Record February Cold
Look at some of these staggeringly low temperatures recorded overnight in western New York via the National Weather Service in Buffalo, New York! The Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport ASOS recorded a low of -18, but a COOP observer on the outskirts of the city got it down to -30! Even Lake Erie didn’t help Dunkirk as it pushed down to -28! These are not wind chills – they are actual air temperatures. These are rather mind-blowing for mid-February, and once again it seems we have a year of extreme cold while the rest of the planet is warmer than usual. Is climate change going to...
Read MoreWhere Balloons Go
This is where balloons end up once they are let go. I cannot tell you how many times I have come across large bunches of balloons while outdoors in even remote and otherwise pristine locations. We even end up spotting them during hawk watching every year! While most folks rather innocently do not think about the end game once they let go of that string we should be aware of the consequences of our actions and how potentially deadly they are to birds and all wildlife. Released lighted lanterns may be pretty but where are they going to end up? Not floating off into space. I am always surprised...
Read MoreHistoric Western New York Snowfall
The past week has been nothing short of historic in Western New York with crippling and dangerous snowfall beyond what even lifelong residents could have imagined. This lake effect snowfall weather event was the culmination of several factors that allowed Lake Erie’s snow machine to turn on full blast and dump feet of snow in very short periods of time, rivaling some all-time American records. While the final totals need to be examined, assessed and fully vetted, once you pass four, five, six, or seven feet, there is really no number that can do the impact justice. It is a tragedy that...
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