a wet spring & snowy winter).
The Midwest has had its share of tornadoes too...read this "Science Daily" story.

Earth Gauge: Pest Control
A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey found at least one pesticide in all streams studied, and pesticides were detected nearly year-round (97 percent of the time) in streams in urban areas. As a matter of fact, common herbicides and insecticides were often detected in higher levels in urban areas than agricultural areas. Pesticides can harm or kill aquatic wildlife, and affect wildlife that eat fish from impacted streams.
Tip: If you're dealing with a backyard weed or pest, identify the best control before applying treatment. If you must use a chemical, wait for dry weather and follow application directions carefully. Rain will wash pesticides away from your yard, into the storm drain, and directly to local
streams and rivers.
Remember this: Only five to fifteen percent of the "pests" in a yard are actually pests. Many bugs, including lady bugs and praying mantises, actually help to control pests!

NOAA May & Spring Weather Summary... "Earth Gauge": Dry Times, Ice Break-Up & Bears, Dying Oysters... Tornado Video / Story

mburesh — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:34:00 GMT

NOAA: Global Temperature Seventh Warmest for Spring, Eighth Warmest for May The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures for spring (March-May) ranked seventh warmest, while May was the eighth warmest since worldwide records began in 1880 according to an analysis by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
Spring (March-May) Highlights

The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for spring 2008 was 0.94 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 56.7 degrees F and ranked seventh warmest based on the 1880-2008 record.

The global land surface temperature for spring was 1.87 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 46.4 degrees F and tied with 2000 as third warmest.
The global ocean surface temperature for spring was 0.59 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 61.0 degrees F and ranked 10th warmest.

May Highlights

For May 2008, the combined global land and ocean surface temperature was 0.81 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 58.6 degrees F and ranked eighth warmest.

The global land surface temperature for May was 1.26 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 52.0 degrees F and ranked seventh warmest.
The global ocean surface temperature for May was 0.65 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 61.3 degrees F and ranked 10th warmest.

Other Highlights

The extent of spring 2008 snow cover over Eurasia was the lowest on record for any spring in the 42-year historical satellite record. Conversely, North American snow cover extent was slightly above average. For the Northern Hemisphere, spring 2008 was the third least extensive spring snow cover.

Continued weakening of La Niña, the cold phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), occurred during May. The ENSO conditions are expected to trend toward neutral conditions during the next two months.

Tropical Cyclone Nargis brought heavy rain, strong winds, and high storm surge waters to Burma (Myanmar) in early May, destroying thousands of homes and killing nearly 78,000 people. Nargis was the most devastating cyclone to strike Asia since 1991 and resulted in the worst natural disaster on record for Burma.

"Earth Gauge": Dry Times
Currently, about 79 percent of the southeast U.S. (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida) is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, with almost fifty percent of the region experiencing at least moderate drought conditions. With limited water resources, it is important to keep water conservation in mind.
Tip: These easy, inexpensive tips will help you create a yard and garden that requires less water - and may even help lower your water bills!
Reduce Container Plantings. These often dry-out quickly, requiring more water than plants grown in-ground. If you do plant in containers, choose drought-tolerant native plants.
Let Your Lawn "Nap." Many lawn grasses are well-adapted to drought, and will go dormant during dry times. Water reserves are sent to the roots, making grass brown - but a brown lawn isn't a dead lawn! Your grass will green-up again when adequate water returns.
Water Wisely. Use a watering can or soaker hose to water garden plants - these tools deposit water close to the soil, reducing the amount of water lost to evaporation.
Wait it Out. New plants require lots of water and attention. Put off any big planting projects until drought conditions improve.
(Sources: US Drought Monitor. June 3, 2008. Southeast; National Wildlife Federation. Backyard Habitat: Ten Steps to Drought-Resistant Gardening.
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Climate Fact: Ice Break-Up Dates and Bears
Polar bears, Earth’s largest land predator, are most common on annual sea ice that sits over shallow seas. This ice provides the bears with a platform from which they can hunt for food. In Canada’s Western Hudson Bay region, which is at the southernmost extent of the polar bear’s range, winter and spring are the best times to hunt, as that is when there is the most ice cover and spring is when the most seals are available. By the time late spring and summer arrive, the Hudson Bay is ice-free, and the bears are essentially stranded from their prey until the ice freezes-up again. The bears must live on their fat reserves during this period, which generally lasts about four months. The earlier the ice breaks up in the spring, the less time the bears have to build fat reserves to survive the hungry periods. Warmer temperatures in the region mean that the ice is now breaking up an average of three weeks earlier than it did 30 years ago, and a correlation exists between the date of the break-up and starvation induced mortality in young and older bears. Overall, the region’s Polar Bear population declined from 1194 in 1987 to 935 in 2004. While healthy adult bears can usually survive the extra stress of earlier ice break-up, years when ice breaks-up especially early generally correspond to more human-bear encounters, as the bears stray from their usual territories to find food.
(Source: Regehr, EV et al. “Effects of Earlier Sea Ice Breakup on Survival and Population Size of Polar Bears in Western Hudson Bay.” The Journal of Wildlife Management 71 (2007): 2673-2683.)
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Climate in the News – Milstein, Michael. "Researchers scramble to deal with dying oysters." – OregonLive, 9 June 2008 -
Changing ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest coast have led to a population explosion of Vibrio tubiashii, a bacteria that in large enough concentrations is fatal to oysters and other shellfish.

Weather "stories" continue to come out of the storm-plagued Midwest. Click here to see a 15 sec. video taken by one of the boy scouts of the large EF-3 tornado as it approaches the camp...as well as a touching story (from KCCI, Des Moines) about one of the Iowa boys killed.....

I'll be on vacation the week of June 16th & so will this blog. Regular posts will resume June 23rd. "Talking the Tropics With Mike" will continue to be updated daily.

Subtle Pattern Change... Midwest Pounding -- Tornadoes & Flooding... UV Protection

mburesh — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:06:00 GMT

Our subtle pattern change is taking place with east to southeast winds taking over as the upper level low weakens & loses its influence. So scattered afternoon storms will still develop Fri.-Sat. but will primarily be inland -- near & west of Highway 301. The one thing to watch for will be a few overnight & morning coastal showers or thundershowers thanks to the onshore winds & tropical moisture (note the "tropical-looking" cumulus clouds).
By Sun. a weak cool front will approach along with a pretty stout upper level disturbance. The combination should trigger more numerous storms again that will continue into Mon. with the potential for some very heavy rainfall & localized severe storms.
The first photo below is from James Boyle & shows some of the street flooding in Jacksonville (Springfield) Wed. afternoon...the second photo is from Nancy Brown & shows some of the towering cumulus early Thu. morning. We'll likely see these clouds again Fri. & Sat. morning which is when we could see a few showers/t'showers from about I-95 to the coast.

The Midwest just continues to get pounded. The photo below is one my father sent me showing the record flooding in Waterloo, Iowa. In many cases throughout Iowa, rivers will crest at 500-yr. flood levels & higher than the infamous 1993 flooding. Many communities have water where it's never been. This from the Moline N.W.S. forecast discussion:
ONGOING RECORD BREAKING FLOODING EVENT WILL TRY AND MAKE THIS CONCISE. WE ARE IN THE MIDST FOR MUCH IF NOT MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA TO EXPERIENCE A FLOODING EVENT THAT WILL LIKELY SURPASS THE INFAMOUS "FLOOD OF 1993" OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH WIDESPREAD SEVERE IMPACTS.............
.HYDROLOGY...
RECORD...HISTORICAL RIVER FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING ONGOING WITH CATASTROPHIC IMPACTS WITH LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS UNFOLDING NEXT 72 TO 96+ HOURS. ADJUSTING MANY RIVER LEVELS AS ADDITIONAL RAINS AND RUNOFF ADD TO RAPIDLY RISING RIVER LEVELS. AGAIN...THIS FLOODING EVENT IS GREATER THAN THE "FLOOD OF 1993" FOR MUCH IF NOT MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. SEE HYDROLOGIC PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Click here to see a MODIS satellite imagery comparison -- preflood conditions in mid May vs. now.
And yet another outbreak of deadly tornadoes in the Midwest -- centered on Iowa, Kansas & Nebraska. Couple things stood out to me while listening to the scouts at the camp in Iowa hit by an EF-3 tornado. One scout mentioned the electricity going out right before the tornado hit -- that can be a tell-tale sign of an approaching tornado. Click here to listen to the scout's account....click here for doppler images of the intense tornado....here's the storm survey from the Omaha N.W.S.:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY
205 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

...LITTLE SIOUX BOY SCOUT CAMP TORNADO CONFIRMED AS AN EF3...

THE NWS SURVEY TEAM IS STILL MAPPING THE DAMAGE FROM THE TORNADO THAT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY EVENING JUNE 11TH ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA.
THE TEAM HAS CONFIRMED THAT EF3 DAMAGE HAS BEEN NOTED AT THE BOY SCOUT CAMP...WITH AN ESTIMATED WIND SPEED OF 145 MPH BASED ON THE DAMAGE NOTED THUS FAR. THE TEAM WAS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE DAMAGE PATH NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD MOORHEAD.

KTIV MEDIA OUTLET IN SIOUX CITY HAS PERFORMED AN AERIAL SURVEY.
PRELIMINARILY...KTIV REPORTED THAT DAMAGE BEGAN NEAR INTERSTATE 29...MOVED THROUGH THE BOY SCOUT CAMP...THEN INTO MOORHEAD WITH VERY LITTLE DAMAGE BEYOND MOORHEAD. BASED ON REMOTE SENSING METHODS USING AERIAL IMAGERY...THIS WOULD POSSIBLY BE A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT 14 MILES. PATH WIDTH IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

OFFICIAL DETAILS WILL BE PROVIDED ONCE THE NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM COMPLETES THEIR SURVEY LATER TODAY.

THE TORNADO RESULTED IN 48 CONFIRMED INJURIES AND UNFORTUNATELY 4 FATALITIES.

ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE
EF0...65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...201+ MPH

Secondly, looking at the video from the Northeast Kansas killer tornadoes, notice that many of the homes still had some of their interior walls at least partially intact...bathrooms fared better too. Keep in mind to go to a closet in the middle of your home or the tub in your bathroom if a tornado is approaching. Click here for storm surveys from the Topeka N.W.S.

This from the American Optometric Association:
An Eye Opening Reality: UV Protection for Eyes

Especially Important During Summer Months

Young people particularly susceptible to harmful UV rays that may affect vision

ST. LOUIS, MO, June 12, 2008 – Ultraviolet (UV) protection is a concern for many Americans, particularly in the spring and summer months, but most people are thinking about their skin, not their eyes. The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns that prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays and short wavelength light (violet and blue light) without proper protection may cause eye conditions that can lead to a variety of vision disorders.

According to the AOA’s 2007 American Eye-Q® survey, which identified Americans’ attitudes and behaviors regarding eye care and related issues, 40 percent of Americans do not think UV protection is an important factor to consider when purchasing sunglasses.

“Just as skin is ‘burned’ by UV radiation the eye can also suffer damage,” said Gregory Good, OD, Ph.D., member of AOA’s Commission on Ophthalmic Standards. “The lesson—especially for young people—is that eyes need protection, too. Protection can be achieved by simple, safe, and inexpensive methods such as wearing a brimmed hat and using eyewear that properly absorbs UV radiation.”

Overexposure to UV rays has been linked to age-related cataracts, pterygium, photokeratitis and corneal degenerative changes, the AOA said. These conditions can cause blurred vision, irritation, redness, tearing, temporary vision loss and, in some instances, blindness. And, while the correlation is still unclear, there appears to be a link between excessive summer sun exposure and retinal pigmentation.

The AOA cautions that the effects of sunlight exposure are cumulative; therefore, individuals whose work or recreational activities involve lengthy exposure to sunlight are at the greatest risk. UV radiation reflects off surfaces such as snow, water and white sand, so the risk is particularly high for people on beaches, boats or ski slopes. The risk for serious damage is greatest during the mid-day hours, generally from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and during summer months.

Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays because they typically spend more time outdoors than adults, and the lenses of their eyes are more transparent than those of adults. The transparent lenses allow more short wavelength light to reach the retina of the eye.

The effects of UV radiation are cumulative, so it’s important to develop good protection habits early in life, such as wearing sunglasses with UV protection. The American Eye-Q® survey showed that 61 percent of Americans buy sunglasses for their children, but 23 percent do not check that the lenses provide protection against UV rays.

By educating Americans about the dangers of UV rays on the eyes and the importance of choosing proper eyewear that provides the best UV protection, doctors of optometry are helping patients protect their long-term eye health.

The following top five tips from the American Optometric Association can help prevent further eye damage from exposure to UV radiation:

Wear protective eyewear any time your eyes are exposed to UV radiation, even on cloudy days and during the winter.
Look for quality sunglasses that offer good protection. Sunglasses should block out 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light.
Check to make sure sunglass lenses are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions or imperfections.
Purchase gray-colored lenses because they reduce light intensity without altering the color of objects, providing the most natural color vision.
Don’t forget protection for children and teenagers. They typically spend more time in the sun than adults and are at greater risk of damaging their retinas from short wavelength light.
Additionally, be sure to receive routine comprehensive eye exams from an eye doctor. It’s a good way to monitor eye health, maintain good vision, and keep up-to-date on the latest in UV radiation protection.

AltoCu is a Clue... Pattern Change Next Week... Killer Tornado Hits Iowa Boy Scout Camp... "Great Outdoors Month"

mburesh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:39:00 GMT

This morning's "altocu" (altocumulus) clouds were a good clue about today's (Wed.) storms. Altocumulus clouds -- especially during the spring, summer & early fall -- are good indicators of instability & moisture in the upper levels of the atmosphere (altocu clouds are midlevel clouds usually at about 6,000-16,000 feet or so). There were numerous bands & patches of altocumulus clouds Wed. morning. In fact, a few weak showers developed at mid morning near Gainesville. But the deep & strong convection waited until it got warmer & then we were "off to the races" with widespread storms going strong by 1pm or so. Click here for some good examples of altocumulus clouds.......
The photo below is a tree down due to a lightning strike in Julington Creek Plantation -- Tue. afternoon sent in by Jenny.

The weak upper low continues to provide good thunderstorm coverage. We'll have one more day -- Thu. -- of pretty widespread heavy storms with help from what's left of the upper low. The system will be weakening & "stretching out" with little or no effect by Fri. & Sat. when storms will still fire but will be more widely scattered & primarily inland. Looks like storms pick up again by Sun. into early next week. The next 4 months or so, by the way, typically account for half our annual rainfall (26" of a yearly avg. of about 52").

Massive & record flooding continue across the Midwest with some of the worst of it now in Wisconsin & Iowa. One more big weather system will move into thea area through Thu. with severe storms & heavy rain. But then a pattern change that will finally bring some relief. The upper level flow will become northwest -- not completely dry but storm systems will be fewer & much more progressive. Could be a pattern change that lasts at least a week or so & will also have some implications on First Coast weather. The northwest flow could push a cool front into the S.E. U.S. enhancing our afternoon storms by Sun. into the middle of next week. Check out the 500mb (about 18,000 feet) GFS forecast model below which is the valid for early Tue., June 17.

Word Wed. evening that a boy scout camp in extreme Western Iowa north of Omaha, NE. was essentially destroyed by a fast-moving tornado. There are confirmed reports of deaths & injuries at a camp where nearly 100 teenagers were staying along with nearly a couple dozen adults. More info. at CNN.com.....

This from "Earth Gauge":
June is Great Outdoors Month, an event that began with a presidential proclamation in June 2004 to promote our nation's shared legacy of parks and forests, environmental protection, and enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Click here for more........

Thunderstorms... "Extreme Weather"... Aspen Reopens!

mburesh — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:47:00 GMT

Our thunderstorms lit up nicely Tue. afternoon -- especially inland along & west of I-95. Lots of reports of small to medium sized hail, downed trees & power lines, lightning strikes & extremely heavy rain. 3.75" of rain was measured by a N.W.S. employee in Clay Co. not far from Orange Park. An upper level low will be close enough to produce more storms Wed. before storms become more widely scattered again for a couple of days.

A new magazine will hit newsstands next week -- June 17th -- "Extreme Weather". Details are below:
From the publishers of Astronomy magazine, Extreme Weather explains the science of severe weather with in-depth articles, compelling illustrations, and stunning photography.

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Anyone with an interest in the force and dynamics of weather will want to pick up a copy of the Extreme Weather, $7.95, on newsstands June 17. This special publication covers the science of weather and its effects, with authoritative feature stories, and spectacular photos and illustrations.

Get a sneak peek inside the magazine here.

Through stunning imagery, detailed illustrations, and award-winning science journalism, Astronomy magazine provides the most comprehensive and informative look into the science of astronomy each month. For Extreme Weather, the magazine’s editors have applied those same standards to give readers comprehensive and visually compelling coverage of weather.

Rocky Mountain News reports that Aspen will reopen some of their higher slopes this weekend -- Fri., Sat. & Sun. because they have so much snow! Click here for the info.

Wet Season Set to Begin... Chicago Tornado Video... Flooding... Wild Springtime Edibles... Hail Photo

mburesh — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Perhaps the wet season is set to arrive...for real. After being teased early last week, our atmospheric moisture will increase this week helping develop sea breeze thunderstorms each afternoon. There will be a few days with enhanced activity:
(1) an upper level low will be over the area Tue. so storms could fire fairly early in the day & increase through the afternoon/evening.
(2) a weakening cool front will settle into the Southeast Fri. into the weekend & should help make storms more numerous
Thunderstorms will develop each afternoon this week -- all areas of the First Coast should have at least some rain this week & some areas will have lots.

Have you seen the tornado video from near Chicago Sat. afternoon? Somehow the storm missed the most populated areas.
And much of the midwest is in flood, some of it record flooding -- especially Iowa, Wisconsin & Indiana. Click here to see the map of national flooding.

From the National Wildlife Federation: Wild Springtime Edibles

For most folks, dinner comes neatly packaged from the grocery store. But before it reaches the shelves, all of our food comes from the land in one way or another. And did you know that some foods that aren’t farmed at all, but are found only in nature? Late spring is a great time to connect with natural world by trying some of these wild edibles!

Morels
The scrumptious, earthy flavor of wild morel mushrooms is legendary. They only grow in the wild and morel hunters across the country are in the woods in full force looking for these delectable fungi.
Garlic Mustard
This invasive exotic weed crowds out native woodland plants and the wildlife that depend on them. Why let these weeds win when you can turn them into a tasty garlic mustard pesto? You’ll be doing a favor for the forest -- your taste buds too! Fiddleheads
New, unopened fern fronds are known as fiddleheads, and those of some fern species are not only edible, they’re downright delicious!
Dandelion
The flowers of these sunny lawn weeds can be made into a tasty drink called dandelion wine and the greens make an excellent salad green. In fact, all parts of this plant are edible and are chock full of nutrients. Buy them in the grocery store or simply harvest them from your own herbicide-free yard.

Insects and Spiders
That’s not a typo. All sorts of arthropods from crickets to cicadas to spiders are edible and surprisingly nutritious.

Wild Edible Tips

1. NEVER eat anything that you cannot identify with 100 percent confidence.
2. Don’t harvest from areas sprayed with pesticides.
3. Search local farmers markets and natural grocery stores first before collecting from the wild.
4. Search online for local foragers groups or wild food experts who can help you identify potential foods and coordinate foraging trips.
5. If you do collect from the wild, don’t be greedy. Leave plenty to provide for wildlife and to ensure the next generation.

My neighbor on the Southside sent this photo from last Sunday's (June 1st) massive hail storm that damaged numerous homes & vehicles.