Weather By The Numbers 3/19/09

* 8% is how much of the USA (lower 48 states) was getting rain this morning. That is my eyeball estimate from watching closely a nationwide composite radar chart. Most of that is in a line of showers from SE Oklahoma to Little Rock, Northwest Tennessee, East Kentucky, West Virginia, Philadelphia, New York and coastal Maine. Some thunderstorms are involved over Southeast Oklahoma. Based on lightning detection equipment, that is the only lightning in the entire country.

* 42 thousand feet was the tallest thunderstorm over South Oklahoma. The Storm Prediction Center, that it got its start many years ago in Kansas City but now based in Norman, Oklahoma, does not show any organized risk of severe weather for the next three days.

* 375 is how many followers I have on Twitter and about 10 are waiting to join this morning. (translation: Behind on my email but I will catch up today) That is a neat way to communicate. I am also on Facebook, but I am still bewildered at times on how to navigate.

* 93 was the hottest in the USA yesterday at Yuma, Arizona and Indio, California.

* 1 below zero was the coldest in the lower 48 states this morning at Kabetogama, Minnesota. I have never seen that station make that honor list before. It is another sign of spring, because it is the highest coldest temperature I have seen this season.

* 57 inches is the snow depth at Whittier, Alaska this morning.

* 75 inches covers the ground at Nome, Alaska. That is the average depth–not drifts. Nome has received 100 inches of snow this season.

* 244 inches of snow at Valdez, Alaska this season. They have 45 inches on the ground this morning.

* 38 below zero was the coldest temperature in Alaska this morning at Point Lay. It was 36 below in good old Deadhorse with a wind chill of 56 below zero.

* 2 robins with their bright red chest stepped out of the hedgerow this morning to watch Little Miss Molly and I on our morning walk. When Molly turned and started toward them, they took off like a shuttle launch.

* 1 worm was headed south on the concrete walking track this morning. He was breaking the speed limit. With our silly imagination we surmised that he was headed south in a hurry to get to Gulf Shores for Spring Break. Estimated time of arrival in Gulf Shores–30 years.

* 13 inches is how much snow fell at Cullman (St. Bernard) during a snowstorm ending on January 25, 1940. 10 inches accumulated at Birmingham Airport. The Cullman snow is based on weather records between 1908 to 2006.

* 23 inches was the total winter snowfall for Florence in the winter of 1967-68. Some weather records in Florence date all the way back to 1894.

* 27 March is the latest that the official thermometer has ever dipped under the 20-degree mark in Birmignham. That was a low of 18 on March 27, 1955.

* 23 April is the latest that we have ever had 32 degrees or lower at Birmingham and that was a low of 30 on April 23, 1986. We have had a number of queries lately about when it will be safe to plant vegetables and other items. Remember, these figures are based on Birmingham Airport. Some of the outlying colder valleys, especially in NE Alabama, could have frost later than that.

* 90 days is how long I have stayed alive without the joy of a banana Moon Pie or a brown sugar/cinnamon Pop-Tart. 60 days was the previous record.

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