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April 2010 will be remembered as one of the warmest on record across central and southeast Illinois. While few daily record high temperatures were set, most days saw both high and low temperatures well above normal. The official climate sites at Peoria and Springfield set their warmest April on record. Records at these sites date back to the late 1800s. Lincoln, IL had the 7th warmest
April on record in the past 105 years.
The average temperature for April 2010 in Peoria was 59.1 degrees.
Here are the 10 warmest Aprils on record:
RANK AVG TEMP YEAR(S)
1 59.1 2010
2 58.8 1915
3 58.6 1955
4 57.8 1925
5 57.7 2001
6 57.2 1886
7 57.0 1977
8 56.9 1985
9 56.3 1942, 2006
10 56.1 1941
Records for Peoria date back to 1883
The average temperature for the month of April for Springfield was 60.9 degrees.
Here are the 10 warmest Aprils on record:
RANK AVG TEMP YEAR(S)
1 60.9 2010
2 60.4 1981
3 60.0 1896, 1915
4 59.9 1977
5 59.8 1955
6 59.4 1925, 2001
7 58.4 1942
8 58.3 1941
9 58.2 2006
10 57.8 1985
Records for Springfield date back to July 1879
The average temperature for April 2010 in Lincoln, IL was 57.7 degrees.
Here are the 10 warmest Aprils on record:
RANK AVG TEMP YEAR(S)
1 59.6 1955
2 59.5 1915
3 59.4 1977
4 59.0 1981
5 58.8 1925
6 58.0 1954
7 57.7 2010
8 57.2 2001
9 57.0 1942, 1948
10 56.9 1906, 1941, 1959
Records for Lincoln date back to 1905
Decatur 58.9 this was the 6th warmest recorded.
Urbana 58.3
Charleston 61.7 this is a new record!
Effingham 59.7
I don't have the information on how some of these sites stacked up against previous years. Also the warmest temperature for April happed on the 14th when most places soared into the middle 80's
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Wine Weekend…
What a weekend it was but it always seems like Monday rolls around so quickly. Ashley and I headed to Carbondale this past weekend to the Shawnee Wine Trail. If you are looking for a quiet weekend just hop in the car and head south. Its only about 3 hours to get there and it's a great time. We headed to several different wineries and they all are a great time. The one we like the most is Pomona and they have different fruit wines. My favorite is Orchard Spice. It's an apple pie in a wine bottle! All of them are great down there and people who are working in these places make you feel right at home and are very fun.
This week's winner in my BBQ contest is Amy from Altamont! I will be headed there on Friday to have a cookout. Also this week the Stormrunner is making a trip back to its home at the O'brien Auto Park in Urbana. If you want to stop by and see the Stormrunner or just to say hey come on out. I'm sure while you're out there someone will help get you into a new car.
Sizzle Out!
Happy Friday everyone!
Friday's are always energizing as we work our way to the weekend. This Friday is special because it's my baby brothers 16th birthday. It's hard to believe, but he will driving soon and that is way too scary. I can remember when he was just a little guy he was always getting into something. Whether it was trouble for just being a kid or trying to have a wienie roast in our livingroom. Kids will always be kids but it's funny when we look back on times in our lives and just think how easy it was when we were a kid. You didn't have to work when you were little you just hung out with your friends. Your biggest worry was what is for dinner and can I go outside and play a little while longer. I remember when I turned 16 it seemed like there was a since of freedom. You could now drive and you didn't have to relay on your parents all the time to take you places. Being an adult is also so rewarding because if you are in a career that you enjoy work doesn't seem to bother you because it's something you enjoy doing. That is the difference between work and a career. Work is something you do to make money and a career is something you do because you enjoy it, don't let me fool you the money is important too, let's face it we have to eat.
Happy Birthday Josh hope is a memorable one for you.
Florida, Georgia, and points in between….
Ashley and I headed out on a road trip this past week and what trip it was. It's always nice to get to take a little vacation to recharge the batteries. We took off early on Thursday morning and stopped in Atlanta for the night to see a friend. Atlanta is a really cool city. We went to the Georgia Aquarium which is supposed to be the largest one in the county. They have the largest shark in the world, "Whale Shark." After the aquarium we went over to CNN and took the tour there just to see what it's like in a huge station. Finally, soul food was on the list. Gladys and Ron's which was on Man vs. Food. It was so good and I would go back tomorrow if I had the chance. It's a lot of fun to see places that you have been to but have never explored.
The next stop on our tour took us to St. Augustine, Florida. If you are looking for a small town that is historic then you have found your place. St. Augustine is the oldest city in United States, even older then the Jamestown colony. This was the northern outpost for the Spanish which offers so many unique options to explore. We stayed out on the beach because we are beach people but we got the best of both worlds with beach and history. We took a tour of the Castillo of fort and it was really cool to see how people lived back then. We took a historical pub crawl and learned about the whole city and visited some really cool watering holes.
Finally, we made it to Orlando on the trip. Universal City Walk is a great place if you are looking for clubs, food, and just a place to hang out. A little FYI, if you don't want to pay to park, go after 6 pm if not it's going to cost you 14 bucks to park. The next day we headed down the coast for a little grapefruit league action. I know that I am a Cubs fan but I tell people that I am an equal opportunity baseball watcher. Nothing is better then going to a game and smelling the smells of the ballpark and just sitting out in the sun when it's still cold at home. After the game we wanted to go to the beach so we went to Sebastian and hung out there at a really cool restaurant called Captain Hiram's. It stated to pour so we didn't get to sit outside but o well it was still a good time. I want to thank our friends for letting us stay with them and we had a great time. It's always nice to get home to your own bed after vacation but its also nice to go on vacation.
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Baseball Season is here!!!!
Chicago Cubs baseball is on the air…what a great sound. Hearing Pat Hughes and Ron Santo on 720 today reminds me that spring is right around the corner. I can't tell you how bad baseball withdrawals' have become over the past few months. The winter Olympics are fun to watch but nothing beats baseball. The smells of the park, the atmosphere of the venues and just watching the game there is nothing better then this. It doesn't matter how far out of the race the Cubs and Cards are and for that matter the White Sox but when the Cubs and Cards meet up it's always a fun time. I have several friends who are Cards fans and we are always talking trash during the season. These games really are more like playoff games then regular season games. Opening day is only 31 days!
Are you ready for the Season of Change? Check out Season of Change Friday at 12:30 and learn about severe weather and what to look for on Stormcenter 17 this season. Typically during an El Nino season we expect to see fewer severe weather events but with that said it can still happen and we need to be prepared. This week is also Severe Weather Preparedness week so please take the time to think about what you can do to help protect your family.
Farmers Almanac!?!?!?!?!?
I was in Bethany today and we got on the discussion of the farmers almanac. My friends down there "Almanac Jack" said he has been paying attention to the almanac all winter and it's almost been spot on. So over the next several weeks I want to do a little study to see how close the Farmers Almanac comes to getting the forecast right. Here is a little look back in January with what the Almanac has to say.
Almanac
January 1st to 3rd…Clearing Skies
4th to 7th…. Fair then cold and snowy
8th to 11th…. Heavy snow spreads in from the west 7" to 14" possible
12th to 15th….Snowy then fair, Cold
24th to 27th… Some snow, flurries
28th to 31st …Fair and cold
Recorded Weather
January 1st to 3rd …Cold and Sunny
January 4th to 7th…Cold and 5" snow on 7th
January 8th to 11th…Sunny and cold
January 12th to 15th…Warm highs in lower 40's, Mix sun and clouds
January 24th to 27th…Warm start then cold, 1" snow 25th and then tonight 27th 1" snow
January 28th to 31st….Forecast looks to be cold and sunny
An interesting side note in South-central 24th to 27th almanac is calling for stormy Texas and snow southern plains. Looks the almanac will miss by just one day on this one.
Take this for what you want but just looking at the almanac it's was pretty close for the month of January. The only real deviation is during the thaw that we saw 12th to the 15th. I told Jack that I'm not a believer in the almanac so I thought this would be a fun little project to talk about on the blog. Jack and "the Coronel" are huge snow mobiles and they are the ones who got me into this sport along with another friend who oddly enough his name is JC too. They are always calling me to ask about when the next snow storm will be here because there thumbs are twitching and they are ready to ride. Guys this is going to be a fun little adventure over the next month tracking the almanac and I hope you out there enjoy this too.
Here is a look at what it is saying for February.
Great Lakes and Midwest….
1st through the 3rd….Wet then clearing and cold
4th to 7th …Clearing then cold
8th to 11th…Major storm brings heavy snow, accumulations of 8" to 15" inches.
12th to 15th…More snowy weather especially Great Lakes
16th to 19th…Fair
20th to 23rd…Snowstorm
24th to 28th…Fair and cold
If you are a football fan the almanac says fair and pleasant no problems for Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
Here to this little adventure I am about to embark on….
Sizzle Out
Stating facts I guess is wining now…
Alright we finally got some sunshine today which ends the streak of 11 straight days of cloud cover. Last night I was on the air and said, "Man we need some sunshine." I didn't realize that it made me sound like I was wining about not seeing the sunshine. I had a person call and tell me I was wining about not seeing the sun and we live in the Midwest and we get days of dark and gloomy weather. Yes I know we don't have a lot of sunshine this time of the year and that leads to people's moods being altered. I wasn't wining about this I was speaking the truth about how most people feel. Yesterday was the saddest day of the year on record while the happiest day of the year happens to be in June. This is a direct correlation from how much sun we usually see. Sorry if I offended anyone for saying it would be great to see some sunshine but I'm just trying to tell you the truth we are human and we need sunlight. That is part of what I do as a meteorologist and it's hard to get used to people calling and being upset but it's their right too. Thank you for the call and yes I will take your opinion into consideration.
On to brighter news what did you think about the football games this past weekend? I have had some discussions with friends on the NFL's sudden death overtime rule. I'm not a big fan of this rule because NFL kickers have a long range and even though you might make a stop on defense they still might be able to beat you with a 50 yard field goal. There is a rule that you can't make contact with the receiver after 5 yards to help make the game more exciting. In college both teams get a chance in overtime. Yes just like in the NFL there is a coin toss to see how gets to choose defense or offense first. Then the ball is places on the 40 I believe and they get to try and score. After 2 overtimes you are required to go for two. Some of my friends said well you are taking away the game from the defense. I don't see how that is taking the game away from the defense you make a stop and get the ball back then your defense has almost won the game for you. If you want to make the game more exciting don't let it be determined but a coin flip how about you let the players on the field make it more exciting and let both defenses and offenses try and win the game. What do you think?
I'll see about getting some more sunshine for us….
Sizzle Out!
Freezing Rain on the way…
Looks like our morning commute could be a bit tricky this morning. Freezing rain will begin across central Illinois early this morning and cause travel headaches. If you are going to venture out for work or school give yourself some extra time. Bridges and overpasses along with secondary roads will be very hazardous this morning. Plus sidewalks will be slick too.
Who's ready for some more snow? There are some guys I know out there and you know who you are who want more snow so we can snowmobile. Have you ever had the chance to ride? You want to talk about a thrill, just you and this sheer horse power around you and open fields its like nothing you have ever done. It's nice because you can control where you're going unlike a sled down a hill where there are trees. Trust me a tree on a round saucer doesn't feel very good. It's cold so if you don't like the cold too much then it's probably not for you. You would be surprised at how many people around central Illinois have them.
I've been thinking about all those resolution we have all made again. I didn't set any in stone this year because as they say resolutions are meant to be broken. Have you already broken yours already? If you are still on it keep up the good work!!
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Fog, Fog and more Fog,
If you're going to be going out tomorrow morning please give yourself more time. With temperatures dropping below freezing in most areas we could see some scattered slippery spots on the bridges and overpasses and on roadways.
I can't believe it's already the 3rd week of January. It just seems like yesterday we were celebrating Christmas Day. Today was Martin Luther King Jr. Day as this pioneer believed in his cause and took it to the people. It's amazing how powerful some people can become as they fight for a cause they truly believe in. If you can be an effective speaker people will listen and stand up with you and that's exactly what he did. Is there a cause you truly believe in?
Have a great Tuesday everyone.
Sizzle Out!
What a terrible situation going on in Haiti today.
The government of Haiti believes that thousands of people have died in that country. I was reading today about that area had been shaking for sometime and they were expecting a big quake and they believe this was the one. Looking at the pictures it's scary to think this could happen in part of the US. We have already had big quakes in California that shut down the LA area and in San Francisco. Did you know we have a fault line that is just to our South? The New Madrid fault zone has been very active and it shakes all the time. We had a quake just a couple years ago we felt all the way up here. If there was a major quake like the one in Haiti we will feel it here and we could see some damage. That's why it's so important that we stay prepared for anything. That's why our government spends millions of dollars on preparedness every year. This brings me to my point that some people don't take these things seriously. We see the pictures on TV but we think that won't happen here it only happens in other countries. This goes for any natural disaster not just an earth quake. We don't just say these things for our own health you really should take preparedness seriously. Next time when we have a tornado warning don't go outside looking for the storm head to your safe place the way you should. Millions of your tax dollars go to protecting you and you should heed the warnings. If you have a moment over the next few days stop and say a little prayer for all those people in Haiti who are struggling with their daily lives just to get a meal, water, or who are without their families.
2 Days til Christmas….
We had an emergency toy's for tots drive here at the station today. I wanted to thanks all of you who stopped by the station today and donated to this wonderful cause. Because of your efforts today no kid in Macon County will have to be without this coming Christmas morning. The weather wasn't very nice today but it wasn't a big deal to stand outside today because we all could see the kids on Christmas morning with smiles on their faces. So once again thank you so much for coming out today. The final total was over 3800 toys.
If you are going to be out of town and not here at the blog I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and safe travels if your going to be on the roads your in the air. Enjoy every minute with family or friends this holiday season. Christmas Eve night I will be tracking Santa Clause on the air so you will have to tune in at 10 PM and see where he will be. Still waiting on more people to send in their favorite Christmas present and their bucket list items keep them coming.
Sizzle Out
3 Days til Christmas!!!!
It's getting closer and closer by the second. I had the chance to watch Christmas vacation the other night for about the 10 thousandth time and its still funny just like the first time I saw the movie. I'm waiting to hear from more people about your one thing you want to do while you still can. Send them in and I will post them here on the blog and we can comment on them.
I had an interesting encounter tonight as my wife and I went out to dinner tonight. I usually am a very bubbly person but tonight's one of those nights where I'm just in a daze. Do you every get like that? Some one might say something to you but it takes a second to register and then it's too late to say anything back. We were walking into a restaurant and there was a group of people walking out and I was standing there looking down and I thought someone said something but it took a second to register and then I looked up and they were out of the restaurant. I heard someone say I was going to ask him what the weather was going to be like but he isn't very nice. I am usually a person who always smiles and talk to people but for some reason I thought they were talking to the people in front of us in line. That was something I was always taught to do was to speak when spoken to and be courteous to others. It made me fell bad because I'm not that type of person and if you talk to me I will at least say hi back. So if you see me out don't hesitate to say hey. Just a bad feeling because no one wants people to think they are not a nice person.
Well keep sending in those responses and we can get them posted. Also since its Christmas, tell me what your favorite all time gift you have received! My favorite Christmas gift of all time was when I was young my parents took me out that night and told me were going to go look for Santa and when I got home there was a note on the door that said, "I had to stop by early so that you could enjoy this gift tonight, SANTA." It was a water bed and I still to this day don't know how my parents pulled that one off. Have a great Wednesday and stay dry everyone.
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4 days til Christmas
We are in the home stretch towards Christmas! I hope all of you have your shopping done. Last week we were all getting excited as the forecasting models where calling for a chance of snow in time for Christmas. I leave for the weekend and come back and I log onto the computer from home to look at the models and I just about lost it. I have wanted a white Christmas for a while now and the way it looks now won't happen. The low track takes it across eastern Iowa which will keep us in the warm and rainy side of this storm. This is good news if you are traveling for Christmas but if you travels take you to the northwest this will have a major impact across Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Well once again as we say as a Cub's fan wait until next year.
My wife and I headed into southern Illinois this past weekend for a wedding and it was a great time so this is the first time I have had a chance to update the blog since Thursday. Did some thinking on the way down there and that is really scary sometimes when I actually do this, but are there things you want to do or goals you want to reach before you can't do them anymore? One goal of mine is to travel to all parts of the world. I want to so this while my wife and I are young and before we have kids. What are some of your Bucket list items? Lets post these and talk about them as we move towards Christmas incase maybe one of these could spur a gift idea. Have a great evening and I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Sizzle Out!
8 days til Christmas...
I'm going to keep this countdown going on the blog. Looking at the latest model runs we could be seeing some snow just in time for Christmas. I know its a long ways out but if this system continues to stay it course we could have a white Christmas. For it be be considered a white Christmas we have to have at least 1 inch of snow on the ground by Christmas morning. This is a real possibility this year as that system I was talking about above makes it move towards central Illinois. Our average chance for a white Christmas is around 30 percent on a given year here in the CI. Below is a map that details the chances of a white Christmas every year here in Illinois.
On another note we are having a toy drive here at Stormcenter 17 on Wednesday afternoon from 8 am until 6 pm. You can bring a unwrapped toy to the station and drop it off during that time and then after the drive is over toys for tots will come to the station and collect the toys and take them to the Salvation Army so they can deliver the toys to kids in Macon County who don't have anything for Christmas. My wife and I did the angle tree at the mall this year and its such a great feeling knowing that a child will get something for Christmas this year and they will have smile on the their face that morning because we were able to help them. This brings up todays question...Does there come a point when the need for help out weighs the people who can actually donate? We as a country send all this money over seas to Africa, and other countries that need help. Here in this country everyday someone child, adult, or elderly person goes to bed at night without a meal. Could be at least take some of that aid that we are sending overseas and keep it here at home to help out our own people! I know we have a big debt in this country but if all talked with our representatives and senators maybe they would realize that their districts are more important and they could send some of that money to help out our own country. I am not saying we need to stop funding totally to other countries but we could use a little piece of that pie here at home. What do you guys think?
Here is some feed back from this week....
David from Decatur......
Hey JC. Great to see that you are writing on your blog. I too, am one of those that likes the traditional lighting outdoors. I have to admit, that I did not enjoy putting up the lights and decorations on Thanksgiving day, after the huge dinner. But my wife, at that time insisted. She would do the inside, and I got the outside.
David thanks for writing and I don't know if I could do the lights after Thanksgiving dinner either. I usually on Thanksgiving have to work but I try not to put up our decorations until the first of December. I don't know it seems like every year people put up lights earlier and earlier. I really enjoy working in the yard during the summer and if I had more time I would be climbing all over our house to put the lights up.
Shannon from Decatur...
Interesting that you bring up the drinking age dilemma. I agree with you that if you are old enough to fight and die for your country, you ought to be able to have a drink. I'm thinking that a long time ago, there were actually 2 drinking ages -- like at 18 you could have beer/wine, but no hard liquor until 21 -- don't know if that is really an issue. I guess drinking is drinking, but I totally agree that there needs to be some equality in the things we ask of people, and the privileges they get.
Thanks Shannon and it does bring up a good point about all these ages and privileges. What age is the right age? Its an interesting note and its also fun to think when you approach one of these ages it makes your birthday seem more important.
Phil from Cessna Park,
Good Morning J.C.It would be an honor to comment on your blog. First of all, I agree that the true meaning of Christmas is most often overlooked. It has become too commercialized and the internet with it's online buying power has even added to the decadence of the Holiday's true meaning.. Like you I am guilty of the presence of presents and all the fanfare, but over the years I have decided to spend more time realizing that we are celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus.
Secondly, I do wish for everyone to travel safely this Holiday Season. Toby Tucker, 95Q, posted a comment on Facebook in which I became quite vocal. As of January 1st, it will be illegal in Illinois to text while driving. I travel all over the country and on two instances I was run into a median by someome texting rather than driving so I am quite adamant about my support for this law. Others replied to Toby's comment, saying they were still going to do it. It is my hope for this Christmas, that the weekend doesn't bring any needless calamities for these people who think they can effectively text while effectively driving. The two don't mix and the two won't happen.If you want a discussion topic, this is a great one! Have a great day, J.C.
Phil I am guilty sometime of texting while driving and I think I have gotten worse since I got a blackberry. Its awesome how connected we are these days but this makes our roads a very dangerous place. What if they made the laws equal for drinking and driving and texting? I know it may not be the same thing but in both cases you are distracted or non at coherent. I don't worry about my driving but it all the other people on the road that I am worried about. Looks like travel this Christmas week will be a little slick.
Teri from Decatur
If you write we will come and read. I just never know when you have updated. I read Greg's everyday it is now a ritual that I must do.
Thanks Teri for the comment I am going to try and update this every weekday that I am at work at sometime when I'm not here. I love the Field of Dreams reference. Keep checking in and sending comments and we will try to have a good discussion on topics here.
Have a great rest of the day and a good Friday everyone.
Sizzle out.
9 days until Christmas,
Its hard to believe that Christmas is only 9 days away. This is my favorite holiday of the entire year for many reasons. If my wife would let me our house would look like the Griswold house from the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. That brings up this question where do you draw the line on how many decorations you put up? I am going to admit it I am not a big fan of the blow up things in peoples yards. I am a white light kinda guy too. For example, we have two trees in our house one that has gold and silver decorations on it and is kinda the more formal tree and another tree that has multiple decorations from childhood and all the ornaments that we have collected from trips we have taken. We started this tradition as a way to have an ornament for every Christmas we have spent together. I also put my train around the bottom of the tree as I have since I was a little tyke. Its just so much fun this time of the year with family, friends and all the treats that are out there. We have to remember the true meaning of Christmas and that is the birth of a baby in a manger in the city of Bethlehem. This brings hope to the world that a savior is born this day. I am guilty of just thinking about presents, decorations, and the food but take a second this holiday season and be thankful for all the blessing you have received because everything happens for a reason and don't hesitate to lift up your thoughts and prayers.
Also, remember that if you will be traveling this Christmas season please stop by our website and check out the forecast to see what you will encounter on the roadways. You can also get updates from twitter @jcfultz. Let count down the days until Christmas morning because every year it still feels the same to me as it did when I was about 5 to wake up and open those presents to see what I got. Finally, there still is a shortage of toys in Springfield and the Salvation Army needs your help if you can drop off a toy for some young boy or girl that would make someone Christmas because it would be sad if someone couldn't get the joy like most of us have had or still have on Christmas morning.
Sizzle Out
I know I should write in my blog more often but sometimes it get to discouraging because I don't get much feedback from it. I know it's probably because I'm not as creative with the blog but I also think it's more because I don't update it everyday. I thought with the last entry I would hear back from you about what you think and then we could open a nice discussion on what your thoughts were about the drinking age, other hot button issues but instead nothing not one solitary email! So tonight I sit here and once again type in the blog hoping that someone will read what it has to say. I am going to think of interesting things that I see on the internet and hopefully you will send me something back to let me know what you think.
Tonight's thoughts are about the Big Ten conference. Brian Jodice and I where talking today and picking our brain as the Big Ten announced its looking to expand. This would mean they would have 12 teams but where would that 12th team come from. Some ideas we had was the first obvious one Notre Dame. They already turned the Big Ten down in 1999 plus they have some big contracts in football that could cause some hang ups. Another team that I feel would be a good fit for the conference would be a Memphis strong in basketball, a decent football school and geographically wouldn't be a bad fit. They are in conference USA and that is a conference they dominate every single year. Then that brings me to Louisville and Cincinnati who just joined the big east not long ago. Good schools with good athletics but already in a good conference. This will be interesting to see what happens as they are going to explore this over the next 12 to 18 months. One thing about this move they could divide the conference into two divisions like most of the other ones in the country like the ACC and Big 12 and have a conference championship game in football which would allow teams the chance to play that one extra week so they aren't off for two weeks before the BCS selection show. That also brings up the playoff system. It works in every other division of football except the FBS. Some people argue it takes away from the academia world with the players out of class the whole time but unlike the NCAA tourney you don't have to travel for a 3 or 4 day span and only one team makes the trip. There will never be a true national champ in FBS until there is a playoff.
Wow its cold today!! Our own Jon Nilles had a great quote today its physically hurt today just to pump gas. This polar air is the coldest of the season and the way it looks we will finally bust out of this over the next couple of days.
I'm getting really excited because my middle brother Andrew turns 21 this weekend! That means its time for a birthday party. I'm not going to go into the whole details but if you can remember what it was like when you turned 21 then thats about that is going to go on. This brings up a good point and that is do you have to really get plowed on your 21st as most people think you do? What if you just wanted to have a good time and have just a couple drinks? When we think of the age 21 we think of it as a right of passage. But I want to bring this point up. You can fight and die for your country at the age of 18, you can smoke which studies show can cause cancer and you could die and buy lottery tickets which could cause you to lose all your money. When is it ok to have a drink, 21. 18, 19, heck at 16 you can get behind the wheel of a basically steel bullet and go down the highway at 65 and one wrong move and you could lose your life? Drinking and driving is a terrible thing at any age and people lose their lives everyday because they get behind the wheel when they aren't supposed to. Also when is it ok to let someone drive? I have known a lot of people who lived on a farm and have driven since they were 14 and I know people who are in the their late 20's who shouldn't be driving. Its a game of numbers in this world and really if you meet kids who are 16 you could look at them and think wow you shouldn't be allowed to drive a car but there are also kids at that age who are mature enough to drive. Should there be a situation part to the drivers education courses where the instructors can determine who is mature enough to handle that situation or enough to drive? This point could be made for any stage of life with the drinking age, smoking age, gambling age. Other countries have different ages but we are stuck at 21 it seems like for a lot of things in the US. All of these questions would open up a huge debate among all groups of people who could argue for all sides of these topics.
There are so many things that big brother (our government) says we can't do because its supposed to protect us. When comes a time when we have to sit back and really think about these things? For example, in most European countries you can't get your drivers license until your 18. On the flip side when is it time to give up your privilege to drive. You don't have a right to drive in this country its a privilege and when you violate that privilege then your done. I see stories every day of people who have multiple DUI offenses and are still driving. I am all for second chances but there comes a point on the second chance when you get busted for the same thing again enough is enough you haven't learned your lesson and your done. These are just a few touchy subjects that sometimes are good things to bring up when someone you know or someone who is close to you reaches one of these milestones. What do you think about these topics? A little food for thought today.
AIRPORT STATIONS SPEED TIME
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CHAMPAIGN 55 MPH 902 AM
DANVILLE 55 MPH 945 AM
SPRINGFIELD 54 MPH 810 AM
BLOOMINGTON 52 MPH 815 AM
DECATUR 52 MPH 938 AM
PARIS &nb, sp; 52 MPH 1009 AM
TAYLORVILLE 52 MPH 905 AM
RANTOUL 51 MPH 1146 AM
JACKSONVILLE 49 MPH 705 AM
GALESBURG 47 MPH 745 AM
PEORIA 47 MPH 929 AM
MESONET STATIONS SPEED TIME
================ ====== ========
3 W BISMARCK 56 MPH 1059 AM
ABINGDON 54 MPH 732 AM
OGDEN 53 MPH 137 PM
3 S GREENVIEW 51 MPH 735 AM
MORRISONVILLE 51 MPH 830 AM
COWDEN 50 MPH 900 AM
2 SE LINCOLN 50 MPH 745 AM
MOUNT ZION 50 MPH 815 AM
SULLIVAN 50 MPH 900 AM
COOP REPORT SPEED TIME
=============== ======= ========
RANKIN 57 MPH 1000 AM
(MEASURED)
New 3D Arrives at Stormcenter 17….
Christmas has come early to Stormcenter 17 as we have a new weather system called MAX and we have one of only 16 in the entire country! This system zooms and pans and has much better transitions then what we had in the past. Plus we are able to make graphics that look better and are easier to understand. This is an exciting new time plus now we have Live Doppler 3D which will allow us to take you inside the storm to show you what's happening and pin point to you the viewer at home what we are looking at plus heights of storms as they roll through the area. We can now also show you the most severe areas of the storm and where they are going and how it could impact you. Yes we still have 5 LIVE radars which include Stormcenter 17 live neighborhood radar. We call it Live Doppler 3D because now we see the storms on a three dimensional platform. All these upgrades that we have made are so that you as the viewer will feel confident in what we are forecasting and you can relay on central Illinois weather source to plan your day.
In other news we went and saw the movie "Blind Side" what a great movie. It's a sad story but yet makes you feel good. You might think how does that happen, well it toys with your emotions but in the end it's a great ending. I wont tell you anymore about the movie but I thinks it's a must see. This movie has really inspired my wife and I to look at our blessing and think even though at times life may seem to through you a curve ball you still have all those great things like family, and friends and in my case I am blessed to have an amazing wife, a career I enjoy, wonderful families, and a home that is warm. Some people don't have any of these things and if you can take a few minutes to help someone out this holiday season even if it is a warm smile that is what this season is all about hope, and love. If you have a minute send something to my email that you fell thankful for this holiday season and I will post them for other people to see. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and will have a great holiday season.
Sizzle Out!
,
|
Location
|
Total as of 7 AM 10/31
|
Current Historical Ranking
|
Record
|
|
Beardstown
|
9.98"
|
3rd wettest
|
11.21" (1941)
|
|
Clinton
|
10.48"
|
2nd wettest
|
10.74" (1941)
|
|
Decatur
|
10.09"
|
Wettest on record
|
previous - 9.55" (1941)
|
|
Flora
|
9.50"
|
3rd wettest
|
12.60" (1919)
|
|
Lincoln
|
9.86"
|
2nd wettest
|
11.07" (1941)
|
|
Mattoon
|
7.67"
|
2nd wettest
|
8.83" (2001)
|
|
Minonk
|
7.33"
|
3rd wettest
|
8.80" (1991)
|
|
Normal
|
10.18"
|
Wettest on record
|
previous - 10.08" (1941)
|
|
Peoria
|
7.95"
|
2nd wettest
|
10.53" (1941)
|
|
Rushville
|
8.83"
|
3rd wettest
|
10.73" (1991)
|
|
Springfield
|
11.32"
|
2nd wettest
|
13.39" , (1941)
|
|
Tuscola
|
7.45"
|
2nd wettest
|
8.03" (1941)
|
|
Urbana
|
8.79"
|
2nd wettest
|
9.01" (1941)
|
Springfield... 8.03" ranks 3rd wettest Oct
Lincoln....... 6.63" ranks 4th wettest Oct
Peoria........ 5.55" ranks 5th wettest Oct
Normal........ 6.82" ranks 3rd wettest Oct
Urbana........ 6.72" ranks 6th wettest Oct
Decatur....... 7.08" ranks 3rd wettest Oct
Effingham..... 8.92" ranks 2nd wettest Oct
Mattoon....... 6.09" ranks 5th wettest Oct
Flora......... 7.79" ranks 3rd wettest Oct
Tuscola....... 5.93" ranks 5th wettest Oct
Beardstown.... 7.00" ranks 6th wettest Oct
Clinton....... 7.38" ranks 5th wettest Oct
Minonk........ 4.86" ranks 9th wettest Oct
Rushville..... 6.37" ranks 6th wettest Oct
(Still a few days left in Oct to add more rain)
|
Ye, ar
|
Avg. Temp
|
|
|
1
|
1971
|
71.2
|
|
2
|
1909
|
71.5
|
|
3
|
1967+
|
71.9
|
|
4
|
1962+
|
72.0
|
|
5
|
1905
|
72.1
|
|
Year
|
Avg. Temp
|
|
|
1
|
1924
|
71.3
|
|
2
|
1971
|
71.9
|
|
3
|
1967
|
72.3
|
|
4
|
1996
|
72.5
|
|
5
|
1990
|
72.7
|
|
Year
|
Avg. Temp
|
|
|
1
|
1891
|
71.0
|
|
2
|
1996
|
72.1
|
|
3
|
1850
|
72.3
|
|
4
|
1971+
|
72.4
|
|
5
|
1967+
|
72.9
|
|
Year
|
Avg. Temp
|
|
|
1
|
1891
|
70.3
|
|
2
|
1909
|
71.0
|
|
3
|
1895
|
71.1
|
|
4
|
1918
|
71.6
|
|
5
|
1924
|
71.7
|
  | 
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