MAY 13, 2008: THE LATEST IN UMBRELLA FASHION

The umbrella was invented some 3000 years ago and has seen no evolution. That is until now, we bring you the Nubrella, the world's first hands-free umbrella. The nubrella is designed for the 21st century. Nubrella exploits the fundamental limitations of today’s traditional umbrella while introducing a long awaited feature of hands free usage.

You can get a glimpse of the nubrella at the manufacturer’s website .

The makers of nubrella say "it cannot and will not invert in any wind," and also "blocks wind chill." The makers say you should buy it because "productivity on the street goes down 50 percent as one good hand, which could be used for texting, coffee-clutching, hand-holding, gets monopolized by an unwieldy umbrella."

I personally am not part of the texting generation, so I find it funny that you would actually be texting someone outside in the rain! And you can hold the coffee in you free hand but how do you drink it with a plastic dome over your head?

Would you buy a nubrella? Is it worth the $49.99?

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

MAY 9, 2008: ROLL OUT THE RAIN BARREL

Collecting rainwater for use during dry months in rain barrels or other depositories is an ancient and traditional practice. Historical records show that rainwater was collected in simple clay containers as far back as 2,000 years ago in Thailand, and throughout other areas of the world after that. With the rising price of municipal water and drought restrictions now facing much of the United States during the summer months, more and more homeowners in our own modern society are turning to the harvesting of rainwater to save money and protect this precious natural resource.

Believe it or not, for every inch of rain that falls on a catchment area of 1,000 square feet, you can expect to collect approximately 600 gallons of rainwater. Ten inches of rain falling on a 1,000 square foot catchment area will generate about 6,000 gallons of rainwater!

That's right, 6,000 gallons! More than you were expecting?

To calculate the square feet of your house’s catchment area, measure the area of the outside walls and then include the overhang of any eaves. For example, let’s say you have an oblong house with outside dimensions of 36 feet by 46 feet. You’ve calculated the overhang of your eaves as 2 feet. So, add the 4 feet of the eaves to each wall length (2 eaves of 2 feet equals an additional 4 feet for each wall) to get the total length of the walls plus the eaves (40 by 50 feet).

Now multiply 40 times 50 (length times width) to get your total roof catchment area.

(36 + 4) x (46 + 4) = 2,000 sq ft

Your roof catchment area is thus 2,000 square feet.

Since one inch of rainfall provides approximately 600 gallons of water for a 1,000 square foot catchment area, and our theoretical house has a 2,000 square foot catchment area (twice the area), you will multiply 600 gallons by 2.

600 gal x 2 = 1,200 gallons

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

MAY 7, 2008: SOUNDS OF THE NIGHT

Did you know that sounds carry better and farther at night? Because it tends to be quieter then, individual sounds are easier to distinguish. By far the most important factor, however, is a difference in the temperature structure of the lower few hundred feet of the atmosphere between day and night.

Sound travels through cold, dense air more slowly than through warmer, less dense air. When air temperatures change on the path along which sound waves are traveling, the waves always bend toward the colder air.

By day, it's warmer near the ground and colder above; sound bends up and away from the ground . At night, it's colder near the ground and warmer above; sound waves bend down.

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

MAY 5, 2008: MAY IS THE PEAK OF TORNADO SEASON

Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Even New Zealand reports about 20 tornadoes each year. Two of the highest concentrations of tornadoes outside the U.S. are Argentina and Bangladesh. Both have similar topography with mountains helping catch low-level moisture from over Brazil (Argentina) or from the Indian Ocean (Bangladesh). About 1,000 tornadoes hit the U.S. yearly.

Tornado season usually refers to the time of year where the U.S. sees the most tornadoes. The peak "tornado season" for the southern plains often referred to as Tornado Alley is during May. Along the Gulf coast, it is earlier during the spring. In the northern plains and upper Midwest, tornado season is in June or July. But, remember, tornadoes can happen at any time of year. Tornadoes can also happen at any time of day, but most tornadoes occur between 4-9 p.m.

Tornado Alley is a nickname for an area that consistently experiences a high frequency of tornadoes each year. The area that has the most strong and violent tornadoes includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern Colorado. The relatively flat land in the Great Plains allows cold dry polar air from Canada to meet warm moist tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. A large number of tornadoes form when these two air masses meet, along a phenomenon known as a "dryline."

The dryline is a boundary separating hot, dry air to the west from warm, moist air to the east. You can see it on a weather map by looking for sharp changes in dew point temperatures. Between adjacent weather stations the differences in dew point can vary by as much as 40 degrees or more. The dryline is usually found along the western high plains. Air moving down the eastern slopes of the Rockies warms and dries as it sinks onto the plains, creating a hot, dry, cloud-free zone. During the day, it moves eastward mixing up the warm moist air ahead of it. If there is enough moisture and instability in the warm air, severe storms can form - because the dryline is the "push" the air needs to start moving up! During the evening, the dryline "retreats" and drifts back to the west. The next day the cycle can start all over again, until a larger eather system pushes through and washes it away.

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

MAY 2, 2008: MAY IS ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH

The Environmental Protection Agency has designated May as Asthma Awareness Month, with May 6th being World Asthma Day, an event sponsored by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Pollen and air pollution, particularly ground level ozone, are important outdoor triggers of asthma symptoms. In the United States, an estimated 22 million people, including 6.5 million children, have asthma. Each year, asthma attacks in the United States result in:

• two million emergency room visits;

• sixteen billion dollars worth of lost productivity and health care costs; and

• thirteen million missed school days.

Pollen counts are at or nearing their peak in most areas, and we're entering peak ground level ozone season. Dry and windy days are usually the worst for pollen counts, and changes in weather conditions, especially abrupt changes, can trigger asthma symptoms. Because most pollens are released in the morning, susceptible individuals should avoid outdoor activities between 5:00 and 10:00 AM. Outdoor activities should also be avoided when ground level ozone concentrations and particulate pollution levels are high. Before heading outside, you can visit www.airnow.gov to check on local air quality.

Remaining in a clean, indoor, air-conditioned environment where filters remove most pollutants and pollens is recommended for asthmatics on days when conditions are conducive to asthma symptoms.

For more information on Asthma Awareness Month, including a list of events near you, visit: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/index.html.

Information on Asthma Awareness Day can be accessed at: http://www.ginasthma.com/WADIndex.asp

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