Christmas in Florida

My family usually celebrates Christmas together on Christmas Eve, it was cloudy, breezy and the temperature was in the low 70's. My parents house is almost always warm but with the windows open it was comfortable. Moms tree looked beautiful, she had multi-colored lights and all of our traditional ornaments. It was a nice evening with casual food and plenty of presents! My brother in Vermont sent gifts and goodies down and my sister from South Carolina drove down so that was really nice. We still haven't seen or heard from the youngest boy in our family but that is another story. Mom and I took a stroll around the neighborhood to work off our dinner and see the decorations. It was breezy but warm. I drove home around 10pm. Christmas morning we woke up to a squall line at around 730am and another line around 900am, bringing the latest cold front. It stayed cloudy most of the day but didn't really cool down until last night, temp this morning is 59 and the humidity is 79%, we are not going to get much warmer today but it feels great and the sun is shining! This evening a sunset get together is planned at my sisters new house on the water, should be cool and lovely. This is Christmas in Florida! How was Christmas where you are? Anyone have a white Christmas?

It's Official, Winter has Arrived!

December 21, the first day of winter. Up north, winter arrived a few days early with the Blizzard of 2009!! El Nino is really messing with us. In the Tampa Bay area we are also having winter, today the morning temps were in the high 40's and low 50's and didn't make it out of the 50's for the high. It looks like Christmas will be seasonal in the 60's and low 70's. I wonder if the snow up north will stay long enough for everyone to have a white Christmas or if it will all be gone? Could be rain showers for us. We are really catching up with our rain this winter which is great, it is safe to say the drought in the south is gone. My sister had a freeze in Greenville south Carolina but no snow. She was without electric for about 12hrs. Good thing she has a gas fireplace for heat! Anybody else have any early winter weather tales to tell?

Crazy Florida Weather

Fog, heat, humidity, we've got everything but seasonal weather here in the Tampa Bay area!
Doesn't feel anything like Christmas. An El Nino weather pattern is dominating, dumping a lot of early snow up north, lot's of rain in the south and we are getting a little bit of everything but snow thank goodness! Maybe for Christmas week we'll have a real cold front, would be nice!

Rain, Rain and More Rain

Yesterday the Tampa Bay area experienced a full day rain event with some areas up to 3 inches of the wet stuff, at least it wasn't the white stuff like some rare areas for snow like Texas and Alabama! Unfortunatly I was out driving in it but did my errands and made it home safely. The last of it blew thru this morning leaving the cold dry air behind, it got up to 61 earlier but is down to 59 and some areas will be in the 40's and even 30's in the northern counties tonight. I will be home nice and cozy in front of my Christmas tree for the duration of the weekend. We really needed the rain as this is our dry season but a full day of rain, we are not used to around here. Usually when the fronts come down, it is a quick short rain followed by the cold air but yesterday was a combination of things that gave us the full day of it.

A Powerfull Punch!

With the approaching cold front a powerful line of thunderstorms is heading thru our area as we speak. At work we were all worried about getting home before this hit and fortunately everyone should have made it home from work before the really bad rain, many people I work with have a commute up to 1 hour in good weather! I just have to drive over the Howard Franklin bridge but do not like to do it at all in bad weather. This storm will be quick moving bringing rain, high wind including possible tornadoes and behind it, cooler temps. Then another system will be moving thru Friday and Saturday. The whole Tampa Bay area is expecting rain amounts up to 3 inches. Some good news, 11/30 marked the end of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season, yeah!
There were a total of 9 Named storms, three of them became hurricanes and those stayed out at sea or weekend before passing over land. Only two tropical storms made landfall. We were all very lucky this year. It was probably do to an El Nino or La Nina (I get these confused!!) some weather girl I am! Let me know how you did getting home tonight or for friends not in the Tampa Bay area please let me know how the weather is in your area.

Picture Perfect

It was a perfect weekend here in the Tampa Bay area, couldn't ask for anything better! My kind of weather, 50's at night and mid 60's during the day with humidity in the 65% range. Any out of towners were really lucky this weekend. I took a couple of walks on Friday and today but spent most of the weekend indoors getting ready for Christmas. It's all done, the tree is up and decorated and now I can just sit back and enjoy it. I have an artificial tree but I bought a real wreath and it smells so good! Today was one of the prettiest days of the weekend with bright blue skies and light winds, probably was gorgeous at the beach. Anyone else do any decorating this weekend, how about shopping? I spent as little time as possible in the stores, I'm hopeing to do all of my Christmas shopping on line this year. Next cool front is due Wednesday or Thursday.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well after a very gray, very wet day yesterday, Today is gorgeous! Cold front is headed south leaving us with a sunny day and lovely seasonal temps in the mid 60's. I've been watching the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade and they have perfect parade weather in the mid 50's with no precipitation to dampen any of the balloons or floats. I watch the parade every year and hope to see it in person some day, of course this goes back to my love of everything New York. I have already celebrated Thanksgiving with my family on Sunday. My sister was here from Greenville and we moved it up a couple of days so we could celebrate together. I have a huge plate of leftovers for dinner tonight, no cooking for me! The entire weekend here in St. Petersburg will be perfect with lower humidity, currently 63%, sunny skies, highs in the 60's and lows in the 50's. I'm fortunate enough to have a four day weekend this year, anyone else? I'd love to hear about the weather and your Thanksgiving day where ever you are.

Same, Same

No changes yet, still warm, (not hot) and sunny. I've really been enjoying my morning walks with temps in the low 60's and the sun just starting to rise. I always take a l hour lunch break and Yesterday I sat outside but everyday I take a little stroll at lunch to get some fresh air, and clear my head in preparation for whatever work brings me in the afternoon. What do you do for lunch? Anybody else enjoying this sunny warm fall?

It's Lovely

The weather has been really lovely for days. Lows in the 60's and highs in the 70's and 80's.
I'd like it if it were a little cooler but this is nice, I have the windows open instead of the AC so my pocketbook really appreciates that! I don't even know when the next front is forcast to make it down here, Thanksgiving weekend would be nice. A 4 day weekend and I'll be starting my Christmas decorating, anybody else going to start that early? I'm already missing the rain, we get spoiled down here in the summer with our daily storms. In the winter we usually only get rain when the cold front passes thru.

A Nice Weekend

The Northeast coast line got their share of Ida today with lots of rain, flooding and gusty wind conditions. I'm sure it was a good day to stay home if you could. Down here we finally got a cold front that actually made it so we should have a lovely weekend with temps in the 50's to 70's and lower humidity. Enjoy!

Hurricane Ida, Say it isn't So!!

Hurricane Ida is heading into the Gulf of Mexico and is a category 2 but will run into a low pressure system so it shouldn't be a hurricane by the time it reaches land in the North Gulf, near New Orleans. They could be in for coastal flooding as the system moves north it is pushing the water with it and depending on the tides, could be minor, could be major flooding. In St. Petersburg we will most likely have very windy conditions, rain would be nice but it depends on which track Ida takes. For you surfers, and I mean the ones that really know what they are doing, the Pacific coast is the place to be, 20 to 30 foot waves from Seattle down to Northern California. Back to St. Petersburg and it is unseasonable warm, it is 80 degrees with high humidity and gusty winds. The week ahead looks much the same, possible record highs, UGH!
Anyone out there having pleasant fall weather? Would love to hear about it.

Much More Comfortable This Week

Morning temps around 68, 69 degrees and making it up to the high 70's low 80's. Humidity is still a bit high at 79%. Thank goodness the temps came down a bit, I was so spoiled in Greenville last week. Another cool front is supposed to come thru this weekend but no real major cooling yet. Maybe by Thanksgiving? Anyone else having a problem with these unseasonable temps or is it just me??

Back to the Heat

I left Greenville yesterday with lovely temps in the low 70's, arrived back in St. Petersburg to the high 80's! It is almost November, this is ridiculous. At 730 this morning it is 74 degrees with 100% humidity, yes 100%!! It looks like a cold front is expected as the temps for next week look like the 70's as opposed to 80's. What a joy it was to see autumn in all it's glory even though it was for a short time up in Greenville. Thanks to my sister for her wonderful hospitality, she is a very busy woman but still had time to take her sis to see the fall colors. Anyone else been anywhere to see some fall foliage? This is just a warning but I'm sure you'll hear me complaining about the heat all weekend!!

Sunny Days are Here Again

Today in Greenville the sun has returned! AM was foggy and 59 degrees but the sky has cleared, blue skies and mid 70's with a light breeze, Perfect! Still enjoying the fall colors here and there.

A Very Rainy Day

I love the rain, when I'm sitting home on my comfy couch with a good book or a watching a movie! I don't love the rain when I have to be out in it, I'm fessing up, I love the weather from inside!!! My sister and I headed to Atlanta today which is about 2 1/2 hrs. from Greenville. We new the rain was coming but it was really really bad. Driving to Atlanta, it started out just dreary but as we got closer to the big city, the rain got worse and worse. We arrived safely and spent the day indoors, couldn't wander the streets without an umbrella. Driving home was worse, evening traffic and bad weather, some spots the visibility was really low. Bless her heart, my sister did all the driving and I sat in the passenger seat trying not to watch the traffic and panic. I don't like car rides and I especially don't like them in the poring rain! Does anyone else have a problem driving in the rain, it is not fun!! We made it home safe and sound, the temperature never got out of the 50's today and lots and lots of precipitation. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, they are not really predicting lower temps so I'm not sure if thing is a cold front or not?? I'll sleep like a baby tonight, long day, rainy night, cool temps.

A Fall Journey

Today I took a fall journey with my sister and a friend. First the weather report, woke up in Greenville to a temperature of 49 degrees, chilly! Beautiful day for the ride, warmed up to mid to upper 60's partly to mostly sunny, it changes depending where you are in the mountains. Drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from Ashville to Little Switzerland for lunch. The colors were great in the lower elevations but just about gone in the higher elevations. We lucked out at Mount Mitchell which is 6700 feet above sea level and is the highest elevation in the east. The sun was shining and the winds were light, it was gorgeous! Anyone else been up there? They just finished a new observation area in January and it is really nice. The good thing about sightseeing on a Monday is there weren't many crowds any place we went, didn't have to wait for lunch at Little Switzerland, no problem parking at Mt. Mitchell or any of the scenic overlooks. Couldn't have had a nicer day, we all just had a sweater or light jacket. Lot's of pictures were taken and I'll see if I can get them on here to share. Anyone else been on the Blue Ridge Parkway? We (my sister) drove a little over 200 miles. I hate to drive and she is such a trooper. I got my fix of fall colors, NOT, I can't get enough! Tomorrow it is off to Atlanta, for business and hopefully some fun along the way, when I'm with my Sis it is always fun! Tomorrow they are calling for rain, a cold front is passing thru, weathergirl is predicting we make it to Atlanta ahead of the front and it passes thru while we are there, then when we are headed home, we would miss the showers associated with it, let's hope so, wish us luck!

Really, Really Fall

I'm here in Greenville, SC, the air is cool and crisp and the leaves are turning. It was 50 degrees when I landed but warmed to the high 60's, still felt cool to this Florida weather girl. Scenery is just beautiful, still plenty of green but lot's of reds and yellow mixed in. Tomorrow we will take a drive in search of areas that have more saturation of color. I'll be taking plenty of pictures that hopefully I'll be able to share. Anyone else enjoying some fall splendor? I'll be sleeping great tonight with these cool temps and after a really early start this morning.

Perfect Weather

Today's temps were, AM 69 degrees 83% humidity, PM 75 degrees 76% humidity. Really pleasant but the forecast is for a warming trend pushing the high 80's this weekend. I will be heading for cooler climes, heading north for South Carolina on Sunday, low temps have been in the mid 30's a couple of mornings, hope it won't be that cold while I'm up there, that's to cold for me! Hopefully I'll get my fix for fall foliage, might be taking a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I can't wait!

Finally Feeling Cooler

It's arrived! it was in the 60's windy and partly sunny all day, the humidity is down to 66%. It was great! I'm sure everyone opened their doors and windows to welcome in the cool air. We were really ready for this change. A great day for any outdoor pursuits or to take on any jobs around the house you've been putting off. Anybody do anything fun or productive? For my sister and her husband it was moving day, lucky them. The last time I moved was in the month of July, you are so hot and so stressed, you think your going to pass out after the next load to the truck. Moving in Florida in the summer is the worst! Anyway I hope we have more sun tomorrow and it's Sunday so everyone can enjoy before heading back to work on Monday. There will be a gradual warming thru the week. Tomorrow I'll be reading the paper and enjoying some time on my porch on a lovely fall day in Florida.

Cold Front Arrives

It was an exciting day, everybody looking forward to the cooler temps this weekend. I enjoyed watching the line of thunderstorms on the radar today making there way down the state. We actually got more rain here than I think they anticipated, on and off showers most of the day, then the big line around 500pm, just in time for everyone's Friday night commute, ugh!! I got lucky drove out of Tampa in a few sprinkles but had to put on my sun glasses to cross the Howard Franklin bridge, that is how fast this thing came thru, I was on my way home at 600pm. It has been dry for a couple of weeks so it was nice to get a good shot of rain in the area. Now for the good stuff, the cooling off. It is still 80 degrees outside my door at 1030pm but I know in the next 24 hours it will drop and the humidity is already down to 74%. In north Florida it is already in the 50's! It won't get that cool here in St. Petersburg as we are surrounded by water and that keeps our air temps higher than inland. Sunday will be the coolest for us this weekend, can't wait! It has been a long hot summer. Some say that is why they live here but not me, I like to see the changes, a steady 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity is not my ideal climate, hmmm, perhaps I should head for the mountains? Love to hear some comments from anyone enjoying some changes in their weather.

Crazy Weather Up North, Fall Arrives in the Sunshine State

Snowfall in New England in October! This is unusual for sure. I hope that is not a sign of a very long wet winter for them. We are still on track for our cold front to come in tomorrow in St. Petersburg and it should be a lovely weekend to get outdoors and not have to stay locked up in the AC! Windy conditions should set up some waves nicely for our surfing friends. Saturday we should be able to open the windows as opposed to the folks up North who will be turning up the heat! I can't wait to feel the air without all the humidity, what a nice change! Anybody have any plans for this sweet weekend?

Record High

Today in St. Petersburg we beat our record high and made it to 93 degrees. Factor in the humidity the feels like temperature was in the triple digits, that is hot! Forcasters are still predicting a cool front on Friday with lower humidity and temps. Can't wait, hope it makes it.
Is anybody else tired of this long never ending season of summer? Some places have already had snow! Not that I want any of the white stuff, just a little relief.

More of the Same and some Airline Stories

It's more of the same here is St. Petersburg. 90 degrees 89% humidity, Hot, Hot, Hot!
A cooling off is a possibility by Friday, let's hope so.
A travel weather story, there are many aren't there? I mean the stories of getting there and back, here is one I heard about from a co-worker who was coming back from her brothers wedding in Michigan, she was flying home from Saginaw via Detroit and then on to Tampa. The winds were so high that they were only operating one runway so her plane leaving Saginaw got delayed, when she got to Detroit, the doors were already closed on the aircraft to Tampa. They sent her to NY but again got there to late to make the connection to Tampa and she had to overnight in NY at her own expense, ouch! Finally made it home a day later. The only time so far and I've traveled quite a bit was coming home from a training class in Salt Lake City, Utah. My flight was in the late afternoon via Dallas, we didn't take off on time, I don't remember what the issue was but when we got to Dallas, I was told our flight to Tampa had already left and we wouldn't be able to fly home until the next day. I couldn't believe it, I was so looking forward to sleeping in my own bed that night, I was in shock. Back then they still paid for the hotel and gave us a voucher for a meal, the hotel was pretty nice so it turned out ok after I got over the shock of not making it home that night! It's just the way it is with airline travel, anything can happen and it is beyond your control, there is nothing you can do but try and relax and go with the flow. It's a good idea to have a book or magazine, a snack and some bottled water. Anybody else have any airline/airport stories they want to share?

It's How HOT!

After running some errands today in sunny St. Petersburg Florida, I got into my car and I could barely put my hands on the steering wheel! That is how hot it is, you could fry an egg on the sidewalk, that's how hot it is! Record hights above 90 degrees. There is nothing else to talk about as far as our weather goes, just the heat. I could ramble on about autumn some more but it is late so I'll save it for tomorrows post. 84 degrees 81% humidity at 11pm! Anybody have any different weather they want to talk about?

More Thoughts on Fall

It is my favorite season, it just is! Winter, don't think so, I enjoy a winter vacation occasionaly but I wouldn't want to live anywhere that had a real winter. As a kid growing up in NY we had snow on Long Island, plenty of it but I was a kid, it ment fun. I never had to drive in it! Summer, no, especially in Florida, summer lasts forever,this summer is still going on!! Spring is nice, the last time I really noticed spring was my sisters wedding in New York City, it really was more like early summer since it was Memorial Day weekend. The park, I mean Central Park for you non New Yorkers was the most glorious shade of green, spectacular green, it was so bright!!
The leaves, the flowers, everything seemed so new. In Florida you barely notice it, it's green most of the year which is a nice thing. So I'm back to Fall, my favorite season. Whenever I travel in September, October or November, I always think, maybe I'll catch fall folliage? The yellow, the orange, the red, the gold, the burgandy, the colors are endless, nature at it's truly most spectacular display and I guess what makes it so special is it can be so short lived and you have to catch it just right, to early and nothing has turned, to late and the leaves have already fallen. Even if it could be that way year round, do you think it would be as special or maybe we wouldn't notice it after a while? What is your favorite season? Looking to hear some fall stories.
Still 85 degrees 80% humidty, no sign of fall.

Weather News

Tropical Storm Henri did have 50 mph winds this morning but it is falling apart and winds are down to 35 mph and will not be a threat to anybody. "A Fish Storm", this isn't a technical weather term but somebody on the weather channel came up with it. The storm will only affect the fishes and that is fine with me! We were all really lucky this hurricane season and only 1 month left to go, hopefully we are in the clear. Typhoon, Super Typhoon, the Philippines and Japan are really getting their share of storms this season! Typhoon sounds so much scarier than hurricane, do you think it is because we are used to the word? The Hawaiin islands have a tsunami warning. Always something going on around the world weather related, never a dull moment. In the mean time in St. Petersburg Florida it is 85 degrees with 76% humidity, nothing cool about it. Autumn, Fall, where are you?

Autumn

Autumn; The Season of the year between summer and winter, lasting from the Autumnal equinox to the winter solstice, from September to December in the Northern Hemisphere. That's the definition but Autumn to me is color, glorious natural color! One of my favorite memories as a kid of fall is walking in the crisp leaves or kicking thru a pile and listening to the crunching sound under my shoes and then there is the smell, that earthy aroma. Anyone else have any fall memories? I also think of Pumpkins, those bright cheery orange Pumkins, I love them! Anybody know a good pumpkin patch?
It's 83 degrees with 80% humidity, no sign of fall around here.

Fall Means Football

To most people, you guys know who you are! To me football means Fall! Maybe it is from growing up in NY but I associate these things together. College Football with the bands and the kids in their sweaters,cool crisp air and leaves falling. Not that I've ever been to a college football game but this is how I imagine it to be. I'm not a sports fan but what I do like about football is when they play in inclement weather. I love the opportunity to see it snow and watching a game with the snowflakes falling and the field turning from green to white, I love it! or in the pouring rain when the field gets muddy and the guys are slip slidding around, that's when I really enjoy watching football. How about you? Any inclement weather sports stories you'd like to share? Oh, and it is 80 degrees with 80% humidity, the experts say this unseasonal, I agree, where is my FALL??

Weather Channel

Made it thru Monday, it didn't get as hot as they said it would because it was overcast, thank goodness for some cloud cover!
I love the weather channel. What a great idea they came up with. I always have it on, I love the local on the 8's and the radar and during hurricane season the ever important Tropical update.
What I don't care for is All Rokers new morning show Wuwa, what is up with that? A little to much shtick and not enough weather, anyone else share my thoughts on it? Is anyone else up at 600am to catch it? Is Al a weatherman or a comedian? Don't get me wrong, I like Al but not the WUWA! Hoping to hear from any of you weather geeks like me who watch the weather channel!

Waiting Game

This morning it is 79 in St. Petersburg with a light breeze from the south according to the flag out front. The breeze at least makes it bareable! In Florida we are now playing the waiting game, waiting for the weather and humidity to cool so we can open our windows for good and shut off the AC. My power bill all summer and even for September was over $100.00 a month, that means it was a really hot summer. Up North they will start to shut the windows and we are dieing to open them!! It won't be this week, forecast is for the low 90's all week. Still waiting. How is fall shaping up where you are? Are you opening or closing your windows?

Snow Days

Today it is partly to mostly sunny and outside my door 81 degrees. Another day in paradise!
Now that I'm thinking about all of my weather experiences, I'll start at the earliest which would be snow days. Living in NY when a bad snow storm blew in, sometimes they closed the schools. Yeah! A day to toboggan, build snow men and snow forts then head inside for tomato soup with ritz crackers or hot chocolate. I'm sure my parents weren't as happy, that ment shoveling snow, digging out the car and carefully making their way to work. What about your weather days as a kid?

My First Day Blogging in Sunny Florida

Whoever you are wherever you are, let's talk about the weather!
Today in the Tampa Bay area of Florida we are anxiously awaiting fall. We had a minor cool front last week, some of us enjoyed lows in the 60's but outside my door the lowest it got was 70 with 55% humidity, it was wonderful! Today it was the usual for Florida sunny skies but temps in the mid 80's, I'll take it!