It's no secret that I'm a weather geek. Some may say they are, but I think you'll find this as video evidence that I'm the ultimate. My love for the weather started when I was only 6 years old. I was immediately addicted to the Weather Channel when it first debuted in the early 1980s. We only had one TV in the house with cable and my obsession forced my parents into putting another cable outlet in my bedroom so I could watch it there.
When severe weather or winter weather affected the state, I would draw my own maps outlining areas affected and I would even write my own weather discussions. I guess in a way, I started blogging when I was about 8 years old. (see pictures below)
One Christmas, I received a "Mr. Microphone" from Santa Clause. The signal only reached about 100 feet, but that didn't stop me. My own radio station was born and I called it WWZZ. I don't know why though. I had some news and music, but weather was the focus.
For my 9th birthday, my parents arranged a tour of the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock. It was a surprise as I remember the drive across the river not knowing where we were going. I was in weather heaven when I figured it out. Meteorologist Nelson DeVilliar gave me the tour. He just recently retired from the office and I will forever be grateful to him and my parents for that day! My love for everything weather didn't stop there.
On a trip to Atlanta, Georgia, I got a tour of the weather channel. I even got to sit down with the late John Hope who was their hurricane expert. He showed me satellite images from the tropics and treated me like a friend that day. Again, I was in weather heaven.
I'll also never forget working in Chattanooga, TN several years ago. My wife and I were driving in downtown and I spotted Dr. Lyons who once worked at the Weather Channel as well. He took over as the hurricane expert when John Hope died. I pulled over to the side of the road, got out, and ran down the side walk shouting, "Dr. Lyons, Dr. Lyons." Out of breath, I didn't know quite what to say when he turned around.
This blog has been a passion and love of mine since I started it in 2006. I love working at Channel 7, but 3 minutes a weathercast just isn't enough for me and this blog allows my passion to have no time limit. I look forward to many more posts and years to come. Most of all, THANK YOU for even reading it and making it what it is today.
Below are some of my early weather maps from the early and mid 1980s. Enjoy and I hope you have a good laugh!
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| What an artist huh? |
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| Check it out, a winter severe weather set up! Maybe a La Nina year? LOL |
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| A November soaker! |
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| Okay, I was only 10 years old when I drew this. My county outlines weren't the greatest |
10 comments:
Awesome! Great inspiration for kids to do what they love. Don't work for a living, play for a living! Enjoy your job! We love reading the blog. I sometimes click over to make sure I didn't miss a post if it's been more than a day since the last one. :) Thanks!
Well the GFS got me a "little" excited this morning for the chance of a White Christmas, but not going to hold my breath on that one....
I really like this pattern with the warm/moist air in place over Arkansas right now. May seem like a bad thing if you want snow/ice/cold, but for this time of year this is what we need because the COLD air is coming and when it does LOOK OUT!!! With that in mind I am wishcasting a MAJOR Winter storm in the days to come. I am so sure of it I am willing to put my favorite website on the line. Here we go: If someone in the South "including Arkansas" doesnt see a Winter Storm or a Ice Storm Warning in the Dec 30th - Jan 6th time frame I will not make another post on the weather blog the rest of the Winter! Wish me luck! Im dreaming of a White "CHRIST"mas.
Thanks for sharing how your love of weather got started. I liked seeing the maps from your early days.
I hope there is not a snowstorm between Dec.30th - Jan6th considering all of the people traveling for new years eve and New years day and also the Cotton bowl which will have alot people traveling for around the state of Arkansas. After all snow we had last year I am done on snow for a long time considering how dangerous it is to drive in the snow with all of the hills we have in Arkansas.
Wow!! Jason..I thought I made Bold predictions..LOL..But, guess what, I am with ya..Starting early next week until at least the next 4 weeks, The storms just keep coming, We are heading deeper into the Winter season so our chances at winter precip will increase by the day...I am also making a Bold prediction, I have had this out there for a while now..Arkansas's 1st Winter Storm Warning to be Issued in the Dec.20th-31st Time-Frame..Very Interesting pattern shapping up for our part of the country..
Some of you may have heard me & WeatherNinja get into a little Debate late night on Twitter, It was all in fun & meant no harm..I like Ninja & enjoy reading his blog & tweets, Even though he whins & moans over every little thing..LOL..JJ with ya Ninja..Also he said to me "I love giving my 21 day window & I go out 30,60,90 days..Well, That is me "The Snowbird"..I am not afraid to be wrong, But, to be truthfull, I am more right than wrong..lol..That's just the way I am..I like going out on limbs, Even if I am wrong so many times by the end of the Winter season there is nothing left but a bare trunk..lol..But, Guess what a Good Tree will always come back & produce more limbs & leaves the next year..That goes for me also..So, Thanks to all who enjoy my comments & tweets...Weather Ninja..I love ya man..
Oh & Todd, I think you owe me at least some credit for that comment..lol
SnowbirdBob
God Bless & Have a Great Evening
Let me correct that..I meant to say Arkansas 1st Winter Storm Warning Dec.20-25th..Thank goodness,Weather Ninja didnt see that..LOL
SnowbirdBob
Snowbird and Jason, make it a little more interesting and agree to take the Polar Bear Plunge (you choose the lake and verify with video). Snowbird, I'm not joking with you..no really I am. But what, you now are changing your tune and extended out your Winter Storm Warning timeframe? What happened to Dec 20-25th? Now it's Dec 20-31st? You are just like Todd extending the chili poll.
Remember, you said you're sticking with your prediction so don't start waffling now.
I gave you my Dec 26-April 19th snowfall, ha, but to close it in I'll stick with my usual Jan 6-8 timeframe. Hows that, a 3 day window?
Model guidence is not indicating any of your "Jail-break" arctic air in our future but who knows, models change.
Ninja
who knows a good website to find the NAM and GFS models...?
for real about what snowfreak said
Ive always wanted to do the polar bear plunge but I wont have to because this forecast of mine is a sure bet. The polar express starts Christmas or a few days after with nice Gulf of Mexico pumping up some warm/moist air over my shallow polar air there will be a Ice Storm the South will not forget!
Hey Snowbirdbob if/when Northeast Arkansas has a Big Winter storm you can come on up here to Randolph County "Home of 5 rivers" and we can go jump in together......i'll only do it though if I can get a blog tee-shirt to do it in.
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