THE NEWSLETTER APRIL 2009

Welcome to the issue of the WEATHERFUN Newsletter

Words From Jerry

Greetings fellow Weatherfun members and welcome to the April issue of the Weatherfun Newsletter and Jerry's Words. Well, we made it again to the sunshine state of Florida for my birthday. Drove from Orlando to Ocala to visit my cousin, and then to Orange City to visit with Kristen and family, and then finally down to Steve's area of Coco. We hit all sorts of weather. From a low of 28 at my cousin's to Tornado watches at Kristen's, a very heavy rain storm on the way down to Steve, and then finally shirt sleeve weather. As usual we had a grand time and hope to do it again in the fall and next spring. Thanks to all for being such great host and hostess. Well, spring is here but you would not know it with the type of weather that we are having here in Warren. We just cannot get a good mild day with the average daily high only in the 50's. Some flowers are starting to come out, but it looks like we are going to have to wait a while for some mild temps. WEATHERFUN FAMILY REUNION: This year again the second week of July we will have the annual Weatherfun Family Reunion at the Quality Motor Inn, in Somerset, Mass. This year's theme that has just been announced is summer, and we hope that we will have some great summer weather for the reunion. Plans are already in the making, and some events are already planned. So, if you plan on attending look for a notice to come out shortly, with the details about this year's reunion. As I planned last year I told you, I would knock your socks off, and I plan to do just that. If you have not attended a reunion as of yet, this would be the perfect year to start to attend. Come on down meet your fellow Weatherfun friends, attend some weather related events, visit some areas of Rhode Island and S. E. Mass. and above all some great food. Good friendship, good events, and great food. What more can one ask for. Look for information in your mailbox shortly. Keep in mind that this is your newsletter, and if you would like to see a weather related article in this newsletter why not let Bill or I know and we will see when we can add it to an issue. Till next month have a great spring, keep your eyes to the sky, and stay safe. JERRY LAROCHE FOUNDER/PRESIDENT

March's Weather 1st: Snow fell in northern Georgia, with a few places getting a couple of inches. Fairbanks, Alaska had the snowiest February since 1996. According to the National Weather Service, some snow fell in town on 21 of the 28 days of that month. So far this winter, Fairbanks has had a total snowfall of 56 inches - about average for the city, but a fourth of that snowfall happened in February. 2nd-3rd: A storm affecting the East Coast brought snow from a few inches to 16 inches from South Carolina to New Hampshire, closing schools, state and federal offices, canceling flights and making road travel dangerous with at least 2 deaths reported from the storm. 4th: Nearly 200 of Texas 254 counties issued burn bans in response to drought conditions. Record temperatures in the 70s in parts of Colorado mainly caused by gusty winds that reached over 50 mph. 5th: After having a day with temperatures in the 60s, several areas of Utah got several inches of snow. A late season winter storm brought snow back to Washington with heavy amounts of 1 to 2 feet of snow in the Cascades and parts of Eastern Washington. 7th: Spring severe weather season opened with a bang, dumping pea- to marble-size hail and brief sheets of rain over parts of central Kansas and several weak tornadoes. 7th-8th: Parts of Montana hit with cold air and snow of 6-8". 8th: The Midwest had at least three tornadoes that damaged or destroyed homes and flooded roads. 9th: Snow snarled traffic across Puget Sound area with several inches. 10th: Up to a foot of heavy snow driven by wind gusting to 40 mph brought parts of the upper Midwest to a halt, closing courts, schools, businesses and a major highway. 12th: Winter weary Wisconsinites in the north were hit with another snow storm with up to eight inches of snow. 13th: One week before the official start of spring, Mother Nature dusted much of southcentral Kentucky with up to 3 inches of snow in some areas. 17th: Another round of mixed snow and rain showers pelted some areas of Western Washington. High winds and drifting snow closed several highways in Alaska. 21st: 13 to 18 inches of new snow snarled traffic in the Sierra Nevada. 22nd-23rd: Strong onshore winds produced dangerous rip currents on Florida's East Coast. 24: An early spring storm system let lose punishing winds, heavy snowfall with blizzard conditions and tornadoes across parts of the northern Plains. Much of South Dakota's roadways were shut down for two days after blowing snow cut visibility and piled up in drifts. The storm dumped as much as 20 inches of snow on much of Wyoming. South Dakota's rugged Black Hills got nearly 2 feet of snow and in Rapid City, a wind gust was clocked at 80 miles an hour. On the other side of the huge storm, tornadoes were reported in eastern Nebraska and Iowa. Near Lincoln, five people were hurt and several buildings damaged by a possible twister. Parts of western Iowa had five lower-level tornadoes. 26th: Severe weather across the South unleashed tornadoes in rural Mississippi, including one that shattered dozens of homes, flattened a church and injured at least 17 people. Golf ball-sized hail broke out windshields in fire trucks in Saint Jo and a tornado touched down east of Nocona as severe thunderstorms moved through portions of North Texas. At least eight people were injured in crashes involving about 50 vehicles on Interstate 25 in northern Colorado due to heavy and blowing snow. 27th: Tornadoes touched down in central North Carolina causing damage and leaving hundreds without power. 28th: Heavy rains swamped the Gulf Coast and a blizzard dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of the Plains. The blizzard cut power, stranding drivers, caused at least 2 deaths and prompted governors in Kansas, with up to 28" of snow, and Oklahoma, with over a foot, to issue disaster declarations. While fifteen to 20 roads around Mobile were closed, and several people had to be rescued after flash flooding from 4 to 6" of rain trapped them in their cars. The Red River in North Dakota reached record levels after snow fell on soil already saturated from six months of wet weather. Volunteers filled sandbags and built temporary dikes to hold off rising flood waters. 28th: Storms in Kentucky & Tennessee brought heavy rains & winds with several tornadoes. 29th: Severe storms in the mid-Atlantic with several tornadoes in PA. 30th: The second major snowstorm to hit the northern Plains in a week dropped more than a foot of snow, closing hundreds of miles of highway and shutting government offices and schools. 31st: Heavy rain, accompanied by high winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes, soaked the South. Weekly rainfall totals were 4 to 12 inches from Louisiana to Georgia and western Florida.

CAM OF THE MONTH Some Cams in Washington State

Links 4 You NWS of NOAA has online Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008	Hello New Members Stephen - stephenkrala_1@yahoo.com Gwen - GSTweedy@cox.net
Did You Know? Scientists in the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Wisconsin say that variations in atmospheric dust levels affect the temperature of the Atlantic ocean far more than global warming. Research indicates that 70 per cent of the change in Atlantic temperature over recent decades has resulted from reduced dust, rather than climate change.	Contest Winners Irish Lottery 1st Prize: Kevin 2nd Prize: Billy 3rd Prize: Andy Monthly Contest Question For March: Bill

We hope that you enjoyed this month's Newsletter. See you next month, and be sure to visit the WEATHERFUN Website but most of all have fun with your weather.

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