APRIL 30, 2007: TORNADOES AT HIGH ELEVATIONS?

Many people believe that tornadoes just can’t occur around here because of the hills. That’s a weather myth as tornadoes have occurred in every state including Alaska and Hawaii. I think this comes about since most tornadoes in the country and the world develop in tornado alley. (The plains: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Missouri) Tornadoes don’t form here because it is just flat. This is the one location where a dry air mass meets a warm, moist air mass and collides with a cold air mass from Canada. It’s like going to the fair and eating a funnel cake, corn dogs, and cotton candy. You will have a belly ache just like the atmospheric belly ache that occurs in the plains.

If conditions are right tornadoes can occur just about anywhere. The highest observed tornado in the United States was photographed by a hiker at the 12,000 foot level in Sequoia National Park, California on July 7, 2004. The most violent high altitude twister, an F4, struck in Wyoming at the 10,000 foot level.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 29, 2007: SPRING-TIME WEATHER THIS WEEK

As this month soon comes to an end, a new one begins, inching closer to summer! Over the next few days, you can expect typical spring-time weather. The work week will start out mild with sunshine and just a slight chance of a passing shower as a weak cold front slips southward through the Ohio Valley.

Tuesday will bring a good chance for Spring storms as another system approaches. Thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail are possible Tuesday afternoon and evening as temperatures heat up into the 70's and colder air works its way into the area. This system will be cooling us down by Wednesday but a gradual warmup will be felt for later on in the week. So take your rain gear for Tuesday's commute home.

But remember, we need those showers for beautiful May flowers!

Enjoy your week. This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 28, 2007: HOW WEATHER AFFECTS FISHING!

It's fishing season in the Ohio Valley, and you can bet those who fish are watching the weather closely. But what factors determine a specific day is better than another?

Weather is the single most important factor that affects wildlife activity. Those who fish know a changing barometric pressure or frontal boundary can bring fishing activity to a halt even during the peak feeding times.

Weather and wildlife charts are based on steady fair weather so changing weather may affect what the chart is showing. It is also good to know when weather will stabilize in order to predict heightened feeding activity time.

Other important factors to know for fishing success include water depth, water temperature and water clarity.

The most important reason to know the weather forecast before going fishing is safety. High winds and cold temperatures can be deadly if unprepared. So be smart and be safe, and check our forecast before heading to the lake to go fishing!

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

Source: The Weather Channel

APRIL 27, 2007: HAIL FORMATION

Yesterday between 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm a supercell thunderstorm produced three quarter to 1 inch hail in a swath from Guernsey county, Harrison county, and northwestern Jefferson county. Hail consists of pieces of ice that can range in size from as small as peas to as large as grapefruits.

Hail forms inside of cumulonimbus clouds that are anvil shaped and usually thunderstorm-producing clouds. When there is a strong updraft to carry rain back up into the cloud. The strong updraft carries raindrops and ice crystals alike back up into the cloud where temperatures are below freezing and raindrops will freeze. The frozen ice balls are then carried up through the cloud where millions of supercooled water droplets collide with the ice surface and are instantly frozen on causing the ice balls to become larger. This process is called accretion. When the hail stone reaches the top of the cloud, it begins to fall back downward on the outer edge of the cloud where the updraft is weaker. The hail continues its descent until it falls back down into an area where the updraft is stronger and this cycle begins again with the hail stone growing another ring of ice. This cycle will continue and the hail stone will become larger until finally it becomes too heavy for the updraft to carry upward. At this point it falls out of the bottom of the cloud, sometimes causing damage to whatever it lands on.

Today’s Weather Quiz

In honor of Arbor Day, how much does the average American use each year?

A. 500 pounds

B. 1,000 pounds

C. over a ton

C. over a ton, every year the average American uses 48 cubic feet of wood and 681 pounds of paper

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 26, 2007: SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL

Thunderstorms are expected to pop up this afternoon in an increasingly more unstable air mass. A few of these storms could be severe with gusty winds and hail.

The term severe thunderstorm refers to a thunderstorm producing hail that is dime size, 0.75 inches in diameter or larger, and/or wind gusts to 58 mph or greater, and/or a tornado. Although lightning can be deadly it is not a criterion for what the National Weather Service defines as severe thunderstorm since any ordinary thunderstorm can produce a lot of lightning. Also, excessive rainfall may lead to flash flooding, but heavy rain is not a criterion for a severe thunderstorm.

Visit the Storm Prediction Center for updates on severe weather this afternoon.

Today’s Weather Quiz

Of the number of people hit by lightning, what percentage of them are men?

A. 55%

B. 83%

C. 95%

B. 83%

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 25, 2007: EARTHLIKE PLANET DISCOVERED
Scientists say this discovery raises the prospect that the Milky Way galaxy is full of planets that could harbor life.

This new planet is five times the size of Earth, the newfound planet orbits its parent star once every ten years. The planet is as about three times as far from its star as Earth is from the sun.

The newfound planet's host star is a red dwarf with about one-fifth the mass of our sun. Red dwarfs have cooler surface temperatures and are smaller, dimmer, and less massive than the sun. They're also the most common stars in our galaxy. The planet, named OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, is located more than 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius, near the center of the Milky Way.

The discovery team says the mass of the planet, its distance from its star, and the brightness of its star suggest that the planet has a rocky surface buried beneath frozen oceans. The distant world also likely has a thin atmosphere. Scientists believe the surface of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb is a frigid –364°F. That's about as cold as the surface of Pluto.

Today’s Weather Quiz

How many thunderstorms occur at any given second in Earth’s atmosphere?

A. 100

B. 900

C. 1,800

C. 1,800

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 24, 2007: SAHARA DESERT ON THE MOVE

The Sahara Desert is moving south and taking over areas that just decades ago were savanna or forest. Some of the most striking changes have happened in Lake Chad. Just 40 years ago, Lake Chad encompassed 25,000 square kilometers and fishermen would take over 230,000 tons of fish out of the lake every day. Today, the lake has shrunk to 500 square kilometers and the daily catch has dwindled to about 50,000 tons. People are now farming in areas that just decades ago were submerged.

Today’s Weather Quiz

How many days in April has the record high temperature exceeded 80 degrees

A. 15

B. 25

C. 30

C. 30

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 23, 2007: COLD FRONT PUTTING AN END TO SUMMER-LIKE WEATHER

This past weekend was picture perfect, with clear skies day and night, mild temperatures, light winds and low humidity. High Pressure dominated the Ohio Valley's weather pattern giving us some well-deserved sunshine!

Do you remember a week ago from today? We were watching a major Nor'easter that was moving to the Mid-Atlantic coast. Snow, sleet and a wintry mix was in the local forecast as the valley was sitting on the western fringe of this storm system. Luckily we escaped the mess but did experience strong gusty winds last Monday.

On Sunday, it was summer-like, with an official high of 80 degrees! What a difference a week makes in weather!

Today, an approaching cold front will bring winds along with a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms. We'll get back to more seasonal temperatures with highs all this week in the 60's. Our average daily high temperature is now 65 degrees.

Hope you enjoyed our glorious weekend. This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 22, 2007: EARTH DAY MYTHS AND FACTS

Myth: We are running out of water.

Fact: The amount of water in our ecosystem will always be the same. Water is constantly recycled through evaporation and precipitation.

According to the authors of a book, "Facts not Fear: A Parents Guide to Teaching Children about the Environment," the Earth has more than enough water to meet human demands.

Source: Earth Day Information Center.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 21, 2007: EARTH DAY MYTHS AND FACTS

Sunday is Earth Day 2007.

Myth: Air quality today is worse than it was at the time of the first Earth Day in 1970. The six major pollutants (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, lead and particulates like soot and smoke) are more prevalent in our air today than they were 32 years ago.

Fact: Air quality today is much better than it was in the 1970s.

Aggregate emissions of the six "criteria" pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act have fallen by 64 percent since 1970.

Between 1976 and 1998, sulfur dioxide levels decreased by 64.7 percent, nitrogen oxide levels decreased by 37.9 percent, ozone decreased by 27.6 percent, carbon monoxide decreased by 67.2 percent, particulates decreased by 26.4 percent and lead decreased by 67.2 percent, particulates decreased by 26.4 percent and lead decreased by a whopping 97.3 percent.

Source: Earth Day Information Center

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 20, 2007: A RETURN TO WARMER WEATHER!

A welcome change weatherwise for the Ohio Valley this weekend! After 15 straight days of below normal temps, the valley will now enjoy above average temperatures with almost summer-like conditions on Sunday.

The normal high for April 20 is 64 degrees. The normal low is 41 degrees.

High pressure will dominate our weather pattern for the entire weekend. Highs Saturday will be in the low 70's with cloud-free skies. Sunday will be even warmer with a daily high temperature near 80 degrees!

Sunny, warm days and clear, cooler nights will provide perfect weather for all those folks with cabin fever, with very low humidity levels. Enjoy because rain is just around the corner!

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 20, 2007: EARTH DAY IS SUNDAY

This Sunday is Earth Day and since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have been creating their own ways to celebrate Earth, to observe the beauty and vitality of nature and to renew their commitment to saving our living planet.

With the beautiful weather this weekend you might consider planting a tree with the family. Just three trees strategically placed around a home can decrease utility bills by 50%. Did you know that crime rates decrease in areas with more greenery and children who have a view of greenery perform better in school. Each year, an acre of trees absorbs the amount of carbon produced by driving a car 26,000 miles. Trees reduce the amount of water runoff from rain and clean the water that does run off, saving billions of dollars otherwise needed for storm water control and water treatment facilities.

If trees aren’t your thing, head over to Home Depot on Earth Day, April 22, 2007 for a free Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb. That single lightbulb will use 75% less energy, and last up to 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Today’s Weather Quiz

The average United States citizen produces how much garbage every day?

A. 2 pounds

B. 5 pounds

C. 10 pounds

B. 5 pounds

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 19, 2007: LILAC BLOOMS

Since the late 1950’s, the dates when Lilacs bloom have been recorded at various sites throughout the United States. The bloom begins around early March in the southern states, and culminates in the northern states around late May and early June. During the last fifty years, in the vast majority of locations, the average date when the Lilacs bloom has moved to earlier in the year. The Lilacs now bloom an average of 4.2 days earlier than they did in the late 1950’s.

Today’s Weather Quiz

When did we see the latest (in the season) 3 inch snowfall?

A. April 19 B. May 1 C. May 9

C. May 9, 1966

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 18, 2007: MARCH TEMPERATURES SECOND WARMEST ON RECORD FOR U.S., GLOBAL MARCH TEMPERATURE FIFTH WARMEST ON RECORD

March 2007 was more than five degrees F warmer than average throughout the contiguous U.S., making it the second warmest March on record, according to scientists at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Precipitation was above average in much of the center of the nation, while the Southeast and much of the West were drier than average. The global average March temperature was fifth warmest on record.

U.S. Temperature Highlights For the contiguous U.S., last month's average temperature of 48.1 degrees F made it the second warmest March on record (based on preliminary data). It was 5.6 degrees F (3.1 degrees C) warmer than the 20th century mean of 42.5 degrees F (5.8 degrees C). Only March 1910 was warmer in the 113-year national record.

Statewide temperatures were much warmer than average from parts of the Midwest and Deep South to the Northern Plains and West Coast. Most Northeast states and Florida were near average, while no contiguous U.S. state was cooler than average for the month. The month tied for the warmest on record for Oklahoma.

More than 2,500 daily record-high temperatures were set from the East to the West Coast during the month. On March 13 alone, more than 250 daily high temperature records were set. The earliest high of 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) occurred in Las Vegas that day. For March, more than 200 daily record highs of 90 degrees F or greater were registered in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and areas of the Southeast.

The warmer-than-average March temperatures helped reduce residential energy needs for the nation. Using the Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI - an index developed at NOAA to relate energy usage to climate), the nation's residential energy demand was approximately 11 percent lower than what would have occurred under average climate conditions for the month. Alaska had its third coldest March on record, with a temperature 12.5 degrees F (6.9 degrees C) cooler than average. Also, 40 new daily record-low temperatures were tied, or broken, during March throughout the state.

U.S. Precipitation Highlights Precipitation was above average from parts of the Northeast to the upper Midwest and from the northern Plains to Texas and New Mexico. Much needed rain helped end drought in large parts of Texas. For Texas, it was the wettest March on record.

Across the Deep South and Southeast, drier-than-average conditions prevailed for a second straight month, worsening drought conditions. Six states were much drier than average from Louisiana and Arkansas to Florida. It was the second driest March on record for Mississippi and the third driest for Alabama.

At the end of March, severe drought stretched from southeastern Mississippi to northwest Georgia and Tennessee and also affected southern Florida.

The combination of unusual warmth and below-average snowfall during much of the month led to a continued deterioration of mountain snowpack conditions in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

At the end of March, mountain snowpack was less than 50 percent of average in parts of every state in the West and less than 25 percent of average in several states.

In Los Angeles, the lack of rainfall led to the driest water-year to date for the city since records began in 1877. From July 1, 2006, through the end of March, downtown Los Angeles had received only 2.47 inches of rain, almost one foot below the normal amount of rainfall for the period.

In the West, where mountain snowpack is relied upon to supply water needs throughout the region, below-average rain and snowfall have become increasingly common. In only two of the past nine years has snowpack on April 1 been at or above the long-term average in at least half the region.

Near the end of March, approximately 33 percent of the contiguous U.S. was in moderate to exceptional drought, according to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor. The most severe conditions were in northern Alabama, southern California, western Arizona, parts of the western High Plains and extreme northern Minnesota.

Global Highlights The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for March was the fifth warmest on record (1.10 degrees F/0.61 degrees C above the 20th century mean). For the January-March year-to-date period, the global surface temperature was second warmest on record. This was slightly cooler than the same 3-month period in 2002. The El Niño episode that began in September 2006 rapidly weakened in February and neutral conditions were present in March.

Separately, the global March land-surface temperature was the fourth warmest on record, while the ocean-surface temperature tied for sixth warmest in the 128-year period of record, approximately 0.2 degrees F (0.1 degrees C) cooler than the record established during the very strong El Niño episode of 1997-1998.

During the past century, global surface temperatures have increased at a rate near 0.11 degrees F (0.06 degrees C) per decade, but the rate of increase has been three times larger since 1976, or 0.32 degrees F (0.18 degrees C) per decade, with some of the largest temperature increases occurring in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

Today’s Weather Quiz

Which state has the most lightning strikes?

A. Texas B. Florida C. Arizona

B. Florida

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 17, 2007: NOR’EASTER

Nor'easters are among nature’s most ferocious storms. These strong areas of low pressure often form either in the Gulf of Mexico or off the East Coast in the Atlantic Ocean. The low will then either move up the East Coast into New England and the Atlantic provinces of Canada or out to sea.

A nor'easter gets its name from its continuously strong northeasterly winds blowing in from the ocean ahead of the storm and over the coastal areas.

Nor’easters are notorious for producing heavy snow, rain, and oversized waves that crash onto Atlantic beaches, often causing beach erosion and structural damage. Wind gusts associated with these storms can exceed hurricane force in intensity. The weekend Nor’easter produced 8.57 inches of rain in New York’s Central Park with 7.57 inches of that falling in one day, this past Sunday! The storm also produced a wind gust of 157 mph in Mount Washington, New Hampshire!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 16, 2007: GUSTY MONDAY

For the Ohio Valley, the main weather event from the Nor'easter will be the strong winds Monday. Winds will pick up as the system spins along the Northeast coast Monday.

Across the valley, expect winds to be out of the northwest at 20-25 miles per hour, with wind gusts up to 35 or even 40 mph at times. These gusty winds will bring lower wind chills, can cause difficulty driving, and watch out for any blowing debris and downed tree branches.

Wind advisories are posted for eastern and northern sections of Pennslyvania, withe higher gusts expected in that region. Winds will eventually calm down after midnight as the Nor'easter tracks off the Atlantic coast.

Highest Wind Speed Ever Recorded: Did you know Mount Washington in New Hampshire holds the record for directly measured surface wind speed? A wind speed of 231 mph was recorded on the afternoon of April 12, 1934.

Phenomena measured via satellite or radar, such as tornados, hurricanes and air currents in the upper atmosphere, are not directly measured at the Earth's surface and do not compete with this record.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery

APRIL 15, 2007: Ohio Valley Escapes Much of Nor'easter

It's been mainly a rain event for the Ohio Valley this weekend as the major storm makes its way to New England. Rainfall amounts as of Sunday afternoon have been less than 1 inch across the valley. As temperatures drop tonight and the brisk north winds pick up, the rain could mix with snow showers late, with little or no accumulation by Monday morning.

Snow fell just to our north Saturday night, with Chardon in Geauga County, Ohio, receiving the most amount- 2.4 inches of snow.

Gusty winds are expected for Monday. Wind gusts could be as high as 40 miles per hour in some areas, so driving could be difficult and watch out for downed trees and power lines too.

So what is a Nor'easter? A coastal low pressure system along the Atlantic coast that is characterized by strong northeasterly winds off the Atlantic that produce heavy amounts of precipitation, high surf and coastal erosion. A Nor'easter can likely produce high winds and heavy snow for interior New England and other parts of the Northeastern U.S.

The strong northeasterly winds off of the Atlantic Ocean is what gives this type of storm its name.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 13, 2007: FRIDAY THE 13TH

Every year we will have at least one Friday the 13th with a maximum of it happening three times a year. This year we will see it twice, one being today and the other being in July. Happy Friday the 13th! Enjoy some of the quirks of the unlucky number 13.

OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY SAYS THAT 90% OF SKYSCRAPERS HAVE NO 13TH FLOOR

MANY HOSPITALS HAVE NO ROOM 13.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS IN CALIFORNIS HAVE NO STUDIO LOT 13

THE FRESNO, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT HAS NO GATE 13

IGOR SECORSKY INVENTED THE HELICOPTER ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, 1939

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY WROTE THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, 1814

MILTON HERSHEY WAS BORN ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, 1857

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 12, 2007: EARTHQUAKES IN OHIO?

Sarah emailed me the following question: Has there ever been a quake in Ohio? The earth has shaken in Ohio before, but all of the epicenters occurred outside our local viewing area. You can find more Earthquake information and view an interactive map of Ohio at Ohio Earthquakes.

Today’s Weather Quiz

What is the average high temperature for the end of April?

A. 60 degrees B. 67 degrees C. 73 degrees

B. 67 degrees

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 11, 2007: GET INTO THE HOT SEAT!

Care to try your hand at weather forecasting during a severe weather outbreak? Try the National Weather Service Hot Seat an experimental educational tool created by the meteorologists at the Atlanta National Weather Service Forecast Office.

According to the NWS, this tool is "intended to provide participants with an appreciation of the meteorology of severe weather events and the decision-making process that goes into NWS warnings." I tried one of the scenarios and actually scored pretty high. I caught the tornadoes on the radar and issued the warnings ahead of time.

Today’s Weather Quiz

If altitude and humidity are taken into account a 400 foot home run hit at sea level will travel how far in Denver, Colorado?

If the altitude and humidity are taken into account, a 400-foot home run at sea level would go about 440 feet in Denver. And if the game were played in a vacuum, that 400-foot homer would go about 750 feet!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 10, 2007: COLD HARD FACTS

To say it has been cold around these parts over the last few days is an understatement. Since last Thursday the high temperature has been in the 30’s. That’s five days of high temperatures that are below our average low temperature for this time of year. Here’s another head scratching fact, we have seen more snow this in 9 days this April than for all of last December!

We’re not the only ones shivering through this cold snap as the Eastern two thirds of the country shares in our misery. Snow fell this weekend in Washington D.C. ruining the annual cherry blossom festival. In Dallas, Texas snowflakes were spotted for on the 5th time in April and latest on record. Jacksonville, Florida saw its latest freeze on record. Charlotte and Ashville, North Carolina experienced its coldest April temperatures of all time. Cleveland, Ohio saw its entire baseball opening home series snowed out. The Indians will travel to Milwaukee (luckily they have a dome) to take on the Anaheim Angels tonight. In the nearby suburbs of Cleveland, the town of Chardon picked up 33 inches of snow. But the place with worst weather of late is the town of Painesdale, Michigan with an amazing 64.5 inches of snow in the past 6 days!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 9, 2007: 54 YEARS AGO TODAY

The first tornado was detected by radar on this date in 1953. It was late in the afternoon and severe thunderstorms developed across Illinois. One small F2 twister touched down near Lincoln but a stronger F3 tornado touched down near Champaign. The storm damaged many homes and caused injuries. Earlier in the day at Willard Airport in Champaign, a radar located on top of a 50 foot tower was being tested in preparation for an upcoming project on rainfall estimation by Donald Staggs. As thunderstorms moved just north of the radar, a hook echo appeared on the right rear flank of the thunderstorm. The radar data proved to be a breakthrough for studying the relationship between radar and tornadoes and laid the groundwork for the current Doppler weather radar network.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 7, 2007: EASTER MORNING WILL BE IN RECORD BOOKS

This arctic cold blast will cause much rewriting of the record books across a large part of the country early Easter morning. The jet stream dipping way south and allowing the very cold air to spill over much of the nation will drive temps below record lows in many locations!

The area of new record lows will be in the mid section of the country, but it will be the deep South where the biggest extremes will be recorded. From Georgia to Texas, daily record lows may fall by 10 degrees. Early Spring growth, including fruit trees, vegetable crops and other sensitive Spring plants will be a great risk of freeze damage.

This is Meteorologist Lisa Montgomery.

APRIL 6, 2007: HAPPY EASTER DESPITE THE COLD!

I know it feels like Christmas but I wanted to wish everyone a happy and blessed Easter or as we say in Polish: Weso³ego Alleluja = Happy Easter! Here are some Easter fun facts to share with friends and family:

The name Easter owes its origin from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes hare and egg.

Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25.

Pysanka is a specific term used for the practice of Easter egg painting.

From the very early times, egg has been considered to be the most important symbol of rebirth.

The initial baskets of Easter were given the appearance of bird's nests.

The maiden chocolate eggs recipes were made in Europe in the nineteenth century.

Each year witnesses the making of nearly 90 million chocolate bunnies.

Next to Halloween, Easter holiday paves way for confectionary business to boom.

When it comes to eating of chocolate bunnies, it is the ears that are preferred to be eaten first by as many as 76% of people.

In the catalogue of kids' favorite Easter foodstuff, Red jellybeans occupy top most position.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 5, 2007: EASTER COLDER THAN CHRISTMAS!??

Most of us don’t mind seeing a little snow on Christmas, but Easter that’s just ridiculous. The only thing sweet about this Easter forecast is the chocolate. This Easter will be colder than this past Christmas. The temperature will struggle to reach 40 degrees by Sunday afternoon. On Christmas Day the high temperature reached 44 degrees. It’s only a 4 degree difference but it’s a good fact to throw out there at Easter brunch and impress Uncle Fred or Aunt Betty. So how often do we see Easter being colder than Christmas? Not often, the last time it happened was 22 years ago back in 1985. Easter Sunday of 1985 was 1 degree colder than Christmas day 1984. Four years ago on Easter we saw a high of 80 degrees. In 1997 the mercury only reached 36 degrees on Easter Sunday.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

APRIL 4, 2007: TALKING TROPICS

The weather locally is cooling down in a hurry but there are signs that the upcoming hurricane season could be heating up. The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season will likely be “very active” with 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes, five of them major, storm forecasters William Gray and Philip Klotzbach said Tuesday.

At the same time, they call for a 74 percent chance that a major hurricane, with sustained winds greater than 110 mph, will strike the U.S. coastline, which is considerably higher than the long-term average of 52 percent. They also predict a 50 percent chance that a major hurricane will hit the U.S. East Coast, including the Florida peninsula, while the long-term average is 31 percent.

If the forecast holds true, it would be a substantial jump in activity over the relatively quiet 2006 season, which saw 10 named storms, including five hurricanes, and was only the 12th year since 1945 that the United States escaped a hurricane strike. But 2007 shouldn’t be as busy as the tumultuous 2004 and 2005 seasons, which combined, saw eight hurricanes slam Florida, the two forecasters based at Colorado State University said. A normal season sees about 11 named storms, including six hurricanes, with two of those being intense.

Today’s Weather Quiz What is the greatest temperature difference in a 24 hour period?

The greatest temperature change in 24 hours occurred in Loma, Montana on January 15, 1972. The temperature rose exactly 103 degrees, from 54 degrees below zero to 49 degrees above zero. This is the world record for a 24—hour temperature change.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

April 3, 2007: NEAR RECORD WARMTH TO WINTRY CHILL

The forecasted high temperature today is in the upper 70’s and the record high for this date is 79 set back in 1963. Temperatures near 80 degree in April made me question, have we ever reached 90 degrees in April? Close, but close only counts in horseshoes, as the highest temperature recorded for the month of April was 89 degrees. The 89 degree temperature was reached a few times most recently back in April 1990. The earliest 90 degree temperature on record occurred on May 1st 1942 with an afternoon high temperature that day of 91 degrees.

Our early spring warmth will quickly fade back to winter time chill as a cold front plows through the area by early tomorrow morning. Expect high temperatures in the 30’s and low temperatures in the 20’s from Thursday through Saturday.

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.

April 2, 2007: APRIL SNOW

Snow is probably the furthest thing from your mind on this sunny and warm spring day, but before the end of the week that four letter word will make an appearance in our skies. Snow in April isn’t all that uncommon in these parts. In fact we average 1.5 inches of snow for the month of April. The snowiest April day on record was April 18, 1953 that was when we picked up an amazing 8 inches of the white stuff! We’re not expecting that much snow later this week, but we will see the flakes fly as early as Wednesday night or Thursday. Let’s just enjoy today and tomorrow!

Email your weather questions toweather@wtov.com.
I'm meteorologist Jeff Oechslein.