A Very Hot Weekend in Progress!!!
Over the past several days, temperatures have just skyrocketed into the upper 90's and even into the triple digits!!! Fortunately, our dew points stayed fairly low with the area of high pressure that passed over us at the end of last week. Here's what the next week looks like.....
THE BAD NEWS: Unfortunately, afternoon highs will stay well into the 90's through our next work week. Plus, winds are beginning to shift back around to the south which should usher in much more moisture. This will allow for a few more clouds and a sprinkle here and there, but it will also kick back up the humidity levels a bit.
THE GOOD NEWS!! For everyone grilling out, going to the lake, or shooting fireworks on the 4th, expect afternoon highs to be on the low end of the 90's! At least they won't be climbing towards 100 for our outdoor activities! I try to be optimistic about these scorching summers in Mississippi and I figure as long as it is bareable to be outside for the holiday, I can stay indoors and enjoy the AC for the rest of the month!!!
Scorcher in Progress
* You, the inside of your car, your lawn, and your water bill are all going to hate this: It's REALLY hot already this morning.
* Here are some 10 am temperatures from around our part of America:
Meridian (Key Field): 90
Tuscaloosa: 90
Meridian (NAS): 88
Jackson: 88
Columbus: 88
Montgomery: 87
Birmingham: 87
Hattiesburg: 86
The grass is a bit brown where I live. Another note: the softball fields out at the Sammie Davidson Complex are very dusty. The infield dirt is more like sand; it has simply been baked.
* Our old friend Renny weighs in via Instant Messenger about today's temperatures:
"That is absurd."Agreed.
Busy, Busy Week
* Whew! The posts have been few and far between around here lately. I've been very busy working on a number of projects. We are now in a time of year with only a few speaking engagements, and almost no severe weather (hurricanes nothwithstanding). So, this makes for a great time to jump in on some projects..
* Weather Watch 2006: This is a severe weather safety guide that the Newscenter 11 Weather team is working with the
Meridian Star to produce. It will include a LOT of great weather info, as well as a hurricane tracking map, and much, much more. This will be an insert into the Meridian Star, and will be published in July...
* Radar? As many readers of this space know, we live in a bad coverage area for radar. We are working hard to build a partnership that will bring live Doppler radar back to Meridian! It's a bit early to really get into the details, but this project has occupied much of my time of late.
* New Team Member: As you've no doubt seen and read in this space,
Lauren Raymer has joined our staff. Lauren is a very enthusiastic person, and her enthusiasm and personality are a great addition to the team...
* SOFTBALL: Not all of these "projects" are work! Our softball team wrapped up the regular season Thursday night with a hard-fought victory. We finished the regular season with a 10-2 record. FYI..Lindsey Hall throws a mean slow-pitch game!
Podcast: Thursday Edition
* This is the Newscenter 11 Podcast - a forecast designed for the increasingly popular IPods! This product can also be played on most personal computers. It's a great way to get extra forecast and weather content at your convenience.
* In today's podcast, I talk about forecast through the weekend..Check it out:http://media.graytvinc.com/audio/Podcast1.mp3* You can point your IPod or MP3 receiving program to this RSS feed in order to subscribe:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/11Podcast
Podcast: Wednesday Edition
* This is the Newscenter 11 Podcast - a forecast designed for the increasingly popular IPods! This product can also be played on most personal computers. It's a great way to get extra forecast and weather content at your convenience.
* In today's podcast, I talk about the flooding rains in the Northeast..Check it out:http://media.graytvinc.com/audio/Podcast1.mp3* You can point your IPod or MP3 receiving program to this RSS feed in order to subscribe:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/11Podcast
We Lost a Friend Tonight
* WTOK is sad to announce the passing of our own Stan Torgerson. Stan was a true legend of the broadcasting business. From his call of the infamous "Immaculate Deflection" game to his no-nonsense newsroom demeanor, he was simply indescribable.
Stan was a frank and honest man. When he said something, he meant it. And, unlike some, he was not a man prone to flattery. Stan once approached me in the hall and said, "Josh, you have really improved at what you do." Simple words, but they meant a lot because of the man who spoke them.
He is best remembered as his time as the voice of the Ole Miss Rebels. This story was taken from an Ole Miss internet board, and I think it's a great example of Stan's innate ability to connect with listeners:
My favorite Stan moment may well have occurred when Georgia was playing the Rebels in Jackson in the early '70s. I don't even remember who had the ball, but Torgerson described the field position this way:
"The ball is at the one foot line. Actually, it's closer than that. It's the width of a ham sandwich from the goalline. Take out the tomato, take out the lettuce, go easy on the mayonaise, and THAT's how far away the ball is."
He was a truly great man...I believe I can say without a doubt that, right now, Stan Torgerson "... IS IN THE PROMISED LAND !!!!!!!"* We'll miss you, Stan. And, Dorothy and the entire Torgerson family will remain in our prayers in the weeks and months to come.
Trade in the umbrella for some sunscreen!
The "cool" front that brough us scattered showers and thunderstorms over the weekend will be moving on through our area and northwesterly flow will pull down some much drier air. This should help with the humidity levels a bit and will also push back any chances for rain into Friday or Saturday. Temps are going to slowly climb back up into the lower 90's and it could even get warmer as we near 4th of July! So, if you plan to barbeque, trade in the umbrella for some sunscreen and lots of water.
Off the subject, the "weather crew" are working on a bit of a project for the public that is going to be very interesting. Josh, Charles, and I are putting together a type of "severe weather awareness" section for the Meridian Star. I believe Charles is going to write up a very informative section on flash floods and how to prepare yourself. I am putting together a lightning page that will include the formation of lightning and other VERY COOL lightning trivia that might surprise you! I will let you know when we complete this and when to go grab your paper!! Have a great week everyone and I will see you Saturday!
