TURNING 20, TIME FLIES...
NOW MORE THAN EVER I NEED YOUR HELP WITH OPERATING EXPENSES
THE FUTURE OF THE SITE DEPENDS ON YOU.
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MY BABY AIN'T NO BABY ANYMORE...
Tuesday was a beautiful late winter day. But nice as it was, nothing could ever be as bright or stunning as February 20th, 2004. That was the day my daughter was born. I will never forget holding her in a pink blanket a few minutes after she arrived. So tiny and so precious, like all the gold in the world was piled in my hands. I knew it was going to be a special occasion, but it was overwhelming, far more intense than I ever imagined. That was the moment I ceased to exist in any other way than a father. I instantly became a man and won the lottery at the same time. It was an immense occasion for my heart and my mind!
Eden turned 20 Tuesday and I rarely bring her into this forum, but I wanted her and those of you who have watched her evolve into a fine young lady, know how proud I am of her. She's attending Augustana college and completed her first semester on the Deans List with a 4.0 grade point average. She's dating a bright young man named Dakota who treats her like a queen, (I wouldn't have it any other way)! Here are a few pictures of "the way we were" over the past two decades. Happy 20th Cup! Weather to follow.
Splish splash taking a bath...in the sink
Trick or treating as a bumblebee on the Paula Sands Live show
Sporting the Eskimo look for her old man in Duluth, Minnesota
Enjoying our 2009 snow fort
French Mademoiselle, eating sushi in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Admiring the world's largest Hershey bar in Chicago.
Coming into her own
Experiencing Lambeau Field at ground level in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Sleuth with an attitude
At an Iowa game in Kinnick Stadium. The look tells it all, what is football, and why is this dude blocking my view?
A Riverdale cheerleader...oh my!
The first big high school dance with new dress, braces, and lots of make-up
The red hair phase
A candy pit in Chicago
Eden and Dakota, I hope those smiles last a lifetime.
The lovely woman who did the hard work of labor and motherhood, my wife Carolyn. Thanks!
CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER....?
I'm not talking about another kid here, I'm talking about another fabulous day. And, the answer is yes. Let's start with the long range temperatures. Here's what the EURO indicates the next 15 days. Over the next 13 days, there is nothing colder than 41 for a high in the Quad Cities. The maximum is 68 the 27th.
The GFS is on par with the EURO the first week or so and then pops a 72 the 27th. After one really chilly day the 29th it warms readings back up again week 2. Overall, it shows 5 days of highs 61 or greater.
Either way, going into March, normal highs are in the mid 30s north to low 40s south. We are considerably above that benchmark on many of the next 15 days. These are the temperature departures for the next 7 days ending February 26th.
These are the week t, 7 day departures ending March 4th.
In its 6-10 day outlook, the CPC shows nearly a 90% probability of warm temperatures. In other words, there is high confidence for much above normal readings during the period February 26th through March 1st
As far as precipitation is concerned, not much if any is indicated the next 7 days. There will be a front that brings a brief cool-down to start the weekend that could scare up some showers for parts of the area Wednesday night and Thursday. Moisture return is questionable, so amounts should be light, and the potential confined more to the southern half of my area. If nothing else, there will be more clouds starting Wednesday, and even more Thursday. This is what models are indicating for rainfall.
The 3k NAM
The HRRR
The GFS
The EURO
After the cooler start to the weekend (relatively speaking), temperatures rebound quickly Sunday. Monday and Tuesday should see significant warmth, particularly if we can pitch much in the way of sunshine. For now, I see a mild pattern with no major snows through at least March 4th.
However, at some point in March, the potential is there for the pattern to turn colder. In fact, cold enough that the shovel may be in order once again. The EURO weeklies show a couple of powerhouse storms in March. That's a time of year when wavelengths shorten and storms can really spin up, with the baroclinic boundary tightening between winter and spring. Below is a ripper on the weeklies, March 28th. Somebody would get pounded by that in a big way, with a blizzard to the NW and severe thunderstorms in the warm sector.
I won't put it up because I don't see it happening, but the weekly control shows 43 inches of snow over SE Iowa between now and April 6th. It blasts much of my area and points NW, but at this distance it is nothing more than eye candy. I do wonder though if there is merit to the idea of a snowy trend at some point in March? That's a question for another day! Enjoy those mild temperatures and roll weather...TS P.S. With my recent health issues, I very much need to reach my fund-raising goals, but we are getting close. To keep things as they are, I'm in humble need of your donation to the site more than ever. If you use it and find value in it, please consider a contribution. Thanks to you who have already helped the cause!
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