Messages

226

General Discussion / Re: Post your desktops

« on: May 20, 2011, 12:40:58 AM »

Reno, Nevada

227

General Weather Chat / Re: What's the weather in your area?

« on: May 13, 2011, 11:20:16 PM »

Thunderstorm and 71°

228

Your Local Weather / Re: New Orleans weather

« on: May 13, 2011, 11:09:44 PM »

It's official: The Morganza Spillway will open this weekend. All bays aren't expected to be open.

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
LOUISIANA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
902 PM CDT FRI MAY 13 2011

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE
GOVERNORS OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

...EMERGENCY MESSAGE FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA...

AVOYELLES...POINT COUPEE...ST LANDRY...ST
MARTIN...IBERVILLE...IBERIA...ASSUMPTION...ST
MARY...TERREBONNE...LAFOURCHE

DUE TO THE HIGH WATER IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...THE U S ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THEY WILL OPEN THE
MORGANZA SPILLWAY WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FLOODING WILL OCCUR
IN THE SPILLWAY AND LOW LYING AREAS IN AND AROUND THE ATCHAFALAYA
RIVER BASIN IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. CITIZENS SHOULD PAY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO INFORMATION FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS AND THE MEDIA FOR
UPDATES AND FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

229

General Discussion / Re: What do you drive?

« on: May 12, 2011, 01:48:18 AM »

I now have a 2005 Suzuki Verona in addition to the Ford Ranger.

230

General Discussion / Re: Gas prices in your area

« on: May 12, 2011, 01:46:34 AM »

$3.85 in Bogalusa. $3.79 for a good chunk of the rest of the NorthShore.

231

Your Local Weather / Re: New Orleans weather

« on: May 11, 2011, 10:55:13 PM »

Why can't we get any rain down here? WWL-TV meteorologist Jonathan Myers gives a good analysis.

Analysis: Why so little rain and why that shouldn't change anytime soon

Jonathan Myers / Meteorologist

Strangely enough, with all the talk about the Mississippi River flooding, outside of the levees, the rest of us are experiencing drought conditions across SE LA and Coastal MS.

A burn ban has been put into place across Lafourche Parish. Also, across the metro area and back southwest into Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes (in areas that could see 5'-25' feet of water should the Morganza open!) and all the way northeast along the Mississippi Coast we are in an extreme drought.

The remainder of the area is under a severe drought, except northern portions of the Northshore, which are in a moderate drought.

Why have we been so dry? Well, a lot of the issue lies in La Nina. Since we have been in that general pattern over the past year, we've shut off much of the Pacific moisture that typically gives us our prolific rains.

Fair-weather high pressure, generally, has been established across the Gulf South, forcing any rainy systems to the north, into the water-logged mid and upper Mississippi Valley. Also, with the high in place, we've squelched any real chances of our typical afternoon thunderstorms. Rainfall deficits are running 6.3" on the year and 1.27" on the month at the Airport and things aren't looking up with rainfall forecast to continue to be below average for the next three months.

Some may talk about the couple of good-sized flooding rain events that we've had in the first half of the new year, but unfortunately, after having a very dry start to 2011 and ending 2010 over 10" of rain below average, it only really put a very small dent in our dry conditions.

Now, looking into the future, for hurricane season 2010, if this high pressure were to hold strongly overhead, storms could be pushed away from our area, although La Nina does usually provide for a greater number of storms.

Overall, this could be good and bad news... although it would keep us protected from the destructive effects of a tropical system, we still wouldn't be receiving the rain we so much need. What's actually expected this summer is that we could push to more neutral pattern. We'll have to see if this could finally begin to break down our dry conditions, allowing more rain and, perhaps, more tropical activity to come our way.

232

Your Local Weather / Re: New Orleans weather

« on: May 11, 2011, 06:09:12 PM »

Thirty-eight more bays were opened on the Bonnet Carre Spillway today, bringing the total to 110 of the 350 bays open.

233

Your Local Weather / Re: Chicagoland Weather

« on: May 11, 2011, 01:06:35 PM »

Yall got to 90 before us down here. 

234

OCMs & Personalities / Re: Carl Parker Now Dr. Forbes' Right Hand Man

« on: May 11, 2011, 12:32:26 PM »

This could also mean that in the event that Dr. Forbes isn't available (day off, vacation), Carl would sub for him and Jim (or someone else if Jim is in the field) would join him.

Kudos to Carl for the news. 

235

OCMs & Personalities / Re: Nicole Mitchell's Last Night

« on: May 11, 2011, 12:11:48 PM »

I wouldn't be surprised if NBC forced him into such an arrangement.

236

OCMs & Personalities / Re: Nicole Mitchell's Last Night

« on: May 11, 2011, 11:33:51 AM »

Apparently there is more than a story in regards to Nicole Mitchell's absence as evident on her latest Fb status: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=221549761193664&id=192972824051358

Our Military does great work like hunt down terrorists so they won't kill more people, or in my case, fly into hurricanes to keep people on the ground safe. Yet, NBC didn't want a military reservist @ TWC bcse they were annoyed my military work didn't always fit into "their" schedule. Shameful! For some reason this is bothering me more today w/ the Bin Laden news & being reminded of the things military folks go thru.

If NBC fired her because of her military duty, then isn't that against the law ?

I know reservists and active military folks are to get their jobs back after their tour of duty is over (i.e. being called up to serve in Afghanistan). That IS the law. I'm not sure how you would categorize working as a hurricane hunter. It may fall along the same lines as National Guard personnel who take a weekend a month and another two weeks period for exercises.

Even with all of that, NBC knew full well she (and Warren Madden for that matter) did hurricane missions at Keesler AFB from time to time. I think both were treated very unfairly by their former bosses.

237

Your Local Weather / Re: New Orleans weather

« on: May 10, 2011, 04:34:48 PM »

MISSISSIPPI RIVER UPDATE

* Forty-four additional bays on the Bonnet Carre Spillway have been opened, bringing the total number to 72 of 350 bays opened. The Army Corps of Engineers' New Orleans district expects all 350 to be eventually opened. See the spillway cam on this link:
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/live_video_stream_from_the_mis.html

* Latest river stages


* Speaking of Morganza, there's still no decision on when it will open. If it opens, the river forecasts on the Atchafalaya River will be much higher than stated below.


CURRENT TEMPS


SEVEN DAY FORECAST

238

Programming and Graphics / Re: Weather Channel chief paints rosy company forecast

« on: May 10, 2011, 09:10:27 AM »

I really can't understand the disconnect here. Are these executives just this out of tune with the world?

I think that's always the case.  Do you own "The Simpsons" on DVD?  The commentaries are very interesting to watch, and they producers often tell stories of what the network would like to do to the series.  ALL of them are the most STUPID ideas you can imagine.  However, fortunately for that show, they have it in their contract that, other than censorship issues, the network can't actually force an idea onto the show or retaliate if the producers ignore them altogether.

Sadly, though, it does seem to be true that network executives think they're so much better at planning and creating programming than the people who are actually trained to and being paid for that very thing.

I've noticed that in some of their commentaries I've listened to also. It's sad that these network executives believe they need to desperately fix things that aren't broken to begin with. That's why so many network have no decent depth in good quality.

...and why good shows get cancelled. See "Boston Public", "Dead Like Me", etc.

239

Programming and Graphics / Re: Updated Graphics

« on: May 10, 2011, 09:05:43 AM »

New Lower Thirds Debut Today on Day Planner. If you want my opinion on them, I believe they're ugly. As for the show intro, still the same as the 2008 launch

I say the new L3s look just fine to me, yet they could have kept the ones that came with the new graphics to start with.

Now they need to do something with the LF.

240

Severe Weather / Re: Severe Weather Season 2011/Severe Wx thread

« on: May 03, 2011, 03:27:36 PM »

Now we turn our eyes toward another severe weather event: the historic flooding on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. I'm sure yall heard about the Army Corps blowing up the levees at Birds Point, Mo. to save Cairo, Ill. (a ghost town IMO). They're forecasting all-time record crests on the Mississippi at Vicksburg (57.5 feet; flood stage 43 feet) and Natchez, Miss. (65 feet, 48 feet). The Army Corps is also considering opening the Morganza Spillway above Baton Rouge, which hasn't been used since the '73 flood.

Here's a civil emergency message from Memphis officials:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1013 AM CDT TUE MAY 3 2011

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE
MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

FLOOD WARNING

ALL SHELBY RESIDENTS SHOULD WRAP UP PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE...ESPECIALLY IF YOU
LIVE WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN OF RIVERS AND STREAMS. BE
PREPARED TO EVACUATE HOMES AND BUSINESSES WHEN FLOODING OCCURS.

RECORD FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS IT
BORDERS SHELBY COUNTY. DESPITE THE END OF RAINFALL...STREAMS AND
TRIBUTARIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WOLF RIVER THE THE
LOOSAHATCHIE RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO RISE DUE TO BACKWATER FROM THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR MARK H. LUTTRELL...THIS IS
THE TIME TO GATHER ALL IMPORTANT ITEMS AND BE READY TO LEAVE YOUR
PROPERTY. THERE IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY PORTIONS OF SHELBY
COUNTY COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE RISING WATERS.

A C WHARTON...THE MAYOR OF MEMPHIS ADDED...WE WANT TO REASSURE OUR
CITIZENS THAT DISASTER TEAMS ARE IN PLACE AND WILL BE DOING
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

RIVERS AND CREEKS ARE QUICKLY RISING IN THE WESTERN AREA OF SHELBY
COUNTY AND WILL PROGRESSIVELY IMPACT AREAS FARTHER EAST AS WATER
BACKS UP INTO NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR CREEKS AND STREAMS. FLOOD WATERS
MAY ALSO RISE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH STORM DRAINS. CONDITIONS
WILL WORSEN EACH DAY WITH THE CONTINUAL RISE OF THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.

GO IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUND IF WATER STARTS TO RISE. AVOID
FLOOD WATERS.