Winter Solstice......

[Karen Politte]

I thought I had better not let a popular chaser date slip by without at least a derisory mention......

Today is the Winter Solstice, the "First Day of Winter" - and, as such, from this day onward the mornings and evenings will begin to progressively get lighter and lighter as the sun starts to swing our way once more.

Hold on to your hats, dust off your lenses and service the car - chase season's on it's way as advertised!!!!

KL

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Just yesterday I was thinking about March 12 this year and the fact it was a chase day. That's not even 3 months away now. Is chase season really this close? If only one could wait till late April or May to start chasing and save some gas money.

 

[Caleb Lawrence]

If only one could wait till late April or May to start chasing and save some gas money.

Then again, that wouldn't have really payed off in 2006...

 

[Jordan Hartley]

True it didnt pay off in 06' but it will this year I think 07' will be a pretty active year for storm chasing although look for gas to sky rocket this spring. The El Nino this year is really active and is playing a role in how active the winter storms have been so far this year. The 99' season rolled off of a strong El Nino and look how active it was. Besides were due the last 2 seasons havent had many good chase opportunites consistently through spring and early summer. I hope I can get in a few chases this spring last three years I've seen at least 1 tornado. This will be my wifes third year chasing and each time she has gone we've been lucky. Just talking about it gets me excited.

 

[Jim Tang]

True it didnt pay off in 06' but it will this year I think 07' will be a pretty active year for storm chasing although look for gas to sky rocket this spring. The El Nino this year is really active and is playing a role in how active the winter storms have been so far this year. The 99' season rolled off of a strong El Nino and look how active it was. Besides were due the last 2 seasons havent had many good chase opportunites consistently through spring and early summer. I hope I can get in a few chases this spring last three years I've seen at least 1 tornado. This will be my wifes third year chasing and each time she has gone we've been lucky. Just talking about it gets me excited.

That's what was said in 05. Well, at least it can't get much worse than 06!

Here's to SW Flow from April thru June!

-BTW, the 99 season was following a moderate nina, and technically, this is a weak moderate nino, not super strong like it was in 98.

 

[David Draun]

Yes, it is the Solstice today. And there were thunderstorms in Chicago too! I was treated to a few CG's and a decent downburst this afternoon.

Also, isn't Daylight Saving Time earlier into March from now on? Extended daylight chase hours, right? LOL

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes, it's all downhill from here. As for 2007, you have to take each year as it comes. Remember 2002 was followed by 2003.

In 2006 my first thunderstorm was on January 2.

 

[Kurt Silvey]

Winter Solstice . . . I like to think of it as the first day of summer. But then that means winter begins in June. A March case sounds good to me.

 

[Sean McMullen]

I have the official numbers for the tornadoes of 2006 in Nebraska. I received this from Brian Smith at the NWS office in Omaha/Valley.

According to these numbers it shouldn't be to hard to beat 2006.

The 2006 Nebraska Tornado Season

Nebraska had a below normal year for tornadoes with a total of 22 which
is 28 under the 1977-2006 (30 year) average of 50. March and April
started out as very active across the eastern part of Nebraska with 8
tornadoes in both of those months. By May, no tornadoes occurred in
Nebraska. This has never happened since modern statistics were taken
(1950-present). In fact, Iowa also had no tornadoes in May as well.
During the Summer months of (June-August), tornadoes were confined to
the western portion of the state. Finally, there were 3 tornadoes that
occurred in south central and eastern parts of the Cornhusker state.

Season Total: 22

F-rating Totals: F0 - 16, F1 - 4, F2 - 2, No tornadoes of F3 rating of
greater

Deaths: 0

Injuries: 0


_Monthly Breakdown F-ratings_

January: 0 None

February: 0 None

March: 4 4 - F0

April: 4 2 - F0, 1-F1, 1-F2

May: 0 None

June: 8 5 - F0, 3 - F1

July: 1 1 - F0

August: 2 2 - F0

September: 3 2 - F0, 1-F2

October: 0 None

November: 0 None

December: 0 None

One of the strongest tornadoes (F2 strength) occurred on April 15^th ,
when a tornado carved a 34 mile long. Path across Gage and Johnson
Counties. Seventy-three homes were affected by the tornado with one home
being destroyed and two others receiving major damage.

The second F2 tornado occurred on September 15^th when a tornado
embedded within a downburst wind storm struck the small town of Surprise
in Butler County. A mobile home was destroyed and a roof was torn off of
a bar.

--
Brian E. Smith
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE

 

[Ed Schoenborn]

Daylight Savings Time DOES start earlier next year. I starts the second sunday in March instead of the first sunday in April. It also ends later by ending the first sunday in November instead of the last sunday in October. Ed

 

[Tarmo Tanilsoo]

What? Earlier begin? In European Union's countries we are still having DST from last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October.

I noticed from my day's length ticker on the desktop that day is getting longer again... Currently I have only 6 hours and 24 minutes of sunshine.