End of 2008

I had a really nice Christmas and I hope you did too. I was reminded at how good of a cook my mom is; the turkey, potatoes, rolls, dessert, it was all so very good. I don't think she's ever fixed anything bad.

The weather here in Kansas has been nothing short of amazing. The tornado watch Friday night was somewhat of a surprise, but it really shouldn't have been when you consider how humid and warm it turned out to be during the afternoon. Snow was a common sight on Saturday, but just like that, it melted away Sunday afternoon.

This weeks weather looks rather quiet. There will be some day to day variation in the temperatures, but for the most part, it will be above average in the coming days. It also looks dry this week too.

Do you have any resolutions planned for the new year? I've been thinking of a few, but I've discovered that old habits die hard and so I'm going to have to work really hard to make a change. Don't forget time keepers, there will be an extra second at the end of 2008 to keep clocks in check with the slowing spin of the Earth on its axis. So, you'll have to delay your Happy New Year by just one tick of the clock.

White Christmas

I've had the discussion already 3 or 4 times in the last few days, but people keep asking about a white Christmas here in Kansas. Some would define it as actually seeing snow fall on Christmas Day, while others just want to see it on the ground. The National Weather Service defines a white Christmas with one inch of snow already on the ground from a previous storm, or it can fall on Christmas Day. Records date all the way back into the 1800s for Wichita, and since that time, only 13 Christmas' have been white. You might remember that last year we had a big snowstorm in southcentral Kansas right before the holiday, leaving us with 4 inches on the ground Christmas morning. It tied the record for the snowiest Christmas ever, but it was not the coldest. A high of 10 degrees above zero is the coldest on record, which happened back in 1983. Last year, many in central Kansas were cleaning up after a major ice storm. Those in the northeast part of the country are still suffering after the big ice storm that hit just over a week ago.

Our active weather pattern will bring one more system to the area Friday before things begin to settle down over the weekend. Next week our weather pattern looks quiet. The bitter cold goes back to Canada and we may actually get through the week without any significant winter storms. Have a Merry Christmas!

BBBBBRRRRRR!!!

Someone asked me on Sunday, how does the temperature go from 60 one day to 12 the next. Well, my first response was, "It's Kansas", but that wasn't enough of an explanation for this individual. It is incredible to say the least. One side of the storm system is warm, and once it passes on by, you get the other side which is usually the bitter cold, which is what we happen to be seeing right now. Of course, everyone has their own descriptor of this cold weather. Most of them probably aren't suited for the blog. =)

The weather pattern will be very active through Christmas, so yes, the chances of getting a snowy Christmas are higher than in most years. The computer models continue to show the possibility of another system coming out of the southwest sometime early next week, so we'll be waiting and watching. Sometimes, the computers are off just a bit (which is why the weatherman is sometimes off just a bit).
How is your holiday shopping going? I've started, but I'm still scratching my head on what to get Millie. I received some pictures of the recent snowfall in Lawrence. Grant Smith has been to KWCH to visit a few times and is working on a meteorology degree at KU. He was nice enough to send the pictures of the snowy scene on campus.

Snowfall winner

The first one inch of snow fell Tuesday and it sure made a mess of the roads. The first winter storm of the season always catches people off guard and from what we heard in the newsroom, there were several accidents. The weather will improve for the rest of the week and into the weekend. The weather pattern set up for next week should be rather interesting. Cold air will plunge south by Sunday afternoon and early next week, moisture starts to creep in from the west. So there is a good possibility we'll get more snow early next week, but we'll keep you posted.

Jackie is the winner of the 1 inch snowfall contest. She had guessed December 11th and so she'll be getting a weather umbrella. Thanks everyone for guessing. We actually had some really close guesses and most people were picking dates in the 2nd and 3rd week of the month, so it was a pretty good contest this year. I hope you are having a great week.

Snowfall Contest Update

We will be watching Mid-Continent Airport on Tuesday to see if Wichita gets its first one inch of snow. That would end our contest that we've had going for several weeks now. I have the list of people that posted an entry. Looking at some of the latest data, I don't think our contest will end with this storm system. We just don't have all the ingredients coming together the way we should and most of the moisture has passed to our north. The band of snow Monday afternoon across the northern Plains and the upper Midwest was very interesting to see.

How is your holiday shopping going? I finally did some shopping online Monday, but that just scratches the surface. It is hard to think about Christmas shopping when it's 68 degrees outside, but that's going to change. Millie has finally decided what she wants for Christmas. She is not picky on how it's cooked. Have a great week. I'll update the blog later in the week with more on this latest round of wintry weather.

New Week and New Month

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday and didn't overeat. I actually did okay this year and didn't even have to loosen the belt. The problem is that Thanksgiving is usually the lost holiday with Christmas music on the radio, holiday lights going up everywhere, and people just trying to rush around and get everything done early. I don't think of myself as a procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping; just someone that takes extra time to plan before executing.

What are your thoughts on the weekend snowfall that we had in Kansas? It wasn't enough to end our contest that we have going here on the blog. Pretty good timing with it happening over the weekend. Winter hasn't even started yet, but it's not out of the ordinary to be getting snow now. In fact, we'll probably get some more light snow or flurries come Wednesday when our next big push of colder air comes sliding into the Plains. Meteorologically speaking, our winter season starts December 1st and runs through the month of February. There should be some big changes coming in the next week or two. More on that in the coming days. Have a great week and beware of the crazy Christmas shoppers.

Thinking Turkey

Yeah, I have to admit, the smell of Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, and rolls have taken over my thoughts this week. I know preparing a big meal like this is expensive, but wouldn't it be nice to have Thanksgiving come twice a year? I don't know when we would do the second one, but I wouldn't object to having another face-feeding holiday.

I had a chance to hike the Pawnee Prairie trails out by Mid-Continent Airport Friday afternoon. The deer are still on the move at this time of the year and I ended up about 30-40 feet from one that was grazing in the grass. Millie, the aggressive hunting dog that she is, decided to let this one run free. She needed her energy to get back to the truck. I just have to say, Millie is a very smart dog and I've known that for a long time, but I did question her judgement to jump in the creek that afternoon for a swim when it was just 36 degrees outside. It didn't seem to bother her, so that thick coat of hair must really be working in her favor.

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is a good one this year. I'll be here watching the storm coming in from the west. Hopefully, it will not create any travel headaches for you. There is a good chance with an HD TV, you'll be able to see the extra pounds I gain on Thanksgiving, but oh well.

Just Catching Up

Are you staying busy? It seems like with the holiday next week, people are scrambling to prepare either a meal or to travel out of town. The month of November is slipping away from us and I'm having a hard time remembering that next week is Thanksgiving. If you are going to travel next week, be sure to call our travel hotline on Monday between 4 and 7 p.m. and we can get you a forecast for your destination. The number to call is 436-5627. We've been doing this for many years now and find it to be a big help for our viewers. Because the economy has fallen on hard times, we won't charge you anything to get the forecast (unless you have to call long distance, then there will be a few pennies involved)

You still have until Sunday to get your snowfall guesses posted. When will Wichita get its first one inch? The official measurement will be taken at Mid-Continent Airport. I don't have any big clues to give you, but I will tell you it won't happen on Thanksgiving Day. Now keep thinking.

Other than some big temperature swings, the weather has been decent lately. I haven't heard too many complaints, but I did have a request last week for a foot of snow. Hmmm. I don't know, she is probably in the minority because from what I've discovered, any mention of snow and people start grumbling. We should be snow-free for a little while yet. And by the way, our travel hotline has always been free, I was just trying to promote it a little on the blog.

When will it be?

When will Wichita get its first one inch of snow? Keep the guesses coming and maybe you'll win the prize. Last year, the winner received a new umbrella from us and a bunch of other KWCH gear. There will be a prize again this year, but we need to collect the guesses. It would be good to pick a date and time in the event we have a tie. Some guesses have already been made and for clarification, we'll use Mid-Continent Airport as the official measurement. We can't take anymore guesses beyond November 23rd, so get them posted when you can.

I don't know when the first snowfall will happen, but I'm thinking it might be right at the end of the month. Who knows if it will be enough to get the first inch.

In the meantime, we are going to see some wild temperature swings the next several days. It was very warm Sunday afternoon, but cooler weather will be back on Monday. Warmer weather comes back on Tuesday and these ups and downs in the temperatures will probably make more people sick. I started hearing Christmas music this weekend. I'm having to pinch myself to realize it is that time of the year again. Have a great week.

Another School Visit & Changes Are Coming!

The 4th graders at Explorer Elementary were nice enough to allow me to spend part of the afternoon with them. Weather balloons, clouds, and weather instruments were part of the discussion and the kids had some great questions for me at the end.

We should get ready for a change in our weather. First, we will have the warmer weather, and then a taste of winter as colder air settles in by Friday. Moisture will no doubt be lacking, so other than a few sprinkles or snow flurries, we shouldn't have much in the way of measurable moisture. The cold spell Friday and Saturday should be followed by another change on Sunday as warmer air rushes back into the area.

I'm going to see about another contest on the blog. Last year I had you predict the first one inch of snow for Wichita. Should we do it again? As always, the winner will get a prize. It won't be a new car, but it could be something equally as nice.

Enough with the wind!

Even though we live in Kansas and we just grow accustom to the wind, Thursday was a bit much. It didn't matter what you were trying to get done outside, it was much more difficult with the 50 mph wind gusts whipping across the state. It's a good thing Millie is low to the ground or else she would've ended up in a different neighborhood after yesterdays bout with Mother Nature's wind machine.

We did manage to brave the wind elements and visit Kensler Elementary school. There was a small group of Girl Scouts that has invited me to come talk about Kansas weather. Millie went along for the presentation and I'm pretty sure the girls enjoyed her company. It's easy to tell when Millie has a good time because she wiggles her entire back end (because she's missing her tail) The girls had great questions and as a thank you for coming, I left with two cookies for the road. They were gone before I made it back to the station.

The weather is changing again this weekend. We could get some snow in Kansas by Monday, so be sure to join us this weekend to track the developing storm. Yes, it will probably come with more wind too. Sorry.

Sunflower Blowout

The Sunflower Showdown comes and goes and it was quite a blowout from the Jayhawks. I was sure surprised at the final score, but being a KU Alumni, I am excited about the win. It keeps the rivalry going and with basketball season coming, I'm sure K-State fans are looking for an upset during hoop season.

The switch to HD has finally passed for us here at KWCH. It's been very stressful, but we are happy to have the new look on the air and we've had great feedback so far. I don't know how many of you have HD TV sets yet (I don't), but I've seen the new picture on an HD screen here at the station and it is really amazing. The scary part is that you can see all the fine detail in our faces, but hopefully you're not just watching for that. Next time you see Millie in HD, you'll be able to count the hair on her back.

I spent some time with my nephew this last week. Wade continues to grow and now, there's teeth. He has 6 of them with more coming through each week. Who needs a Wii for entertainment when you have a laundry basket and an uncle that will push you around the kitchen? It sure is fun to watch him giggle and laugh.

No big changes in the weather for the next few days. Enjoy this summer/fall like weather.

First Freeze

Our first frost/freeze is right on schedule for most of the area. Anyone suffering from allergies is probably ready for the relief that comes with the colder temperatures, but now we have to face the realization that we are headed into winter. As I get older, I realize why my folks were so bummed about cold weather and snow, but there isn't much we can do other than look forward to next spring.
I spent Saturday afternoon at the KU/Texas Tech game (or bloodshed maybe a better descriptor). It was hard to stay focused on the game after it was apparent that KU wasn't going to come out victorious. At any rate, it was great to be back in Lawrence to see the campus again and I'm just amazed at the fall color that dots the landscape. They've made so many changes to the campus since I left that it almost makes you feel old.

Sunflower Showdown is coming up next weekend. Post your guess to the outcome of that game on the blog and lets see how you do. I'm guessing that KU will win because of the home field advantage, so I'll say KU 27 KSU 14. The switch to HD is coming this week. Look for it Tuesday. Have a great week.

Fall Color from Space

Just a follow up from my previous blog entry regarding the HD transition. We are very, very close and I know it has taken a little longer than expected, but we are excited about the debut and that should happen on Tuesday. Keep your fingers crossed and get ready for a great picture.
Winter makes an early appearance here in Kansas with snow in the northwest. I guess it's Mother Nature's way of getting us ready for the winter months ahead. What you probably didn't know is that this is winter awareness week in Kansas, so what better way to get people thinking about winter than delivering some snow to parts of the area. It would be nice to enjoy the fall instead of jumping right into winter though. Speaking of fall, take a look at this satellite image of the fall color in the Northeast. You can actually make out the red and orange foliage in the trees. In the lower elevations of the Appalachian Mountains, the tree color is still mainly green because the temperatures are a little warmer during the day. If you look even closer at the picture, you'll see the dense population along the coast (the gray color) Boston and New York are just two major cities that show up nicely on the image.

This is a very high resolution picture taken from one of NASA's expensive satellites.

I'll be watching the Jayhawks play football this weekend in Lawrence. I'll have a report for you on Sunday when I return to the weather office. Enjoy this winter, err, fall weather I mean.

High Definition Growing Pains

The level of stress at KWCH has been rather high the last few weeks as we get ready to make the move to HD. So many things have changed behind the scenes for us in order to make it happen. Anyone with an HD set, we hope you enjoy what you see and we would of course like to hear your feedback. Millie in HD is a little scary; you can count her hairs.

This is going to be another active week in the weather department. Millie is already starting to forecast the change and she decided to go for her last swim on Saturday. And, she is once again molting, trying to get ready for the colder weather that awaits later in the week. A HUGE upper low is going to setup over the central US and for the first time this fall, we may actually get some wet snowflakes in the state. The posted model data is for 7 p.m. Wednesday evening. Right now, it would be in extreme northern Kansas Wednesday night into Thursday morning and there wouldn't be any accumulation, but it will certainly catch some by surprise. Meanwhile, a cold rain is expected for the rest of the area Wednesday into Thursday.

Fall in Full Swing

Fall color is everywhere, you just have to take some extra time to look for it. Close friends of my family were recently visiting eastern Colorado and had some time to take pictures for us. The aspen trees are loaded with a bright yellow color at this time of the year. Some of the maple trees around town are starting to take on more of a reddish-orange color and it just makes for an awesome scene going into the winter months. I know the allergy sufferers are anxiously awaiting that first hard freeze of the season, but I don't think we're going to get it for at least 2 more weeks.

Meanwhile, this huge storm system over the Rockies is producing heavy snows. It was snowing at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning in Gillette, Wyoming and will continue to do so through the rest of the weekend. Kansas will get in on more heavy rain Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Moisture coming in from Norbert in the Gulf of California will set us up for flooding rains by Monday. Be sure to check back for more on the storm. Should be an interesting one to track.

Fall Color

This is my favorite time of the year with all of the leaves changing color and we've had enough rainfall in this area to help bring out the best color in the trees. Sometimes the summer heat and drought is stressful on the foliage, so the fall color just isn't that great. If you get some good pictures of fall color, please send them to me so I can post to the blog rjanssen@kwch.com

We are still watching a big system for the weekend. Computer models still show snow for the northern Rockies and parts of the northern Plains. Should be interesting to track this weekend. I'll be doing some yard work and enjoying the nice weather on my days off. See you back on the air Saturday.

BUSY Weekend

Millie had a record number of appearances this weekend and our energy is running low on this Sunday. Woofstock took place on Saturday at Sedgwick County Park and they raised over 200,000 dollars through the event. I should've taken some pictures of Millie, but I forgot my camera. However, Millie and I attended Holiday Galleria Sunday afternoon and we did get some pictures of her with the kids. We talked about weather balloons, the water cycle, and how we forecast weather. The adults outnumbered the kids, but I'll talk to any group about weather. Then to finish the weekend, we attended a special church ceremony that was solely for animals. I guess you could say Millie was a feature at the ceremony, even though she didn't have much to say. So, several different stops this weekend and we were grateful to be invited to so many different places.

Our first good fall storm system will track across Kansas on Monday bringing rain to the area. Once we dry out on Tuesday, we have several mild and dry days waiting for us the rest of the week. However, next week another storm system will be brewing out to the west and this one will have a taste of winter with it. If the computer models hold, parts of Colorado will be getting snow and we will be in for some much cooler air. Highs could drop into the 50s for areas in the west, but there is still some degree of uncertainty as to what will happen with the system next weekend. I'll update you later in the week.

Outlook for October

I showed it on our 9 p.m. news Tuesday night, but the outlook for October is very simple for our part of the country. According to the Climate Prediction Center, we're going to have near normal moisture and temperatures through the upcoming month. We start out with average highs in the middle 70s, but by Halloween, our average high drops into the lower 60s. Looking out as far as I can on the models, we won't see any real drastic changes in our weather until the middle of the month. Then we'll start to transition to an active pattern with more drastic temperature variations. It's a little scary to think that in some years, we get snow in the month of October. I remember trick-or-treating several years ago in 4 or 5 inches of the white stuff. Fortunately, it is a rare occurrence to get snow this month.

Ready for Fall?

I'm ready for some fall-like weather and what we've been getting lately is more typical of late August or early September. It's not uncommon to still get 90s in September, but typically at this time of the month, we are getting more 70s than anything else. I guess Mother Nature is trying to even things out after the very cool start to the month.

Just a reminder that Woofstock is coming up next Saturday at Sedgwick County Park. The festivities start at 10 a.m. and Millie and I plan to be out there early in the day. I'll have to be at work in the afternoon, so our time there will be short. I've never been before, but I hear it's perfect for dog lovers and it benefits the Kansas Humane Society.

I'm also gearing up for a presentation at Holiday Galleria that is put on by Junior League of Wichita. So I'll be at Century 2 next Sunday for a weather presentation at 1 p.m. This will be a busy week. Hope all is going well for you and have a wonderful week. Enjoy the cooler weather too!

A Warm Stretch

It is ironic how Mother Nature works. We had our cool, fall weather at the beginning of the month and now, it still feels a little like summer with highs reaching the 80s in the afternoon. There will not be a big change in our weather until next week when we see a storm system develop over southern Canada and then dive into the upper Midwest. As it does so, it will drag some much cooler air into the area by Tuesday and Wednesday. It is not likely that we will get much rain with the cooler weather, but it will definitely feel like October by then.

Millie just celebrated her 4th birthday on the 23rd. So now, she is just a little older than I am. I won't reveal my age on the blog, but if you figure that Millie is 4 in people years, then in dog years, she would be 28. I'm running late on her birthday present, but she hasn't complained about it yet. I'll be back on the air Saturday.

Woofstock is Coming!

Woofstock is going to take place on October 4th at Sedgwick County Park which will benefit the Kansas Humane Society. I've never been before, but for any pet lover, it's going to be a big day I'm sure. Millie is not a big fan of "dog clothing", but in an effort to help promote the event, I convinced her. The clothes are very nicely constructed from the good people at Goodwill Industries. Millie and I will be out there for an hour or two, so be looking for us.

This week will be rather quiet again. The main storm track will miss us to the north and so there will not be any big temperature variations through the next 7 days. We had a chance for rain in the forecast for Wednesday, but the main energy will pass to the north and so we've decided to keep it dry. Our next chance at seeing some more cool, Canadian air will not be coming until late in the weekend. The models are not indicating any significant moisture return soon, so look for mainly dry weather for several more days to come.

How about some sunshine!!

This has been a very busy week with the Kansas State Fair going on in Hutchinson. Millie made an appearance on Wednesday and was very good. She sat in the window of the KWCH booth for about 4 hours and surprisingly, never complained. Thanks for coming up and saying hello; we like to hear from the viewers to see how we are doing.









What an amazing rain event we just had here in Kansas. Rain amounts over 10 inches were common in west Wichita and the flooding has been very significant. I am attaching the storm total precipitation as estimated by the Doppler Radar from Wichita. Very impressive to say the least. You can hold off on building a boat for now because the next 8-10 days look dry as we see a huge change in our weather pattern. Basically, high pressure will dominate both at the surface and in the upper atmosphere, which means we are in for sunny and mild weather. The leftover moisture from Ike will pass to our east, bringing heavy rainfall to the Mississippi Valley.

Football, Rain, and the Fair

There is a bunch of stuff going on at this time of the year. We have high school and college football games galore and now the Kansas State Fair is underway. Weather is a significant factor in both and for the first weekend of the fair, the weather has been rather cool. It seems like we get a wide variety of weather during the fair, so I'm anticipating some hot weather before the 10 day event comes to an end. It will turn off warm and breezy for Wednesday, but it doesn't even last for 24 hours. So we are in a very active weather pattern. This cool weather has people getting nervous about a long, cold winter. I don't think we should jump on that bandwagon yet, because these big changes in weather are common at the onset of fall, and it doesn't officially begin until September 22nd. Warmer weather will be back very soon.

I attended my first high school football game here in Wichita Thursday night. It was Heights vs. Bishop Carroll and as I walked up to the gate, I noticed everyone had to enter through a metal detector. I really couldn't believe it, but if it means keeping us safe, then I'm all for it. It's just a sign that times are different than they were when I was in high school.

I am headed to the fair Monday afternoon and Millie will be with me on Wednesday. She'll be close by my side so that someone doesn't mistake her for other Pronto Pups that are common on the fairgrounds.

Fall Already?

I think it's funny how the calendar rolls over to September and just like that, Mother Nature changes the weather on us. It's good football weather and the cool down comes just in time for the Kansas State Fair. I've posted a map of the fairgrounds so you can find our booth. It's in front of the Eisenhower Building.

My mom claims that it always rains during the Kansas State Fair, so I did some checking to see if there was any accuracy behind it. Actually, over the last ten years, 2000 was the only fair that turned out dry during the ten day event, so yes, more often than not, it does rain (and I don't normally doubt my mother; she's a smart lady) It will rain during the fair this year too, probably Friday night. I briefly spoke with Denny Stoecklein, General Manager of the Kansas State Fair, on Wednesday and he told me that if we have to get rain during the event, he hopes it comes during the overnight hours, or on Tuesday or Thursday. He said those are usually the slow days on the fairgrounds. And he did approve for Millie to make an appearance on Wednesday. We'll be up there in the afternoon, so come find us at the booth.

On an unrelated note, someone posted a question on the last blog entry wanting to know if I know the other meteorologists at the other stations in town. And yes, as a matter of fact, I know them pretty well and they are wonderful individuals. We do run into each other on occasion, and of course we tease each other about who is the better forecaster in town. It is just part of the competition involved in TV, but I think they are both great meteorologists.

Gustav/Katrina

Louisiana will feel the brunt of the hurricane Gustav on Labor Day and it should be onshore midday Monday. This storm has some similarities and differences when you compare it to Katrina. Remember, Katrina was a powerful category 3 storm when it hit the New Orleans area and Gustav will likely hit as a category 3 storm as well. Katrina approached the Gulf Coast more from a southerly angle and Gustav will likely approach from the southeast. We hope they are better prepared to deal with this storm and from what we've seen on the news coverage, most people are heading the warning and getting out of town. The northeast side, or quadrant of the hurricane is the where you normally find the strongest winds. New Orleans could very well end up in that area Monday.

This is going to be a very interesting week in Kansas weather. Gustav will continue to track northwest and bring some heavy rainfall to Texas and southern Oklahoma. At the same time, we are watching a cold front coming in from the northwest, which will help intensify some of the rain in our area. So, what this means for you is that we will see some heavier rain showers Tuesday and Wednesday along with big temperature changes. Have a great Labor Day.

Weekend at Cheney Lake

Camping is something I enjoy doing when the weather cooperates and there is time for it. You might remember last year I posted some pictures from El Dorado Lake on a camping trip, but this year it was a trip west to Cheney Lake. The weather was almost perfect Friday evening and into Saturday with a slight breeze and the humidity wasn't unbearable. Millie discovered a love for water a few years ago, but I didn't know she was such a good swimmer until this weekend. She's has a pretty thick coat and when it's wet, it does add some weight, but that helps to build her stamina. She was able to swim about 50-75 feet out from the shoreline to fetch a stick and to hang out with the rest of the swimmers, but at the end of the day, she was pooped. This was my first adventure to Cheney Lake and we really had a great time. I know next weekend will be very busy with the Labor Day weekend campers, but if the forecast holds up, rain might dampen some of the activities..












College football will kickoff this weekend. I'm getting pretty excited to see the Kansas teams back in action. There's been a touch of fall in the air lately with the cooler weather we've been having. I'm not sure how you feel about it, but we haven't had many complaints in the storm center about the October-like weather. I know we need some dry weather though for the farmers to get some wheat planted, but this week still looks a bit unsettled. Anyone attend the Flight Festival this weekend?

Hurricane Hunting

It is something I would like to do someday before my time on earth is over, but it will be difficult to arrange it. I think it would be so cool to fly with the Hurricane Hunters to investigate some type of tropical system. The National Hurricane Center relies heavily on data from the aircraft to estimate the maximum winds inside the hurricane or tropical system. There is some rather sophisticated technology on board, including Doppler radar to help see and locate the actual center of the system. If you have time, take a closer look at the picture I posted. Although it is a little hard to read, you can see one type of radar dish is located toward the front of the aircraft with the Doppler radar in the back. A "dropwindsonde" is dropped out of the plane (hence the name) into the storm to find out temperature, humidity, and other pressures within the rainbands surrounding the eye.

As you can well imagine, it wouldn't be the smoothest ride in an airplane considering the intensity of the storms involved. I did talk to a gentlemen several years ago that flew on the aircraft and he said you definitely need a strong stomach to stand the rough nature of the ride. I'd be willing to try!!

Unusual August Weather

Even as a meteorologist, I can't believe we've had such cool weather in August for such a prolonged period of time. Through Saturday, we've had 11 days in a row with below normal temperatures and the last 90 degree reading we had was back on the 6th. We should get at least another 5 days in before the temperatures make a big jump back into the 90s, which should happen by Friday around here. It was nice to see western Kansas get some measurable rainfall, and there will be more coming at least through Monday.

The same system bringing rain to Kansas has dumped 6 inches of snow near Loveland Pass, CO. August is way to early to start talking about snow, even in those high elevations. It is going to take most of the week for it to change, but our weather pattern will change by the end of the week, allowing for the 90s to return along with a south wind. It sure would be nice to save some of this cooler weather for the state fair, which is just a few weeks away. Looks like I'll be up in Hutch on Monday and Wednesday of the fair week. Millie might make an appearance too, and I'll let you know for sure.

Vegas Trip 2008

I didn't win big in Vegas, but the 4 day adventure was sure fun and we made some good memories. I know what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but I didn't do anything that I couldn't share with you on the blog. After all, there could be some Wichita or Kansas viewers out there and I can't embarrass myself.

There were several flight delays on the way there and coming home, but I managed to survive and my luggage was there both times. By the way, the people attending this conference have some sort of career connection to Bryan Busby in Kansas City and that's why we get together every 2 years to share some laughs, learn from one another, and catch up on where the broadcast business is going. We stayed at the Flamingo Hotel and that's where the workshops and presentations were conducted. The first night was Texas Hold'em in one of the suites at the Flamingo. I don't know how to play, so it was a sure loss of money for me. I seem to have more luck with the slot machines and even that luck runs dry from time to time.

The second day was highlighted by a presentation from Roger Edwards, a meteorologist from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. His presentation dealt with natural disasters at large, outdoor venues such as a KC Royals game, a K-State or KU football game. What would you do or where would you go if large hailstorm or tornado hit during the game?
I did my presentation and presented some research on mobile homes and tornadoes and how they are still very unsafe. One meteorologist did a presentation on how we cover weather on the web, showing how technology has changed and is allowing you to interact more with the local meteorologists during major weather events.

Of course, this group of meteorologists has many KU and MU graduates and there is a definite (but friendly) rivalry in the bunch. The Rock Chalk chant was heard more than once during the trip. This picture is the group of KU graduates that attended the trip. We outnumber the MU graduates (insert joke here) and plan to keep it that way.

I don't want to be boring with all of the other details, but if you haven't been to Vegas, the lights of the city make for an amazing view. And if you plan to go in the summer, well, it's hot. The temperature was 105 each day we were there and at night, it's about 82. So I was happy to come home to some 80 degree weather (during the daytime)











I'll be back on the air Wednesday. Looks like more rain is coming this way with a storm from Canada. Should be an interesting one to watch. And are the kids already going back to school? Where does summer go?

Vegas, Here I Come!

I will be presenting my research information in Las Vegas and I will be sure to let you know how it goes. There will be some time for fun too, so if I don't update the blog in a long time, you'll know that I won and didn't come back to Kansas. Well, I'd have to come back to get Millie I guess. Have a nice weekend and enjoy the cooler temperatures if that's what you prefer. The chance the rain should be ending by Friday with mild weather expected through the weekend.

Hottest Day This Summer

Monday was the hottest day that we've had so far this summer. Dodge City had a high of 108, which was 2 degrees away from being the hottest place in the country. Yeah, even hotter than Death Valley if you can believe that. Surprisingly, there have not been many record highs broken, mainly because it is not that unusual to have this kind of heat, especially in early August.

We will have to watch as Edouard moves into Texas on Tuesday. I would think at some point that moisture will have an affect on Kansas weather, but it will depend on what happens in the upper levels of the atmosphere. Remember Dolly's moisture didn't arrive in Kansas until long after the storm moved inland. At any rate, we will get rid of the 100 degree heat after Tuesday. In fact, this weekend, we should be back in the 80s. Who is ready for fall??

Thanks for the birthday wishes. That is what we were celebrating Saturday night.

Brushing Up My Skill

I fell behind in blogging last week. I wish I had a good excuse, something like my computer melted in the heat, but I don't have a reason. It has been very hot the last several days thanks to a high pressure system that we talk about over and over on the air. It will ease up a bit later in the week, which should allow for some relief and at least a chance for some rain. At this point in time, I think the northern half of Kansas will have the best shot at moisture, but we will see that shift to the south by week's end. In terms of temperatures, we could see upper 80s by Friday, but it will still be humid. AND, we have another tropical system headed for Texas, so stay tuned on how that might affect our weather in the coming days. If it turns out like Dolly, maybe in 8-10 days we will get some remnant moisture to move across our state.

A group of friends ended up at Sidepockets Saturday night in celebration of something. You'll have to do some investigation on KWCH.com to find out what we were celebrating. I'm definitely no pool shark, but every once in a while, I find a lucky streak that keeps me in the game. Actually, if I hit the cue ball and avoid putting the 8 ball in at the wrong time, I'm doing pretty good.

I'm finishing my presentation on tornadoes and mobile homes and will present my research findings in Las Vegas later in the week. I've never really done anything like this before, but I've learned a great deal from this investigation and I hope to educate others. There will be a little bit of time for casinos, but I'm not much of a gambler, so I probably won't get too far from the penny slots. Should be fun, but what happens in Vegas will stay in Vegas. Have a good week.

Millie Makes an Appearance

Some might think it is over the top or crazy, but Millie was invited to be a guest at a 25th Wedding Anniversary celebration in Andover Saturday night and so we went after the 10 p.m. newscast. She was a hit with the little kids and even some of the adults found her to be very entertaining. I wasn't sure what to expect, but she made her way through the crowd and tried to greet as many people as she could. Of course, there were some crumbs on the floor that just had to be eaten. I'm glad people enjoy seeing her on TV and in the public. Millie was at the Kansas State Fair last year and I'll see if I can get approval to have her there again this year. I don't know how many autographs she can sign though. By the way, a picture might be coming at a later date.

I attended the Ellsworth/Kanopolis Chamber of Commerce lunch meeting Monday. It was very nice to see familiar faces back in my hometown and the food was very good. Unfortunately, I was on a very short time frame for the day, so I couldn't stay long, but it was nice to get the chance to come back for a little while. A busy day and now the thunderstorms are starting to take center stage. Let's hope for some good rain in western Kansas. This type of moisture is hard to acquire in the month of July.