Sandy from sea

I have to thank my good friend Luke Marshall for this photo from the USS VICKSBURG.  He has been deployed since March and if you look at the clouds in the distance you can see Sandy.  Just thought it was such a great photo, I had to share it.

The remnants of Sandy continues to move away and we finally will see sunshine return for later Thursday for Central Ohio.  It will remain breezy and chilly so the coat will still be needed. Rain showers and maybe a pocket of a wintry mix will stick around tonight and early Thursday before the clearing pushes in.  A mix of clear skies and clouds heading into the start of the weekend.  Scattered rain returns for the second half of the weekend helping to keep our temperatures cool for the next seven days.

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Recap of Ohio's Sandy experience

Well the worst from Sandy is done and over with for Ohio.  It has been a long three days and I have been running off very little sleep.  

By the time I got home at 3AM last night we had snow falling and the winds were sustained in the mid 30's.  We officially maxed out our gusts at 46 mph in Central Ohio... so not quite as strong as expected, but you couldn't find someone, other than Siri who would say it wasn't windy.

I was a little disappointed that some people described it as over-hyped, but people are critics and those people are just out to try to cut others down.  They would be the people too that would complain that there was snow when they never paid attention to the forecast too... you know the type.  There were handfuls of people on FB telling me how scared their kids were about the howling winds last night...felt bad for them.

 

There was a nice coating of snow this morning when I woke up to take Buckeye outside.  Something magical about the first light snow of the season.  It was just enough to make the roads a little slippery than normal.

With the winds subsiding and snow all melted I finished up the day with a story on airport delays and then Halloween at the Easton mall.  There were a TON of kids inside there... and I am not surprised with how raw it is outside and it is a one-stop-shop.

Light rain overnight with a few pockets of the wintry mix.  There should be less of a wintry mix because there will be less precip and also slightly warmer temperatures.  The nuisance rain will continue for much of the rest of the week and then we finally see the sunshine return just in time for the weekend.  Our temps will remain pretty chilly and raw the next few days as we slowly warm up heading into the weekend as well.  I am EXHAUSTED!  Heading to bed early.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Late Night Sandy & Snow Forecast

Those winds are getting pretty crazy out there!  How about Lake Erie though!  Winds have been staying pretty strong and kicking up some impressive waves over 20 feet high already.  They were predicted 16-22 ft high.

The winds have been about 40-50 mph and the gusts have been up to 63 mph earlier.  The lake is flat...no buildings or trees...with the flat surface there is no friction for the wind so the winds are able to race across the lake.

Additionally, to note, the "eye" of Sandy did come on shore around 6PM tonight.  New York is getting pounded with the storm surge.  Most of Lower Manhattan has lost power.

I am in the weather center for some overnight cut-ins with the strong winds we are seeing.  Our winds in Central Ohio will stay strong overnight and the High Wind Warning goes until 6PM Tuesday.  The rain has also started mixing with pockets of snow mixing.  I did see a few snowflakes outside the station, but by the time I went to grab my phone to take a picture it switched back over to all rain.  Wind chills are below freezing so be prepared for a cold morning Tuesday.  All of the wintry mix will change back to snow after daybreak tomorrow and remain snow through the rest of the system.  Our winds say breezy through Wednesday and Thursday and the rain finally pulls out of here by the end of the week.  Our temperatures stay cold, but slowly warming up heading into the weekend with more sunshine returning.  Excited about that?  Stay warm Tuesday morning and travel safe with the winds and slick roads.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Forecast Update...Winds and Snow coming

Sandy has started her turn inland and will make landfall this evening.  The East Coast is already getting battered, but it will make official landfall between 8PM and midnight tonight. 

The storm will bring the Ohio Valley colder temperatures, wet weather, and high winds.  The central and northeast part of Ohio are under a High Wind Warning through Tuesday night with winds 30-40+ mph sustained winds and gusts 60+ likely.  The west and south part of Ohio are under a wind advisory with winds 20-30+ mph with gusts 50+ likely. The winds will likely lead to power outages, especially with how soft the ground is with the last 48 hours of rain.  The strongest winds will be late Monday through Tuesday and then by midweek it will only be breezy...but still wet, cold, breezy....raw.

Above is a forecast model for 2AM and you can see how tightly the blue lines (isobars) are packed.  That is a sign of VERY strong winds.  The wind barbs show winds between 20-40 knots for Ohio. 

Now on to the snow.  The picture above is from a webcam in Cool Ridge, WV around noon. So the snow has already started to fly with this storm.  Below I have to forecast models of snowfall... I will give my thoughts on them...

I think that averaging the two images would be a good idea of how much snow you will see.  The top image is the NAM model and is surprisingly forecasting MORE snow than the lower GFS model.  Historically the GFS will overdue the precipitation forecast.  One reason I think that the NAM went with so much snow is because it brings in the temperatures colder as little faster.

The switch over to snow or snow/rain mix will begin at different times depending on where you live and your elevation.  Places like Bellefontaine will see it switch first because they are higher in the atmosphere.  Between 8PM and 11PM most of it will have started to switch over tonight.  It will switch back to rain near daybreak.  I have said it a handful of times, but most of the snow will melt almost immediately.  The warm temperatures of the surface and wet surface will limit any accumulations.  If you happen to see a heavy snow shower it may stick around briefly, but once the switch to rain begins it will melt everything.  We stay as rain for the rest of the week and slightly warmer temperatures will not allow any more snow for the rest of the week.  Gotta run... going to be a long couple of days for me. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

PS. Just got back from the store getting ready for being out in the elements for work...  Thought I would share... Stay safe out there(especially driving later)!

A Shift in Sandy's Path and our Snow

Let's first start off with winds... Our MAIN story for Ohio will be the winds associated with Sandy's inland track.  We will see our winds max early Tuesday with sustained winds 30-40+ mph.  Gusts could be as high as 50+ so this storm will pack quite a punch Monday night into Tuesday with the winds.  A lot of people are asking if this will be like Ike and the answer is "No."  This system is a well developed system and Ike came on shore pretty quietly and the upper level winds are what sank down and blasted us in 2008.  The East Coast will be hit much harder than Ohio, but we will still be dealing with power outage causing winds.  Those winds will also be driving in colder air... air cold enough for a little snow.

Sandy has pushed slightly further to the west meaning that so did our expected snowfall.  The Western part of Ohio looks to see the best chance for more snow to fall.  The central part of Ohio may see a flurry or two, but the majority of the precipitation Monday night will be snow and the Eastern part of Ohio will stay as all rain because they will be too close to Sandy to let the cold air get in.


Rain showers will continue overnight and the slim chance for a spotty flurry mixing in with temperatures just above freezing.  Most of the precipitation for Sunday night and Monday morning will stay in the form or rain.  Winds will pick up through Monday and remain between 30-40+ mph for midday Monday through Tuesday.  The rain will continue Monday, but begin to switch over to snow Monday evening as temperatures fall near freezing.  The Western half of Ohio will see the snow switch first.  The snow will change back to rain near daybreak Tuesday.  MOST of the snow will melt once it hits the warm, wet surface so not expecting much in the form of accumulation, BUT if the snow falls fast enough that it can't melt as fast then you may see a light coating until the rain melts it.  Along with the switch over from snow to rain there will be pockets of a wintry mix as well.  Once we warm up Tuesday morning the remainder of the system will stay in the form of rain because we will be too warm. 

Winds will be the main threat with this system, but roadways will be a bit treacherous for Tuesday EARLY morning before daybreak.  Western Ohio will have the best chance for a light coating... mainly under 1" of snow(unless you see a heavy snow shower) and Columbus\Central Ohio will see up to a coating that will melt immediately on contact or quickly thereafter.  Also keep in mind with the heavy rain and some storm sewer drains clogged with leaves that ponding of water and hydroplaning are a real possibility... even did it once for a second on my way home for dinner.  Stay safe and if there are any more major changes I will keep you posted.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

11AM Sandy Update

So the 11AM update came out from the National Hurricane Center and the new track is making the turn northward about fifty miles further east... which will bring our chance for snow down, but not gone.  The latest track also has Sandy coming inland about 40 miles more north than my last entry.

According to the latest forecast models it looks like West Virginia will be getting the most snow along with Eastern Kentucky and the far Western tip of Virginia.  The higher elevation will help them greatly with that. 

So this last image shows the freezing levels for the atmosphere.  It is worth mentioning that ALL rain starts as snow.  Even in the middle of summer all thunderstorms have snow, but the freezing level is so high in the atmosphere that it melts long before it makes it to the ground and the snow turns to rain.  So the last image shows how shallow the above freezing temps are.  The snow may be falling through such shallow warm temperatures that a flurry may be possible. Sunday night through Monday night before changing over to some snow for SOME people.

The rain this morning is still across eastern Ohio, but will push westward thanks to Sandy starting to flex her muscles and begin to move inland.  The rain will will mainly stay in Central and Eastern Ohio.  Folks that live closer to the Indiana/Ohio border may miss out on most of the action because they will be too far from the moisture from the storm.  The rain will continue through Monday night.  Between late Sunday night and midday Tuesday the freezing level will be about 2000 ft above the surface or less.  There is a chance for a few flurries mixed with the rain early Monday morning through Monday night because falling snow may not have enough time to melt.  This will change over to to a light snow mixed with rain at times for Monday night and Tuesday morning for some of Ohio.

The best chances to see a little snow will be Central Ohio, South Central Ohio, and Southeastern Ohio.  The far west will be too far away from the cold blast of air for much, if any, snow and the far eastern will be too close to the warm core of Sandy as she pushes into Pennsylvania for Monday night.  The far northern part of Ohio will not have the right timing for snow to form because by the time Sandy starts to move north we will have daytime heating on Tuesday making the temperatures too warm.

Most of the snow will melt almost immediately because the ground will be too warm and too wet to stick, but if it does fall fast enough in a few pockets it may stick to some surfaces for a short amount of time Monday night.  So be sure not to wake up Tuesday morning and get too excited...because you may be disappointed it will not be a winter wonderland.  HOWEVER, if you are up late Monday night or early Tuesday morning you may be treated to snow falling... but then melting.  As the temperatures warm Tuesday  morning the rain will melt any and all snow that may have stuck and then remain as rain through the end of the week with light hit or miss showers.

The big story for Ohio will be the winds.  The winds will continue to pick up day by day and winds will reach their max of 30-40+ mph Monday night into Tuesday with gusts even stronger.  You may want to check your trees now to see if there is anything you can do to help protect your house from losing electricity.  This has been a hard system to pinpoint because it all depends on the track of Sandy and I will continue to monitor the track with updates through the coming days so be sure to check back in for any shifts in the forecast times and locations that may see the snow.  Stay tuned and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Saturday night Sandy Update

The latest predictions from the National Hurricane Center has Sandy cutting inland a little further south and then taking a hard right turn just northwest of Baltimore.  This may help to bring down even colder winds for early Tuesday because of the system getting some northerly traction.  The reason it will be turning is because it will catch into the jet stream and it will be following the jet stream north.  So depending on how hard it can punch into the jet stream near PA, it will continue to affect how much snow we will see.  So here are my latest thoughts:

Mostly cloudy Sunday with scattered afternoon rain showers, with steadier rain for the Eastern half of Ohio.  Chilly and breezy with winds 10-20+ mph.  Light rain will continue heading into Monday with highs in the mid 40`s and winds out of the north 20-30+ mph.  The winds pick up more for Tuesday helping to drive in temperatures near freezing for Tuesday morning.  The rain Monday night will begin to switch over to light snow showers and a wintry mix at times for early Tuesday morning.  Snowfall totals will be light due to melting with warm ground temperatures and the switch back to rain Tuesday morning.  Rain showers will continue for the rest of the system, through Thursday.  Winds on Tuesday will be 30-40 mph with gusts even stronger.  The further northeast you live in Ohio, the stronger the winds.  ***The track of Sandy, once inland, will determine who will see the strongest northerly winds bringing in the coldest temperatures and thus seeing the most snow.***  I think the "heaviest" (used loosely) snow for Ohio will be in a north to south streak right through the middle of Ohio, but still to early for numbers.

Check back for more updates.

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Sandy's new track, Snow comparison, & Winds

Lot to talk about here... First off to see any of the images just click on them to see the full size version... the snow comparison is a huge picture in full resolution.  Secondly... The snow comparison is in millimeters, and the winds are in km/h.  So you may need to do a little math, but as a cheat sheet, 30mm=1 inch and 50km/h is a little more than 30 mph.  So let's begin.

The predicted path is still saying on course with what was expected... for the most part.  The European models have kept the storm further into the Atlantic and then dive inland. Their models only go into the future just as the snow would begin so they do not have a handle on snowfall totals just yet.  I feel it necessary to explain why the path of the storm plays a big part in rain vs snow.  The core of the hurricane will still be warm.  It will be bringing in the tropical warm temperatures and not being affected by the cold arctic are at its core....BUT the outer winds on the north side will be able to grab the Arctic are from Canada and pull them south.  So the western side of the storm will have much colder air. 

In this image you can see the dashed 540 line.  A line used to help determine whether we see snow or rain.  As long as the track stays about 300 miles to the east of us (going through mid Pennsylvania) then that will mean more snow for us.  However you still have to be close to the core to get the moisture, so it is a fickle friend.  For snow, you want to be close, but not too close. On to our snow forecast.

 

 Feel free to click on the map for the larger view.  I compiled nine forecast maps of snowfall.  As you can see the models have a hard time with the snow totals and locations.  But it gives you an idea of where it appears most of the snow will be for now.  And again, we are still several days out...but it is bringing in the chance for snow earlier.  Right now it appears the chance for snow will be on Tuesday, not Wednesday(Halloween).  The snow will change over to rain for all of us, so the snow will not be sticking around.  Rain will quickly melt snow.  The reason we will switch to rain is because the low will pull north and then cut off our cold air from Canada.

Speaking of the cold air... it will be coming in strong.  Here is the forecasted winds for early Tuesday.  Winds will be 40+ miles per hour for parts of Ohio.  The chance for snow on the remaining leaves, and such strong winds means a chance for power outages a real possibility.   So very strong winds Tuesday and a chance for snow... just have to keep watching the models to see who gets the snow.

The rain we say early Saturday will taper off for the rest of Saturday.  More scattered showers Sunday and Monday as our cold front collides with the energy from Sandy moving up the coast. The winds will start picking up Monday and be at their max Tuesday.  The strong northerly winds will bring in cold enough air to allow for snow to fall to the surface early Tuesday.  The snowfall totals are still hard to pinpoint, but hope to nail that down more in 24 hours with more certainty, so be sure to check back in.  For anyone that cools off enough for the snow in Ohio, it will be heavy in spots, but brief.  Once the low moves north towards New York then it will cut off our cold air and we will switch back to rain.  For the far western parts of Ohio it may stay as rain because you will be too far from the low to get cold enough winds, but the track will determine the outcome... so again, stay tuned.  Lingering rain will stick around through Thursday... so temps will continue to fall for the next few days with scattered rain, if not snow, for the next six days.  I guess we are making up for all the beautiful weather last week.  Stay tuned and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Still Watching Sandy's Snow

So here is the breakdown with the latest models: The storm turns further to the west as we head into the middle of next week.  This means that it will push the freezing temps for snow further west.  But everything in my last blog is still on course... Nothing is going to kick this out to sea so Hurricane Sandy will turn back inland thanks to high pressure east of it.  The track will be the key into whether Ohio will see snow, wintry mix, or rain.  The last couple models is pushing the snow further west.  Still too early to throw out numbers because the path is still to be determined.

 As for now... I just took Buckeye out for his morning walk.  The winds have already switched from the north so the cold front has moved through.  The rain will be pushing in from Indiana through the day with the heaviest of the rain later and overnight.  We stay cool and continue to watch temperatures fall day by day heading into the middle of next week as Sandy looks to pass just to Ohio's east.  With it getting closer I will be able to get a better handle on the track and the forecast for Ohio.  BUT I can tell you that rain and/or snow and/or mix is likely with colder temperatures for Halloween... so make sure the kids have a warm costume because no kid likes to wear their coat over a Superman get-up.  Grab the jacket and umbrella and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Hurricane Sandy mean snow for us?

This entry would not be worth any weight if I did not mention Hurricane Sandy.  As I write this it is a Category 1 Hurricane between Jamaica and Cuba.  It will not be directly influencing our weather pattern for the Ohio Valley... indirectly, yes, it likely will.  The GFS and CMC, two long range forecasting models are both showing Sandy getting VERY strong as it moves up the eastern coastline.  

For those of you who read my blog remember my bowling analogy.  Forecasting one day is like walking halfway up the lane... a normal bowling lane is like forecasting two days out... so Sandy is looking to influence the weather here in the Ohio Valley a week from now... three and a half bowling alley lengths... so the chances of this being a strike now... almost a shot in the dark... BUT there is hope, and I will explain why.

First off... we are having a STRONG blast of colder air arriving Friday into Saturday and then after that no major shift in our weather pattern.  No big system will be moving from west to east.  This will allow Sandy to continue northward along the east coast.  The forecast models are showing the storm rapidly intensifying as it reaches New England and actually turn slightly left towards New York state.  With the rapid intensification, we will be on the west side of the main storm... meaning the strong wrap-around winds will be coming out of the north... and thus brings us to our first forecast picture:

Feel free to click on the image to make it larger.  The wrap around cold air has the freezing line at 850 mb (about 3500 ft up in the atmosphere) pushing all the way back to the Atlantic around this storm.  Our surface temperatures look to be in the mid 30's which will make snow very possible.  Additionally if this storm intensifies as much as the models are showing then it will be able to squeeze a decent amount of moisture out of the atmosphere... (mainly over the New England states)

So what does this mean for us... well the next graphic will help with that.  It is the predicted precipitation for the next 7 days and I put the last 3 GFS models next to each other to compare the model output for Columbus.  We will be seeing rain come in late Friday into early Saturday.  That will be with the cold front cooling us off a lot.  The snow arriving on Halloween would be an influence from Sandy.

 Here are my thoughts on why we will NOT be seeing snow... this is a long shot and models have a bit of a challenge when forecasting the true outcome of the path and strength of hurricanes... especially those that are not moving very much at the current time.  If the storm shifts a few degrees to the right then it will miss the entire coast... so that is a pretty big player in this.  Secondly, we would need those super strong winds to pull back down the cold Canadian air and the moisture to wrap around... so that was kinda two and three together.  And fourth... remember this is like bowling down three and a half lanes at a bowling alley... 

BUT here are my thoughts of why I think we WILL see snow...  The last outputs from the GFS has been staying true and holding on to the forecast for snow.  The CMC (Canadian model) also is showing a similar output.  The next is kind of a backwards thought... but I will explain it as best as possible.  In our "first snow" talks in recent years here on the Buckosphere I am always skeptical of those clipper systems.  They swing down from the far Northern Plains in Canada and come down towards the Ohio Valley and then turn back north head toward New England.  The first couple clippers always tend to NOT dip as far south as the models forecast.  They have a hard time cutting into the warmer environment so I am ALWAYS skeptical of the first couple clipper systems of the year.  Something they never taught in class, just something I learned form experience and something my dad (B.S. in Meteorology from Purdue) taught me back when I was in middle school and high school.  So for those of you who heard me a skeptic a the last couple years for this reason, throw that out the window...for now.  This system is an exception to the rule.  The system will NOT be coming from the Alberta, but will actually pull in Atlantic moisture and is quite intriguing.  Either way I will be watching it closely and stepping up my blog entries and tracking this along with you, so I hope you check back in often.

Also, as far as who sees snow and how much... total shot in the dark, but according to the models, ALL of Ohio could see a few flakes, but the farther north and east... the better chance for more with the stronger wrap-around.... but too close and you will be in the warm core of the storm.  So I do not even want to put any numbers out there.  One degree to the right for this storm and that could mean a HUGE change in the storms path 1000 miles further north.

So enjoy tomorrow... I called for low 80's and near record temps... then it gets cooler Friday with the rain later and I am not looking forward to tailgating on Saturday for the Ohio State game... not going to be the best weather... We then stay dry until the middle of next week with the previously mentioned system.  I would like to appologize for any typos or gramatical errors since I can't proofread this, but Dawn is not feeling well so I am going to go be a good husband and see what I can do... Have a good one!

Best,

Andrew Buck Michael

Columbus Moped Video & 20,000 Pageviews

 First off... want to thank all my readers.  I have been keeping an eye on my views and they have been going up over the last couple months.  I hit 20,000 today and thanks to everyone.

As promised yesterday... I put together my video from yesterday's ride.  What you did not see is the fact that I broke down.  The GoPro battery died first.  My bike was running solid then coming out of a stop it did not want to go more than half throttle.  After a few throttle twists it completely died out so I began my checklist... fuel, looks like it.  Spark, yup.  New plug, yup.  Compression, no change from before.  I tried starting it for a while and eventually did get it to turn over a couple times but had a wet backfire.  I figured either my timing slipped, bad fuel, or a gasket is blow.  It still has great compression, so leaning away from gasket.  I added fuel today and got it to run a little ways, so I will need to dig into that next week... I am working eight days straight starting tomorrow.  I also want to clean the carb thoroughly and check the reeds.  Anyway, here is the video of before my breakdown and three mile walk home.

Wish I could be riding today because it is so nice... the gorgeous warm October weather will continue for the rest of the workweek then rain returns late Friday into Saturday then our highs will fall back into the mid 40's instead of near 80.  Enjoy it while it is here and have a good one!

Best,

Andrew Buck Michael

GoPro Fun Day

I got a lot of video to edit tomorrow... be sure to check back in for some of the fun around Columbus.  This was just a taste of what is to come.

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Getting spiffy

Today is my third day in a row that I have been rocking the pocket square matching the ties.  Kinda digging the new look.  I love my convertible shirts.  I can either button them or use cuff links.  I hate rolling up my sleeves with french cuffs because they aren't meant to do that... and since I report three days a week out in the elements then I figured i better plan for both venues.

I have a lot planned the next two days off.  They will be my last Monday and Tuesday off in a while because they will be switching to Thursday and Friday next week.  I want to make a GoPro pole for getting video from farther angles.  I also want to shoot a GoPro video of me riding my moped around Columbus.  So many great roads to ride that I want to show them off before the weather turns nasty.  I also am mentoring a scholars group at Ohio State tomorrow.  It is the same scholars group that I was in when I went to school: Mount Leadership Society.  I also need to do some cleaning around the patio and garage, fix the passenger stepping rail on my truck, and try to relax somewhere in there.  All I know is that the weather is going to be B-E-A-Utiful this week.

One final taste of summer this week with above average temperatures.  Highs will be in the mid-upper 70`s for the entire workweek.  There is a slim chance for a spotty rain shower or two Tuesday, but other than the off chance of seeing rain Tuesday... rain holds off until we approach next weekend when a strong cold front and much cooler temperatures return.  Enjoy the warm temps and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

How about that game?!?!

 I am not sure what it is about fall, but our sunsets have been OUTSTANDING this year.  Maybe I have just been awake late enough not to see them since I am no longer on the morning show.  Either way... Beautiful sunset tonight.

This morning Dawn and I went down to Eddie George's Grill to meet up with her cousin and his wife before they went to the Ohio State football game.  We watched the game at home and boy was it a game!  When Miller went out of the game I was afraid we were done.  But our back-up rallied the troops.  Send the game to OT and toss the lead back to Ohio State for the W.  Great game and great nail biter.

Grab your sunglasses.  The rain earlier in the weekend has moved out and we will finish the weekend with plenty of sunshine and warming temperatures.  Sunday we will have seasonal temperatures with highs in the mid 60's, but then 70's return for the workweek ahead.  There is even a chance that a few spots in Ohio may reach the 80's mid-late week.  A slim chance for showers will arrive Monday night into Tuesday, but then a better chance for rain arrives heading into next weekend as a sharp cool down returns.  If you aren't ready for winter just yet, then you will have one full week to enjoy the warm temperatures.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Meeting the President of Ohio State

 I always love any story I can do back on campus... but yesterday was an exceptionally awesome day.  In the morning assign meeting the driving simulator at Ohio State was having their Grand Opening yesterday.  Once I saw I was only 20 minutes from the start of the presentation I hit the road quick.

 I was pulling up to the West Campus building and I see a spot right near the front...SWEET!  Nope, that spot was saved for President Gordon Gee.  I luckily spotted a spot two spots down from where the President of Ohio State would be parking.  I have never had the chance to meet him and talk with him like my brothers have, and I was a bit jealous.  Everyone always talks about how President Gee would visit dorms for lobby slumber parties, or show up to a house party off campus, or just randomly sit in a lecture hall, or visit a chemistry lab to make something blow up. 

The presentations were fairly brief talking about the partnerships between Ohio State and Honda and how other universities such as Wright State and Ohio University played a part as well.  Gee did not disappoint and shared a couple of good laughs during his talks.  ( I still remember his first Convocation after Holbrook left and dissed Ohio State saying it was nothing more than a "big drunken orgy."  The first words out of his mouth at the podium to start his first quarter back as the President of Ohio State: "How about those drunken orgies?!"  Deafening laughter.)  He is a man with great ideas and a man that has inspiration just oozing from every step he takes. There is no doubt why nearly all students try to grab a photo with him to make it their profile picture for at least a week or two.

Before he left the simulation presentation, I coaxed one of the Honda representatives to talk President Gee into driving the simulator before he got back to his busy schedule.  It was like a kid driving a moped for the first time.  Nothing but smiles.  I clocked him at 88 miles an hour and asked him about it afterward and he just laughed and said the thought he had vertigo from going so fast.  We also chatted briefly about my career since I graduated Ohio State.  I told him I was a meteorologist in Lima, then Dayton, and now very excited to be back in Columbus.  He said that he thought he recognized me and asked if I do the weather on the weekends.  I told him I did and he finished the conversation by saying that he is very happy to know he can get his forecast from a Buckeye from now on. 

I then finished doing my story and got to drive the simulator.  I had to drive it twice because since I was my own photographer... I didn't notice I double clicked the record button... so I had to run the simulation again.  Pretty cool how they will be able to test drivers reactions to real world situations in a controlled environment and make Honda and Acura cars even safer.

 I have continued working on my weather alerts app.  If you have Twitter you can follow my work twitter account for any watches or warnings for central Ohio.  My work twitter is www.twitter.com/AndrewWSYX6.  If you happen to also have Tumblr then what you see in the picture is a link to my Tumblr page which will be the in-between for the advisories: www.AndrewWSYX6.tumblr.com.  I worked out the kinks and it should be good to go to feed the watches and warnings.  I may also add a few other heavily populated counties to the west, such as Montgomery, Hamilton, and Allen... which normally will be seeing the storms before they push into Central Ohio.

 Today was a fairly nice day.  We saw a little sunshine today ahead of the rain.  I rode my moped down to campus to help a guy with his moped and sure enough it was a previous DAM Riders moped.  The carb was the same junk clone carb that was on there before that was extremely unreliable.  I advised him to by a quality carb and his issues with the bike running will likely be fixed.  He also needs to clean up the cable/lever situation because there seven different controls on the handlebars when you only need a max of 4.  I already hooked him up with someone who wanted to sell a carb so another bike will be on the road soon.

The sunny, dry start to the day quickly turned grey.  When I went out to my truck for dinner there were some pretty sweet low clouds rolling through.  The rain will be sticking around for most of the night so I guess I should consider myself lucky that I am not doing the high school football games tonight and filling in for Bill Kelly instead.

Speaking of the weather: The upper level low pressure system that has been bringing us the clouds and rain will slowly move eastward through Saturday.  Rain will be on and off through midday Saturday with the sunshine trying to peak through later in the day, while staying cool and breezy.  More sunshine for Sunday and Monday as temperatures begin to become more mild.  A weak system will bring a slight chance for rain Tuesday, but warm temperatures (70's) through the end of next week until a strong cold front approaches for Friday. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

What a beautiful day!!!

 What a beautiful day!  On top of that I did a mpg calculation with my new Maxi moped set-up.  Polini, 20 PHBG, and Proma Circuit... how about 68 mpg!  Pretty stoked with that and my city riding I have been doing.

I spent Sunday night staying late to monitor the weather and luckily it didn't get too crazy, only a handful of Severe Thunderstorm Warnings... despite the storms not having any lightning and thunder.  I also finished a top secret new graphic.  It will be interactive and help to tell the entire weather story in one graphic... pretty sweet.

 Buckeye was not a fan of going outside in the rain Sunday night or Monday... because the wrap around showers were pesky for Monday.

 Despite it being so nasty, I still broke out the bike and rode down to the Short North to help a friend with his moped.  It was the wettest roads I have ridden on and it was a bit scary.  Scary, but fun because any day I can ride on two wheels is a great day.

 I also made a stop at the Park of Roses, but sadly they were not in bloom.  Oh well.

 The sun returned today and I rode my moped to Griggs to play some disc golf with Taylor.  We also found a cool tunnel.  He played with my driver and I played with my putter and I only lost on one hole.  Next time I will bring more discs for that trash-talking borrower.  Haha.

I ended my afternoon with lunch under a tree and enjoying a great view of the Griggs Reservoir.  So much beautiful fall color.

More clouds for Wednesday and rain looks to hold of until late Wednesday and mainly overnight into early Thursday.  Another round or rain can be expected on Friday, but looks lighter.  The weekend looks like a very, very slim chance for rain, so mainly looking dry and noticeably cooler.  Enjoy the mild temps for Wednesday because your coats will be needed soon!  Back to work tomorrow.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Tracking storms tonight

So far the big story today has been the strong winds.  We have had gusts get into the lower 40 mph range.  the story is now shifting to storms moving in.  So far there has been one storm in Ohio that triggered Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Shelby, Auglaize, Logan, and Hardin Counties.  Remember, for a storm to be considered "Severe" the National Weather Service makes the call that the storm can produce winds of 58+ mph or hail larger than 1" (quarter size).  There are more storms pushing in to Central Ohio now and a second line of storms in Indiana that will move through near midnight.  I will be tracking all the latest and keeping a very close eye on the situation overnight.  I do not think we have seen the end of the warnings.  The main threat with our storms will be the winds.  The winds about 2000 feet in the air are racing about 60-70 miles per hour so if any of the storms grow tall enough and pull that energy to the ground we could see some damage. Stay alert and keep those weather radios on.

Extended outlook: Scattered showers for the overnight hours heading into Monday morning.  A few storms can be expected as well.  Winds will stay breezy overnight into Monday.  Monday will start off with mostly cloudy skies and an isolated shower possible, but the skies will begin to clear heading into the afternoon and staying cool.  Chilly Tuesday with more sunshine, but clouds and warmer temps return Wednesday ahead of rain for the end of the week.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael