Storm coverage

Severe thunderstorms are sometimes a threat around here, especially this time of year.  I’m sure you’ve seen the extended television coverage when this happens.  We have to walk a fine line between getting the important information out, and trying not to needlessly scare folks. 

What’s your opinion of how we’re doing… from biggest likes to biggest gripes.

Jim Duncan

Here we go again

Multiple days of gray skies and rain are slated for the first half of this week (April 13>).  Your typical springtime weather set-up is taking shape, i.e. cool high pressure to the north and waves of moisture over-running that cool air from the south.

This is actually very common around here this time of year.  Virginia is positioned in such a way as to make us one of the prime spots for extended periods with no sunshine during the spring.  Sure, we have our brilliant blue sky, sunny days often too, but we are about to enter one of the gray phases.

What’s your opinion?  Do you like our weather here in general, or do you wish our local climate was a little different?

Posted by Jim Duncan

Global cooling?

We’ve seen a lot in the news lately about volcanic eruptions.  My recent blog post here  on Mt Redoubt garnered scant reader interest, but I think as time goes people may start to pay more attention.

Large scale climate effects from volcanoes are historically documented.  The attached article written by Joe D’Aleo (a very knowledgeable meteorologist in this stuff)  gives some terrific insight:

http://www.intellicast.com/Community/Content.aspx?a=175

Posted by Jim Duncan

Build A Rain Barrel!

Tune in to our 5pm newscast this evening (Tuesday) and you’ll see my story about a rain barrel workshop in Chesterfield county.  Rain Barrels are a great way to get free water for your plants and to cut down on stormwater runoff.  That runoff is a major contributor to poor water quality in rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.  The more water you can keep and use on your property, the better for everyone involved.  Several area groups hold workshops:

http://jamesriverassociation.org/getinvolved_volunteer.html

http://www.chesterfieldriverfront.org/

The workshops tend to fill up fast.  You might have to try it yourself.  Here are great instructions from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

http://jamesriverassociation.org/getinvolved_volunteer.html

Monday night, wintry blast

Ok folks, I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but it looks like winter will be making a last gasp here after a strong cold front blows through Monday (April 6).

While the BIG drop in temperatures will be the primary result, I’m not advertising this, but there could even be a flake or two of snow Monday night or early Tuesday morning.  There could certainly be a brush with sub-freezing temperatures by Tuesday night (average last frost date for RIC is around mid-April).

Posted by Jim Duncan