Gustav is strengthening now as we expected and will be making landfall sometime late tomorrow morning. We are monitoring emergency management in New Orleans right now and evacuations are now coming to a halt as the dusk to dawn curfew will be taking effect momentarily. We will attempt a new update in a few hours and of course will be here all day tomorrow or on KHASTV.
Stay tuned.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Update Sunday 2PM
(Picture: NASA photo of Gustav this morning)
Well, evacuations are still underway ahead of what could be a storm worse than Katrina. Our guys have pulled back to
One sound bit from Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard stood out this morning:
"You cannot protect yourself against what Mother Nature is going to throw at us,"
And he is right.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we are hearing from our friends, families and partners throughout
At least 1.1 million people have left the State already, over 200,000 of them from
Over the course of the next few days, talk will turn from stormtracking to disaster recovery and we encourage you to get in touch with an ORGANIZED entity that has a PLAN for disaster recovery. If you do not know of such an organization, please feel free to email us at info@chasing4life.org and we will direct you to the disaster recovery network from
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Update 6PM Saturday
Gustav is beginning to enter the Gulf with winds in excess of 150 MPH, just barely under a Category 5 Hurricane. Evacuations are underway throughout Louisiana and by the reports we have received, things are still relatively smooth-going. I want to give credit where credit is due and the State of Louisiana has certainly proven that they have a plan.
Our folks in New Orleans are staying and will be giving us updates as they can throughout the next few days. We will be praying for their safety.
Things are beginning to change already as winds are picking up and Florida is experiencing tornadic weather already because of Gustav.
We will keep updating you as we can; arrangements are still underway for the team to leave soon, but this will probably not occur until after Gustav makes landfall now.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Three Years Later
Katrina Anniversary number three.
It is eerie to be on the anniversary of Katrina and getting the reports we are getting. Parishes throughout Louisiana are either evacuating or preparing to evacuate. All eyes are on Gustav and talk is of storm surge.
WARNING: the next few days (several days?) will make for a pretty emotional blog here at http://www.chasing4life.org/. We have been in contact with friends, family, connections, team members, law enforcement and others throughout the region about to feel the effects of Gustav.
Hurricane Gustav is expected to dramatically intensify as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico over the next three days, and now will arrive at the central Louisiana coast with strong Category 3 winds after briefly reaching Category 4 strength.
The rapid intensification is linked in part to the "loop current" just northwest of Cuba, a deep pool of warm water that has broken off from the Gulfstream and floated into the central Gulf. Warm surface temperatures across the rest of the Gulf will keep Gustav growing until it makes landfall at about 1 a.m. Tuesday south of Morgan City and Houma. (Martin, our prayers are with you.)
The forecast path is moved slightly west right at landfall, which will place both Morgan City and Houma in Gustav's northeastern quadrant, and subject to a growing threat of storm surge.
I was reading a report about early surge modeling by Louisiana State University indicating a chance of water 15 feet deep in the Houma area.
Some models still push the storm farther west toward Texas, while others move it farther east, but we are seeing a hit as predicted, and we will stay on this through it all.
We have added a great Hurricane Page Link to the website, so go to our home page and look in the left menu for the new Hurricane Season link from Alexandria, Louisiana!
Tonight we will pray for our family down south and tomorrow we will update you again...
Thursday, August 28, 2008
EYES ON NEW ORLEANS
A trough moving across the Midwest could slow Gustav down, but he is definitely going to be a problem anyway you look at it. As we attempt to make final decisions regarding a trip south, the question on everyone’s mind is: Where will he make landfall?
My guess is still near New Orleans on Tuesday.
As we were discussing the possible trip south, I took a moment to call on some friends we have and a few television stations in Louisiana. According to reports, the lines for generators were long, but the folks from Home Depot were being friendly!
“It is not Katrina!” said one of my contacts. “There are buses everywhere and anyone that wants a ride will have one! There is no panic…nothing like last time!”
It was good to hear. The State of Louisiana truly has shown that they have learned some lessons and given this a lot of thought.
As we wake tomorrow to what should be a Category One Hurricane, everyone around the country will be eyeing Gustav.
I expect that we will see not only intensification over the next 36 hours, but a very intense GROWTH pattern which should cause ALL residents on all sides of the Gulf to be making last minute preparations NOW.
If the team heads to the Gulf, we will let you know and you can watch for updates on KHAS-TV until we return.
Until tomorrow…Peace.
My guess is still near New Orleans on Tuesday.
As we were discussing the possible trip south, I took a moment to call on some friends we have and a few television stations in Louisiana. According to reports, the lines for generators were long, but the folks from Home Depot were being friendly!
“It is not Katrina!” said one of my contacts. “There are buses everywhere and anyone that wants a ride will have one! There is no panic…nothing like last time!”
It was good to hear. The State of Louisiana truly has shown that they have learned some lessons and given this a lot of thought.
As we wake tomorrow to what should be a Category One Hurricane, everyone around the country will be eyeing Gustav.
I expect that we will see not only intensification over the next 36 hours, but a very intense GROWTH pattern which should cause ALL residents on all sides of the Gulf to be making last minute preparations NOW.
If the team heads to the Gulf, we will let you know and you can watch for updates on KHAS-TV until we return.
Until tomorrow…Peace.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Gustav's a comin!
Gustav is getting a lot of attention now as the Gulf Coast states begin preparations for what could be a horrific storm should things go as we expect. As of the last time we checked, Gustav had killed over 20 people between in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The models are showing an agreement with previous predictions that we made earlier this week here at Chasing4Life as it looks like Gustav will enter the Gulf and, gliding slowly over warmer water, could grow to a Category 3 Hurricane quickly as it heads toward what looks to be the Louisiana coastline. The next two days will tell us a lot more about just how fast Gustav will be moving, and it will be speed that will determine just how strong Gustav will be when he makes landfall.
In the meantime, North Carolina is taking a pounding from the remnants of Fay with tornadoes reported and heavy rainfall.
Now, there is a tropical disturbance a few hundred miles from Puerto Rico and it is showing signs of getting a little more serious. We expect that this storm will develop into a tropical storm as Gustav begins to eye a landing spot so this weekend and the early part of next week will prove to be interesting to say the least. Most of the modeling shows this storm heading northward with a possibility of developing into a hurricane, so we will keep our east coast family and friends updated over the next few days.
For our family in North Carolina, stay safe and stay tuned to your weather radios.
Until next update…
In the meantime, North Carolina is taking a pounding from the remnants of Fay with tornadoes reported and heavy rainfall.
Now, there is a tropical disturbance a few hundred miles from Puerto Rico and it is showing signs of getting a little more serious. We expect that this storm will develop into a tropical storm as Gustav begins to eye a landing spot so this weekend and the early part of next week will prove to be interesting to say the least. Most of the modeling shows this storm heading northward with a possibility of developing into a hurricane, so we will keep our east coast family and friends updated over the next few days.
For our family in North Carolina, stay safe and stay tuned to your weather radios.
Until next update…
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Just Guessin' For Now...
This morning we were discussing our hurricane predictions, as we tend to do over coffee during this season. With summer storms being so sporadic, we will attempt to forecast the direction and destination of tropical storms just to see how accurate we can be. It is a good exercise in reading and forecasting and keeps the blood flowing during the slower storm season here in the Midwest.
Today, Gustav hit Haiti as a category One, and as expected, this weakened the storm. What we expect is that Gustav will quickly strengthen and begin to follow a track into the Gulf. The storm forecasts seem to think that Gustav will go west and then Northwest into the Gulf over the next few days.
While the forecast is unclear as of yet as to Gustav’s landfall, we were making guesses this morning; guesses and estimates that ranged from the Panhandle of Florida to the Texas Coast. I believe that as long as Gustav enters the center of the Gulf, it will follow a north-northwest track through the warm waters I am seeing here at our Tracking Center; waters that are presently about 87.6 degrees up the middle of the Gulf to Louisiana.
While this is just an estimate at this time, and no real prediction that should cause concern, there are some facts that should be considered. First, the shear winds are low, allowing Gustav to really simmer over the warm waters of the Gulf, “feeding” if you will. Once Gustav passes Cuba, He will begin to “cook” in these warm waters as he heads into the deeper Gulf waters. If you remember Katrina and Rita, these storms followed that warm water to the coast of Louisiana. I can see this “line” of warm water now, and would expect that this would be he “road” to travel.
We saw waters like this with Hurricane Charley who of course, headed right into Florida, but Katrina and Rita were caught up in this current of warm water almost as if it they were being “sucked” northward. We now have a Loop current of this water just south of New Orleans which is leading me to think that preparedness should once again be on the minds of our friends and family members along the Gulf Coast.
Today, Gustav hit Haiti as a category One, and as expected, this weakened the storm. What we expect is that Gustav will quickly strengthen and begin to follow a track into the Gulf. The storm forecasts seem to think that Gustav will go west and then Northwest into the Gulf over the next few days.
While the forecast is unclear as of yet as to Gustav’s landfall, we were making guesses this morning; guesses and estimates that ranged from the Panhandle of Florida to the Texas Coast. I believe that as long as Gustav enters the center of the Gulf, it will follow a north-northwest track through the warm waters I am seeing here at our Tracking Center; waters that are presently about 87.6 degrees up the middle of the Gulf to Louisiana.
While this is just an estimate at this time, and no real prediction that should cause concern, there are some facts that should be considered. First, the shear winds are low, allowing Gustav to really simmer over the warm waters of the Gulf, “feeding” if you will. Once Gustav passes Cuba, He will begin to “cook” in these warm waters as he heads into the deeper Gulf waters. If you remember Katrina and Rita, these storms followed that warm water to the coast of Louisiana. I can see this “line” of warm water now, and would expect that this would be he “road” to travel.
We saw waters like this with Hurricane Charley who of course, headed right into Florida, but Katrina and Rita were caught up in this current of warm water almost as if it they were being “sucked” northward. We now have a Loop current of this water just south of New Orleans which is leading me to think that preparedness should once again be on the minds of our friends and family members along the Gulf Coast.
A few more days will add accuracy to my guesses, so for now, with less than a 40% chance of anything really worth watching around the home front…we’ll keep an eye on Gustav.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Mountain Rain
"From the mountains, to the prairies...to the oceans..."Well, we are doing it backwards this time.
I remember the best rains were those I experienced in the Appalachian Mountains; the air was clean and a mist would hang over the trees afterwards while the grass glistened in the setting sun…
Things will not be so pretty this week.
With a day of tornado warnings for Alabama and warnings still in the Panhandle of Florida, Fay has not yet stopped her pounding of the States.
Fay has started to move into the Appalachians which can cause flash flooding so she may soon be causing yet another problem. Mudslides are not out of the question as we saw with Charley, Ivan and Francis for those of you that remember. Rainfall totals could be up to 8 inches in some areas through this evening as Fay goes cross-country.
On the other hand, we now have Tropical Storm Gustav that appeared on the scene today and intensified quickly through the day. We had been watching this storm develop, but were actually surprised at how quick it got its name.
Models are coming together as for the future of Gustav which looks to be headed toward Haiti. At this time, we think that Gustav will probably curl around Florida and head into the Gulf, of course, entering dangerously warm waters around Saturday where he will probably be a decent Hurricane.
Brandi will stay on this in the tracking center and we will keep you posted. As for your local weather here in Nebraska, we are looking toward a frontal boundary that should roll through Tuesday night to give us our best chance of thunderstorms although I would not rule out any tonight. For a more detailed forecast, quit reading this and tune into KHAS!
Talk at ya tomorrow.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Well, morning brought Fay into the lives of those in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana with flood warnings still throughout Northern Florida!
I expect we will see a few more days of this rain-producer with rains drenching much of the deep south; Alabama, Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. rain fall amounts may still reach 10 to 15 inches in much of this region.
I expect we could see another stall in Fay's movement on Monday, probably more in mississippi and Eastern Louisiana which could cause some more real flooding issues; I will keep you updated on that over the next 24 hours.
Last night we received uncomfirmed reports of more deaths due to flooding, but no numbers are confirmed yet. I imagine we will do a Fay wrap-up sometime toward the end of the week.
Nebraska had a bit of rain last night although this morning most of the activity seemed to be more along a line from hayes to Wichita.
We will begin compiling some of the facts and stats from Fay as we watch the tropics for more development.
The rain threat is pretty much gone for the rest of the day here at home with expected temps around 75 or so, so grab the family and spend some time together. Watch the side roads and gravel by-ways for a few hours as some of last night's activity made some of these a bit slick as I found out early this morning.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
TO BE IN BAD WATERS
“Eddy, none of the hurricanes we weathered a few years ago down here compare to this…it’s still raining!”That was how the day started yesterday as we checked in with the folks in Melbourne, Florida. They described the flooding situation as the worse they had seen in years. At one time the comment was made: “We’d rather have the high winds than this!”
There is an old phrase, "To be in bad waters" that meant you were in a difficult position. The folks in Florida know this all too well now...
And it isn’t over. As of right now, Fay is still causing havoc with tornado warnings in both Florida and Georgia as she heads toward Louisiana; the first storm of its kind to make 4 landfalls in Florida. Fay is now right around Apalachicola and there seems to be no sign of her changing her pattern. This afternoon Fay will go out over the Gulf where I expect she will pick up some speed as well as strength in the warm waters.
While we had our fair share of rains in Nebraska this year, imagine the folks back near the old Chasing4Life headquarters in Cape Canaveral where they have experienced 22.83” of rain so far! National Weather Service has estimated rain in Melbourne at 26.65 so far! The previous record, by the way, was Hurricane King in 1950 who dumped 15” on Cape Canaveral. As of this morning, Lake Okeechobee’s water level is now 1.6 feet higher than last week.
Fay has been a tornado maker too. As of this morning I think the count was 15 tornadoes, but that count could be growing with the present warnings on the screen here at our tracking center (see picture). I expect that we will see more tornadoes at least through Tuesday.
It won’t be over by any means come Tuesday however, as tropical wave 94L is now about 200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles islands. This storm seems to be growing and heading toward the Florida coastline; you can bet that Brandi will be in the tracking center countless hours this week watching the development of this.
Our prayers are with our old neighbors and friends down south and we will continue to keep you abreast of the situation as it develops...
And it isn’t over. As of right now, Fay is still causing havoc with tornado warnings in both Florida and Georgia as she heads toward Louisiana; the first storm of its kind to make 4 landfalls in Florida. Fay is now right around Apalachicola and there seems to be no sign of her changing her pattern. This afternoon Fay will go out over the Gulf where I expect she will pick up some speed as well as strength in the warm waters.
While we had our fair share of rains in Nebraska this year, imagine the folks back near the old Chasing4Life headquarters in Cape Canaveral where they have experienced 22.83” of rain so far! National Weather Service has estimated rain in Melbourne at 26.65 so far! The previous record, by the way, was Hurricane King in 1950 who dumped 15” on Cape Canaveral. As of this morning, Lake Okeechobee’s water level is now 1.6 feet higher than last week.
Fay has been a tornado maker too. As of this morning I think the count was 15 tornadoes, but that count could be growing with the present warnings on the screen here at our tracking center (see picture). I expect that we will see more tornadoes at least through Tuesday.
It won’t be over by any means come Tuesday however, as tropical wave 94L is now about 200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles islands. This storm seems to be growing and heading toward the Florida coastline; you can bet that Brandi will be in the tracking center countless hours this week watching the development of this.
Our prayers are with our old neighbors and friends down south and we will continue to keep you abreast of the situation as it develops...
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Oceans of Fun!
Well, as of supper time, Fay had entered water and was a little stronger. The main threat from Fay still appears to be flooding, which was our concern to begin with. Footage and pictures sent in today showed Melbourne with several feet of water on the streets and with rain bands still curling through the state of Florida, the flooding threat is nowhere near over. Moving slowly, Fay appears to be almost stationary but we should see her begin to move toward the Northwest/West-Northwest and we will see her move across Northern Florida tomorrow.
As the hurricanes keep coming and we keep an eye on Fay and also the next disturbance out in the water, it makes me miss the days of surfing tropical storm waves.
Now, while there are not many Nebraskans that worry or wonder about coastal climate, there is a large number of us that visit the coastal States on vacation and many more of us with relatives down south. We always get excited when a new thing comes out that promotes disaster preparedness and safety and so we are excited today!
NOAA has created one of their coolest sites! Just a few days ago we got to see the new Southeast Marine Weather Internet Portal. This site offers kind-of a “one-stop-shopping experience” for anyone interested in marine weather forecasts, real-time coastal wind and water conditions for the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Alabama!
The portal is the result of a two-year $579,546 NOAA-funded project implemented within the Southeast coastal Observing Regional Association through the University of North Carolina in Wilmington. The portal is an experimental online product developed in cooperation with NOAA’s National Weather Service and the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
The site is simple to use and very handy whether you are on vacation, watching the hurricanes, planning a trip south or hoping to catch some waves.
NOAA IOOS Program Director Zdenka Willis said that the site is for the purpose of supplying people with “everything they might need to know to make smart decisions”.
You can check out the new site at http://forecast.weather.gov/mwp and start tracking!
More Fay updates tomorrow and maybe a reason to start the chase vehicles later this week?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Fay's still cookin'
Well, Fay came on land this morning and surprised us during the day by intensifying over land! All of the computer models now are looking like they are in agreement that Fay will emerge out into the Atlantic again tomorrow and continue to intensify. It looks like Fay will be around at least through the week and bears watching…This all brings back a lot of memories looking back over the years spent in Cape Canaveral, especially in 2004 and 2005.Another bit of weather related news is the 182,000 public alert radios being distributed to schools around the country by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with funding from The Department of Homeland Security. Schools can take a look at this program by getting online and visiting http://public-alert-radio.nws.noaa.gov/
As for our local weather? Watch John tonight!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hurricane School
From the calls and emails we have received, it turns out that quite a few of you are tracking Fay! To answer some questions, we are listing the Saffir-Simpson Scale descriptions below.
Tropical Storm- Winds 39-73 mph
Category 1 Hurricane — winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt)No real damage to buildings. Damage to unanchored mobile homes. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal flooding and minor pier damage.
Category 2 Hurricane — winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt)Some damage to building roofs, doors and windows. Considerable damage to mobile homes. Flooding damages piers and small craft in unprotected moorings may break their moorings. Some trees blown down.
Category 3 Hurricane — winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt)Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings. Large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly built signs destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris. Terrain may be flooded well inland.
Category 4 Hurricane — winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt)More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach areas. Terrain may be flooded well inland.
Category 5 Hurricane — winds 156 mph and up (135+ kt)Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Flooding causes major damage to lower floors of all structures near the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas may be required.
Fay
Okay, after a long weekend of travel, the chase team is all back in Nebraska. While we were gone, Fay decided to make her approach and hit the Keys today with more strength than many expected. The West coast of Florida will see Fay in all her glory tomorrow as she makes landfall probably between Marco Island and Fort Meyers. Because of Fay’s direction of travel, even the slightest change or wobble could drastically change where she makes landfall so we are hoping that the folks down along the Gulf are heeding the warnings and are prepared.
Storm surge is going to be a big issue here as always as a Category One can result in storm surges of 4-8 feet.
As for Fay’s long-term plans, nobody is sure, but it appears that Fay will travel across the State of Florida emerging off the East Coast restrengthening again in the warm water and then will return to the coastline somewhere near the Georgia/North Carolina Coast!
We’ve seen hurricanes like this before, as you may remember, just a few years ago; hurricanes that meandered back and forth like a vacationer with too much time on their hands.
It’s possible that Fay takes a turn and stays to the West which could spell trouble for Louisiana, but the only the next few hours will really determine what her direction will be.
Should Fay stall over Central Florida, she could very well be pushed back to make a second landfall on the peninsula again. Flooding will be a major factor should this happen as she will travel “over the same roads” twice.
We’ll keep you updated.
Storm surge is going to be a big issue here as always as a Category One can result in storm surges of 4-8 feet.
As for Fay’s long-term plans, nobody is sure, but it appears that Fay will travel across the State of Florida emerging off the East Coast restrengthening again in the warm water and then will return to the coastline somewhere near the Georgia/North Carolina Coast!
We’ve seen hurricanes like this before, as you may remember, just a few years ago; hurricanes that meandered back and forth like a vacationer with too much time on their hands.
It’s possible that Fay takes a turn and stays to the West which could spell trouble for Louisiana, but the only the next few hours will really determine what her direction will be.
Should Fay stall over Central Florida, she could very well be pushed back to make a second landfall on the peninsula again. Flooding will be a major factor should this happen as she will travel “over the same roads” twice.
We’ll keep you updated.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
National Preparedness Month is coming...
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH 2008
As a member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition, Chasing4Life wants you to start thinking now about what you can do to impact your community with a disaster preparedness message during September, National Preparedness Month.
National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign. NPM is held each September and is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.
This is our fifth year as members of the coalition and you will notice an increased amount of preparedness materials available on our website during National Preparedness Month with a focus on Emergency supply Kits, Family Emergency Plans and disaster resilience education.
Last year we were partnered with over 1800 organizations nationwide as a part of this coalition, highlighting the importance of disaster preparedness.
We want to encourage you to think about what YOU can do next month to be a part of this awesome effort. Ask your church to host a disaster preparedness event, talk to your chamber about a business continuity workshop or approach your boss about a disaster planning in-service. There are tons of things you can do during the month of September (and all year for that matter) to promote disaster preparedness education! Feel free to contact us to schedule something or for more ideas.
Most importantly, take some time with your own family to discuss what you would do if disaster struck your area, neighborhood or home.
Keep watching the blog and our site, we’ll be posting lots more before September is over…
Wow, September is right around the corner…
As a member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition, Chasing4Life wants you to start thinking now about what you can do to impact your community with a disaster preparedness message during September, National Preparedness Month.
National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign. NPM is held each September and is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.
This is our fifth year as members of the coalition and you will notice an increased amount of preparedness materials available on our website during National Preparedness Month with a focus on Emergency supply Kits, Family Emergency Plans and disaster resilience education.
Last year we were partnered with over 1800 organizations nationwide as a part of this coalition, highlighting the importance of disaster preparedness.
We want to encourage you to think about what YOU can do next month to be a part of this awesome effort. Ask your church to host a disaster preparedness event, talk to your chamber about a business continuity workshop or approach your boss about a disaster planning in-service. There are tons of things you can do during the month of September (and all year for that matter) to promote disaster preparedness education! Feel free to contact us to schedule something or for more ideas.
Most importantly, take some time with your own family to discuss what you would do if disaster struck your area, neighborhood or home.
Keep watching the blog and our site, we’ll be posting lots more before September is over…
Wow, September is right around the corner…
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
"#@&%*...It got me!"
I am sure you have either said this yourself or heard it from a neighbor. Mosquitos are everywhere and nothing sucks the fun out of sitting on the porch or stormchasing like mosquitos that have chosen to feed on you.According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, two more cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Nebraska bringing the total to 5 this year so far. There were 163 cases of the disease reported last year and four deaths.
West Nile is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people who are infected have no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms but some can get seriously ill.
So, while you are out and about, here’s some tips on how you can prevent mosquito bites…
Use insect repellent. Use an EPA-registered repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Wear the right clothing. When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks. Mosquitos can bite through clothing, so even when dressed for protection, sray on that repellent for extra protection, but do not spray the repellent on your skin under clothing as this may be irritating to your skin.
Be aware of the hour. The hours from dusk to dawn are the peak biting times for many species of mosquitos (the little vampires!).
Mosquito proof your home. Mosquitos like to come indoors so take a good look at those screens in the windows and doors. Make necessary repairs and maybe take a little time to visit an elderly neighbor and help them fix theirs.
Drain standing water. With all the rain and the storms expected this week, large pots, tsacks of wood, tires and the like all can hold water for days and even weeks. Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water so limit the number of places around your home where they can do this!
Above all, just be AWARE. Watch your kids when they are the park or playing in the yard. When the mosquitos get bad, go indoors.
Stay safe.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Rock you like a hurricane!
It's a good song by the Scorpions, but not such a happy thought for those along the coastlines...
In its August update to the Atlantic hurricane season outlook, released midweek, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center projected an 85 percent probability of an above-normal season - up from 65 percent in May.
The forecasters say they adjusted their prediction due to atmospheric and oceanic conditions across the Atlantic Basin that favor storm development combined with the strong early season activity.
The updated outlook includes a 67 percent chance of 14 to 18 named storms.
Seven to 10 of those storms are expected to become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. These ranges encompass the entire hurricane season, which ends November 30, and include the five storms that have formed already.
In May, the outlook only called for 12 to 16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes. An average Atlantic hurricane season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
Another indicator favoring an above-normal hurricane season is a very active July, the third most active since 1886. The NOAA forecast is in line with a new prediction of increased hurricane activity from meteorologists at Colorado State University. By the numbers, the Colorado forecasters differ somewhat from the NOAA predictions, but the general trend is the same.
NOAA's hurricane outlook is a general guide to the expected level of hurricane activity for the entire season. NOAA does not make seasonal landfall predictions since hurricane landfalls are largely determined by the weather patterns in place as a hurricane approaches.
Government weather forecasters said this week that they expect two more named storms and hurricanes to form in the Atlantic Basin this year than they predicted in May, and warned of an increased likelihood that 2008 will be an above-normal hurricane season.
In its August update to the Atlantic hurricane season outlook, released midweek, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center projected an 85 percent probability of an above-normal season - up from 65 percent in May.
The forecasters say they adjusted their prediction due to atmospheric and oceanic conditions across the Atlantic Basin that favor storm development combined with the strong early season activity.
The updated outlook includes a 67 percent chance of 14 to 18 named storms.
Seven to 10 of those storms are expected to become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. These ranges encompass the entire hurricane season, which ends November 30, and include the five storms that have formed already.
In May, the outlook only called for 12 to 16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes. An average Atlantic hurricane season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
Another indicator favoring an above-normal hurricane season is a very active July, the third most active since 1886. The NOAA forecast is in line with a new prediction of increased hurricane activity from meteorologists at Colorado State University. By the numbers, the Colorado forecasters differ somewhat from the NOAA predictions, but the general trend is the same.
NOAA's hurricane outlook is a general guide to the expected level of hurricane activity for the entire season. NOAA does not make seasonal landfall predictions since hurricane landfalls are largely determined by the weather patterns in place as a hurricane approaches.
As we mentioned, five named storms have formed so far this season. Tropical Storm Arthur affected the Yucatan Peninsula in late May and early June. Bertha was a major hurricane and the longest-lived July storm on record, lasting from July 3 through 20. Tropical Storm Cristobal skirted the North Carolina coastline. Dolly made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane at South Padre Island, Texas on July 25 with 120 mile per hour winds and heavy rain. And just a week ago on August 5, Tropical Storm Edouard struck the upper Texas coast.
If you have relatives or friends along the coastlines, make sure they have a disaster plan for this year and a way to stay in contact with you as these storms continue to form.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
New ads and web page!
The Olympics are under way and the opening ceremonies were amazing weren't they? Aside from all the excitement surrounding beiijing, the team was just as excited to see the new KHAS promo spot running during the Olympics! Make sure you watch closely- the ad runs fast and furious and you don't want to miss it! You can also find us on the new ChaseTeam page on the KHAS website (Thanks Julie!), just click on weather to find us!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Kinda like "Where's Waldo"
We are almost there. because of the many requests, we are working fast and furious to outfit the KHAS-TV chase vehicles with a GPS system that will enable all our fans to track us LIVE on the web! Our techs are also working on web-streaming off the dashboards so you can "ride-a-long" too!
If you want to start watching us while we are out, go to http://www.spotternetwork.org/ and click on "activity map".
Planning for the party
(Left) Qiao Lin, China's Chief Forecaster)
NBC is once again your source for the Olympics and the news that surrounds but you may not have seen the coverage being given worldwide to the weather for the Olympics. Truly Beiijing has gone to great lengths by erecting buildings, parks and venues for the Olympic games, but were you aware of the fact that Chinese Meteorologists have been using rain reduction science and technology to control the weather for the games?
Not only that, but the Chinese weather service is performing regular forecasts for each event around the clock in order to assist organizaers, attendees and competitors alike in monitoring the weather!
China held a rain reduction drill today to ensure that the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games next year will not be interrupted by rain.
Three planes carrying 30 technicians flew for about 3 hours within a 80 km-radius area about 8,000 meters high above Hohhot, capital city of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, spreading silver iodide and 2,800 kg of diatomite into the clouds!
Although the clouds were not as thick as expected and other weather conditions were unfavorable, the drill still collected sufficient data according to Liu Xiaolin, an official with the Inner Mongolia weather control office.
The two types of catalyzer spread aloft help to absorb vapor in the cloud and prevent it from forming precipitation. Apart from the commonly-used silver iodide, the environment-friendly diatomite, a kind of white or gray-colored mineral, was for the first time used in rain reduction in China.
The drill, overseen by weather authorities of Beijing and Inner Mongolia, was just part of the rain reduction program to be launched if needed next August, a month when Beijing is prone to rain. In addition to rain blocking above the venue area, cloud seeding will be made between 15 km to 120 km away to induce rainfall before it moves to the site of the event.
Rockets would be fired to disperse clouds in case of thunderstorms and other weather conditions that are too risky for piloted flights.
Beijing has set up 26 bases around the city to carry out rain reduction projects for the grand sports event next year. The city has been trying to improve meteorological services to serve the event, including accurate weather forecast and air quality reports.
Usually when people know they are having company they just vaccum and dust! WOW!
NBC is once again your source for the Olympics and the news that surrounds but you may not have seen the coverage being given worldwide to the weather for the Olympics. Truly Beiijing has gone to great lengths by erecting buildings, parks and venues for the Olympic games, but were you aware of the fact that Chinese Meteorologists have been using rain reduction science and technology to control the weather for the games?
Not only that, but the Chinese weather service is performing regular forecasts for each event around the clock in order to assist organizaers, attendees and competitors alike in monitoring the weather!
China held a rain reduction drill today to ensure that the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games next year will not be interrupted by rain.
Three planes carrying 30 technicians flew for about 3 hours within a 80 km-radius area about 8,000 meters high above Hohhot, capital city of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, spreading silver iodide and 2,800 kg of diatomite into the clouds!
Although the clouds were not as thick as expected and other weather conditions were unfavorable, the drill still collected sufficient data according to Liu Xiaolin, an official with the Inner Mongolia weather control office.
The two types of catalyzer spread aloft help to absorb vapor in the cloud and prevent it from forming precipitation. Apart from the commonly-used silver iodide, the environment-friendly diatomite, a kind of white or gray-colored mineral, was for the first time used in rain reduction in China.
The drill, overseen by weather authorities of Beijing and Inner Mongolia, was just part of the rain reduction program to be launched if needed next August, a month when Beijing is prone to rain. In addition to rain blocking above the venue area, cloud seeding will be made between 15 km to 120 km away to induce rainfall before it moves to the site of the event.
Rockets would be fired to disperse clouds in case of thunderstorms and other weather conditions that are too risky for piloted flights.
Beijing has set up 26 bases around the city to carry out rain reduction projects for the grand sports event next year. The city has been trying to improve meteorological services to serve the event, including accurate weather forecast and air quality reports.
Usually when people know they are having company they just vaccum and dust! WOW!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Of importance today...
The remains of Edouard kept soaking
Trees are still down and buildings are boarded up throughout the
The storm caused the interruption of a Cubs game where fans were evacuated from the stands and the upper levels of O’Hare airport were also evacuated during the storms. One of our trackers reported trees and landscaping destroyed in the Bloomingdale area as well as many stores damaged; the tornado apparently formed just west of Route 59 in Bartlett and headed East throughout the densely populated suburbs.
During all of this, the new KHAS-TV Chasing4Life StormChase Team promo video began running on KHAS-TV today and it is awesome so watch for it!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Watching the weather...
Preliminary indications from storm surveys conducted today indicate that three tornadoes swept through the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana according to the National Weather Service. As the storms ran through northern Illinois, folks were caught unaware, stranded behind closed doors at malls, shopping centers and various businesses throughout the area. Travel was dangerous at best as the entire are encountered high winds as well as hail. Tornadoes were confirmed in Bolingbrook, Bloomingdale and Griffith, Indiana.
Among the few folks we spoke to in the area, the common comment was that the storms took them all by surprise; after all, tornado season is over, right?
Folks, we have said this before and we will say it again: there is really no such thing as tornado season, and therefore no reason to ever let your guard down or turn off that weather radio.
Last night’s storms left countless without power and one dead. With many friends and family in Illinois, we are glad that things were not worse. We had one team member out in the Illinois storms and are waiting to receive some final reports and photos which we will post as soon as we receive them.
Among the few folks we spoke to in the area, the common comment was that the storms took them all by surprise; after all, tornado season is over, right?
Folks, we have said this before and we will say it again: there is really no such thing as tornado season, and therefore no reason to ever let your guard down or turn off that weather radio.
Last night’s storms left countless without power and one dead. With many friends and family in Illinois, we are glad that things were not worse. We had one team member out in the Illinois storms and are waiting to receive some final reports and photos which we will post as soon as we receive them.
In the South, Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall around 7 a.m. CDT this morning on the upper Texas coast just south of Port Arthur.
The 6- to 10-day outlook for calls for below-normal temperatures from the central and southern Rockies into the Ohio Valley, the Midwest, and the Northeast. Meanwhile, hot weather will prevail across the northern High Plains and the Deep South. Elsewhere, above-normal rainfall in Maine, the Plains, and the South will contrast with drier-than-normal weather in the Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic States and most areas west of the Rockies.
Keep your weather radio on!
Monday, August 4, 2008
OLYMPIC STORMCHASING?
Do we dare make the suggestion? Okay, maybe we are just kidding, but think about the possibilities...
Seriously, storm chasing, or at least storm spotting may become the most popular Olympic sport this year as Chinese meteorological authorities have raised the chances of more weather threats during the olympic games and these are not just thunderstorms as we spoke about yesterday in our blog...we are talking TYPHOONS now!
At least two and perhaps three typhoons are "likely" to make landfall on the China coast this month carrying bursts of heavy rain and the potential of disrupting Olympic competitions in the co-host cities of Qingdao, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and Wang Jianjie.
Although several typhoons typically hit China each year, they seldom make it as far north as Beijing, in fact, it has been a long time since Super Typhoon Winnie hit in 1997.
With the threat of rain and thunderstorms for the opening ceremonies, this could be an interesting month of competition... it is too late for these Olympics, but can you just imagine the KHAS-TV Chasing4Life StormChase Team bringing home the gold?
Seriously, storm chasing, or at least storm spotting may become the most popular Olympic sport this year as Chinese meteorological authorities have raised the chances of more weather threats during the olympic games and these are not just thunderstorms as we spoke about yesterday in our blog...we are talking TYPHOONS now!
At least two and perhaps three typhoons are "likely" to make landfall on the China coast this month carrying bursts of heavy rain and the potential of disrupting Olympic competitions in the co-host cities of Qingdao, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and Wang Jianjie.
Although several typhoons typically hit China each year, they seldom make it as far north as Beijing, in fact, it has been a long time since Super Typhoon Winnie hit in 1997.
With the threat of rain and thunderstorms for the opening ceremonies, this could be an interesting month of competition... it is too late for these Olympics, but can you just imagine the KHAS-TV Chasing4Life StormChase Team bringing home the gold?
Sunday, August 3, 2008
BEIJING WEATHER REPORT
Opening ceremonies for the Olympics should not be affected by weather according to Wang Jianjie, Deputy Director of the Beijing meteorological Bureau. The ceremonies will probably take place under cloudy skies with a chance for a thunderstorm, but according to the report, the fireworks show is not dependent on dry weather.
As for the rest of us, we are still watching the heat advisory, which means you should too! Please make sure that you stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
Staying healthy is not just for Olympic athletes!
MORE HEAT
The heat advisory has been extended for the viewing area thru Monday at 8 Pm but we are finally expecting a few thunderstorms to start rolling through the area on Monday evening and then again midweek and possibly again on Saturday. the chase vehicles just don't look happy sitting there in the heat...we'll see how Monday night plays out. Unitl then, stay cool and stay safe.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
IS THAT FAHRENHEIT?!?!?!?
Travis, we could have used better news than that!
The chase team worked on vehicles for a while today, but for the most part it was all about staying in the air conditioning behind pulled window shades. It gave us time to work on the upcoming Back-To-School Tour schedule, but we missed being outside.
As for Cory, our Imperial, Nebraska team member? Well, Cory and family weathered temperatures over 110 degrees today out there in Chase County!
Two more days of this folks...at least there's a breeze.
Hey Travis...lose the suit this weekend...it's too hot!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Blast of Heat History
We found this historic account, and thought that it may be a good weekend to share it with you...notice that there is no mention of air conditioning...
August 1909 brought a severe heat wave to Omaha. Daily life became a struggle to keep cool. "Every shady nook was sought and the parks and resorts at the lakes were deluged with sweltering people," reported the Omaha Daily News of August 16. "Many took to the street cars to get a breeze and quite a number rode back and forth over the lines for hours.
"Sunday evening those who were wont to sit on the porch dragged their chairs down onto the lawns amid the mosquitoes in a fruitless effort to be near-comfortable. Coatless and collarless men walked the streets-when they had to walk-and women remained at home. . . . Lake Manawa and Seymour lake were havens for the oppressed citizens and both resorts report the largest attendance of the season. Hanscom park and the other parks, including the High school grounds, were spotted with people all day and evening. Many men, who were unable to sleep indoors Sunday night, sought the lawns in their yards, while men in the cheap boarding houses and hotels downtown hied themselves to Jefferson park for a snooze on the benches or grass."
"Sunday evening those who were wont to sit on the porch dragged their chairs down onto the lawns amid the mosquitoes in a fruitless effort to be near-comfortable. Coatless and collarless men walked the streets-when they had to walk-and women remained at home. . . . Lake Manawa and Seymour lake were havens for the oppressed citizens and both resorts report the largest attendance of the season. Hanscom park and the other parks, including the High school grounds, were spotted with people all day and evening. Many men, who were unable to sleep indoors Sunday night, sought the lawns in their yards, while men in the cheap boarding houses and hotels downtown hied themselves to Jefferson park for a snooze on the benches or grass."
Babies, the aged, and the sick were hit especially hard by the heat. Cooks and laundry workers left their jobs. Horses collapsed. The Omaha city veterinarian advised: "If your horse becomes prostrated with the heat, get the animal in the shade as quickly as possible. Turn a hose on the animal. Hold ice to his head and other parts of his body."
Many liverymen refused to rent teams until after 5 p.m. so that the animals would not be active during the heat of the day.
The greatest need seemed to be for ice. But the heat that drove up demand also melted the ice rapidly on its way to customers. The coolest spot in the city, reported the Daily News, was the storage room of the People's Ice and Cold Storage Company at Thirteenth and Chicago streets.
"Down in the storage room the big lead pipes are covered with half an inch of frost. The mercury stands at 30 degrees above zero and every workman in the building on every possible excuse goes into the room, the proprietors say."
Other refuges of heat sufferers included the cooling rooms of Omaha's breweries, where the temperature was kept at thirty-two degrees above zero.
YIKES! Can you imagine? And you had to move your horse?
Enjoy your weekend now that you have a different perspective.
GOOD WEATHER GOOD MOOD
Everyone has complained of having the winter blues and for those of us caught in those ice storms, we also know how fast we all got in a bad mood sitting around trying to play Monopoly with a flashlight.
So what are the winter blues and why are we bringing this up now? Well, weather can drastically affect your mood and the heat is making us a bit crabby. After all, we are a stormchase team without a storm; as my Dad used to say, “All dressed up and nowhere to go”!
The winter blues, if you can remember several months ago, can leave you feeling low, almost depressed. It also leaves you feeling as though you have a lot less energy than normal.
Did you know that there is actually a disorder called “Seasonal Affective Disorder”? Shockingly, many Americans suffer from this disorder! Scientists have also found that weather can affect your memory!
Now, what were we talking about?
Oh yeah. Weather.
In a study conducted at the University of Michigan, researchers divided participants into three groups. Participants either spent time indoors, spent time outside during unpleasant weather, or spent time outdoors in nice weather.
The researchers discovered again that mood and memory are affected by the weather. More specifically, most Americans who spent time outside in 72 degree weather experienced more pleasant mood and improved memory than those who spent time indoors or those who spent time outside during unpleasant weather. It was also discovered that participants experienced more depressed mood and no memory improvement if they spent time outdoors in temperatures significantly below or above 72 degrees.
The same result was found for those individuals who spent time indoors on nice days. The researchers hypothesized individuals who remain indoors on pleasant weather days become bored or resentful indoors. Finally, the University of Michigan study revealed participants needed to spend at least one half hour outdoors on nice days in order to achieve better mood and improved memory.
Given this information, we can assume that Americans can easily improve their mood and memory. Spending a mere half hour outdoors on nice days is pretty easy to do. Try eating luch outside every once in a while, play at the park with your kids, take a walk with your wife or walk your dog. It doesn’t take much to improve your mood!
These activities are proven to improve your mood and possibly your memory!
Now, on the flip side of things…did we really need a study to tell us that a beautiful day improves your mood?
This weekend is going to be hot, but nice days will come soon enough. Take advantage of them as much as you can.
So what are the winter blues and why are we bringing this up now? Well, weather can drastically affect your mood and the heat is making us a bit crabby. After all, we are a stormchase team without a storm; as my Dad used to say, “All dressed up and nowhere to go”!
The winter blues, if you can remember several months ago, can leave you feeling low, almost depressed. It also leaves you feeling as though you have a lot less energy than normal.
Did you know that there is actually a disorder called “Seasonal Affective Disorder”? Shockingly, many Americans suffer from this disorder! Scientists have also found that weather can affect your memory!
Now, what were we talking about?
Oh yeah. Weather.
In a study conducted at the University of Michigan, researchers divided participants into three groups. Participants either spent time indoors, spent time outside during unpleasant weather, or spent time outdoors in nice weather.
The researchers discovered again that mood and memory are affected by the weather. More specifically, most Americans who spent time outside in 72 degree weather experienced more pleasant mood and improved memory than those who spent time indoors or those who spent time outside during unpleasant weather. It was also discovered that participants experienced more depressed mood and no memory improvement if they spent time outdoors in temperatures significantly below or above 72 degrees.
The same result was found for those individuals who spent time indoors on nice days. The researchers hypothesized individuals who remain indoors on pleasant weather days become bored or resentful indoors. Finally, the University of Michigan study revealed participants needed to spend at least one half hour outdoors on nice days in order to achieve better mood and improved memory.
Given this information, we can assume that Americans can easily improve their mood and memory. Spending a mere half hour outdoors on nice days is pretty easy to do. Try eating luch outside every once in a while, play at the park with your kids, take a walk with your wife or walk your dog. It doesn’t take much to improve your mood!
These activities are proven to improve your mood and possibly your memory!
Now, on the flip side of things…did we really need a study to tell us that a beautiful day improves your mood?
This weekend is going to be hot, but nice days will come soon enough. Take advantage of them as much as you can.
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