Category: Weather

Trouble In The Tropics

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date August 17, 2009

BACK by popular demand – because at least a half a dozen friends and family requested it – it’s ‘Trouble In The Tropics’. But first here’s the legal disclaimer:

I am NOT certified by the American Meteorological Society. I do NOT work for the National Weather Service OR the National Hurricane Center OR the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. I do NOT work for any television or radio station. I am merely an amateur weather forecaster with about 30 years of technical experience in the hobby. That’s all it is – a hobby. Utilize my weather forecasts in any way that you see fit. I tout about an 80% accuracy rate. Use common sense. Do what you feel is right.

OK – Now that I’ve got THAT out of the way – here we go:

ANA – I forecasted its first degeneration. It happened. I forecasted its second degeneration. It happened. Now I’m forecasting its total dissipation. It’s starting. Expect the remnants of Tropical Depression Ana to give us numerous showers and thunderstorms starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing for about 24 hours until Wednesday afternoon. Some portions of the local Homestead area could receive 3 to 5 inches of rain. Highest wind gusts – 25 MPH at times. No worries.

BILL – Not a player for us. I’m forecasting it to intensify into a MAJOR Category 4 Hurricane and curve well out in the open Atlantic – possibly affecting Bermuda on Saturday. This was NEVER a player for us.

CLAUDETTE – Before she was Claudette she was all of that rain that we received during the day on Saturday (2-3 inches).

Thursday Night Mini Thoughts

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date August 13, 2009
2 Comments on Thursday Night Mini Thoughts

– Let’s get spontaneous here.
– A tourist refers to this area as ‘Southern Florida’. We know it as ‘South Florida’.
– A tourist refers to it as ‘Route 1’. We know it as ‘U.S. 1’ or ‘Useless-One’.
– I filled up with gas at my favourite Chevron station after work today.
– That’s 10.899 gallons of gas at $2.739 per gallon for a total of $29.85.
– Almost exactly a year ago I paid $3.859 per gallon of gas.
– Gas prices were beginning their hard tumble from their July 2008 peaks.
– I thought about getting a car wash there.
– But I’m forecasting a lot of rain for this weekend.
– In fact Saturday could be our wettest day in Homestead in awhile.
– President Barack Obama‘s approval ratings are dropping like a rock.
– Americans are increasingly disgruntled over his handling of health care reform.
– The President is dealing with a tough crowd.
– It’s not easy to be loved and adored forever.
– I did NOT vote for him.
– Woodstock was exactly 40 years ago this weekend.
– I was NOT there.
– I was only 26 months old at the time.
– I don’t even remember it occurring.
– People that were there don’t remember it occurring.
– I’ll do a special Woodstock edition of ‘Saturday Night Retro’.
– But before that tomorrow night is Disco night here on the big bellbottom blog.
– I’ve got a former Disco superstar who’s now a reality TV star. It’s TRU !
– See what he looked like 30 years ago at the Discotech.
– You won’t regret it pal.
– Until then keep it simple – and give a hoot – don’t polute !
– Help keep America lookin’ good in the neighbourhood.

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Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date August 11, 2009
2 Comments on Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

1. I just shaved. I shave twice per week – every Tuesday and Saturday afternoons. If I were to shave more often than that – even for a 3RD time per week – then it would begin to irritate my face. Shaving is easier when there’s more to work with, and 3 to 4 days worth of hair growth is just about right for me.

2. The Cape Verde hurricane season is getting cranked up. Those are the tropical waves that move off the coast of Africa and move in a westward direction across the Atlantic. It generally takes each system 10 to 14 days to get from Africa to North and Central America. Tropical Depression # 2 is out there now, and I am forecasting it to become Tropical Storm Ana but remain a weak Tropical Storm for at least the next 4 to 6 days. It formed in an area that is generally considered to be too far north to eventually affect Florida in the long run.

3. My goal in this new Life of mine is to spend less time on the computer and on the Internet, so exploring the wonderful world of Facebook and all that it has to offer is not an option for me. I am very happy with this blog (and its MySpace predecessor) that effectively chronicles the past 26½ months of my 36-month journey. I wish to continue this blog. If you wish to know what’s goin’ on in my Life then read all about it right here on this blog – or even better – hang out with me in person. I make a lot of public appearances nowadays. It’s easy to find me.

4. It’s Day 2 of ‘Lipitor: Reunited And It Feels So Good’, and so far I have not experienced any negative side effects. If anything I may be discovering a positive side effect out of it – increased energy. I seem to be running around my small home a lot more. I’m literally running around – as in jogging. If it weren’t for all of these walls around me I would just keep on going.

5. There’s Something About Key West: After NOT visiting the Island paradise since the end of 2006 it now appears that I will visit it three times in less than 40 days. I was down there with a buddy on Saturday August 01ST. I’ll be back down there again the weekend after next with members of my Life Group. I’ll be back down there for a 3RD time as part of my Carnival cruise during Labor Day Week. It’s weird how events work out like that.

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Saturday Night Retro

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date August 8, 2009

This month of August 2009 marks several notable anniversaries for me. It’s the 3RD anniversary of my new Life courtesy of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It’s the 8TH anniversary of me being a homeowner after renting this same home for 6 years prior to that. Further back into the 1990s it’s the 16TH anniversary of me working for my current employer – the 482ND Fighter Wing. That was an indirect result of what happened 17 years ago this month – Hurricane Andrew’s destruction of Homestead. And going way back 25 years ago this month it’s my silver anniversary with the USAF. I actually joined the Delayed Enlistment Program a month prior to my Senior year in High School in August of 1984. 10 months later I was getting yelled at in Basic Military Training.

Here’s a U.K. TOP 25 hit from 25 years ago from one of my favourite electronic pop groups of all-time – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD). It’s from their critically-acclaimed 1984 album “Junk Culture”. It’s a virtually unknown song here stateside, so this ‘Saturday Night Retro’ pick-hit of the week is for all of my European readers who enjoyed the OMD pop phenomenon back in its day. Here – my friends – is that song all about those “Tesla Girls”: