WeatherBug has its very own storm chasers about to go on their own storm chase!!


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April 27, 2004
Plenty of Preparations

Even though the WeatherBug Storm Chase 2004 has been in the planning stages for several months, the last week has been full of last minute preparations. The storm chase team has been going through some extensive planning and training so we can get all the latest chase news and photos posted to the WeatherBug as quickly as possible.

Mark Lee, our chase specialist, and I have been learning to use our new XM satellite radar software so we can have uninterrupted access to radar, satellite and wind data while we are in the field. This is a tremendous advantage over accessing data via cell connection. We do have cellular access, but chasing can put you in some pretty remote areas where cell coverage can be weak.

We also have acquired a set of camera phones. These phones will allow us to send back pictures very quickly so they can be posted into the WeatherBug. Yesterday I was out testing the phones and I was amazed that you could send photos back with such a weak signal. These will definitely come in handy in the field. The picture to the left was taken by the camera phone and shows the computer setup in the storm chase vehicle.

Today we will be reviewing our chase coverage plan that we will follow next week. This is the coordination that we will need between the chase support specialists, meteorologists Ryan Towell and Justin Consor, and the storm team. The support team is located at the WeatherBug Forecast Headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. They will provide invaluable assistance in relaying the latest information on weather developments that will be important in where we position ourselves to intercept storms.

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Yep my comp was very very slow yesterday. I used the xp file checking utility to check the files and there were hundreds of corrupted files and orphan files!! The system fixed 'em all up and my comp was SO FAST!! I also got rid of numerous programs that somehow got on my comp. There were about 250 of these little programs that had somehow gotten on my drive and it took a long time to delete them, but delete them I did!!!!!! WOW!! What a DIFFERENCE that made!! I used to have to reboot about 8 times a day!! It would take me 30 minutes to reboot with a DSL connection!! Now that thing reboots in like 3 minutes!! It's like I have a brand new computer!!!!!!!!!!! -Ben

Allright everyone its HOT here in north Virginia today!!!!!! I tried to take a nice walk today and I almost FRIED!!! We hit 91 degrees this afternoon; that's 32 degrees Celsius!! It's hard to believe it was 45 degrees and raining only a few days ago!! This is EARLY for low 90s in our part of the US!!

This is a good time to find a great cool place to stay cool!! I guzzled about 10 sodas after my walk!! It was broiling HOT in my car too!! Hey I love SPRING but not SUMMER in APRIL!!!

Yeah it's hot on the east coast here in the good old US of A!! Get ready for a HOT summer everyone! It feels like its time to Hit the Beach!!!



-Ben

My neighbor's tree branch fell overnight for no apparent reason. It just fell. That was a big branch!
We decided to saw it into smaller pieces with hand saws, rather than use power equipment. Sure its Saturday and we had nothing better to do. So we went out to his backyard where the branch fell. It flattened a couple of his bushes but missed the house. It took two of us about 2 hours to cut the branch up and load the mess into his friend's pickup truck.

It hit 86 degrees this afternoon and we were all sweating like stuck pigs, so we  gulped down can after can of chilled cola like a bunch of lost hot camels in the Sahara Desert. I even took a few home with me. That was a lot of work, much harder than it looked, and now I am really sore to heck! But its a great feeling, knowing I helped my neighbor.

I think I'll just lay around like a bum tomorrow lol.



-Ben

Well I mowed my lawn today for the first time this spring! It was 70 degrees and sunny, all the birds were out and singing, it was a perfect day with not a cloud in the sky.

I really like cutting the grass. Some parts of the lawn were still brown, other parts of it were nice and green with grass 7 inches tall. Spring takes time to do her magic, but once she does, it's wonderful outside!! Nice lush green grass, flowers, leaves on the trees, and I get to hang out with all my friends in the warm sunshine!!

I cut the lawn today and then luxuriated in the sweet smell of freshly mown grass!!

Ah, this is the life!!! I lay in my outdoor hammock and swayed in the warm breeze. Small birds came and waddled to within 2 feet of my hammock!! I could almost reach out and grab the birds!!!

WOW what a nice spring day!! Me an my friends kicked back in that sweet spring weather most of the afternoon!! It's so sad the day had to end so fast! But we have another one tomorrow! It will hit 77 degrees tomorrow!!


-Ben

YAY! What's that fiery yellow object in the skies after four long, long interminable days of rain and 45-degree cold?

IT'S THE SUN!!!

Come ON, spring!! It's mid-April! It's TAX DAY for goodness' sake!

It's high time for spring, temps in the 70s and warm breezes with flowers and leaves on the trees and lots of time to hang out with friends in the nice delightful weather!

NO MORE RAIN! We got 3 inches from this 4-day blow, and my backyard turned into a small pond LOL!

Come on Spring! We want NICE weather!!



-Ben

I love Blogs!! I love Blogs!! There are SO MANY BLOGS out there, and I can't get enough of them! I got a tripod.com blog today! I got a Blogger.com Blog last night!! I am searching on many search engines for MORE BLOGS!!! WOW!! I want as many Blogs as I can get!! I really enjoy keeping web journals!

Does anyone here know of any other Blogs on the Web?

Did I mention that I love Blogs? LOL!



-Ben

Hi there! I'm K. Ben Ebberly. I have just started this Web Journal. I've just learned how to make a new entry lol!

I am interested in many topics, as will be evident if you check out my website, The Crossroads. I really enjoy web technologies such as Top Site Lists, Affiliations, WebRings, and especially messageboard forums!!! In my humble opinion, Invision boards, V Bulletin and phpBB boards are the very best!! Of the above three boards, phpBB is my favorite!!

As you read my journal you will realize that I am interested in many different things. I am interested in mythology and legend, folk myths, weather, all kinds of science, web technologies, all the different kinds of scientists, philosophers, actors, films, all the different civilizations throughout history, their peoples, and beliefs.

Everyone is invited to read my journal and to post comments! Check out my tagboard! It's open for everyone to use! Check out my website, The Crossroads! It's under development! Please join my phpBB messageboard, The Crossroads! Please join my Yahoo weather group, Mid Atlantic Weather Central!

Enjoy my Journal, and have an excellent day! I am looking forward to checking out all your journals!! There are so many other journals here, I don't know how I will ever have enough time to read them all!!


-K. Ben Ebberly

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