Archive for August 2013

Farmers' Almanac Long-Range Forecast

Farmers' Almanac Long-Range Forecast
The Old Farmers’ Almanacs are in the mail! I got my copy yesterday, but you can also read it  online.  Their long-range forecast for Winter 2014 is COLD, COLD, COLD!!!  Significant snowfalls, too. Yes, bitterly cold, bitingly cold, cold and nasty–especially in February. I’m not ready to think about snowpants, today. It’s been almost autumnal... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 28, 2013 at 10:55 am
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The Smell of Rain

It’s been kind of dry around here.  Remember the smell of rain? There’s a name  for the various smells of rain:  petrichor.  (For  Dr. Who fans, it’s also a telepathic password to the TARDIS.) Petrichor is a combination of  two Greek words –petra, stone and ichor, the fluid of the gods. According to Scientific American, it was first defined... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 24, 2013 at 6:56 pm
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Blue Moon Special--August 20-21

Blue Moon Special--August 20-21
“Once in a Blue Moon.”  Do we mean something unusual, rare and special? The full moon of August 20-21 is also a kind of blue moon–a seasonal blue moon.  Depending on the definition, a blue moon can be the second full moon in a month, or the third of four full moons in a season.... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 19, 2013 at 11:19 am
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Weather Around the World

Glorious weather, continues, here. It’s the peak of vacation and tourist season, and this is the place to be. Despite the many problems here in Chicago, at the moment, the weather is not one of them. Those of you with air-conditioning, think how much you’re saving! Even insomniacs enjoy these cool nights and good sleeping... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 14, 2013 at 2:07 pm
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Here Come the Perseids!

Here Come the Perseids!
The annual sky show of the Perseid Meteors will  peak this weekend, August 10-13. The Chicago Tribune  reports the best time to see them in this area is after midnight, in the predawn hours of Sunday, August 11. Clear skies are forecast overnight, and  the crescent moon will set before midnight. What could you see?  Possibly,... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 10, 2013 at 12:59 pm
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Cloud Appreciation 101

Cloud Appreciation 101
Cloud appreciation is an art we can all practice. Who hasn’t  admired the clouds on a summer afternoon and imagined castles, dragons, Godzilla? Perhaps you see a fleet of ships crossing the sky, or maybe a school of cloudfish? This is free association. Anyone can do it, and the equipment required is minimal–only your mind. Let... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 7, 2013 at 11:46 am
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Remember Prairie Vortex?

Remember Prairie Vortex?
You know about Pitchfork and Lollapalooza—but do you remember Prairie Vortex?  Of course you don’t. It’s like it never really happened, as if the town of Prairie Bend never existed, not even a sign remains. It’s gone, now, but I can almost remember, when the air is full of sweat and thunder and I can... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
August 3, 2013 at 7:08 pm
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