Personal Perspectives – Weather Blog

February 25, 2021February 23, 2021

Book Review: The Weather Detective by Peter Wohlleben

I like to think I inherited my love of gardening from my grandmother, who had the most beautiful vegetable garden. I always loved talking with her about our gardens, and whenever I would visit she always had a clipping of a plant or fresh vegetables for me to take home.

It is around this time each year that I start thinking and planning for my garden. The days are getting lighter and brighter each day, and I am all but over the cold weather and snow. I enjoy getting out in my garden so much. I like watching how things change from year to year and reviewing my journals from years past to how various seeds and plants I’ve tried, have worked out. The fun thing about gardening is that there is always some element of surprise…both good and bad. I recently read The Weather Detective, and this book is a must-read for any gardener, no matter your level of expertise.

February 11, 2021January 5, 2021

Overcast, with a 20% Chance of Gloom

We are in the dead of winter, with the holidays behind us and summer seeming so far away. The days are shorter and (for some) cloudier…and are they affecting our moods as well? Some love this type of year, for the time when we are finally able to slow down and rest, to renew our spirits. On the other hand, many struggle with the extended cold and darkness.

January 7, 2021December 15, 2020

Looking forward to 2021: Goals and Plans

I don’t know about you, but I always take some time to look backward and forward at the end of a calendar year. It is always interesting to see the twists and turns that happened during the previous year, and to take those lessons learned and apply them to the next year. After last week’s post which reflected back on 2020, I thought it would be neat to share how I take all of that and look forward into 2021.

December 31, 2020January 5, 2021

2020: Reflections on a year like no other

Thursday, December 31, 2020.

We have posted our weekly blog nearly every Thursday for the last two years.

This Thursday post feels different in so many ways. While I often take time to reflect at the end of a calendar year, this one has stopped me in my tracks. I cannot help but look back on this year and think how absolutely different it ended up turning out than what I had hoped or planned. Like countless other people, Kelly and I both have experienced direct impacts of COVID-19, ranging from minor disappointments to shattering losses. It has been a year of grief but also a year of growth. I think in terms of key words and key points and that has been so helpful as I think through all of the personal and professional upheaval which this year as brought. Here are the words that have come to my mind:

November 5, 2020November 3, 2020

Celebrating The Weather Blog’s 100th (Post)!

It is amazing to believe, but here we are: this week’s post marks the 100th time that Kelly and I have been fortunate enough to connect with our readers! I have to admit, I was filled with some trepidation as we began this journey not quite two years ago, wondering what on earth we might write about when we committed to blogging weekly. Worse yet, who would want to read it? To my surprise and delight, writers block has been a rare occurrence, and we enjoy and read all of the comments from our readers. I thought it would be fun to go back into the archives and reflect on how this space has grown and evolved since we posted our first entry back in December of 2018.

September 10, 2020November 3, 2020

Natural Disasters: The Road to Recovery and How to Give Back

Within the last month, millions of Americans have been touched in some way by natural disaster….and depending on where you live in the country or world, you may or may not have heard all of the details of each. A severe weather event, known as a derecho (checkout this blog for more info on what a derecho is!), took place across the Midwestern United States August 10-11, 2020, wreaking moderate to severe damage. On August 27, Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana, leaving many have been left without homes, food, clothing, and other essential needs.he journey back to any place of seemingly normality will be on the time-scale of years, not months, for many. There are areas that are expected to be without running water and electricity for months. And now? Less than a month after the derecho, multiple wildfires are burning in the west. We care about all those impacted by these natural disasters, and we wanted to share resources to include ways to give back to those impacted by these events.

Lake Charles, LA. Photo Courtesy: Elise Venable (@VenableMBBS)

August 13, 2020November 3, 2020

Weather Quiz: Fact or Fiction?

For this week’s blog, I thought it would fun to look at some commonly accepted weather ‘facts’, and find out whether they are really true or not! Take the quiz below, and then scroll down to see how you did!

True or false?

Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
Being out in the cold air causes sickness.
Flash flooding only happens near rivers and streams.
If the car in front of you drives through a flooded roadway, it is also safe for you to do so.
Crickets chirp frequency can tell you about the air temperature.
Raindrops are shaped like teardrops.
Clouds don’t weigh anything.
You can tell how far away a lightning strike was by counting the time between the flash and when you hear thunder.
Working out in the cold weather makes you burn calories faster.
At any given time, there are approximately 2000 thunderstorms occurring around the world.

August 6, 2020November 3, 2020

How to Plan a Wedding with Weather in Mind

Hi friends! As you might have seen in our spring newsletter that we published a couple of weeks ago, I was supposed to get married back in April…but of course, COVID-19 had other plans and we ultimately decided to postpone our big day. However, before the pandemic, I had drafted this blog to share how to plan your wedding while considering the effects that the weather might have on your day. Of course, you can’t predict what the weather will be when you set your date, but there are some things you can do to give yourself the best chances for your ideal wedding weather.

July 2, 2020November 3, 2020

Book Recommendation: Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson

Has anyone else been doing a lot of reading lately? I love to read, and I read all different types of books, but my favorites are historical fiction and biographies. When I came across this book, I knew I wanted to read it immediately. The National Weather Service awards the Isaac M. Cline award “to individuals and teams who have made significant contributions in support of the National Weather Service. The award is named in honor of Isaac M. Cline, one of the most recognized employees in National Weather Service history.” Although I was well aware of the award, I knew very little about the man for which it was named prior to reading the book.

June 25, 2020November 3, 2020

Hurricanes and Mental Health

Research shows that mental illnesses are common in the United States, with nearly one in five adults living with a mental illness. Extreme weather events can impacts mental health in several ways, both in immediate anxiety-related responses, as well as chronic mental health disorders. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD; a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically occurring in the winter months) leads to insomnia, anxiety, and agitation. Flooding and prolonged droughts have been associated with with elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Tropical cyclones are no exception and can wreak havoc beyond the images of flattened buildings, uprooted trees, and flooded streets that take over news coverage.