News 19 Forecast Team Blog

Charleston, SC Tour Day #3

Our stop today takes us to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.  If you'll recall our chat on Monday about Drayton Hall, this was the original family plantation on the Ashley River from which John Drayton purchased some land to build Drayton Hall on.  Magnolia dates back to 1676 when Thomas and Ann Drayton built the first house and gardens on the property.  It was originally a rice plantation producing the "Carolina Gold" brand of rice.  After the Rev. John Grimke Drayton inherited the property in 1870, the plantation became known for its beautiful gardens.  The Rev. Drayton was among the first to utilize Camellia Japonica in an outdoor setting.  He's also said to have introduced the first azaleas to America.

During the Civil War, the plantation house was burned down.  It's thought that Union soldiers burned the house since they were making their way up the river burning other houses.  It's also possible that newly freed slaves burned it down.  That theory arose from a letter written by the Reverend's mother.

In the aftermath of the Civil War, the south was in economic turmoil.  Reverend Drayton was forced to open the gardens as a tourist attraction.  In 1870, "Magnolia-on-the-Ashley" became the first man-made tourist attraction in the United States.

Along with the majestic gardens, the 70 acres of the property consist of several ponds with many kinds of birds, alligators, snakes, and turtles.  There's also a petting zoo on the grounds with goats, deer, rabbits, and peacocks.

This plantation remains under the control of the Drayton family after 15 generations.


Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Charleston, SC Tour Day #2

I hope everyone enjoyed the first day of our tour around Charleston, South Carolina (my hometown).  Today, we're heading out to another historical landmark that played an important role in our nation's history.  Fort Sumter sits in the Charleston harbor as another defense point against enemies approaching from the sea.

The fort is actually built on a man-made island.  Construction started after the War of 1812 and was still incomplete in 1860 when South Carolina seceded from the Union.

The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter from Fort Johnson on James Island at 4:30 a.m.  The bombardment continued for 33 hours straight.  No Union soldiers were killed during the battle.  Union soldiers surrendered and evacuated.  The Confederate General, P.G.T. Beauregard, and the U.S. Army Major, Robert Anderson, had such a close relationship before the war that Beauregard allowed Anderson and his men to return to the north unharmed and even gave them a 100-cannon salute.  During that salute, one Confederate soldier died from a cannon misfire and a Union soldier was wounded during the 27th shot of the salute.  The firing stopped at 50 cannon blasts to avoid anymore accidents.

Major Anderson returned to the north where he received a hero's welcome.  He carried with him the flag that flew over Fort Sumter during the day and a half bombardment.  That flag is now on display in a case at the Fort Sumter National Museum.

Fort Sumter was restored and rebuilt several times after the Civil War to make it a useful again for the military.  It had soldiers based there during World War I and World War II before it was decommissioned.  The fort is now under the administration of the U.S. National Park Service and is accessible by taking a half hour boat trip from either Patriot's Point in Mount Pleasant or from downtown Charleston.  The last picture of the fort that shows a boarded up cannon hole, actually shows a shell (still in the brick) that was fired at the fort during the Civil War.  There are three such shells still in the walls of the fort.

The picture below of the brown building with four columns shows the start of the "Market" in downtown Charleston.  This is the place where slaves would come to sell their goods.  It is just down the road from where the slaves were actually sold when they came in to port.  Now this three-block long market still serves as a place for people to sell their wares.  Everything from t-shirts to key chains and spices are sold in the open air buildings.  This is a very popular tourist attraction to buy souvenirs or try some handmade candy or enjoy a meal.  There are still folks that practice basket weaving called Sweetgass Baskets.  This is a tradition that was brought over by slaves from Africa over 300 years ago.  This is one of the oldest art forms of African origin in the United States.  Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (just outside of Charleston) has the distinction of being the only place where this particular type of basketry is practiced.  The sweetgrass can be found in Lowcountry marshes, palmetto fronds, bulrush, and pine needles.  Check out this website for a great, detailed history of the art form: http://www.sweet-grassbaskets.com/history.htm.

The picture of the white building with six columns is the new Customs House.  Construction on this building began in 1853, but encountered monetary problems during and after the Civil War.  Construction was resumed in 1870 and completed in 1879.  The building has been used to conduct port business ever since.

The next couple of pictures show a little bit of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.  This is a state supported college that has nearly 2,000 students in its Corp of Cadets and 1,200 civillian students in its evening programs.  Only the cadets are required to live on campus, and they do not attend classes with civilians.  There are a few exceptions to that rule though.  Those include active military and veterans.  The Citadel came in to existence in December of 1842 when the South Carolina Legislature passed an act establishing the school.  The original mission of the school was to educate young men to protect the city from a possible slave rebellion.  The school was all male until the mid 90's when a female, Shannon Faulkner, sued the school for rejecting her application based on her gender.  She was allowed to attend the school because the judge said that a state funded school can't discriminate when it comes to admitting students.  Faulkner came to the school in August and only lasted six days before dropping out.  Most of those days were spent in the infirmary from exhaustion.

Tomorrow, we'll take a trip to Patriot's Point where four military ships are docked for visitors to walk through.  One is the World War II aircraft carrier, Yorktown.  We'll also talk about some of the historic houses in the area.



Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist
   

Vacation time ends...

As you may or may not know, I took some time off last week to visit my family back in South Carolina.  It was a different sort of trip because I drove the 1,200 miles instead of flying.  It was something I'd always wanted to do.  Some parts of the interstates were boring, but it was a great trip.

I was home for my little brother's 22nd birthday, and we had a big family cookout.  For the first time in a long time, all four of my brothers were in the same place at the same time.  Usually one or more aren't able to make it for a cookout.  It was really cool to have everyone there with mom and dad.

My roommate went along with me to switch off driving when I would get tired.  He had never been that far southeast before so I decided to take him all over town and show him some of the historic sites.  My plan this week is to blog about my trip and share some of the sites with you.  It's definitely a place you should visit to really learn about the history of our country.

One of the original 13 colonies, the first settlement in South Carolina was on Albermarle Point on the Ashley River in 1670.  The state declared its independence from British rule on March 15, 1776.  On February 5, 1778, South Carolina was the first state to ratify the first constitution (Articles of Confederation), and the eighth state to ratify the current constitution on September 17, 1788.  We were also the first state to secede from the Union in December of 1860, and the very first shot of the Civil War was fired over Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor in April of 1861.

The state is also known for many "firsts" in the country.  We had the first public museum set up in 1773, the first cotton exported to England, and the first Black Associate Justice of a state Supreme Court (J.J. Wright - February 2, 1870).

Working farms, or plantations, are found all over the south.  Some of them are still working plantations producing some amazing fruits and veggies.  Drayton Hall is one such plantation, but it doesn't have any working farm fields.  This is the oldest plantation house to have survived for nearly 300 years.  It was the only plantation house to survive during the Civil War.  It was built for John Drayton, who purchased some land from his family who also owned Magnolia Plantation next door.  The house is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the country.

The plantation house is being preserved and not restored.  There's a bit of a debate between people as to which is better.  Preserving the home is where nothing is touched up and no furniture is added to look as if it might have in the early years.  Restoring is where the historical society that owns the site will go to great lengths to get the same wallpaper on the walls or the same paint/plaster on the ceiling.  They also have many pieces of original furniture on display.  I like both types of historical sites myself.  In one picture below, you'll notice what appears to be a raised circular grass area.  This is where the horse and carriage would arrive from the gravel road and drop off the occupant at the front door and then circle the drive to the carriage house.

If you didn't arrive by carriage, which took almost an entire day, you would travel by boat up the river with the tide.  That way was the quickest (about five hours from Charleston).  In another picture, you'll be able to see down the road you would have walked down after getting off the boat.  Since it took so long to get to these plantations, a typical stay lasted for a couple of months.  This is known as the "social season" which was January and February in those days, when the mosquitoes weren't as bad.  Mosquitoes were feared because they were thought to have carried yellow fever and malaria.

Other notable things to see in Charleston are the forts that have lasted over the years.  Fort Moultrie is one such fort on Sullivan's Island.  It was originally built with palmetto logs from the palmetto trees that are found all over the coast.  The soft logs actually helped repel cannon fire from ships in the harbor.  Some reports say that soldiers actually saw cannon balls bounce off the soft logs.  This fort played a pivotal role in keeping the city safe.  It was on the edge of the island facing the ocean so it was a perfect spot to fend off the enemy.  It was actually in service until 1947 when it was decommissioned.

I hope you'll enjoy this look at my hometown and one of the most historic cities in the United States.  I'll post pictures along the way so you can see the beauty of my hometown.



Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist



The first couple of pictures are of Fort Moultrie and the others are of Drayton Hall.

Nearing Record Rainfall...

If I didn't know any better, I have been living in Seattle this month. It has sure felt like it, as rainfall amounts are well above average. In fact, we have already received almost 4" of rain more than we typically see in the month of April. The latest storm that struck the area on Thursday and Friday was a big part of the wet month. Over 2" of rain fell in La Crosse between Thursday and Friday. That doesn't even compare to the amount of rain that areas to our south received. Dorchester in Allamakee County (Northeastern Iowa) received almost 5" of rain. Similar amounts were also reported in Clayton, Fayette, and Grant Counties where flooding was a problem.
    We have received just over 6 and a half inches of rain so far this month in La Crosse,  and that is knocking at the door of a record. That puts us at the third wettest April of all time. The record was set back in 1973 when 7.31" of precipitation was recorded. While we are close to the record, the chance of topping it are pretty slim. Precipitation is in the forecast through Monday, but all amounts will be on the light side. Below, are some additional rainfall totals between Thursday and Friday.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Heavy rain pounds the Midwest

A low pressure system over the Midwest has produced a wet end to the work week. Perhaps some of the most noticeable affects have been felt through parts of northeastern Iowa.  Over the past 24 hours Clayton County has witnessed over four inches of rain.  Grant County in southwest Wisconsin has also been a victim of high rainfall amounts. Emergency management officials have reported damage and mudslides over the central portions of the  county. The chance for showers and thunderstorms will continue today and counties in the News 19 viewing area could see anywhere from 0.5"-1.5" of rain.  The heaviest rainfall will likely fall during the morning. Crawford County is under a Flood Warning due to the levels of the Mississippi River, and will remain under a Flood Warning until the river falls back below the flood stage.
    This week is Severe Weather Awareness week and there are a few things to keep in mind during flooding situations. Most importantly if you see a flooded area, TURN AROUND, DON"T DROWN.  This becomes extremely important if you encounter flooding while you are in your vehicle. Many people believe that their 3,00 pound or more vehicle will remain in contact with the road in flooding situations but the force of buoyancy can float your vehicle away. In fact, most cars can be swept away in 18-24 inches of moving water. For anyone attempting to walk or wade through flowing water, as little as 6 inches of flowing water can sweep you off your feet.
    A cold front will sweep through the Tri-State this afternoon and with it will be the slight risk for severe weather across the south and eastern portions of the viewing area. Gusty winds, hail and isolated tornadoes are all possible. Fortunately it is a cloudy and rainy start to the day, so the instability in the atmosphere won't be as high as it would be if it were sunny. Instability is one of the key ingredients to severe weather. Perhaps the biggest punch from the cold front will be much cooler air. This weekend afternoon highs will hover around a cool 50 degrees.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Thunderstorms...

As of Thursday afternoon, the monthly rainfall total for April reached 5.58". That puts this month at tenth on the list of wettest Aprils on record. A slowly moving storm system will continue to add to the totals through Friday and even, perhaps, into Saturday morning. Colder air then takes over. The cold front generating the rain, and which will deliver the cold air, will move through on Friday. It could produce some heavy, even severe thunderstorms late Friday morning or in the early afternoon before the activity shifts eastward.

That brings us to the topic of severe weather. It is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Tornadoes, violently rotating columns of air in contact with the ground, are generated by strong thunderstorms-- cumulonimbus clouds.  Most in Wisconsin and Minnesota are of the weak variety, but still have wind speeds of 75 to 120 mph. The strongest can have winds over 300 mph. Wisconsin averages 21 tornadoes a year and Minnesota, 24 a year.

Peak months for tornado frequency are May and June followed by July and April. The peak time of day would be between 3 PM and 9 PM. Of course they can occur at just about any time and in any month.

To stay safe in the home you should:
Go to the basement and find something sturdy to hide under. If you have no basement, get to the lowest floor and move to an interior room such as a bathroom or closet. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.

At school:
Listen to your teacher, and go to interior aress like bathrooms or hallways, though be careful about hallways that can become wind tunnels if the doors blow off. Avoid gyms and auditoriums and cafeterias.

If you are driving:
Drive away if you can clearly move at a 90 degree angle to the movement of the twister. If not, then get to a ditch or culvert, get as low as possible, and cover your head and neck.

Finally, keep abreast of developing weather. Watch News 19 for severe weather updates.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Severe Weather week...

Hi Folks;

It is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A statewide tornado drill is planned for Thursday, April 24th at about 1 PM, unless severe weather threatens that day. If so the test will be moved to Friday.

What is the definition of a severe thunderstorm?

a. a peak gust of 58 mph or higher...
b. Hail 3/4 of an inch or bigger...
c. a tornado

The most common type of thunderstorm wind gust is called a "straight line wind" gust.

A downburst, according to the National Weather Service, is a localized area of extreme wind damage.

Large hail is usually a property damage concern, but can be life-threatening is one is caught outdoors in a large hail storm.

The best thing to do is to get indoors if a severe thunderstorm approaches. Be sure to watch News 19 for severe weather coverage.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Today marks Earth Day!

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would bring you up to speed on how the day came about. It all started in 1962 with the actions of Senator Gaylor Nelson. Nelson, was discouraged by the nation's care for the environment. In 1962 the idea of conserving the environment was basically a non-issue. Things changed later that year when Nelson convinced President Kennedy to go on a National Conservation Tour. The tour didn't exactly put the environment in the public limelight but it was just enough to stir up a little commotion. Over the next few years Nelson continued to speak about the state of the nation's environment and the evidence of environmental degradation began to appear; most politicians, however, still weren't convinced that conserving the earth was an important topic. Finally in the summer of 1969, Nelson came up with an idea. It was a time when anti-Vietnam War demonstrations had struck college campuses across the country. Nelson, decided to take his notion for a cleaner environment to the public who could help force the issue onto the political agenda. His idea worked just as planned. He announced that in the spring of 1970 he would start a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the behalf of the environment and the response was electric. On April 22nd, 1970 the first Earth Day was born.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Severe Weather Awareness Week Starts Today

This week marks Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness week which serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding and hail while encouraging people to take protective safety measures in the event of severe weather. Last year there were 18 tornadoes in Wisconsin, but fortunately none struck the News 19 viewing area. There is always the possibility of tornadoes though, in fact since 1982 there have been over 40 tornadoes in the Wisconsin portion of our viewing area.
    In the event of a tornado, go to a basement , avoid windows and get under a form of sturdy protection like a heavy table or stairs. It also, isn't a bad idea to cover yourself with a mattress or blanket to protect yourself from flying debris. If you are in a home without a basement  go to an interior room like a bathroom or closet. Crouch as low as possible to the floor and cover your head with your hands.
    Perhaps one of the worst places to be during a tornado is in a mobile home or on the road. If you are in a mobile home get out and find a sturdy permanent building. If you are traveling don't try to out run the storm. Tornadoes can change directions in a flip of a switch, so the best thing to do is to find a sturdy shelter nearby or lie flat face down in a low level area  like a ditch. One of the common myths of a tornado is if you are traveling, go under a bridge for safety. That is exactly what you don't want to do. The strong winds of a tornado will funnel under a bridge and become even stronger. For example if you have water running out of a garden hose and you put your thumb over a portion of the end of the hose, water will be forced to come out even faster. It is the same situation for a tornado which passes by a bridge.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Earthquake impacts parts of Wisconsin

That's right you read the title correctly. An earthquake in eastern Illinois was felt as far north as Milwaukee. The quake was one of the strongest ever in Illinois and it occurred shortly after 4:30 a.m. this morning, just 6 miles west of West Salem, Illinois. The earthquake measured 5.2 on the Richter Scale, just shy of the largest earthquake ever recorded in Illinois which took place in 1968 and measured 5.3. To give you some perspective about what these numbers mean, if the Richter Magnitudes are between 5.4 and 6.0, slight damage can occur to well-designed buildings while major damage can occur to poorly constructed buildings. The damage associated with today's quake falls right into this category. Just 15 miles from West Salem, calls were taken reporting objects being knocked off shelves and walls and building damage was reported in Kentucky. Perhaps one of the most notable impacts were skyscrapers shaking in downtown Chicago. The earthquake lasted around 20 seconds and caused cracked windows in parts of Indiana and was felt in Michigan and as far south as Atlanta. The quake was triggered by the New Madrid fault which lies over southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois. It is the country's most active seismic zone west of the Rockies and produces numerous small quakes a year, most of which are to small to be felt by the public. The same fault produced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in both 1811 and 1812, which were strong enough to cause the Mississippi River to run the opposite way for a few minutes. Below is some video from Good Morning America which will give you some insight as to where West Salem, IL is and what the impacts of the earthquake were.

 

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

ABC 20/20 reminder...

Hi all;

Here's a reminder from a couple of posts ago about ABC's 20/20 news program.  Sam Champion will examine several weather-related topics during the show, which runs Friday night at 9PM here in the Central time zone. You'll see segments about how to survive severe weather, some myths and misconceptions, and even about what Hollywood gets right and wrong when movies contain science and weather concepts. Don't miss it! I'll be tuning in when I can.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

Back to school...

We're taking our weather academy on the road again to teach kids all about severe weather and how they can be safe during a severe storm.  At the start of the presentation we ask how many are scared of storms and a lot of hands go up in the air.  Towards the end of the presentation we ask them the same question again and only a few hands go in the air.  The vast majority of the kids love to learn about weather and that helps then understand what's happening during a storm.  That knowledge then helps them take shelter and keep their family safe.

Of course, everyone loves watching some very cool experiment.  We've all grown to know and love the 'Egg-In-The-Bottle' experiment, but another cool one involves making a cloud in a bottle with rain!  This experiment shows that when warm air rises and meets up with some cooler air, the warm air cools and condenses and forms little water droplets that group together and eventurally form clouds.  I think it's a really cool, visible experiment.

The public is invited out to the elementary school in Ontario, Wisconsin from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for our open house where you can see all these cool experiments.


I'm heading outta town for some vacation on the sunny beaches of my hometown in South Carolina tomorrow.  I'll be gone next week, so I hope everyone has a great week and I'll see you back on News19 Daybreak on Monday, April 28.


Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Weather Warnings on your Phone

In the future the government hopes to wake up residents in the middle of the night when severe weather threatens by sounding an alarm on a cellphone. Severe weather can threaten overnight an a tool like this could prove to be very useful. For instance if a tornado impacts an area overnight, residents might not know until it is to late and a ring on your cellphone could be the perfect solution.  While the government would like to go in this direction in the future, a company called WeatherCall has already beat them to the punch. WeatherCall sends out phone calls and text messages to customers who live in areas under tornado, severe thunderstorm or flash flood warnings. There is a catch though, the service costs $6 each year. The system is fairly accurate as it will notify customers within one minute of the warning being issued. If you are interested in the service, visit WeatherCall's website at http://www.weathercall.net

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut

News 19 Forecast Team

20/20 Weather topics...

Friday night, ABC's 20/20 news program will be examining various weather topics, myths and misconceptions. Sam Champion will explore the wild and sometimes wacky weather that happens around the country and around the world.

You'll learn how to survive deadly weather such as tornadoes and floods. Do you stop under an overpass when a twister threatens? He'll examine the latest recommendations from the National Weather Service.

You'll see segments on weather folklore. For instance, do birds fly lower when a storm and high winds are on the way?

Champion will also explore whether Daylight Saving Time, as advertised, actually reduces the use of energy during the summer.

You'll also find out how accurately Hollywood portrays weather and other science events. Do they actually help us understand some of the scientific concepts, or do they create more confusion in the movies?

Find out Friday night on ABC's 20/20 at 9PM central time.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

The Root of Global Warming

For those of you that are convinced that our climate is warming up in response to global warming, just where is all of the global warming pollution coming from? Researchers at Purdue University sought out to find the answer by looking at carbon dioxide emissions throughout the United States. Based on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, factories and vehicles they found that the Northeast is responsible for a majority of the emissions but the Southeast, Midwest and Southern California are also responsible for voluminous pollution each day. The image below of the United States shows the areas with the highest carbon dioxide emissions.

It really is a no-brainer that emissions are higher in areas whith larger populations, but perhaps one of the most striking aspects of the research proved that emissions are far greater in the Southeast than previously expected. This becomes very important because unlike the Northeast, upper Midwest, and West, the South hasn't agreed to state-level compacts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the nation's pollution problem may not be significantly cut until the South develops one of these programs. Depending on the estimate, the U.S. is one of the top two producers of greenhouse gas emissions, and research like this may be just what we need to start cutting down on emissions. In the image below the red represents areas where carbon dioxide emissions are greater than previously estimated while the blue areas represent areas where the emissions are lower than earlier estimates.

Until Next Time,

Andrew Thut
News 19 Forecast Team

Major springtime storm...

These are interesting times for forecasters in the Upper Midwest. Of course, this is a transitional season between winter and summer. The low pressure systems that form tend to bring together the best combination of hot, humid air from the south and the still very cold air from the plains of Canada. When you mix the two, extremes of instability and winds occur and you get all kinds of weather over the country.

In this case, the instablilty in the southern and central parts of the storm brings an outbreak of severe weather, complete with tornadoes, straight-line wind damage, and large hail. Contrast that with the cold air side of the storm, where snow and sleet fell from the skies. It really is like wrapping all four seasons into one system.

Here in the News 19 viewing area we received well over an inch of rain in most locations, staying away from the damaging thunderstorms, and also staying away from the snow-related problems.

I should say mostly staying away from thunderstorm issues. Here at News 19 we took a hit from lightning, which, according to our assistant chief engineer "fried six pieces of electronic equipment."

All in all, I'm glad the weekend is here, so I can recharge my batteries for next week's warm up. Get those details on our main weather page.

Dan Breeden
News 19 Chief Meteorologist

It's academy time...

The time has come around again for another News 19 Weather Academy.  This time we're taking the show on the road to Cashton, WI.  I'm a little rusty because I missed our last academy in Houston, MN in February due to the flu.  I'm back and ready to go.

This is one of my favorite projects I'm in charge of here at WXOW.  I enjoy getting to head out to all these different schools and teach the kids about severe weather and hope I help them become less scared during a storm.  During the afternoon, we'll give the safety presentation to students and faculty that will include some very cool experiements.

After school, the public is invited to attend an open house at the school.  Students get to bring their friends and family to see the same experiements again as well as meet the entire Forecast Team.  That's right!  The entire Forecast Team will be on hand signing autographs.  We even broadcast our 5 and 6 p.m. weather shows right from the school.

It's a lot of fun and I hope to see everyone out there!


Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist