Dustin' off the cobwebs - I've actually missed dealing with the blog, though I don't normally post on the weekends. Thanks for all your well-wishes...this knee's recovery is slightly ahead of the other knee's recovery from last April, and while I've got a long way to go in rehab, I've been off crutches 2 days and don't feel like stressing our stretched staffing any more than is necessary. There is no doubt I will head home immediately after my shift and lay down with an ice pack!
Too, for the second time this year I actually get to use one of my special flutes, a very stout walking cane that has a flute built into it. The mouthpiece is on the backside of the handle, with the airway taking a 90 degree turn down into the hollowed out cane (except the last 16" which is solid. Hangs down like a saxaphone to play, and is a nice conversation piece and very utilitarian. I can sit down and just start playing the cane, er, uh...flute. It's loaded with Malachite and Jet inlay of an ivy vine growing all around the finger holes, with a special block of a raccoon popping its head out from a hollowed tree. With a piece of copper tubing embedded in the joint of the flute and handle, it will last the ages, even with my Cape Buffalo self putting it to the test!
Wow. One year, already. One year that News 14 has been on the air in the Triad market. Special luncheon today that I will regrettably have to pass on, but I send a big 'thank you!' to those of you who make us a part of your day.
I joined the glee club this weekend...glee over this DEE-lightful change in the weather! I'm just not a 'heat' person, and I have no doubt the infusion of colder air even here in NC has helped me in my recovery. The mornings have been especially comfy, and you actually get that hint of the seasonal change ahead. Already people barking that our drought will make for an ugly fall leaf change, but this I know: there is always gorgeous color, even if it's more in pockets instead of wide-spread across the slopes. That means you move in closer, photographically, opting for something more cropped instead of some wide panorama shot. May be posting some fall shots from last year soon, in a travelogue blog, just to tempt our palates.
The tropics have simmered to just a tepid pot, with the 3 circled areas 'being watched' quite on the wimpy side with no imminent development anticipated. In the Carolinas, we keep the fair skies and slightly warming temps into the lower 80s by Wednesday, and pleasantly cool mornings to freshen the day's start. While we enjoyed Friday's rain, we have a long way to go to ameliorate drought conditions, and there is none on our figurative radar screen at this time.
Got a postcard from Time-Warner announcing sporadic disruption of internet in my home area over the next few weeks, most of it occurring from 12am through 6am. Imagine what I woke up to at 1am today...The Great Disconnect. Hence my delayed post, which for today I've focused on what most meteorologists in the southeast are keeping an eye on: tropical activity. Heat and drought issues have had their time in the spotlight to date...time to step aside and let the big dogs run and play.-------------------------------------------------Statistically, 'tis that time of August where tropical Atlantic activity starts to stretch like a bloodhound awakening from an afternoon's nap on a sunlit porch. Up and at 'em, Saddle Pals. Sitting here awaiting the 11am EDT updates on both Tropical Storm Dean and Tropical Depression #5 (which could become "Erin", albeit briefly before hitting Texas.
Infrared imagery helps tell the story of areas of high cloud tops and strong convection, with the red TD5 clearly visible off the Texas coast...exactly where it's heading...and exactly where they've had waaaaay too much rain. Corpus Christi alone has had a rainfall surplus of over 15" so far this year...with this system promising a good 4-8" more.
Because I usually work the pre-dawn morning shift, I basically never get to use 'visible' radars, which show a lot more 3-D detail thanks to the sun. Above is TD5 from this morning, showing nice little explosions of thunderstorms poking through the dome of clouds.
The 'vis' shot of "Dean" far out in the Atlantic might not be impressive...nice overall form, little signs of shearing...it just happens to be a little bugger for now, in terms of covered real estate.
"Dean's" path should keep in heading west-northwest right through the Antilles Arc islands Friday (as a Cat 1 'cane), just north of Barbados, and very close to St. Lucia. Traversing to the south of Puerto Rico, Dominica, and Cuba, "Dean" is forecast to reach a Cat 3 level, making it an even more serious storm. Keep in mind those countries have some quite mountainous terrain, which can a) interact with the storm and weaken it, and b) create devastating flooding and mudsliding in those countries.Assuming it holds together (very likely), "Dean" should be poised to enter the Gulf of Mexico sometime Monday...needless to say this one bears watching. At this time there is no forecast impact on our Carolina weather...but we all find these systems intriguing, knowing full well how they can greatly impact us.Toodles for now...as always, click on pics to enlarge.
Too, for the second time this year I actually get to use one of my special flutes, a very stout walking cane that has a flute built into it. The mouthpiece is on the backside of the handle, with the airway taking a 90 degree turn down into the hollowed out cane (except the last 16" which is solid. Hangs down like a saxaphone to play, and is a nice conversation piece and very utilitarian. I can sit down and just start playing the cane, er, uh...flute. It's loaded with Malachite and Jet inlay of an ivy vine growing all around the finger holes, with a special block of a raccoon popping its head out from a hollowed tree. With a piece of copper tubing embedded in the joint of the flute and handle, it will last the ages, even with my Cape Buffalo self putting it to the test!
Wow. One year, already. One year that News 14 has been on the air in the Triad market. Special luncheon today that I will regrettably have to pass on, but I send a big 'thank you!' to those of you who make us a part of your day.
I joined the glee club this weekend...glee over this DEE-lightful change in the weather! I'm just not a 'heat' person, and I have no doubt the infusion of colder air even here in NC has helped me in my recovery. The mornings have been especially comfy, and you actually get that hint of the seasonal change ahead. Already people barking that our drought will make for an ugly fall leaf change, but this I know: there is always gorgeous color, even if it's more in pockets instead of wide-spread across the slopes. That means you move in closer, photographically, opting for something more cropped instead of some wide panorama shot. May be posting some fall shots from last year soon, in a travelogue blog, just to tempt our palates.
The tropics have simmered to just a tepid pot, with the 3 circled areas 'being watched' quite on the wimpy side with no imminent development anticipated. In the Carolinas, we keep the fair skies and slightly warming temps into the lower 80s by Wednesday, and pleasantly cool mornings to freshen the day's start. While we enjoyed Friday's rain, we have a long way to go to ameliorate drought conditions, and there is none on our figurative radar screen at this time.
