woollybear's Blog

THE FOX 8 WEATHER STAFF HAS CONJURED UP A WINTER WEATHER
FORECAST THAT DIFFERS MARKEDLY FROM THAT OF THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICES' CLIMATE PREDICATION CENTER FORECAST.

THE NPC OUTLOOK CALLS FOR TEMPERATURES IN OUR AREA TO
AVERAGE ABOVE NORM AL WITH BELOW NORMAL SNOWFALL (I HOPE
THEY ARE RIGHT!)

THE FOX 8 FORECAST IS FOR BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
(BUT NOT WITHOUT 5 TO 8 DAY PERIODS OF MILDER READINGS).

SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO BE A BIT ABOVE NORMAL WITH THE
USUAL HEAVY  SNOWFALL IN THE LEGENDARY NE OHIO SNOWBELTS
EAST OF CLEVELAND.

AS I ALWAYS POINT OUT, THERE ARE 3 THINGS WE SHOULD NOT
KNOW HOW THEY ARE MADE:  LAWS, SAUSAGES AND LONG-RANGE
WEATHER FORECASTS.  WE WILL REVIEW THE OUTLOOK AT MID-
WINTER.

THE WOOLLYBEARS MADE THEIR  WINTER FORECAST  AT
OUR ANNUAL  FESTIVAL IN VERMILION.  IF YOU ARE A
FAN OF WINTER. YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE THINGS YOUR
WAY.

THE CATERPILLAR CRITTERS ARE TELLING US WE ARE IN
FOR A CHILLING EXPERIENCE WITH TEMPERATURES
COLDER THAN A WELL-DIGGERS WALLET AT TIMES 
(THE WOOLLYBEARS WERE WEARING THICK OVERCOATS)

BASED ON THAT OPINION,  THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SNOW
TO SATISFY THE LOCAL SKIERS AND SLEDDERS.  THE
LEGENDARY NORTHEAST OHIO SNOWBELT WILL BE
GETTING THEIR USUAL MONUMENTAL SNOW  ACCUMULATIONS.

AT MONTH'S END WE WILL GIVE THE COMPILATION OF
WEATHER ESTIMATES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND
ALMANACS, AS WELL.  THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE
OF OPINIONS!  ONE IS FOR A LESS-HARSH WINTER,
THE OTHER FOR VERY-HARSH.

THE WOOLLYBEARS MADE THEIR  WINTER FORECAST  AT
OUR ANNUAL  FESTIVAL IN VERMILION.  IF YOU ARE A
FAN OF WINTER. YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE THINGS YOUR
WAY.

THE CATERPILLAR CRITTERS ARE TELLING US WE ARE IN
FOR A CHILLING EXPERIENCE WITH TEMPERATURES
COLDER THAN A WELL-DIGGERS WALLET AT TIMES 
(THE WOOLLYBEARS WERE WEARING THICK OVERCOATS)

BASED ON THAT OPINION,  THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SNOW
TO SATISFY THE LOCAL SKIERS AND SLEDDERS.  THE
LEGENDARY NORTHEAST OHIO SNOWBELT WILL BE
GETTING THEIR USUAL MONUMENTAL SNOW  ACCUMULATIONS.

AT MONTH'S END WE WILL GIVE THE COMPILATION OF
WEATHER ESTIMATES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND
ALMANACS, AS WELL.  THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE
OF OPINIONS!  ONE IS FOR A LESS-HARSH WINTER,
THE OTHER FOR VERY-HARSH.

THE WOOLLYBEARS MADE THEIR  WINTER FORECAST  AT
OUR ANNUAL  FESTIVAL IN VERMILION.  IF YOU ARE A
FAN OF WINTER. YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE THINGS YOUR
WAY.

THE CATERPILLAR CRITTERS ARE TELLING US WE ARE IN
FOR A CHILLING EXPERIENCE WITH TEMPERATURES
COLDER THAN A WELL-DIGGERS WALLET AT TIMES 
(THE WOOLLYBEARS WERE WEARING THICK OVERCOATS)

BASED ON THAT OPINION,  THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SNOW
TO SATISFY THE LOCAL SKIERS AND SLEDDERS.  THE
LEGENDARY NORTHEAST OHIO SNOWBELT WILL BE
GETTING THEIR USUAL MONUMENTAL SNOW  ACCUMULATIONS.

AT MONTH'S END WE WILL GIVE THE COMPILATION OF
WEATHER ESTIMATES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND
ALMANACS, AS WELL.  THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE
OF OPINIONS!  ONE IS FOR A LESS-HARSH WINTER,
THE OTHER FOR VERY-HARSH.

A  WARM  "THANK YOU"  TO  MY COLLEAGUES  FOR  MAKING
WOOLLYBEAR  36  SUCH  A  GREAT  SUCESS!

THE  ATTENDANCE  WAS - MOST  LIKELY-  IN  EXCESS OF
100,000.

VERMILION  HAS  ABOUT  11,000  RESIDENTS  AND OUR
EVENT  INCREASED  THAT  BY  10  FOLD  FOR  8
HOURS.

I'M  SURE  THE  FOX  8  VIEWERS  HAD  A  GREAT  TIME
PAYING  TRIBUTE  TO  THE  LEGENDARY  WEATHER  WORM.

THE  CITY  OF  VERMILION  TRULY  APPRECIATES  YOU
AS  WELL.  THEIR  ECONOMY  RECEIVED  A  MUCH-NEEDED
BOOST.

BLESS  YOU!

Woollybear 36 is coming up on Sunday, October 5th in Vermilion
- some 35 miles due west of Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie.

It's FAMILY, FUN AND FREE FROM  FOX 8.  A  "thank you" to our
viewers.

Most of  the Fox 8 on-air folks will be there to sign autographs and
have pictures taken.  It all starts at 9 a.m. with Big Chuck and Li'l
John helping out with the Woollybear 500 caterpillar races starting
at 10 a.m. and judging of the kids and pets in woollybear costumes
around 11 a.,m.  All costume entries will receive the new, bright
yellow woollybear tee shirts.  Finals for the Woollybear 500 will be
around 5 p.m.

There will be continuous entertainment with the huge Woollybear
parade at 1:30  (over 300 units) and over a dozen marching bands.

Bill  "Sunny Skies" Summers will deliver his  winter forecast (based
on the stripes on this year's caterpillar crop, of course)

Jungle Terry and Mandy Markley will present their exotic animals,
while Mr. Joe will be creating his fabulous balloon characters.

Plan on getting into Vermilion before noon, since we anticipate
another wonderful crowd for the event.

See you on Woollybear Sunday!

AS IS THE CASE IN ANY EXTENDED WEATHER OUTLOOK -  WITH
NO OBVIOUS  OVERRIDING GUIDANCE AVAILABLE - WE MIGHT AS
WELL RELATE TO WHAT ARE THE AVERAGE CLIMATOLOGICAL
CONDITIONS.

OVER THE 123 DAYS FROM MAY THRU AUGUST, WE CAN EXPECT
25 DAYS OF THUNDERSTORM WEATHER.  WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL
WITH OCCASIONAL EPISODES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND
TORNADO ALERTS.

NORTHEAST OHIO AVERAGES 10 DAYS OF 90 DEGREE, OR HIGHER,
TEMPERATURES.   THAT IS  THE PRECISE NUMBER WE HAD LAST
SUMMER.  THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DAYS WITH 90 OR HIGHER
CAME IN 1952 AND 1955 (WE NEVER MENTIONED GLOBAL WARMING
BACK THEN)  WITH 37 DAYS.   THE LAST REALLY BLAZING SUMMER WE
HAD WAS IN 1988 WHEN WE RECORDED 36 DAYS.

SO, KEEP THE LEMONADE AND POPSICLES HANDY.   THE GOOD OLD
SUMMERTIME SHOULD BE JUST THAT.

We have now run off six of the last  7 days with official
high temperatures more appropriate for early-June than
late-April.

We'll have two more in the 70s before a showey nd
possibly thundery cold front arrives for the weekend. 
Thje retreat to more normal temperatures this weekend
will be followed by several days with below normal
temperatures early next week.

There will be the potentail for some hefty thundersorms
from late-Friday into Saturady A.M., so stay tuned.

MOTHER NATURE SMILED ON OUR CLEVELAND INDIANS THIS
LAST DAY OF MARCH.   THERE WAS MUCH MORE LION THAN
LAMB DURING MARCH AND APRIL WILL BE GETTING OFF TO
A VERY WINDY AND WET START,

WINDS  ARE EXPECTED TO GUST  FROM 40 TO 50 MPH ON
THIS FIRST DAY OF APRIL, ALONG WITH RAIN SHOWERS AND
THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDER.

OUR AVERAGE HIGH TEMP THIE FIRST DAY OF APRIL IS
52 DEGREES WITH THE LOW AT 33.  BY MONTH'S END THE
AVERAGE HIGH IS UP TO A MILD 63 DEGREES WITH THE
LOW AT 43.

SPRING PEEPERS - SILENT DURING OUR COLD MONTH OF
MARCH - WILL BE CONDUCTING THEIR SPRING CONCERTS
ON  MODERATE NIGHTS THIS MONTH.  NOW THAT IS
SPRING!